Chapter 100: Chapter 100

JUNE

A beeping sound prompted me to open my eyes. I slowly peered at the ceiling, surprised to notice that I was indoors, not in the park. Hell, I was even expecting to find myself in hell because I know that's where I'm going.

No deity will permit me to step into their Paradise. I was ready for it. Prepared to spend my years in hell.

However, this place doesn't look like hell at all. There is no way in this green Earth that hell will turn out to have white ceilings and the unpleasant smell of disinfectant.

What happened?

How did I get to be here?

I tried to sit up on the bed, but the pain that went through me caused me to lie back.

Fucking hell. Not again.

Is this how it's going to be?

Each time I lose consciousness, I end up in the hospital with my body feeling like shit.

“Oh, my! She's awake!” I heard a woman yell before the sounds of footsteps reached my ears.

A young black woman came into focus, smiling kindly at me. Her golden brown skin and beautiful brown eyes made her look like those models I once saw in a magazine I took from Kristen's room when I was still in middle school.

She looked so much like an angel. Her smiles warmed my heart, making me forget my pains. I never thought a stranger could make me feel so much at home with just her expressions.

“My dear. Do you want to sit up?” She kindly asked, smiling at me like an angel.

I slowly nodded at her words. And that was all it took. With gentle hands, she helped me sit up on the bed, positioning a pillow on my back.

I watched her, not knowing what to do. I was a bit shy at how she was doting on me. She was acting as if she had known me for a long time.

Judging from her appearance, she doesn't seem to be a nurse. Her green dress and golden sun hat don't seem like what a nurse on duty would be caught dead, wearing.

“How….” I swallowed. “How did I get to be here?”

It doesn't take a prophet to know that I'm currently in a hospital. What I need to know is how I got here. The last thing I recalled was getting beaten by those damned thugs!

“Oh, you are in luck, child,” she chuckled, sitting on the chair next to my bed. “My husband and I were just on our way to the Museum of Flight, but we somehow got lost,” she giggled, blushing cutely. “I think it was the universe that wanted us to miss our way. And I'm glad we did,” she placed her hand on mine, smiling gently.

Her words and the warm way she was looking at me, made me feel safe.

“Oh… Thanks a lot,” I mirrored her smile.

“You don't have to thank me,” she waved. “I'm glad to help. It's not like it cost us anything to help out. I'm Favour, and you?"

“June,” I nodded, still smiling at the kind-looking woman.

“Oh, my. What a nice name you have, June. Had you not been a total stranger, I would have thought you were my husband's daughter,” she joked.

“What?” I gaped at her, not feeling the joke at all.

“Oh, come on. Though you guys look alike, I don't think it's possible. Henry has been in Africa for 17 years now. I doubt he will have a daughter—”

The door to the room opened, and a man stepped in. My eyes immediately went to him, only for my mouth to widen. I had to blink twice before focusing once more on the man, who was looking at me with an equal expression of shock on my face.

Had it not been for our ages, you would have thought we were somehow related. The man looked like a male version of me.

His black hair, which looked so much like mine, was tied up in a man bun, giving him a roguish look. His honey-brown eyes were as kind as that of his wife.

I took in his blue-washed jeans and the pair of black shirts he was putting on, too shocked to utter a word.

“Darling, she's awake,” the woman stood up from the chair she was sitting on and approached the man, who was still looking at me. “I was just telling her how you two look—” she paused when she noticed that her husband's eyes were still on me.

“Who are you?” the man slowly asked, taking a step towards my bed. He looked like he was in a trance.

“Umm… J... June?” I managed to stutter, looking at a man, who would have passed out as my father—

Wait a fucking minute.

Kristen never said anything about my father. He hardly speaks of him.

Could it be…

No, that's not true. Favour said he has been in Africa for sixteen years. There is no way in hell....

“My child,” the man stopped next to my bed. “Who is your mother?”

“Oh, come on, love. You are scaring the young girl!” his wife said before I could even reply to the question. "How can you ask who the mother is at the first meeting?! Where is your courtesy?"

“I—”

“Martha,” I blurted out.

“What?” They turned towards me, simultaneously asking the same question.

“Martha Storm. That was my mother's name,” I replied. This time, with my focus on the man in front of me. "You wanted to know her name, right?"

“No, that can't be true,” he took a step back, frantically shaking his head. "That can't be." He continued to chant it like a mantra.

“Do you know who she's talking about?”

“I know her,” he slowly nodded, coming close to me. “She was in my major when we were studying at the University.” He knelt next to my bed and took my hand in his. “Is Martha really your mother?”

“Mmm.”

“But… But that can't be possible!” He rose from the ground and started ransacking the pockets of his jacket.

“What's wrong, honey?” His wife came to our side and placed her hand on her husband's.

“Do you still recall the girl I told you that I once dated in college?” He stopped searching for whatever it was he was looking for, and turned to face his wife.

“Your first love?” Favour asked like it wasn't a big deal. And she looked less concerned about it.

“Hmm,” he slowly nodded his head.

“I thought it was Mary, how did—?”

“Mary was the name of the girl I dated. Martha was her friend.”