I Miss You

CHAPTER 11

I asked mama damian inside with me, then I changed into her dress and tied scarf. She was wondering what I was doing, but I told her to be patient first, that she will find out soon.

I wore her slippers, and went outside, and sat on the same chair I was seated before going inside.

When I came out they wanted to call my name and ask what I am wearing but I begged them to keep quiet.

Amarachi immediately stood up, came close to me, and start dragging me out of the seat.

"Stand up, this is my mom's seat" she said repeatedly and was crying until I stood up.

She stood up and went inside the same room to look for me. When she didn't find me there she started crying heavily.

I then went to her and tried carrying her, but she was pushing me away. Then I called her name, and she heard my voice and stopped fighting me.

"she didn't recognize you" why? Mama Damian asked

"The doctors called it 'prosopagnosia" facial blindness, I told them

"It is the inability of the person to recognize faces". In short Amarachi can only recognize any of your faces by either your voices, smell/scents, and appearances.

If you change any of this she won't be able to recognize you, just like she did to me few minutes ago, I told them

"For how long have she been suffering this" they asked

"From birth, I suppose" I told them

"You mean to tell me that she cannot recognize anyone's face at all" mama damian enquired

"Not at all" I told her

"Have you taken her to the hospital, and what did the doctor say concerning it" papa clifford asked

"Actually that is the reason why I am here now.

According to the doctor it might be a genetic disorder. He said that the disorder can be caused by stroke, brain injury, or through birth. We are narrowing it down to developmental causes.

I am here to ask if at any point if anyone from the family had suffered from the diseases before or not" I asked them.

They thought and thought for days for no one from the direct lineage suffers from face recognition dysfunction/abnormality.

It was then that uncle obumnaeke recalled one of their brothers that suffered from the sickness, but they claimed that the man was a bastard child of their father.

They called him "cursed" and that no one has heard from for 30 years now.
Actually they thought he was cursed, and that was why he couldn't recognize people's faces.

What they didn't know is the fact that it was a medical condition. There was no need asking them is he was able to treat it, or where he is currently, since they said no one has heard from him.

"He might even be dead" thought.

I contacted uncle and told him my findings, and he suggested I find a way to come to NYC teaching hospital (center for face processing disorder)

According to him they may be able to offer us a formal testing session and the opportunity to take part in their research programme.

I didn't know if I would like Amarachi to undergo such stress at such a young age; considering the fact that her dad isn't here to make the decision with me.

It’s conceivable that millions of people may have symptoms consistent with prosopagnosia, without even realizing it.”

LONDON: DAMIAN'S POV

I waited a months but nothing was showing; my heart ached, and I missed stella's voice so much.

We launched the software, and it made wave. It was a huge occasion; celebrities were there, reporters, bloggers, and notable men were present at the launching.

Mr Bangkok and his friends were present too. He had alot of more people to introduce me to, so I was quite busy for the day.

Everywhere I went clara followed me;
She appeared in every of my conversations with her father and his friends.

I can recall one of Mr Bangkok's friend talk about his younger daughter who he wants to introduce to me.

He said I should make out time sometime so we can talk well, but immediately mr Bangkok blocked him.

To tell you the truth, being on the spotlight is tiring. My month was all filled with schedules before I knew it; interviews with tv stations up and there, meeting with buyers, investors, golf playing with Mr Bangkok's business associates, etc.

Everywhere I went, clara was there; everyone I met, clara met. My face is now all over the internet, and I am scared my people may see me with her and misunderstand.

I fear to loose my girl to anything, and to think we haven't been in connection for long scares me so much.

She studied business, and knows hows the area, or should I say field very well. Her dad believes she would be an asset to me.  To top it up she speaks in  five different tongues; English, chinese, korea, and india, and french.

We all know that those countries are more solid with technology, and to stand we need to be in contact with them.

Even to the restaurant, she always followed; at a point I started becoming more and more uncomfortable.

The workers were beginning to gossip that we were dating; the funny thing was that she told me what they were saying.

It didn't concern me what people were saying; I had more pressing matter, and besides she has a guy she is in love with.

She was on and on about him; she said her dad wasn't in support of their relationship because he isn't from a wealthy background.

What I don't understand is why the background matters to people. they love themselves so much; shouldn't that be the focus.

I came back from a very stressful meeting one Tuesday and saw clara crying in her car, which was packed at the company lot.

I asked what was wrong and she said she can't talk there. We went to the bar, and when she was drunk she told me that she is planning to go to court and wed her lover, after which they will elope.

She said she needed witness; and she wanted me to be their witness, since the court needed such. I told her that I couldn't be part of that of such, and even  advised her to get her parents blessing, but she refused.

She said her dad bluntly refused and she will go ahead with it if I was present or not. At first I wanted to involve Mr Bangkok, but that would mean betraying clara; not informing me Bangkok also means betraying  him.

At that point I knew I was in a tight position. I wanted her to see reasons with me, but she dozed off. I didn't no her house, so I took her back to a hotel.