Chapter 69

I WON'T BLINK

The room was repainted blue at Obi's command, practically everything she wanted was given to her on a platter of gold, there were no debates. Whatever Obi wanted she got, the only problem was asking. Obi was amazed by the size of their bedroom, the bed she was supposed to share with Benjamin. She couldn't forget her brother's statement when they arrived "Simply breathtaking"

How they had gone from poor to wealthy was still a mystery. Benjamin was nice to her as he guided her around his house. Her siblings got rooms to themselves and at first she was hesitant to let them sleep alone.

Thankfully she had not made a mess of their honeymoon, if it was even considered that. Obi had begun to cry even before they arrived at the hotel where they'd spend the night.

Little things triggered her emotions and the remembrance of her mother's demise always put her off. There was no strain on Benjamin's face as he cuddled and comforted her. She felt safe on his arms and when he finally kissed her, it did not feel like a war or tussle and she wasn't repulsed. Benjamin had become a friend, she had no friends aside from the Ukaegbus and she easily welcomed him into the role.

"There's no rush you can have another room if you want" Benjamin stated grabbing Obi's hand.

She ran her other hand on their bed and tested it with her buttocks. "It's fine, we are married, we'll share this one. Besides it has the biggest bed"

Benjamin beamed her a smile before rushing out to bring her luggage. No matter how tough Obi looked, he never forgot that she was fragile. He wanted her to be happy and feel safe around him. They were slowly making progress as a couple. He smiled after recalling the first time he accidentally walked in on Obi naked. She had practically screamed like a banshee and even he who made the mistake was terrified to his boots. Surprisingly when he went back to rectify things after leaving embarrassed, she still wasn't dressed.

"I'm sorry for scaring you" she had stated "We're married, it's not wrong for you to see me like this".

Benjamin barely knew the girl in front of him, but he was slowly becoming entangled in the mesh of love that she had woven for him with her dynamic attitude.

Not only did Obi play the role of a mother to her younger ones she had slowly begun to fill in the shoe of his late mother's. She'd wake him up and everything down to his shoes would be ready for work. He couldn't lie with her at night except he had his bath and her amusing table manners were enforced effectively. It was funny how he could combine dishes and eat snacks but with Obi things changed. She had arranged a coup and executed her plan ironically with his own consent.

Going home from work for Benjamin became something to look forward to. His home was peaceful even though many claimed it was because they were newly -wed. They were all wrong, he was at peace. The only problem that reared its ugly head in his conscience was her pregnancy.

The tests were in his suitcase and he didn't know how to tell Obi the news. He convinced himself to do so before their church wedding, but days slipped away at his watch, then weeks, yet he could not reveal the secret.

His father had sent a huge package for Obi and he had been on his way to retrieve it before Obi called him. He had been so terrified when he found out that she had been crying again. He looked around for his suitcase and when he saw it he exhaled. He had been afraid that she had found out the truth. What if she had? He had successfully monitored her for weeks to know that she had tampons on regularly. So the suspicion about being pregnant was out of question.

Benjamin walked in on Tobe hugging his elder sister and tapping her back. Had something happened to Obi's father? Was the first question that ran across his mind. She begged Tobe to exit the room which he reluctantly did.

Tobe was often a fiend when it came to offering his childish protection to his sister. He had thrown glares at Benjamin as he left the room and Benjamin was sure that the little boy was lurking somewhere close.

"I did not tell him why I am crying, he thinks you did something" Obi stated sniffing

"What is the problem? Tell me please" Benjamin enquired hoping that it wasn't the loss of another family member

"I am pregnant" Obi has stated still testing the weight of the words as it left her lips. It all felt strange, her period had automatically ceased and a certain numbness in her beast was persistent. At first she thought it to be a hunch, but while it persisted she decided to use the pregnancy strip she had acquired from the pharmacy close to their house.

Benjamin knew he had to pull his act together, he gaped at Obi pretending to be shocked

"Are you serious? Since when?"

Obi pulled out the strip she had urinated on and handed it over to her husband..

"Tata this is good! We're going to have a baby! You shouldn't be crying, we should be celebrating. Are you not happy? Don't you want to have my children?"

Obi nodded "It is just, my mother is dead and she didn't get to see her grandchildren. I am so scared, I'm too young and I need her, what if something happens to me? Who will help me when the babies are born? This is all my fault, I shouldn't have let her go"

Benjamin threw his hands around Obi "Nne m don't worry, when we get to that bridge, we'll cross it. I'll help you with the children, they are mine too. And nothing will happen to you, I promise. If it means losing sleep entirely so that you'll be safe, i assure Tata, I won't blink" he paused then added "I'm buying you a car because of this"

Obi gave him a smile with her tear smudged face. "Thank you" She whispered softly before laying on the bed.

