#PRESENT DAY

I rushed over the finishing touches of my light make up, darting my eyes on and off the wall clock that starred back at me. It was almost evening and I still had a lot to take care of before twilight. You know the saying that a bride's wedding day is the happiest day of her life? I had never really bought into that but right now, I was beginning to think otherwise. Maybe 'cos I was personally experiencing it. My wedding was still a month away, a whopping one month yet, I feel like it's today already. I smiled at the thought. I couldn't remember anything else ever making me this happy. The endless bouts of happiness has left even I perplexed. I mean, I have always been the serious one. My friends never watered down their words whenever it came to that. I smiled as Ebere's voice came echoing in my head: "Adinma, you are mean! You know that right? But at the same time, you are a sweetheart." As a matter of fact, I was used to them telling me how mean and serious minded I was. But look at this Adinma right now! A totally different person - happy for no reason. Now I agree with the fact that love can turn even the ugliest Dunkin into a beauty. Except in this case, mine was "a mean and serious minded nerd into a cheerful and happy bride.. smiles."

Udo's voice came once again, reminding me that he was still patiently waiting. 

I smiled and screamed:"be right down."

Udodiri

Udo as I like to call him

was my fiancee, my prince charming, the single man that succeeded in breaking through my thick defences and sweeping me off my feet!

I still remember how I had been so curled up within myself that I never let any man come close. Ebere, as my roommate and the only friend I had then had tried all she could to get me out of my shell but never succeeded. I remember her endless tricks that had succeeded in dragging me to night clubs to 'dance it off', as she would always say, or was it the ones that led me to undesired blind dates with a series of thoughtless young men that left me wondering if there was a dozen of them stacked somewhere from which she always picked 'cos every single young man she tried hooking me up with either had zero plans about life in its entirety or was out for just a flirt. They all lived in the moment as though tomorrow didn't matter.

I remember sternly warning Ebere to stop with the pranks after one of the terrible encounters - the worst of them all. I had literarily felt like throwing up. Talk about creepy and touchy...eell!. He couldn't just keep his hands to himself. And the funny thing is that Ebere is never anywhere to be found at times like that. I remember searching everywhere for her that night but she was nowhere at sight. Her fun and erratic nature never let her stay at a place for more than a few minutes except she was sick or chainned down or at home.

But looking on the bright side, I took a deep breath and a warm smile formed on my face as the thought clouded my heart - how nice and caring Ebere has been, especially while we were in school.

As I applied my lipstick, my mind again drifted to her words both before and after I met Udo: "Adinma, you will make a really wonderful bride. My own is, Shaa don't forget to invite us to your wedding. If you try that...well, you know me now." Thinking about that now and reconciling it with how I feel right now, I couldn't help but smile at how true her words were.

Grabbing my wrist watch, I made to rush off the seat but immediately fell back in. Mustering the last of my strength, I tried again, but this time, came falling uncontrollably to the floor. The last thing I remembered was my body hitting the floor before I passed out.

Next thing I saw was cloudy images and hysterical sounds and screams as people ran up and down around me. I couldn't pin the smell of the place but I was sure I didn't smell anything like a venue for wedding reception - our initial destination. 

I tried opening my eyes a little wider but a voice urged me to keep it close, that I needed to keep whatever strength I had left intact. Even though I didn't understand what that meant, I obeyed. Its not like I could protest anyways - I had tried opening my mouth to talk but no words formed.

My body didn't feel anything like my own. I felt the type of weakness I hadn't felt before. Not even the stress from the wedding prep succeeded in getting me to that state.

A mask-like device being placed on my face was the last thing I felt before again, passing out.

Strangely, I saw myself come face to face with the things I had scheduled to finish - exactly as I had arranged them. I looked down at the dress I was putting on and it was the same dress I had worn a few minutes ago in my room - yes a few minutes. I wasn't sure how much time had passed but that was what it seemed like to me.

I was surprised at how hell and hearty I felt - no tiredness whatsoever. I looked at myself again, this time more of admiration than surprise. I loved the way I looked - glamorous!

I starred at the entrance to the reception venue one more time before making my way in. The look of admiration I had worn at the sight of how beautiful the exterior had looked was soon surprised by shock as I walked in. I was wowed! The beauty was beyond what I had expected. I looked around, trying to buy into the glamour that beheld me. I looked around the room and the smile varnished. As though suddenly realizing that Udo wasn't with me, I ran to every hidden corner I saw, hoping to find him crawled in somewhere but no, he was nowhere to be found.

Now frantic, I began to scream his name but still, there was no answer. I ran outside the building but he wasn't there either. I screamed for help but none came. It was then I realized I was alone in the entire building. "Who is this even possible?" I asked myself. The wedding planner ought to be here. Udo and myself were supposed to meet her here. 

Again, I looked around, hoping to see a change but still, nothing.

I rushed back to where I had come in from, hoping to see my car but there was nothing. A completely empty space greeted me. Even my handbag had varnished. My phone nowhere to be found.

I sat on the floor, terrified. "So this is how I'm going to die?" I was lamenting. The thoughts of all the things I had worked so hard to put in place for the wedding came flowing through my head: the gown I had spent almost a whole day with Ebere, testing and changing before finally picking, the shoes, the bouquet, the aso-ebi, the wedding card, the souvenirs - God! Why did it have to be after such a beautiful experience? After everything was finally working perfectly? Why did it have to be now, why now? I was weeping and rolling myself on the floor. Agony and bitterness had overtaken the joy I had felt walking into this arena.

