chapter 4

Her screamed alerted an old woman who was guiding her chicken back to their tents. The woman left the chicken and came running to their side with her rod.

"Leave her alone, you son of a gun, let her go" she started screaming as she was walking toward them. The guys were scared that the woman's noise might alert the neighbors.

They released Regina and ran away without looking back. They were so quickly to avoid being recognized by both Regina and the old woman.

Regina curled on the floor like a ball as she didn't quite recover from the shock of being molested by a group of hoodlums. She was bitterly broken as she thought of the negative possibility of the events.

The woman was so shocked to see her still laying there on the floor, crying her eyes out. The woman felt her heart broken for Regina without even knowing her before.

"You are strong, stand up and make them regret encountering a warrior like you" the woman said, trying to coerce her but Regina was already sliding into another realm.

"I thought you were a strong child, you make me regret sending those hooligans away, you are just a weak girl who lays low under pressure" the woman said harshly as she felt only reverse psychological treatment will work perfectly for her in her situation.

"Lay there and they will keep molesting you" she said and turned to leave, Regina stood up after listening to the woman's harsh words and she dusted her body with tears.

She looked at her savior and bowed her head in a form of appreciation to the woman's bravery and support. She was crying while she was still appreciating the woman and the woman's heart broke.

"Where are you going by this time?" The woman said she couldn't bear to watch a girl of her age in such misery. From Regina's appearance, she knew she was from a poor side.

And looking at Regina carefully, she could say she was an hardworking girl who stops at nothing to work because She saw her sandals were cut, not a fresh cut, that means Regina might have been walking for hours without a care about her foot pains or aches.

"Home" Regina replied in a low tone as she was wiping her face with the sleeves of her cloth. She realized the sleeves were dirty when she felt sand on her face, she immediately started dusting her face with her hands.

The old woman shook her head as she was baffled as to who will allow their female child to be out in a lonely street by this time of the day. "Parents are getting more irresponsible" she thought.

"Why are you out here all alone?, Where are you parents?, I want to meet them" the old woman said out of anger as she could not contend with the fact that a parent will act like this.

"I don't have parents, I leave in an orphanage home" she voiced out cutting into the old woman speech and the old woman was left speechless with her jaw wide opened.

"You are an orphan!" She exclaimed as she recovered. She want to say more but they heard a footstep hurrying toward them, they were silent to know it was.

Suddenly, the person showed up and it turns out to be Peter. Regina and Peter looked at each other and called each other's name at the same time. 

The woman was confused as to who Peter was and what he was doing there at the time. Peter and Regina hugged before Regina introduced Peter to the woman.

The woman was speechless to know that the reason Regina was working wasn't for herself but for a man who stays in the four cornered zone of his orphanage home, enjoying the comfort and living off Regina's sweat.

She saw Regina was too deep in her thought that nothing will change her mind, she left the two and returned to her house to see to her chicks.

That night Regina was punished in the orphanage home. It turns out, the orphanage mistress noticed Regina's absense and sent Peter to search for her. He didn't come into the woods with her pure intentions.

******End of flashback

***Present time

Regina looked at the window after remembering how foolish she had been over the time. She laughed while tears dropped her eyes. She regreted every moment.

"Are you awake?" A voice said as Regina quickly wiped off her tears. "Yes, come in" she responded and put on her fake smile to cover up for her tears.

 

Lilian walked in a basket and went straight to the table to place it down. She happily walked to Lilian side and sat beside her with a bright smile. She wiped Regina's cheek.

"You cried again" Lilian said and Regina was clueless as to what to say. Lilian held her hand. "There is no point crying about what you lost when you still have a chance to make new choices"

Lilian said and Regina gave a smile as her response. "How are you doing?" Lilian said as he help Regina to sit up properly and arranged her hospital gown properly.

"I'm fine, better than yesterday, it's a relief to still breathe like this" she said a gesture of showing how healthy she is at the moment and Lilian smiled at her cute gesture.

Lilian kept looking at Regina to know if she might miraculously have few of her mother's feature but after several though, she chucked at her own stupidity.

Scientifically, it's not possible. "Doctor Lilian" Regina called and Lilian laughed at her and interrupted her words leaving Regina confused as to why she laughed.

"The lady time I checked your record, we are the same age, maybe I'm few months older than you but anyways I want to be called Lilian" Lilian said with a childish pout.

Regina laughed at her gesture and words and wondered if she was the same doctor Lilian she heard about or a drama queen from the Nollywood.

"Okay, Lilian, I have always wanted to thank you for the surgery and special attention, I never expected a second life like this but you also contributed to my treatment" Regina said sincerely and Lilian was touched.

"Did Aunty Nola tell you anything?" Lilian asked as she didn't want to jump into conclusion based on Regina's appreciation. Regina smiled bright as her and Lilian could tell it was a sincere smile.

"Yes, she did, she told me how you convinced the strange man to donate his relative's heart for me and you personally took it upon yourself to do the operation and you are still here, monitoring my health" 

Regine explained and Lilian was relieved that all she knew was half truth of what really transpired that day. Lilian smiled at her and held her hand and immediately she had the thought of teasing her.

"I don't offer my services for free, I did the surgery to be paid handsomely for my services" Lilian replied and Regina almost choked on her spit. What a shameless doctor!

She looked at Lilian curiously and was convinced that Lilian actually wanted something in return. "How do I pay you?, I have nothing!" Regina said and Lilian laughed.

"It's easy to pay me, I am short of best friend, more like I have none, I need you to vow to be my best friend till forever, you won't leave me when I'm down and you won't be mad at me" 

Lilian said and Regina jaws remained wide open for few seconds after listening to her request. Regina's brain processed what she heard slow till she believed she heard Lilian properly.

"Just being friends?" Regina asked and Lilian smiled brightly at her. "I, Regina, solemnly swear to God to be your best friend till death do us apart" she said and they both laughed.

Lilian could not help but move closer to her and hug her tight. After few minutes, Regina had to pinch her and held her back before Lilian agreed to quit the hug. 

"I'm sorry I got carried away" Lilian said and Regina rolled her eye at Lilian and Lilian laughed. "It was just a little hug" Lilian said and Regina glared at her immediately.

"The little hug that almost suffocated me, is that what you call little, let me get well, I will return the favour in multiple folds" Regina almost fall out the bed as she was threatening Lilian.

Lillian fell off the bed laughing at the angry Regina. "How can a renounced youngest cardiologist in the hospital be this childish?" Regina asked as she calmed down and watch Lilian laughing on the floor.

"I am not a cardiologist when I'm with you, I'm Lilian" she said and walked to her basket and brought out the food pack she bought. "I am yet to know your favorite, these are mine" 

Regina chuckled as she collected the meal and started eating. Lilian was a lot faster with her meal, she disposed the take away and went to Regina's side.

She bent and picked up her chicken and Regina was shocked, "this is how to eat my favorite chicken" Lilian said and ate almost all the chicken before she placed it back on Regina's food.

"Lilian, wait for my revenge, I will leave this sick bed and I will torment you every single day of your life" Regina said and Lilian ran to the door and laughed at her words.

Mrs Nola walked in on both of them acting immature. She chuckled and shook her head at their childish, she walked to regin and handled to her her favorite drink.

"Thanks Aunty" Regina said and Mr Nola smiled and rubbed her happily. "Won't you start practicing how to call me Mom, or maybe Mummy" Aunty Nola said and Regina was shocked.

She looked at Mrs Nola without blinking trying to find her answer but nothing was making sense to her at the moment. Mrs Nola kept smiling at her while Lilian was laughing at her expression and it kept confusing Regina

"What did you just say?"