“Why waste time on a clown? It is obvious he is insane. I have so many engagements to catch up and it’s getting late. See, the earlier we start talking, the earlier we will get to the bottom of this shit,” Austin cautioned.
Edmond looked at his wrist watch, stood up from the dining table, took few steps to the window, threw the curtain open and stared deep into the darkness.
“It was about this time,” he began, “past 10pm. Mother had been in labor for 4 days. The doctors and nurses did all they could. Call it inducement, she was induced 4 times, 4 good times. She became very weak. It was a poorly equipped hospital.
As all options failed, she was referred to a general hospital with state of the art equipments. Father did not waste time moving her at once. It was a 2 hours’ drive due to bad road.
By the time we got there, it was already a critical emergency. There were no movements in the womb, no pulse, no heartbeat, no nothing. My brother and I were very weak in the womb. We had struggled for 4 days. Our water had broken.
Tests were conducted and the doctors told father that there was no way mother could deliver naturally. She was equally weak too. Mother was a strong woman. Yes! She was strong.”
He paused and cleaned the tears that cascaded down his cheeks and then continued.
“There was no time left. The doctors told our father that the chances of mother surviving was 50-50. As for us – my brother and I – as far as the doctors were concerned, we were dead. CS was the only option.
As soon as mother was rolled into theater, she became unconscious. When they cut her open, the doctors got the greatest shock of their lives – Conjoined twins. We were joined on the head, my brother and I.
One thing one thing one thing, we started breathing and we began to cry. It was a miracle. Father was there by the bedside, right inside the theater. About 2 weeks later, mother was able to walk, talk and laugh. She was ok, fit and strong. A strong woman. In the midst of all these came yet another challenge. The challenge of separating us.
The hospital was ill-equipped. They could not handle such a major operation, so they referred us to a hospital in India. As a low income earner, father could barely pay the bill for mama’s CS, talk less of all the expenses involved in travelling to India for our operation.
Just when all hopes were lost, that wealthy man from the east came to the rescue. He accepted to foot the entire bill on the condition that our parents would hand over one of us to him as an appreciation. They had no choice. So agreement was made and we flew to India.
We spent 6 months there. Thanks to God, it went successful and we returned hale and hearty. Right there in India, mother and father handed over my brother to that man. Sad! As I grew up, I kept asking my mother how I got this scar on my head, but she would not tell me until I was 13. That was when she narrated this story to me. Father confirmed too. They said my brother and I were identical.”
He closed the curtain, left the window and moved to the sofa.
By this time, Austin was practically speechless. He was listening attentively.
Edmond continued: “My great grandfather was popularly known and addressed as “White”, not because he was fair in complexion, but because he had white patches all over his body.
My father had the patches on his head, elbows, knees, and feet. And me? My entire scrotum is white and my mother told me that my twin brother’s scrotum was also entirely white.”
Austin could no longer hold it. There was nothing to hide. Man to man, brother to brother, he stripped his trouser and pant with the speed of light, revealing his white scrotum.
Edmond did the same.
There was no need for DNA. The scar, the white scrotum, the face, the voice, the posture, all confirmed one thing – they were brothers.
They embraced each other and wept profusely.
By this time, they had forgotten about the MD.
But wait ooo, could it be the MD mistook Edmond for Austin?
How is that even possible?
Only time shall tell.