********************

Ade concentrated on his driving. Once in a while casting side glances at Tobi. The windshield wipers thumped continuously as rain drummed hollowly on the car roof.

Tyres screeched, car horns competed with the beating of the rain. Everybody was in a hurry. Cars moved slowly because of the rain. Traffic built up heavily. It didn't look like the rows of cars driving bumper to bumper along Dugbe were moving at all.

Tobi checked his watch. It was 9:05am. Despite the ac and the cool weather, his palms were sweating. He blotted them on his Next jeans, the same pair he wore yesterday. He felt sweat trickle down his sides from his armpits. He was dying of anxiety.

It all started with Mrs Seriki's visit to his apartment. He had stood up to help her pick her bag when the content scattered on the floor. Something had caught his eye. A funny looking dummy. Suddenly, he felt weak at the knees. Then he felt a jolt of electricity and he suddenly felt the need to see his birth mother.

It was all like a trance. He had rushed down to Felele to see her. There, he was told they had moved out. Then he thought of calling his twin sister, but for whatever reason, he no longer had her number. Luckily, she had Ade's number. He remembered vividly how he had been unkind to the woman the few times she tried reaching out to him. Why was what he didn't understand.

It was celebration galore when he finally reunited with Bolu.

"Where is mother?" He had asked her.

Bolu and Ade exchanged glances. Just a few hours back, he had embarrassed her right on the same spot he was standing on. Bolu believed a miracle had finally happened. She believed the charm story. One look at Ade's face and she knew he believed it too.

"Mother is in Oshogbo. She lives there now, with her mother."

"Then I have to go see her today, now!"

Bolu had laughed as she explained that they couldn't go that day, she was beyond herself with joy.

"I have a major supplier coming over by my store tomorrow as early as 8am. We can set out after that."

Tobi didn't like the arrangement, but he had no choice. He couldn't go back to his apartment, he didn't feel like seeing Mrs Seriki. He wasn't ready to discuss his plans with her just yet.


Tobi slumped back against the passenger seat of Ade's car in frustration. They were on their way to pick her at her store, somewhere around Mokola. He watched silently as Ade navigated the heavy Dugbe traffic. Bolu was waiting for them as they pulled up in front of her store. It was a big place.

"Hop in." Ade opened the door for her and she got in the back seat. It was a memorable day for her and tears rushed to her eyes as she began to imagine how her mother was going to feel when Tobi called her 'mother' again. She couldn't wait. One could slice through the silence in the car. Each one lost in thought.

Finally at 2:15pm, they pulled over in the fairly deserted compound.

"Mother!" Tobi screamed when he saw madam ty. He rushed over and hugged her. She smiled and greeted him back. "How are you?" She asked. They were all taken aback by the cold reception. Thinking she was angry, Tobi prostrated, "I'm sorry about the way I treated you ma. I don't know what came over me." He was in tears. Ade and Bolu joined him in apologizing.

Madam ty appeared even more confused at their reaction. Was he someone special? "Please, let's go inside." She said.

Inside, she told them calmly, "I honestly can't remember where we met, young man!"

"Are you ok mum?" Bolu used the back of her hand to feel her forehead for temperature. "Your temperature is ok mum. What's going on here?" She asked in frustration.

"This is Tobi, your son, my twin brother that mrs seriki snatched from you!"
She shrugged her shoulders in resignation. "I don't get the connection."

"We need to get you to ibadan today ma." Ade chipped in. "Something is not right here."

Reluctantly, madam ty threw a few clothes in her bag and got in the car beside her daughter. She looked really confused and gradually, she sank back into her shell.

**********************

PTSD has happened to Madam Ty.

harjibolar10:
Mummy Candy, that update seems so lean jhoor


But, thanks for the update thou

You no allow the second part load finish na...I've added more to it. Hope it's 'fat' now. Church beckons.

Enjoy this beautiful sunday and great week ahead, all you lovely people.

Madam Ty's problem has a simple solution. Bolu should get Tobi to cook for their mum. That's all. Well done sweet Candy

portable31:
PTSD has happened to Madam Ty.

What's PTSD? @portable

God has catch the devil...hahahhah....tnx Candy and happy rice day

Thanks Candy, for the update. You really are a great storyteller. All the twist and turns makes it so interesting and captivating.
Pls update more. Plsssssssssssssssssssssssssss ooooooooooooooooooooo.

To save a heart in need.

candy. cool update. Weldon keep up d nice work

wow! amazing, awesome, brilliant, interesting, fabulous, wonderful, perfect, outstanding and extremely sweet. i love candy!

