Let play along

The four return to the reception after the police officers had gone, none of them saying anything to each other. They all sat on different seats, waiting for the doctor's good news.

Nimah, who felt indebted to Joe, for saving her from going with the cops, thought of expressing her gratitude, but he stopped her.

"You should not appreciate or thank me for any thing, what you did for our mum today, makes me believe that you being a part of our family, will be a golden luck for us." Joe replied her and returned to his seat.

"What are you doing Joe? Have you lost it? Do you want to act like the hero of the family?" Kristen, who couldn't hold her words anymore blurted out.

"Will you keep your mouth shut, Kristen? You can see that I kept mute since, it is not that I don't know what to say, but I am waiting for the right time to say it, alright?"

"Oh, I see. Nimah must have promised you the earth for you to act like that in front of the cops, p'raps you need to get an admission into the Hollywood industry. I never knew you could act so much." Kristen grimaced.

"It is me who was acting but you. You manage to tell do much lies to the cops just to convince them without rehearsing, you have now become a professional liar, coz I know that Nathan will pay you for all the drama and lies you put up. Who would fit for Hollywood industry if not you.?"

"JOE!" Kristen screamed as she stood up but Nathan signalled her to calm herself.

Nimah didn't have an idea of what to say, even if she'd one, saying it would be difficult, she just had to keep mute for them to calm their nerves.

The doctor, whom they'd all been waiting for, finally came to their sight.Though they didn't know what he was about to say, they were extremely elated on seeing him. They were sure he would at least tell some thing about their mother.

"Doctor!" Nathan and others hurried to him. They had been expecting him for so long, he should not get away this time.

"Oh, Nathan... You guys are still here?" The doctor was surprised.

"Yes doc. how's is mum? Is she fine? Can we meet her now? How is she doing now?" The four of them rushed their questions to the doctor. They were expecting positive response, but the doctor wasn't smiling, he only looked disturbed and stressed out.

"Doc, is there a problem?" Nimah asked slowly as she tried reading the doctor's eyes, it wasn't telling something they were expecting. Why was the doctor taking so long to answer their questions. Perhaps that was how doctor behaves. She thought.

Just like the doctor, the four's countenance began to change. They now look more worried than the doctor.

"What is wrong Nathan, why are you guys looking dull. Come with me your mun has been waiting for you, please come."

After hearing what the doctor said, Nimah felt a knot which had been tied around her heart for a very long time finally loosening, she could not contain her happiness, she felt like jumping on everyone and celebrate.

They all ran after the doctor impatiently, they could not wait to meet their mother. Ms. Alicia was sitting on the hospital bed, there was a tiny transparent pipe passed into her left back palm, Nimah traced up the pipe to a transparent soft bottle containing a colourless liquid.

Nimah was scared, seeing all of these but she didn't want her fears obvious, so she masked her fear with a smile as she entered the ward.

Kristen and Joe was already in the bed, hugging, pecking and observing their mother as tears welled down from their eyes.

Nathan, stood few feet away from her mother's bed, with his arms hung to the back. All he was thinking of now, was for his mother not to know what happened between him and Nimah. He knew his mother would not approve of his actions and she could punish him for that, a punishment he wouldn't be able to forget.

"Nathan." His mother called with a whispery voice, she was just regaining her consciousness after some hours so her voice was still weak. Nathan approached his mum and gave her a warm embrace and a kiss on her forehead.

"Are you fine mum?" He asked, holding her face in his palm and she nodded with a smile.

"Nimah!" She called as she sighted her and just like she was expecting her to call her, she ran to her embracing her tightly, weeping at her back. She couldn't afford to lose a mother who happened to be the most perfect woman for her. If they would permit her, she could her on her chest and never leave her.

She weot emotionally, as she had the flashback memories of how her previous mother maltreated her.

"Thank you Nimah."

Nimah embracement loosened as she heard Alicia expresing her gratitude. She didn't know how to respond to this. She glanced at Nathan, who took off his gaze immediately. She could understand that he was feeling guilty and a smile escaped from a side of her cheek.

"You don't need to thank me at all, because I have only helped my mother not an outsider. You thanking me for saving you is like considering me an outsider, I have only done what Nathan would do, so don't thank me." Nimah embraced her again.

"Mum, I will like to tell you something now. I want to tell you what Nathan and Kristen have done." Joe stood up.

Kristen took a look at Nathan, whose eyes were widened in fear. She was also not feeling comfortable.

"Really, what happened? Please do tell me." Alicia gazed at Kristen and Nathan questioningly, she could see fear in their eyes which made her wondered what possibly they could have done that made them keep mute.

Kristen, at a side of the bed, secretly rubbing her palm together as she pleaded him not to tell their mother, but Joe didn't look at her.

"Why are you silent, won't you tell me what happened?"

"Mom, Joe has nothing to-to say-say, he was only kidding, right Joe." Nathan chuckled, giving a sign to Joe to keep quiet.

"No! I really want to tell mummy about what happened." Joe retorted.

"And you think this is the right time to discuss this? If you want to conclude your Mr. hero drama, you can at least let mom get better." Nathan almost yelled as he spoke.

"There is no other right moment apart from now, so let us address the problem now so it can be solved." Joe responded.

"Can you guys just stop beating about the bush?" Alicia spoke frustratedly.

Without delaying any further, Joe explained all what happened between he, Nimah, Nathan and Kristen. He told his mother how Kristen lied to the cops about Nimah being the one who pushed her and made her slump.

As he spoke gently, all his mother could do was stare, listen and whenever he said something that scared her, she would widen her eyes and gasped.

Through out Joe's narration, Nathan and Kristen kept their gaze low, beating their lips and tapping their foot.

"Did all what Joe said happen?" She turned to Nathan, he couldn't raise his head.

"Mum, I was very worried about you, and I knew that this has never happened to you, you have never slumped, so why did you after Nimah's arrival. I didn't trust Nimah, I thought she did all of these to you. Mum, please forgive me." Nathan apologize as that was the only option he had.

"You never trusted Nimah, definitely you never trusted my actions. I brought Nimah into out lives so she could give us a hand, not for you to treat her anyhow. You should consider Nimah your sister."

"We are sorry mum." Kristen and Nathan said.

"You should apologize to Nimah, only then can I believe and accept your apologies." Alicia concluded.

Nathan and Kristen looked askance at each other surprisedly, then they returned their stare to Nimah. Why on earth would their mother decide such? Kristen thought, but they had no other option.

"We are sorry Nimah." Kristen went to embrace Nimah with a frown still settled on her face.

"I sincerely apologize to you Nimah, I promise not to do this again and thanks for helping our mother. Can we become friends henceforth?" Nathan stretched out his arm for hand shake and Nimah reluctantly shook him. It was obvious that she was still feeling insecure.

;;;;

"We need to keep up this drama, no one should know about our plan. We shall always act like her friend publicly, but our plan to get rid of her should still be intact... Deal or no deal?"