Sometimes, what breaks us doesn't come all at once—it comes in small pieces, quietly reshaping who we are.
Back in Delta State, Amelia's mother, Scarlett, had enrolled to study Midwifery. It was tough, with long days of practicals and endless nights of studying. One particular night before an exam, Scarlett sat with her classmates preparing. Her eyes drooped, but she kept fighting to stay awake—until she couldn't anymore. Sleep won.
Her classmates finished their reading hours later and tried to wake her up.
"Scarlett… Scarlett!"
No response.
They shook her gently—still nothing. Tired and a little amused, they gave up and went home, leaving her fast asleep in the corner of the classroom.
When Scarlett finally woke up, she stretched and looked around.
Everyone was gone.
The room was silent, and the time read 1:00 AM.
Startled, she packed up her books and began walking home. The roads were quiet, the street lights dim. Halfway home, she noticed a figure in the distance—a girl, slowly approaching. Scarlett blinked, wiped her eyes, and looked again.
The girl had gotten closer. She was walking very slowly—yet somehow, she was already near Scarlett. 'How could that be?' she wondered.
Scarlett's heart slammed in her chest. A car's headlights swept across the street, and she turned around. She looked back—
The girl had vanished. Not a single trace.
'Ghost or… mermaid?' Scarlett whispered, breaking into a run.
She sprinted the rest of the way home, banging on the hostel door. One of the girls opened it and immediately burst into laughter.
"You slept like a log!" the girl teased.
Scarlett panted, trying to catch her breath. "It's not funny. I saw something… something strange."
She told them what had happened. The laughter stopped. The others stared in silence, then nervously chuckled. Scarlett wasn't amused.
That night, sleep didn't come easy.
**********
Not long after, Jessica—Elijah's niece—came to visit Elijah and Amanda. One afternoon, Amelia and Jessica were playing. Amelia was older than Jessica, and during their playtime, Jessica suddenly needed to use the toilet urgently. But something went terribly wrong. Somehow, she smeared poop on the wall. No one understood how or why it happened.
Aunt Amanda was furious.
"Jessica! What is this?! Clean this rubbish now!"
Jessica didn't answer. She quietly began cleaning the wall with soap and water. It was an awkward and unforgettable moment. Amelia didn't know what got into her, but no one ever brought it up again. They didn't need to.
**********
Now let's return to Amelia, who was thirteen at the time. Still struggling with bedwetting, she was often ashamed—but quietly brave, believing this phase would pass.
That year, she traveled back to Delta State for the holidays.
She was excited—excited to see her family, her friends, and most especially, Mason.
But when she saw him, he didn't even notice her. Her heart sank a little.
A week later, Mason and Chloe came by to play. They all acted out a make-believe scene, pretending Mason was David, and Amelia was his "fake wife." It was all innocent fun—just children playing.
That night, Mason and Chloe visited Grandma's house. Amelia's heart fluttered when Chloe suggested they switch seats, allowing her to sit beside Mason.
Her hands trembled, heart racing, but she couldn't say anything.
How could she?
How could she tell him how she felt when she didn't even understand it herself?
**********
The holiday ended too quickly, and soon it was time to return to Lagos. On the day of her departure, a close family friend, Emma Akuchi—a nurse and her mother's friend—came visiting. As she chatted with Scarlett, her eyes kept drifting to Amelia, who was playing with Ethan in the yard.
Emma stepped closer.
"Scarlett," she said gently. "Amelia's eyes… they're yellow. Her walk, her look… I think you should run a test. Just to be sure."
Scarlett's heart dropped.
They had done tests before, but now there was concern. Amelia returned to Lagos, unaware of what was coming. A few days later, Scarlett called Aunt Amanda.
"They said Amelia might have sickle cell. Please take her for confirmation."
That Saturday, Amelia and Aunt Amanda went to the hospital in Lagos. She tried to stay calm—but something didn't feel right. Something in the air told her her world was about to change.
And it did.
The results came out.
Amelia had sickle cell.
She was shattered. Her chest tightened. Her mind raced with questions she couldn't answer.
"How? Why me?"
"What will happen to my life now?"
Everything blurred. She was thirteen. She should've been worrying about school, friends, her favorite songs—not blood tests and crises.
That night, Amelia curled into her bed and cried until her pillow was soaked.
But in the quiet, she whispered a promise to herself:
"This isn't the end of my story. It's just the beginning."