Benjamin lay beside her with his hands on her stomach, Obi secured his hand with hers before drifting off to sleep and while lay staring at her he could hear a faint voice calling out to him.

"Ben, wake up, Ben! Ben!"

Benjamin blinked before he saw Obi on the bed with him. He yawned and stretched a little before smiling sheepishly at her.

"Don't tell me, I know" Benjamin quickly stated

Obi grew even more nervous, "What do you know?". Benjamin hesitated with his response and Obi's stomach clenched in anticipation

"You have good news to share, okwaya?"

Obi heaved a sigh of momentary relief before slipping out the test result from her bag.

"Ọ gịnị? What is it? You have a bad kidney too?" Benjamin taunted while Obi stared at his face grimly.

"No, no.. I am pregnant"

Obi waited counting down seconds, minutes before Benjamin exploded. Her eyes fell to the mattress as he grew suddenly quiet. Why was this bad? It was a good thing, he should be happy with the new development, shouldn't he?

She felt his warm hand caress her cheek, before she looked up to meet his gaze. "I guess we'll be expecting two more roughians" Benjamin stated with a smile and Obi threw her hands around him.

Benjamin wrapped his hands around her completely terrified with her news. He knew his status but he hadn't bothered to check Obi's and neither had Obi. The twins were both AS and it meant that either Obi or Obiefune had that particular genotype.

It was a good news but it was equally a terrifying one at that. He patted Obi's back and kissed her head. It might be a risky venture but the truth remained that Obi was carrying his own children, his. A smile crept on to his lips, was God compensating him? Well if He was, He needed to give him a complete package, the SS cycle had to end with him.

He pulled Obi from his chest and gave her a quick kiss on her lips "Should I tell the boys? Or will you do the honors?"

Obi drew in a heavy breath "we'll do it together". But wait, why do you think they're two? "Obi questioned referring to his prior statement.

"I love them in two's God knows"

Benjamin quickly got up from the bed and drew Obi up. "Go get the boys from Funmi's, I'm making dinner."

Obi was almost at the door before she turned back and embraced Benjamin. "I love you"

Benjamin felt overwhelmed with emotions "I love you more, Tata"

She blinked away tears as she chuckled at his response "I am 28"

"I know, but you'll always be a baby, my baby" He proclaimed pulling her chin with his thumb. "We're running out of time, go get them"

Obi beamed another smile before walking out of the room slightly puzzled by his last statement. They had all the time in the world

She got to Funmi's and saw her struggling to hold her house together. "God knows that I don't ever want to have twins in my lifetime, I don't get how you cope with them "She laughed at how exhausted she appeared, the boys must have given her a hard time.

Obi helped Funmi arrange the room her boys had messed up before taking them with her.

She couldn't wait to get home and break the news to her sons and her siblings. When she got to the living room she almost choked when the smell of pepper invaded her nostrils. Obi told the boys to undress in their room while she sought her husband out.

"Who knew the continental dish that he was preparing this time,that he almost burned down their house". She headed to the kitchen with a smile plastered on her face. She was ready to taunt him till the end of the meal. Her sisters were not back and they had texted her about the cause of their delay.

Obi entered the kitchen but what she saw filled her face with terror. Benjamin was lying face flat on the floor with smudges of blood around him. The oil on the gas cooker was emitting so much smoke that Obi knew could have turned out to be disastrous if she hadn't arrived when she did.

She quickly rushed to the gas cooker and turned it off before kneeling beside her husband. His phone had been in his hand, it seemed as if he had been texting someone. Obi quickly removed the object from his hand. She cradled him with tears slipping from her eyes. Her hands went to his neck and when she got a pulse she was relieved.

Obi brushed her tears away, picked up the phone and dialed the hospital. She also called her driver, pleading with Benjamin to stay alive till they got to them.

A message popped into his phone and Obi quickly glanced at the message hoping It was from the driver or the hospital. It had come from Chioma and clearly stated `He's AS". Obi didn't bother about the message, all she thought of was how to get her husband the attention he needed.

She ran out of the house and when she didn't see any sign of help, she rushed back to the kitchen. She tried lifting Benjamin but almost fell. Obi apologized to him wiping the blood that came out of his nostrils with her blouse. Even their gate keeper had suddenly disappeared.

