This is the last chapter guys. Sorry it came late. I can't believe this is it, the gif above is my expression rn...

Twenty-six | Love conquers                 all

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and a man cannot live without love— Max Muller

~•~

Kemi watched Nnamdi's body leaning lifelessly against the chair, heavy tears cascading down her cheeks unto her clothes. Only when he stirred slightly did she release a deep breath and prayed that they both got out of here in one piece.

"Now look what you made me do," Rita sighed deeply like if she regretted shooting at Nnamdi but the mischievous glint in her eyes said otherwise.

Kemi ignored her and rushed towards Nnamdi when her feet that were frozen to a spot decided to work—although she still walked as if she had two left legs.

"Stop right there and don't go closer," Rita barked at her impatiently.

Kemi stopped in her tracks and turned slowly towards the malicious being that was the cause of all this tension.

"And if I don't?" she asked not bothering to wipe the tears off her face.

Rita scoffed. "I'm not a bad shot Kemi. If I had wanted to blow his brains off I would have. Why are you seriously making this hard for the both of us?"

Kemi cringed at Rita's morbid statement. "Do you really think that I would run off with you after this stunt you pulled? Do you?"

She shrugged her indifference. "Pretty much, I guess."

Kemi took a heavy step forward. "I have always had a peaceful life Rita, surrounded by my family and friends. And, I have always dreamt of a peaceful life with my spouse and my kids."

"We could adopt," Rita chipped in not really getting where Kemi was driving at.

Ignoring her, Kemi continued, "And I don't plan on fuelling your stupid and selfish desires so I'm not leaving this room or this house with you."

"Like you have a choice," Rita added maliciously much to Kemi's chagrin.
"We could leave now sweetheart and maybe someone would find him here and take him to the hospital on time..."

Kemi was suddenly reminded of the presence of neighbors in this serene estate. Surely someone must have heard the gunshot or her scream and must have called the police but after all in this our beloved country only few people would think of that. She could probably take chances and delay Rita some more until someone comes across but glancing at Nnamdi's body, she didn't think he could wait that long.

"Or..." Rita continued cutting into her thoughts. "We could stay here and continue listening to your mindless babbling, I mean I have time but he doesn't." She pointed her gun at Nnamdi's direction and it took all Kemi's effort not to break down in tears. She rubbed her temples as it was starting to throb.

"Think babe, you don't have much time."

"Oh will you shut up!" Kemi yelled surprising herself and Rita.

"Oh don't yell at me. It's not my fault that he's in this condition." She smiled menacingly. "It's obviously your fault you know."

Kemi looked at the psychotic woman in disbelief and threw her hands up in frustration. The silver bracelet Nnamdi had given her last week caught the light and gave a soft glow reflecting on the window opposite where Rita stood making the latter move towards the window in trepidation.

"What the—"

Rita's words were cut short when Kemi launched at her throwing her full weight on her causing her to topple easily and land on her back with Kemi above her pinning her to the ground.

"Are you insane? Get off me!"

"The irony of it all. You're asking if I'm insane when you're the one who writes creepy letters and text messages, shot my boyfriend and is asking me to elope with you. You're the one who's insane, you freak!"

Rita tried to wiggle free but winced when Kemi threw a punch to her stomach. She then wrestled the gun out of her hands making it to slide close to where Nnamdi was. Kemi got up quickly, rushed towards the gun picking it up with her shaking hands and aiming at the lady that had taken her boyfriend hostage.

Rita got up slowly holding the wall for support while wiping the blood off her lips. She broke into a psychotic laughter when she noticed the gun in Kemi's hands.

"You really think you can shoot me. C'mon honey try harder, you can't even hold a freaking gun properly."

Kemi looked at Rita with fear visible on her face. With every word that she spewed, Rita was approached her gradually.

"Don't come closer or I'll... I'll shoot..."

"Oh honey I just gave a you a free ticket a moment ago. Shoot me and live with the guilt for the rest of your life."

Kemi sighed deeply she could feel her hands trembled under the weight of the contraption in her dainty hands. She wasn't like Rita, she wouldn't be able to sleep well knowing that she shot someone. Kemi knew she had to do something fast unless she and Nnamdi weren't walking out of here alive.

Think think think...

"Give me the gun honey," Rita cooed in a sickly sweet voice making Kemi realize that she was just a few inches away from her. "And we'll forget that this little stunt you pulled ever happened. I might even forgive you," Rita smiled brightly.

Kemi glanced at Nnamdi then sighed before she closed her eyes—the tears spilling from her eyes in torrents—and pulled the trigger.