All I wished for was for a miracle to happen. Something. Anything. I just wanted to be saved from the selfish grip of death.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Udo walked to and fro the waiting room, his expression a mixture of agony and fear. The doctor's had remained inside the room for God knows how long. No one was giving him updates and all his attempts to get into the room and at least, see his fiancee with his own eyes had proved abortive.

All was not well and he knew it. He had seen as nurse's frantically ran in and out of the room. One had even rolled in an oxygen cylinder into the room.

The thought of her dying on him crossed his mind and he immediately dismissed it. He didn't even want to think about that. How was he going to live without her? Where was he to begin from? There is no way he was going to let her die. Never! He would do whatever it takes to keep her alive and healthy.

Just then, a nurse rushed out of the room again with a tray in her hands. Udo rushed with all the strength he had.

"How is she? Is she better? Has she regained consciousness?"

The nurse signalled him that she was in a hurry and that he should clear the way but he wouldn't hear of it. He blocked her in and demanded she gave him an update before anything else.

Seeing how serious he was, the nurse muttered 'she is still unconscious. The doctors are still attending to her. We are doing everything we can to bring her back. Now if you would excuse me, I have an urgent errand to run.' She was out of sight before Udo recollected himself.

He sank into one of the seats in the waiting room,  burying his head in his hands, he wept. What if she dies? What if she doesn't wake up? It would all have been my fault for getting there so late. If only I had known earlier. If only I had gone upstairs the moment I felt she was taking more time than necessary. If only I hadn't sat complacent watching television, waiting for her to come down whenever she was done.... series of thoughts, blames, and emotional disarray surged through him.

His mind again went through the schedule they had put out for the day. The vigorous activities they had tirelessly engaged in and the ones they were still yet to carry out. Did I let her push herself too hard? Maybe I should have objected to that ridiculous schedule of hers. Maybe I should have insisted we let the wedding planner handle everything as she ought to. The more he thought about it, the more the tears flowed.

Another nurse rushed into the room again with some injections in the tray she carried. The sound of the closing jamming door got Udo to spring to his feet. He wiped his tears with the corners of his shirt and again resumed pacing up and down. He was praying for God to see her through. "God, if you save her from this eh, I will make sure she never overworks herself again. Infact, I will personally see to it that the wedding planner takes care of everything herself."

The doctor's paused after administering another dose of epinephrine. They watched as their patient again, resumed her breathing. This time, she was able to sustain it for a longer time than the rest they had done before now.

"It seems she is finally picking up," one of the doctors said.

 Another let out a sigh of relief. "What a huge battle. We must not loose this young lady, not after all we have been through here. The fact that she is still alive shows she is fighting. She wants to live."

"But what I don't understand is what could have gotten her to this state of severe dehydration. She seems so stressed out and I doubt if she had even been feeding well," the third doctor observed.

"Well, that's exactly what we are about to find out," the second doctor added. "Where is the young man that brought her here?" He was now looking at the two nurse's in the room.

The nurse frantically pointed outside, leading the way while the doctor followed. 

The moment Udo head the crick of the door, he turning to see who it was. The he saw them, he rushed to where they now stood, panick filled. "Doctor, how is she?" He asked, looking at the somewhat senior doctor infront of him, not sure what to expect.

"You are?" The doctor's voice came.

"Udo - Udodiri," he stuttered.

"I meant your relationship with the young lady. Are you her brother?"

"N - no sir. Her Fiance. I'm her Fiance."

The doctor paused for a while before continuing. "I'm sorry but we need a family member."

Udo looked at him, surprised. "Alright, fine. I will call her parents immediately but please doctor, can I just see her?" He asked when he finally found his voice but the doctor again shook his head. 

He went on to tell him how critical the case was and how they needed a family member available as soon as possible. He turned to the nurse and said 'let me know when they arrive'. He had already taken a few steps when he turned back at Udo, as though he had remembered something. Udo looked up at him, expectant.

"Do you by any chance know what happened to her?"

Udo bowed his head the moment the question came.

The doctor, reading the handwriting on the wall asked the Nurse to inform the other nurse by the bedside to never leave the patient and also, to update him the moment anything changes. Turning to Udo, he beckoned on him to follow him to his office while at the same time, reassuring him that his Fiancee will be well taken care of.

Udo thought of hiding his face in shame as he sat facing the doctor in his office.

"Has she been going through hard times?", He started when he saw that the young man wasn't ready to utter a word.

As expected, Udo's eyes came resting on his face like a thief who had just been caught.

The doctor's soothing words came in, calming him down. He assured him that there was no need to be scared. He went ahead to explain to him the series of failed attempts at resuscitation they had gone through before finally gettiing her to breath, even though still with the help of oxygen.

He went on to explain their suspicions and how they only wanted to know what exactly was wrong with her so they know where to look.

It was after the long explanation that Udo finally found his voice. He went on to narrate how they had been on their wedding preparation and how they have both been excessively stressed as a result.

"Has she been eaten well?"

Udo paused for a while before shaking his head. "I don't know." He went ahead to explain how they don't live together. Their only meetings being when they have a tax to carry out together or during one of their hang outs.