I Wasn't Her

Part 18

Alaire smiled at her father as they took a walk in the backyard. "So, what do I owe this visit?" She shook her head. "No reason, just wanted to see how you were doing." He pat his hip. "It's getting there."

Daddy was been my everything after mummy passed away when I was about 4 years. Her name was Amahle Achebe. I don't remember her face anymore but I remember how much she loved me in the short time we had. Daddy was head over heels in love with her. 

She came before anyone else. There was a time, she got sick, he hired an entire house of maids to meet her every need. He wasn't around very much because of his business which he regretted. 

Flashback~

Third Person~

"Emmanuel, stop it, our daughter is right there!" He looked at his daughter in her crib, sound asleep. "She's only three months my love. She won't remember any of this."  Amahle rolled her eyes. "But I'm tired, let me rest, I just had a baby, you know."

Emmanuel perked up. "You are right, my love, please lie down. I will rub your feet for you. They still look a little swollen from the pregnancy."

Emmanuel kissed her hand, walking to the cupboard, getting her oils. Amahle was deeply in love with her husband, she would do anything for this man.

~

Two years later~

"I'm so sorry but you have stage four breast cancer." Amahle looked at her husband, tears forming in both there eyes at the news. "Treatment! How about chemo?" Amahle knew that it was too late for her to start treatment.

"The chances of surviving would still be lo-" She cut the doctor off. "It's okay, thank you doctor." She stood to her feet walking out but was soon followed by her husband. "Don't you want the treatment? How can you just walk out like that?"

She shook her head. "It's too late for me now." He shook his head. "No! How can you say that in front of me like nothing!" He walked away from her, tears streaming down his face. "I love you more than anything but there's nothing we can do."

"I'll find a way. We have a family, Amahle, we planned to raise her together! Don't give up on us now. There has to be a miracle."  She embraced her husband into her arms, rubbing his back. "If you say we'll find a way that we will."

Her husband was gone for weeks on end, trying to help his wife but she never made it stop her from doing the things she loved. Amahle went dancing, singing, business parties, she helped at charity shelters, orphanages, she did it all. Her husband finally gave up, falling into a deep depression.

"Why are you more upset than me?" She kissed her husband's cheek. "The one person I did all this for wants to leave me on the earth by myself." 

"Who says I'm leaving you now? I'm right here." He turned to her, kissing down her body. "Soon you won't be. What will I do then?"

"You could raise our daughter, find someone ne-" Emmanuel sucked his teeth loudly. "Find someone new? Just tell me to cheat, that would be better. There's nobody on this earth meant for me but you."

"Don't say things like that." Tears welled up in her eyes. "The thought of leaving you pains me everyday but I have come to terms with it." She wiped the tears falling from his eyes. "Live with me, Emmanuel. Let's just live."

"You're not going anywhere without me, Amahle."

Gradually, things did get better for their family. Amahle was just as happy and cheerful as before, Emmanuel went to work and frequently checked up on his family. Things were going great.

A few years later, Alaire was three years old, her mother was home alone with her and she was feeling bored. "My flower, how about we go to the beach? We can send pictures to daddy later." Alaire smiled at her mother, understanding that they were going out. "Okay mummy."

~

Packed and ready, they set out for the beach. Heading to the highway, Amahle wasn't feeling well, her head started spinning. She tried pulling off the road but everything went black.

~

Emmanuel ran into the hospital frantically, looking for his family. "Please wait a moment, sir. I'll be right back." He paced and paced, getting more and more impatient. "Sir, my name is Dr. Stones, I'm the doctor of Amahle Achebe and Alaire Achebe."

Emmanuel walked up to him, gripping his hands. "Please save them, please do anything. I'll pay whatever you want. Money is not an issue."

"I know who you are Mr. Achebe. Please have a seat."

"NO! God dammit, just tell me about my wife and child." Dr. Stone inhaled deeply. "Your daughter got away with scrapes and bruises but your wife, your wife probably won't make it through the night."

He crumpled to the floor, screaming and crying his eyes out. "She blacked out while driving which caused her to crash into a light poll." He slowly made his way to his feet. "Take me to her."

His body shook as he saw her hooked up to all those machines. "My heart! Look at you." He was too afraid to touch her. "I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm sorry that I wasn't the one driving."

Emmanuel looked at the nurse. "Can... Can I have my daughter in here for a moment." Something told him that she didn't have long. "Sure thing."

~

Alaire laid in her father's arms, asleep. "I have Alaire with me, Amahle and I promise to love her, care for her, cherish her and put up with all her boyfriends because I know you would have talked me out of it." A sad smile formed on his face picturing the entire thing.

"Don't suffer anymore, my love. Go. I'll meet you some day." He placed a kiss on her forehead as a tear slipped out of her closed eyes. "I love you with my all." The monitor beeped signaling she was gone.

The staff rushed in but Emmanuel shook his head at them. "She's gone." He looked down at the child in his arms, tears falling nonstop.

End~

Alaire~

"Daddy, do you ever think of mom?"

"As soon as I wake up, to this very second, until I close my eyes." He smiled at me, looking at the garden. "She maintained this till that horrible day. She hated people touching it. After she passed, I had it unkept, I was too heartbroken to move."

"The maids cared for you more than I did. I was so ashamed, I thought you would have hated me but as soon as you saw my face, the brightest smile lit on yours." He grinned at the thought. "After that, you were my everything. I picked myself up and got to work."

He kissed my head. "I lost your mother that day but she gave me you. I would do anything to make you happy." Tears welled in my eyes. So many people love me and here I am fighting for love from a man that doesn't. "I know daddy, I know. I love you so much."

"I love you too, my everything."