Her children saw their mother struggling with their father and became terrified. She explained to them that their father needed help. They donated their small pairs of hands and the three of them managed to drag Benjamin to the living room. Obi cried as she saw the blood that kept oozing out of his nostrils.

She checked his pulse again and it turned out that he was alive.

She ran to the garage and brought her car, she turned around so that they could get him into the vehicle without covering much distance.

The moment Obi got him into the vehicle she was pleased, she managed to get him into the back seat and instructed her sons to hold him. Obi rushed to their gate and pulled it apart, before zooming off.

Her eyes weren't torn off from the three men in the back seat. She'd cry, wipe her tears then drive like a racer. All she wanted to do was to get Benjamin to a hospital, he couldn't die, he wouldn't.

Her face was stained with not just tears but blood and her sons had soon joined in the expulsion of ocular fluids.

When Obi rushed to the hospital she was practically screaming like a mad woman before they wheeled her husband away. He opened his eyes and smiled at Obi as they moved him into the emergency ward.

Obi cursed anyone in her path, from doctors to nurses, to her country for not having proper emergency aids. She blamed herself for not being observant enough. Her sons huddled beside her crying as they waited for news about Benjamin.

She dialed Mr. ìgwè's phone number and told him of the emergency, dialed Funmi and Chioma. She also reluctantly died Obiefune's number and he agreed to come over.

Obi hugged her sons assuring them that their father would be fine as she prayed for him.

It was around 7pm that the doctor finally came to Obi. Obi's fists clenched, her stomach knotted, her face paled and her heart thumped furiously as she awaited the verdict on her husband's life.

"We've managed to stabilize him, he's in a critical condition. The surgery would have to come up tomorrow. Your husband has a tumor in his heart. It'll be two major organ transplant that we would be looking at"

Color drained from Obi's face as he heard the man speak. "Listen, please I don't care what he has and what he has developed. I just want my husband alive. How could you not have noticed this at first? What happened to all the tests you ran on him!"

"Mr. Igwe has been aware of this for weeks now, nonetheless he has been hesitant to take procedures that'll help his condition."

"Why didn't anybody tell me! What about the kidney transplant?"

"We were told not to reveal this to anyone, although One Mr. Obiefune Ukaegbu seemed to be aware of this. He had tried to coerce your husband into …."

"I am his wife! I should have been told!" Obi interrupted angrily

"They were his instructions and we didn't want to get the hospital involved in any legal case"

"So why are you telling me now? Eh why are you telling me now?"

"Well because your husband wants you to know now, he's resting but you can see him"

Obi moved furiously at the reception area waiting for her sisters to arrive and take her sons home.

She wanted to break Benjamin's skull but she was even more furious with Obiefune, who hid such from her.

Obi's sons followed her into the room as she went to see her husband. She instructed them to sit quietly while they waited for him to wake up. They waited for two more hours before Benjamin's eyes fluttered open. Obi's sons had fallen asleep, Obiefune was still nowhere to be found. Her sisters were held up in traffic while Obi sat watching Benjamin.

When his eyes moved at first she stood up from her chair, he opened his eyes and she quickly moved to his side. She had wanted to scold him, yell and beat him for keeping things from her. For letting things get out of hand but immediately she saw him smile at her her anger melted away.

"Did you tell them?" He spoke weakly

"No, I didn't. I couldn't we.... We were busy trying to get you here so I couldn't break the news to them" Obi replied

"Wake them, they need to know" Benjamin stated gesturing at his sleeping sons.

"No, you need to rest. The surgery is tomorrow and in as much as I want to talk about other things I'd rather keep them till when you're better"

"Always the mule, Obi biko wake them." Obi reluctantly woke her sons who beamed With Joy when they saw Benjamin awake.

"They rushed to his bedside while Obi warned them to be gentle." They rambled about how they helped carry him out of the kitchen and bring him to the hospital and Benjamin laughed.

"I'm sorry I could not lift you "Obi stated and Benjamin nodded with a smile.

"Have you seen my phone? "

Obi remembered the phone she tossed aside while she was preoccupied with thoughts of how to bring him to the hospital." Yes I think I left it back home. Is there any problem?"

Benjamin shook his head "I was expecting something from Chioma"

"She sent you a message, I happened to get a glance. She said he's AS"

Benjamin was relieved to hear Obi's words. He threw his head back gently on the bed and smiled. "Just like a good severance package" he muttered

"What?" Obi enquired bemused

"Nothing"

Benjamin looked at his sons then declared the news to them. The boys were clearly impressed with the revelation and clung to their mother, who was excited. They bickered about the sex of the babies while Benjamin was amused.

