Sharp Tongue

Episode 15

Sheila got into her father’s car. She could
hardly sit in there a moment longer. Nonsense!
silly meeting, what was the essence anyway?

Everybody hated everybody. What kind of a
family was that? She was going home. Her
parents could find their own way back.

There was no money with her, she would have taken a taxi.

Her father would have a fit by the time he
discovered that his car keys were gone.

Her phone started to ring. She ignored it.

She won’t answer it until she got home and was
lying on her own bed. She started the car, backed
it out of her grand-parents’ compound and
nosed it into the road.

---

“She is not picking her calls,” Eureka cried
out in alarm. John dialed his daughter’s number
with his phone. It kept on ringing for several
minutes.

“Let us go home, she probably got tired of
all these unnecessary arguments and headed
home.”

Nnese closed her eyes and prayed. She
hoped her grand-daughter was okay.
John and his wife walked out of the sitting
room without speaking to anyone.

“Dad, you must bring John back to his
senses.

Sheila must apologize to our client. This
contract is important to us,” Dorcas sat beside her father.

He sighed and remained quiet. At that
moment, his mind was in turmoil.

Martha hissed and turned to Daniel, “Don’t
you think we should leave too?”
“We will… Please be patient.”

John and Eureka returned looking worried.
“Sheila left with our car.”

Martha started laughing, “Wonders shall
never end.”

“When did she start driving?” Nnese tried to
get up. Charles helped her to her feet.

“Why don’t you call her again?” He
suggested.

John dailed his daughter’s number, but
there was no response.

“We will take you home, hopefully she got
there safely,” Imabong offered. John nodded in
agreement.

“Honey,” he glanced at his wife.
“I will stay here,” Dorcas leaned back on the
seatee.

“All right then,” Imabong, John and Eureka
left in a hurry.

“Take me to the room, I need to pray,”
Nnese beckoned to her husband.

---

John, Imabong and Eureka sat in the
doctor’s office. They had found the remains of
John’s car at the roadside, several miles away from the Adams’ mansion. They were informed by people around that the driver of the car ran into an electric poll while trying to avoid hitting a
child that escaped from his mother’s grip and
crossed the road all by himself. They were directed to a nearby clinic, but they were not allowed to see Sheila.

The doctor stopped writing and looked up
at them, “The patient hit her head on the
steering wheel when she ran into the electric poll.”

Eureka tightened her grip on her husband’s
hand. She hoped her daughter’s injuries
were mild.

“The cut on her forehead is a little deep, but
it has been stitched. We ran several tests. I
can assure you that she is okay.”

“Thank God,” she whispered. She hoped
Sheila can be discharged that evening.

“That’s goodnews,” Imabong patted John
on the shoulder.

The doctor cleared his throat. They all
stared at him, wondering what else he wanted to say.

“The patient… ”

“Yes… ” John leaned forward.
“She doesn’t know who she is.”

“What!” Imabong exclaimed.
“What does that mean?” John addressed
the doctor.

“What happened to my baby girl?” She cried
out.

“Please… Please… Please, you need to
remain calm.”

“Calm? Seriously?” Imabong frowned at the
doctor, “Your father is a retired medical
doctor John. I think we should transfer Sheila to
one of his hospitals,” he got up.

Eureka nodded in agreement. John met the
doctor’s relaxed gaze.

“What is it doctor?”

“We think she is suffering from amnesia.”
“No!” Eureka locked gazes with the doctor.
Imabong walked out of the office, he was
tired of listening to the doctor’s diagnosis.

“Thank you doctor. Please prepare my
daughter for a transfer. We would like to seek a
second opinion,” John shook hands with the doctor and walked out with his wife.

---

Charles spoke to his children and their
spouses in the waiting room.

“Sheila has been seen by one of the best
doctors in the whole of Africa. I have also checked
herself.

I might be retired, but I know my onions.”
Boma chuckled, but no one noticed. He had
boasted about his grand-father’s medical
achievements when he was in school.

Charles Adams was the main reason why the
Adams’ social status had risen over the years.
“She is okay. She would be discharged
today.”

Eureka sighed in relief. John sq££zed her
hand.

It had been a long weekend.
“But, she has been diagnosed with
amnesia.”

Martha felt no remorse. She couldn’t be
bothered whether her neice lived or died. These
emotions made her shudder, when did she become so bitter?

“She doesn’t know who she is, she doesn’t
remember anything about her past. I want
her to see everybody today. Hopefully, she will
recognize someone. But if she doesn’t… ” He coughed,
“It
can take days, weeks, months or worse,
years,
before her complete memory returns.”
Eureka dabbed her wet eyes with an
handkerchief. How would it feel like if their
daughter did not recognize them? She
wasn’t
sure if she could go through with it. God!
Help!

