Click here to view all episodes of ‘A dangerous love affair’

“Will he make it?” he heard a familiar voice whisper.

We think so, he lost a lot of blood and you did all you could to donate so much, if we take any more from you then your life will be in danger as well.”

Please, you have to make sure he lives, I’m not ready to lose him,” He heard the familiar voice say before he blacked out.

Emeka, you did well, get strong soon because I don’t know how much longer I can hold on.” A rich baritone voice whispered in his ear before consciousness fled again.

“What about his leg? Will he be able to use it to walk?” the first familiar voice said again, he could now tell it belonged to a woman, but he just couldn’t place it.

“Yes, but he’ll have a severe limp for the rest of his life.”

“No Doctor; this is a strong man, this is a man who beat the odds, and this man does not deserved to be crippled.”

“I’m sorry, we’ve done everything in our power just to save him, the rest is up to him.”

Sweet blackness claimed Emeka again.  

***

The Early morning light streaming through the windows of the hospital woke the tired man, but this time was different, he had enough energy to finally open his eyes.

It took a moment for the world to come into focus after swimming in a sea of darkness so long. At first, everything seemed too bright, but as his eyes adjusted, he was able to take in the room.

To his left, a table was filled to overflowing with fresh flowers and greeting cards he knew would have get well soon wishes from his countless associates and business partners.

The walls were painted a pale cream with a dark blue flower design every few feet.

As he swung his eyes to the right, he saw two prone figures on a long couch at the side of his bed. As he kept looking, he realized it was the sleeping figure of his wife and Phoebe.

Even in the dim light, he could tell Hadija had lost a lot of weight. Her normally curvy figure had turned somewhat angular.

He tried to sit up to get a better view and Hadija suddenly multiplied into five, the shock caused him to cry out briefly and stirred Phoebe.

As Phoebe moved, Hadija sensed it and jumped awake.

“Hey stranger, I take it you’re not mad at me anymore.”

“Daddy!” Phoebe shouted, rushing to her father and jumping on the small hospital bed.

“My little angel” Emeka winced as Phoebe accidentally kicked his injured knee.

“Baby, how have you been?” Emeka asked as he turned his eyes towards his tired wife. “I hope I didn’t leave you alone for too long.”

“No Dear, you didn’t. I’m just glad to have you back.” She replied with tears in her eyes.

She slowly walked over to him and gently folded her arms around his neck and silently shed warm tears on his shoulder.

“My love, I’m lost without you, in the darkness of this world, you are my light. Never leave my side again.”

I would never dream of it.” Emeka replied as he folded her in his arms and brought her to his lap, careful not to put pressure on his injured leg.

“So how long will I be wearing this thing?” he asked, referring to the cast that wrapped his leg from foot to thigh.

“At least three months, you’re getting too old for these kinds of escapades.”

I know it baby, I know it.” Then he remembered.

“What happened to me after I passed out on the beach? How long have I been unconscious? How did you find me, where is Chris, where is Cassie and the child?”

A dark shadow passed across Hadija’s face as he asked the last question, but it quickly passed and she settled down to give him the answers to his questions.

Let me start from the beginning of the story as I know it.

After you passed out, I don’t know how long it took Cassie to come out from hiding. John had beaten her up pretty badly and she could barely walk. She said she would have come out sooner if it was only her, but she was terrified for the baby’s sake.

She finally got the courage to come out of hiding and saw you, her brother, and John all laid out on the beach. It was your phone she used to call the police.

When they got there, you had lost a lot of blood and no one was sure you’d make it. When they finally rushed you and Chris here, they had to do an emergency blood transfusion just to stabilize you and Chris. “

“I know you gave me some blood too, is that why you’ve lost weight?”

Yes and no. I lost weight because I’ve been worried sick.”

Sorry.” Emeka whispered.

“After they got some blood into you and Chris, they performed emergency operations to remove the bullets lodged in your bodies. Chris almost didn’t make it through his ordeal, but luckily pulled through.

Emeka, the doctors say you will have a bad limp for the rest of your life.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“You’ve been unconscious for about two weeks now and have been surviving off of fluids.”

What about Chris, where is he now?

“He’s still in the hospital recovering from his wounds. He woke up a few days ago and has been eating well. He recovering very fast, I hope you can do the same.” She said with tears in the corners of her eyes.

Cassie and the Baby?”  He whispered.

“The baby and his mother are fine; Cassie is almost fully recovered and is planning on moving back to her village for a while to get her things in order.”

“You spoke to her?”

“Of Course, she saved my husband’s life, I owe her a lot.”

“Wow.”

“I’ve had a lot of time to think while I was praying for your health, I’ve decided to forgive her for her actions because if I don’t, every time I look at you I’ll be reminded of her. I don’t want anyone to have that much power over my life. “

“My how you’ve grown.”

“Please don’t flatter me, I feel like a school girl right now, I’m just glad everything worked out the way it did. We can close this chapter in our lives and move forward now.”

“You’re right dear, you’re right.” Emeka said as he clutched his wife’s hand a embraced his last child.

Everything was going to be alright.

***

Epilogue

Mr. Chairman, the board requests your presence.

“Grrr, don’t they know I had having to stand up?” The chairman of Constellation Industries cursed as he hobbled across his beautiful office and through the open door to answer the summons of the board.

As he remembered how he was given his current position, it brought back the same emotions as it did three years ago.

With is last act as chairman, Dante Vincent unified the offices of the President and the Chairman of the company and stepped down so Emeka could assume power.

He died shortly afterward, and Emeka started the process of making Constellation Industries a self-sustaining beast.

He pushed open the heavy wooden doors that led to the board room and resumed his seat at the head of the table.

“Gentlemen, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

“We have met here today to acknowledge the amazing work you’ve been doing here since accepting the role as the chairman of the company. We also want to beg you to reconsider your resignation.”

“Haha, we’ve been through this before.” Emeka laughed as he formed his reply “I’m leaving Constellation Industries to travel the world with my family. I’ve done all that I can and my replacement is a capable man.

Don’t worry, you’ll get by somehow.”

“What will you do when you get tired of roaming the earth Emeka?”

“I don’t know, maybe I’ll start a blog.”

Silence greeted his reply so he filled it by asking his own question.

“Will there be anything else? If not, I’ll take my leave.” He said with finality as he stood up and slowly walked towards the doors he had come through.

“Wait, Emeka,” One of the board members called as he stood up. “I wish you the best of luck in everything you do if anyone truly deserves it then that someone is you.”

“Thank you.” Emeka replied without turning around.

When he finally made it to his office, he picked up his phone and called the most important woman in his life.

Hadija, are the kids ready?

“Yes dear, we’re just waiting on you.”

“I’m leaving the office now. I’ll be there soon.”

“Emeka?”

“yes dear?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too dear, more than life itself.”

Everything was going to be alright, after Dante’s passing and Emeka taking the reins of the company, everything had pretty much been smooth sailing.

Cassie had moved abroad with her son, Chris was healthy, and Hadija trusted him again.

Emeka looked out of his massive office wind like he had so many years ago and knew it was time to put Constellation industries behind him and start a life he could be truly proud of.

As Written by Daniel Ndukwu. Click here to visit his blog