Nice update. Gracias, Obrigado, Merci, Daalu! Expecting more updates. Between, I hope Madam TY gets better soon. She is my favourite character

all the secrets and evil must be unravelled.
Nice updates candy. Thanks for the shout out, i really didnt want to quote that so not to derail the tread.

Me glued untill Mrs. Seriki confesses of her evil and i pray she is forgiven

candy:

You no allow the second part load finish na...I've added more to it. Hope it's 'fat' now. Church beckons.

Enjoy this beautiful sunday and great week ahead, all you lovely people.

You welcome for that ma'am

That's how you go know say I dey follow you Bumper to bumper

You surelly Rock

Right on point candy

chinonlove:
Madam Ty's problem has a simple solution. Bolu should get Tobi to cook for their mum. That's all. Well done sweet Candy

Hmmn, as if u were there when they prepare d jazz

Candy wetin u do mrs ty o,kan undo wetin u do am o.Welldone dear nd tnx 4 d update

chinonlove:
Madam Ty's problem has a simple solution. Bolu should get Tobi to cook for their mum. That's all. Well done sweet Candy

Lol. I will whisper that to Bolu's ears o.
@Sammyomotola
Harjibolar10
Stuff46
Rosytonia
MoriYanu
Hassan85
BolajJ007
@Portable31...nice observation
missviva
Thanks for your spirit lifting comments.

@Candy, any updates dis evening. U kn, something to make the day complete.

God bless you Candy.....Nice story line you've got here.

seunviju:
Candy wetin u do mrs ty o,kan undo wetin u do am o.Welldone dear nd tnx 4 d update

Na Tobi cause this one o, my hand no dey

BolajJP007, will update tomorrow, God willing. I'm revising with ma babies...dem dey do exam.

Hmmmm. Sweet mama. Pls take good care of them o, they're the future of 2moro. Have a sweet nice rest. Tnx and gud night.

chinonlove:

What's PTSD? @portable

*scoffs twice* it means POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Haba! from frying pan to fire...nice one candy.

Nice read Candy. How was service? Ur family's good? God bless you.

whizbee:

*scoffs twice* it means POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Oh, okay.

Kai!! D part Madam ty asked Tobi...'"I honestly can't
remember where we met, young man!"....got me real scared! ...Nice 1 Candy! Do say hi to ya kids for 'US'

This is more disastrous dan I tot o, madam ty please come out of this post traumatic stress disorder oooo cos she gt 2 laf again............... Candy u'r the best writer, tanx 4 da update

**********************

Tobi drove his honda crv to the private psychiatric clinic at Akobo. He had not been to work in two days, except when he went to pick up his key. He has been avoiding Mrs Seriki, though he knew he was going to talk to her sooner or later. Earlier in the morning, he had gone to Bolu's place to pick madam ty and Bolu for a scheduled psychiatric evaluation.

They met the doctor that attended to them earlier, when she was in shock, Dr Uba. Madam ty seemed utterly unaware of her environment. The experience seem to be taking a new toll on her. Though she talked and smiled when necessary, she appeared almost withdrawn again.

Tobi stood and adjusted his shoulders to settle his well-tailored jacket in place. He looked great, as usual. Bolu couldn't care less about her appearance. She had on a simple knee -length chiffon dress, a pair of casual slippers and no jewelry of any kind. Concern was written all over her beautiful face.

"Good morning doctor." Tobi took Dr Uba's outstretched hand. He knew who Tobi was, he had been briefed on the phone.

Taking madam ty's hands in his own as he sat down next to her on the couch, Dr Uba spoke gently to her,staring right into her eyes . "Madam, do you know this young man, Tobi Seriki? " He asked pleasantly.

She hesitated for a moment, then said "Yes."

They all smiled at her response. "Where and how did you know him?" Dr Uba asked.

"He was with my daughter and son-in-law at Oshogbo on monday. We came down to ibadan together."

Dr Uba sighed. Tobi shrugged his shoulders in frustration and Bolu's eyes became cloudy, the river of tears set to overflow. She had raised their hopes when she answered yes and then dashed.

"Can you describe the house you lived at felele, before Bolu got married?" He asked calmly.

Madam ty was becoming uneasy with the questions. Am I mad? She thought within herself. Then she answered straight faced, determined to convince them she was ok, "We lived at Olorunshogo, Alhaji's house, not Felele." At least, she got that one right, she thought, victory look on her face.