“We will see her in batches, let’s start with
Dorcas, Imabong and their children,”
Charles led
them all to Sheila’s room.

---

The doctors and nurses said her name was
Sheila
Adams. It sounded strange. Why couldn’t
she remember? She had been scared since she
gained consciousness. Not knowing who
she was and trying to retrieve nineteen years of
memories had scared the life out of her. The retired doctor told her that he was her grand-father. But, she doesn’t know him. He had promised to bring her
parents and the rest of the family. She
hoped she will remember someone. Even if it is just one person, that would comfort her fried and
blank mind.

The retired doctor told her that her
memories would return gradually. It could take days, weeks, months or fearfully, years. She hoped it won’t take that long. She would definitely go crazy if it took that long.

The door opened and the retired doctor
walked in
with four people.
“Good morning Sheila,” he sat on the bed
beside
her.
“Good morning Doctor Adams.”
“How is my girl doing?”
“So, so… ”
“It is going to be all right,” he patted her on
the
shoulder, “This is my youngest daughter,
Dorcas,” she stepped forward, “Her husband,
Imabong and their children… Boma and
Edidiong,
your cousins.”
Sheila looked at them. Dorcas was a very
beautiful woman. Her husband was also
easy on
the eyes. It was a good match. Their
children
were the exact carbon copies of their
parents.
Nobody said a word, they were all starring
at her,
hoping that she would recognize them.
“Beautiful family… ” She stared at the
bedsheet.
Charles dismissed them. Dorcas and her
family
left.

“It is okay, don’t give up yet.”
Dorcas and her family returned to the
waiting
room.

“How is my grand-daughter?” Nnese looked
up at them.

Dorcas shook her head and sat down.
“She didn’t recognize us,” Imabong sat
beside his wife.

“She called us ‘beautiful family’,” Boma
folded his arms across his chest.

“Sheila… The Sheila I know isn’t that nice,”
Edidiong tried not to laugh.

Charles returned, “Martha, Daniel, Nnese,
you are next.”

Martha wished she didn’t have to see her
neice.

She doubted if the brat would recognize
her. She wished she could convince Daniel to take
her home. She shook the thoughts away and
concentrated on the task ahead.

They followed her father into a private room and found Sheila sitting on the bed watching the television.

“Sheila, I want you to meet your grandma.”
Nnese stepped forward and sat on the bed,
“How are you baby girl?”

Sheila looked at her. She felt comfortable
with her, just the same way she felt relaxed with
the retired doctor.

“I am… okay I guess.”
“Hang in there darling. It will all come back
to you.”

She turned and saw a couple staring at her.
“This is my eldest daughter, Martha and her
husband, Daniel.”

“Hi… ”

Martha and Daniel exchanged glances. She
didn’t recognize them.

“Hi… ” Daniel smiled at her and kicked his
wife on the knee. She cleared her throat and tried to smile.

“Hi… ”

Sheila returned her attention to the
television.

She could sense that her aunt did not like
her.

She wondered why.

“I will go and get your parents.”

She nodded without looking at him. Charles
led them all out. Nnese broke down crying
while Martha and Daniel returned to the waiting
room.

“How did it go?” Dorcas asked her sister.
Martha shrugged, “She is like a different
person…

We are like strangers to her.”

Eureka wished she could close her ears.

Their comments and assumptions were
accelerating her fears.

“Come on, let’s go and see our daughter.”
She held her husband’s arm and followed
him to the room Sheila’s was kept.

They knocked and walked in. Sheila looked
at them and they stared back at her. She
noticed that she looked a little bit like them. She
made a sigh of relief. They must be her parents.
Why can’t she remember her own parents? She
noticed that the woman’s eyes were red.

She must have been crying. The man looked
tired and
sad. They must have been worried about
her. She
could feel their hurt. It made her want to
start to
cry.
“Are you my mum and dad?”
They both nodded.
“Can you hug me?”
“Yes pumpkin… ” Eureka began to sob. They
sat
on the bed beside her and pulled her close.
“I am so scared,” Sheila began to cry.
“Oh baby… ” John could hardly hold back
his
tears.
“I don’t remember anybody… I feel so lost.”
“It is okay sugar plum. Your memories will
return.
We are here for you,” John assured her.
“Jesus is also here with you. He will never
leave
you nor forsake you,” Eureka dabbed
Sheila’s face
with her handkerchief.

“Never, ever?”
“Never ever,” she smiled and Sheila returned
it with a grin.