Even after a few minutes, the sickening thud of Rita's lifeless body hitting the tiled floor made Kemi's head throb. The gunshot still rang in her ears like a bad song on repeat.

Nnamdi's groans snapped her out of her reverie.

"Nnamdi! Are you okay?" She asked him when she knelt down beside him trying to still her trembling hands.

"Kemi," he whispered softly. "Are you alive or we're both dead?"

"We're alive silly," she laughed a little wiping hastily at her face before she threw her hands around his neck. He winced and she drew back quickly.

"I'm sorry Didi," Kemi broke down and started rambling. "I... I killed her Di. I dunno if she's dead but I shot her with her gun. I dunno, will I go to jail? I don't want to..."

"Kemi," he said as firmly as he could. "You won't go to jail. It was self defense." He spoke as if speaking to a child.

"But they don't know that," she snapped impatiently. "What if they lie against me or they don't believe me. It wasn't my fault I didn't... I barely... She would have..."

"Kemi!" She looked up at him through tear filled eyes. "Take breaths please."

She obeyed quietly listening to his soft voice as he repeated the action of inhalation and exhalation. He was helping her through her panic attack even though he was the one that had been shot and stabbed not her.

"Are... Are you okay?" Nnamdi asked with so much effort, he could feel himself drifting into unconsciousness again.

"I'm okay," she replied. "I'm okay," she repeated more to herself than him. Kemi kissed him softly on his lips before struggling with the leather strap that had kept him confined. She gently rubbed his wrists and ankles to enhance blood circulation.

At this point, Kemi was terribly proud of herself. The Kemi she knew would have fainted the moment she walked into this room an hour ago.

Looping Nnamdi's good arm around her neck, she supported his weight as she carefully led him to the front door.
By the time they got to the front yard, he was unconscious again.

"Nnamdi," Kemi called. "Nnamdi we're outside see. We... We made it, I think. Please stay awake." She looked up when she heard the blasting of sirens not so far from were they were.

"Finally," she muttered under her breath.

"Nnamdi look the police are here, we'll soon get to the hospital. I won't let you die I won't I promise. Please open your..."

"Freeze!" A hoarse voice yelled startling Kemi. She could even swear that she felt Nnamdi flinch underneath her arms.

"Put your hands up... What the hell happened here," the lanky man in a police uniform stared at the both of them like he had seen a ghost.

A robust man rapidly approached them. "Ma'am we got a report that they were gunshots heard from the Okwundus residence. If you can just come with us to the station..."

"I'll come to the station with you when you help me take him to the hospital!" Kemi yelled breathlessly as Nnamdi was beginning to weigh her down. "He was held hostage by a psychotic lady and then she shot him then I shot her too with her gun! It was self defense I promise, I..."

"Calm down ma'am," the robust man who was the inspector said as he signaled another policeman to help Kemi with Nnamdi.

The next few minutes were a blur for Kemi as she had insisted that she followed them to the hospital in the police van. Waiting in the lobby of the hospital had been torture as she had called everyone who cared to listen with her phone. Then finally bursting into tears on her mother's shoulders, she had released the pent up anxiety of the past few hours.

Her family and friends consoled her and much to Kemi's relief, they didn't pressure her to spill the details because she couldn't relive the encounter not while Nnamdi was having a bullet removed from his shoulder just down the hall from where they sat.

At midnight after much persuasion, Kemi finally drifted off to sleep on a cot set up in the hospital beside Nnamdi's bed.

💎💎💎💎

Kemi traced her fingers across his jaw meticulously. The past few days had made her step out of her comfort zone. Sleeping in the hospital on an uncomfortable bed is obviously not a wonderful experience.

The operation had a little complication—something about Nnamdi reacting to the anesthetic administered by the surgeon.

Now three days later, he was still unconscious. Kemi had nightmares about Nnamdi dying or even losing his memory. Adaeze had comforted her saying that gunshot wounds hardly made one lose their memory except maybe if it was a hit to the head. Some comfort.

Trust Adaeze to be so morose.

Nifemi had suggested that she saw a therapist. Kemi said that she would consider it after Nnamdi woke up from his long nap as her mother called it. Just yesterday, the her mother had convinced her to have a little nap at home and to take a well deserved rest—Kemi had obliged.

Her father was the one footing the hospital bills and he had Nnamdi transferred to a private ward.

Kemi could not help but thank God that she had wonderful people around her.

It was nightfall again, another night in the hospital with Nnamdi and memories of that evening waiting to haunt her the moment she closed her eyes.

Kemi kissed Nnamdi on his lips as she recounted the day's experience to him. His grandmother had come to visit and the old woman seemed to be take it better than Kemi thought she would. The both of them had hit off quickly and had a lengthy talk about Nnamdi's childhood making Kemi momentarily forget her worries and fears as had burst out laughing at his childish pranks and stunts.