Bolu and Tobi exchanged glances again. Both sighed in frustration.

He asked her series of questions that should jolt her memory, Bolu and Tobi also described a few scenes to help her. No luck. She answered every other question correctly, she even remembered her daughter's birthday, life in Kaduna and every memorable detail of their lives.

Dr Uba turned to them, cleared his throat and said, "your mother seem to be suffering from dissociative amnesia."

"What is that, dr?" Bolu asked, alarmed.

"It's memory loss resulting from emotional shock or trauma. though she got out of the depression, she seemed to have totally blocked the events that lead to the Initial shock out."

Tobi paced up and down the consulting room. He knew he was totally responsible for his mother's mental condition. He closed his eyes for a few seconds to block the tears from flowing. He felt like kicking himself in the groin.

"What is the next thing?" He asked

"Ordinarily, we need to do an MRI to rule out structural causes, an EEG to rule out a seizure disorder, blood and urine tests to rule out reaction to illicit drug use." He paused for effect, before continuing, "but since I'm familiar with her history, I'll let you guys decide if we should wave the tests and go through therapy."

"So, what are the prognosis?" Tobi asked, barely able to look his sister in the eye.

"Well, most patients recover their memories but some patients are never able to reconstruct their missing past. The prognosis is determined mainly by the patient's life situations, particularly the ones related to the cause of the amnesia."

Bolu sighed. Madam ty looked at the doctor's note pad in confusion.

"What do you guys think? We run the MRI and other tests or we skip and go to therapy?" He looked at Bolu for answer.

"I think I choose therapy, since we know the cause." Bolu offered.

"Well, we can run the tests for formality sake, Doc." Tobi suggested. Bolu appaered to be in thought for a few seconds then she agreed.

Dr Uba also liked that. "Let's quickly do that today. For treatment of this condition, a supportive environment and
Psychotherapy will do. Trying to re-enact scenes from the lost period is very good too. This measure alone helps patients to recover with time." He concluded.

Unrestrained tears streamed down Bolu's cheeks. If only you had come back earlier, she thought as she stared at Tobi.

She called Ade to inform him of the latest development. Guilt didn't allow Tobi to be part of the conversation. He drove them to the government hospital for the tests in silence. His phone rang incessantly but he didn't pick.

"Why don't you pick your calls or switch off your phone?" Bolu said in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to miss important business calls. It's mostly Mrs Seriki calling though." He told her.

He couldn't define his feelings for the woman that brought him up, but he had a nagging feeling she had something to do with all of this. His thought kept flashing to their lunch at the chinese restaurant and his feeling of uneasiness whenever she was around her. Since yesterday, he saw her in a different light. His thought was interrupted by his sister's harsh words.

"You and business. It was this same money and business that made you turn your back against your own mother. Look where it brought us now..." Bolu went on and on.

Unable to take it anymore, Tobi parked the car and rested his head on the steering. He sobbed into his folded arms like a baby. Bolu was too upset to care.

Madam ty felt pity for the young man crying, though she didn't think it was really her place to interfere. "It's ok, young man." Was all she could say. She had her own troubles. They all felt she should know this young man, if she didn't, she feared another round of trips to the doctor's. Yet, here she was, unable to connect him in anyway to her life.

When he let it all out in tears, Tobi baeced himself up for the task ahead;the task of helping his mother regain her lost memory, especially him. Bolu didn't exchange a word with him till he parked the car at the hospital. He felt bad about her anger, but he knew he deserved it.

Within a few hours, the tests were carried out. The results confirmed Dr Uba's diagnosis of dissociative amnesia. They both agreed on consulting Ade's mum for the therapy sessions.

The drive back home was better. Bolu had gonee over her sulking mood, they were back in talking terms. It felt good. Even madam ty's mood lightened up.

*******************

finally an update, love the twist of the story

weldone candy

Good morning candy, thanks for the update.

QueenTolpatx, I'm lucky to have you on board!
Ruffhandu, service was awesome...family is good to the glory of God. Hope ur good too.
Skimpledawg, thanks...will say hi to them.

BolajJP007, thanks man!

Ma queen Jennimma, I tire o! When she go come enjoy na? But life is not always fair sha. May God help us all.

Debdave, tescoleps and Hameenat94...I miss u guys o!

D9ty7, I can see ur busy...enjoy the week my brother.

You r welcome ma.

Pls mooooore.

candy:
D9ty7, I can see ur busy...enjoy the week my brother.

No matter how busy I am, I still find time to check out every three days. I am loving the twists and turns.