Just then her sisters came into the room looking weary and exhausted. They went to Benjamin's bedside and held his arms. Obi could see the concern with which they looked at him. He had become a second father to them and the both of them had been raised by Him and his wife.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I just need to rest for the surgery tomorrow. He assured the terrified girls and they nodded."

"I can't come home tonight, you'll have to take the boys home. I'll stay with my husband" Obi stated as she handed her boys over to Ifenna and Oluebube.

They both reached out to Benjamin and patted his hand "We'll be praying for you, you'll be fine inu"

Benjamin smiled at the pair and nodded before fixing his eyes on Obi's stomach. "Yes I'll be"

When they left Obi, she sat on his bed while he watched her with enthusiasm. "Can I feel them?" Benjamin requested tugging at Obi's cloth.

"You shouldn’t be moving" she retorted

"Please"

Obi adjusted her top and placed his hand over her flat stomach. "They're too small, I don't think you can feel them"

"You'd be surprised, I think they can feel me" Benjamin declared with a smile

"You seem to be smiling a lot for someone who almost died" She teased securing her hand above his. She couldn’t get herself to even reprimand him for his actions.

"I'm passing on a trait to my sons"

"How would you know if they're boys? I'm scared of that gender"

"I know they're boys, with all the masculine cologne you've sniffed, it'll be an error if they turn out to be girls".

Obi laughed at his hypothesis before he pleaded for her to lie with him.

"Won't you be uncomfortable, besides I smell horrible. Just negodi Ọbara everywhere"

"Obi you are tired, just rest I'll wake you when they come to check on me"

"Obi reluctantly lay on the bed with her eyes fixed on his face. She was beyond exhausted but she felt like he would probably die if she closes her eyes.

Benjamin laughed at her stubbornness" You need to rest Tata, I'm not going anywhere. Besides if something happens to me tomorrow, you'll have all the help you need. You know, he still loves you and will take care of you"

"Benjamin I don't want us to have this conversation, you're not dying tomorrow and no one will take care of me except you"

He grew silent with her response before reaching for her hand and slipping his into hers. "I think I've made sure of that Tata, I'll always take care of you."

Obi felt drowsy and her eyes blinked furiously to bat sleep away.

"Tata please rest" Obi knew fighting nature would be futile

"When will they come?"

"By 11pm, I promise I'll wake you then"

Obi sluggishly gave in to his pleas after issuing a stern warning" Don't you dare shut your eyes! "

He smiled and squeezed her hand" I promise, I won't blink"

The smell of disinfectants, drugs and her husband's scent coupled with the warmth engendered from his hold and his proximity drove Obi to sleep.

At first Obi thought she was dreaming when the noise and chaos began. A light flashed on her face before hands began to tug at her body. Within minutes she jerked from the bed and the nurses moved her to the side of the room, while the doctors attended to Benjamin.

Obi felt slightly dizzy after she was shoved to the other side of the room and she couldn't reconcile what was happening In front.

The doctors were in a frenzy mode, moving with haste yelling instructions and crowding her husband. Reality began to unveil the mask from Obi's eyes, something was happening to Benjamin.

The monitor that had been beeping at a normal rate had gone up spontaneously. "We're losing him!"

One of the doctors yelled before they started zapping her husband.

Her mouth fell open while she shook with fear, was she going to watch her husband die?He had promised that he wouldn't blink. Obi moved closer to a nurse who seemed oblivious to her person as she carried out the instructions by the doctor.

She watched Benjamin jerk up and fall back to the bed with every charge administered. His eyes were still open yet he didn't seem alive. Obi watched them struggle to bring him back till they all reluctantly acquiesced that death had grabbed him.

"Time of death, 11pm" the older doctor declared after checking his wrist watch. It was then that they finally noticed the company.

They sluggishly moved away from Benjamin while she approached his bed. He wasn't dead, he couldn't die he had promised to wake her by 11pm.

Obi's hands racked with tremor as she hesitantly grabbed his hand. They were no longer as warm as they used to be, his hand had turned cold in a matter of minutes but his eyes were still open.

A tear slipped out of her eye and fell on his face, yet he didn't flinch or wipe it away. She had only one thought as she placed her hand over his face to close his eyes. "I won't blink", Obi waited for him to, wished that he would blink beneath her trembling warm palm, but unfortunately he kept his promise, he didn't.