Harriett had left a bowl of soup and a basket of fruits before retiring for the night but not before promising to come back the next day. She was spending the night at Kemi's place and Kemi's mother was more than happy to have her around.

Kemi went through the ritual of straightening out Nnamdi's sheets and cleaning his face with a warm damp towel before laying down on the narrow bed she had been confined to these past days.

She thought about Rita that was receiving treatment down the hall. The doctor said it was likely that she would go into a coma if she remained unconscious after few days. The bullet had missed her heart by a hair's breath. Rita's aunt's lawyer had pleaded mental insanity so even if she did wake up, she would be shipped out to the nearest psychiatric hospital.

Kemi said a short prayer and before she closed her eyes to sleep, she turned towards Nnamdi and said;

"Goodnight Di. Please wake up tomorrow, I can't bear to see you this way. You do know that you have to wake up before Kelechi's party—you're the best man after all," she laughed a little. "There's so much I want to tell you Di." Kemi faced the wall and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, she woke up to the feeling that she was being watched. Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped when she saw the person watching her with furrowed eyebrows.

"Have you been sleeping here?" His voice was raspy from lack of use but it still had the same effect on her as it always had.

"Nnamdi!" Kemi yelled looking at him like she had just seen a ghost. He was sitting by the foot of her bed and watching her intently, his drip was missing from his hand.

He laughed and got up gently sitting back in his bed his eyes never leaving her face. "This gown is too short," he complained adjusting his clothes.

Kemi gave a short laugh and scrambled down from the bed walking slowly towards him. She stretched out her right hand and pinched him on his cheeks.

"Ouch! What did you do that for?"

"I wanted to check whether you're real. One moment you were on the bed unconscious and then you're right in front of me."

"Well, I believe the right thing to do is to pinch yourself not me." Kemi laughed. "Come here cupcake," he said patting his legs and groaning a little when she sat down on him.

"I've missed you Nnamdi. I thought you'll leave me."

"I'm here now aren't I?"

"Yes," she sighed wistfully.

"I missed you too."

"I know," she laughed. "How was it, you know to be unconscious?"

"Well..." Nnamdi started, pretending to be in deep thought. "I was walking towards the light and then..."

"Then what?" she probed.

"That's it. That's all I remember," he chuckled. Kemi punched him lightly on his good arm.

"You haven't changed one bit you big baby," she said pouting.

"Do you want me to?" He asked searching her eyes.

"Nah! I love you this way. Cocky and arrogant Nnamdi..."

"Don't forget handsome."

"Ah, handsome Nnamdi too."

They stayed in companionable silence for a while. "Does this hurt?" Kemi asked poking his shoulder.

"Nope," he said smiling deviously. His beards were rough bringing out the hard lines of his face making his features seem rougher and Kemi didn't know if it was just her but he seemed to look more muscular than the last time he had been conscious.

"How about now?" She poked harder basking in the fact that she had a very handsome boyfriend.

Nnamdi visibly winced, "A little. It hurts a little but let's not repeat that action again." Kemi laughed and succumbed easily when he pulled her in for a toe curling kiss.

Nnamdi's kisses were pure—no eyes hovering down to check out the rest of her body or hands wandering into places that would lead into another thing. It was glorious like if he put in all his best to make love to her mouth and he probably did.

The duo pulled apart quickly when they heard an impatient throat clearing.

"Um... Mr Okwundu. I can see that you're feeling better this morning." The slim doctor said tapping obnoxiously on the file in her hands. Her smile was pasty and fake with her lips coated with an engine red lipstick. Unlike Kemi that had no makeup on and her oversized t-shirt and shorts were in contrast to the doctor's tailored white shirt over a black pencil skirt.

"He actually woke up some few minutes ago," Kemi smiled brightly hoping to irritate the rude doctor.

"You could have at least called the attention of one of the nurses to check him instead of... making out with the patient."

"It's a healing process," Nnamdi said impatiently as he was tired of the doctor's bantering. The doctor turned away to hide the blush on her fair cheeks, Kemi wasn't oblivious to the effect that Nnamdi had on most women.

He turned back his attention to the damsel sitting on his laps and smiled as if he had just won a trophy. "Thank you."

"For what?" She asked incredulously.

"For everything," he breathed before drawing her close for another heartwarming kiss.

Epilogue coming up soon. I hope you liked the ending.

Comment if you haven't done so before I can't wait to read those lovely comments *fingers crossed*

Love, kisses and cuddles
Sky_teddy✌