Very early on a Monday morning, in such a cold weather, did it bechance that some police men arrived a hotel. Something had happened the previous night. It was about a young lady by the name Belinda. Belinda’s body was found in one of the rooms in the hotel lying unconscious on the floor. The management at the hotel had contacted the police to inform them of the development and the appearance of the police at the hotel was in reaction to the call. Belinda’s body was lying unconscious in one of the rooms; there were stains of blood on the floor, on the wall and on her body that were traceable to an injury sustained at the back of her head. With the appearance or state in which Belinda’s body was found, it seemed like she had been attacked. Belinda’s body had been conveyed in an ambulance to the hospital for treatment that morning after the arrival of the police. However, Belinda’s life was not lost but a serious damage had been done.
“Doctor, I was told you called for my appearance in your office and here I am. What is the matter?”
“Madam, how are you to the young lady in the ward?” asked the doctor.
“I am her mother; her own biological mother. So tell me whatever the matter is.” said Belinda’s mother.
“Okay Madam. After observation and running some medical operations on your daughter, we discovered that the injury which your daughter sustained at the back of her head had caused her some serious damages in her brain. I am sorry to announce to you that your daughter is now suffering from Amnesia. Consequential to her sustenance of that injury, she has lost her memory.” said the doctor
“What? Is it that serious? So my daughter has lost her memory?” said Belinda’s mother.
“I am sorry Madam. She has lost it at the moment.” said the doctor.
Belinda’s mother leaned back on her seat, looked up at the ceiling and wept at what had happened.
“I am really sorry Madam; really sorry.” said the doctor.
“But, can I see my daughter?” asked Belinda’s mother.
“Yes, you can. In fact, such a move is very much welcomed as that can help her recuperate from her situation. If she sees or interacts with someone she used to like or something she was very close to or familiar with prior to her present state of memory loss, it can help bring back memories of some of her past experiences especially the ones related to that particular person she sees or interacts with. It can help better her condition. Let me call one of the nurses to show you to her ward.” said the doctor.
Belinda’s mother was shown to Belinda in her ward. Her wound had been dressed and her body had been cleaned up of the blood stains and she was looking better. She had even regained consciousness and her weakness had mitigated. But what happened man? She had lost her memory. Belinda’s mother was in the ward with Belinda and a nurse was present in the ward. Soon afterwards, Belinda’s uncle, Ben, arrived and joined the three of them in the ward. He had been informed of what had happened.
“Welcome, Uncle Ben.” said Belinda’s mother.
“Thank you Madam. (Turning to Belinda) Belinda, what happened to you?” said Uncle Ben.
Instead of replying the question, Belinda looked at Uncle Ben and looked at her mother. She looked around the ward. She was surprised at what she was seeing. What could she call where she was? What was she doing there? Belinda continued to look around. She had been helped to sit on the bed in the ward. Again, Uncle Ben threw a question.
“Belinda, I said what happened to you?” said Uncle Ben.
Belinda looked at Uncle Ben and said: “Are you talking to me?”
Belinda’s mother and Uncle Ben looked at each other surprisingly. Belinda’s mother was shocked despite having heard the news. She had heard what had happened to her daughter and she was now confirming it live. After a while, Belinda’s mother spoke to her daughter Uncle Ben had heard too before he came and was also confirming it. Belinda was suffering from memory loss.
“Yes, he is talking to you.” said Belinda’s mother.
“No, I don’t think so. He was referring to Belinda. (Turned to the nurse) Are you the one bearing Belinda?” said Belinda.
“No. You are the one bearing Belinda. That is your name.” said her mother.
“No.” said Belinda.
“Yes, you are.” said her mother.
“I said no.” said Belinda.
“Yes. If Belinda is not your name, then what is your name?” said her mother.
“Me? Name? (Belinda tried to think for a while then she spoke) Do I have a name? I don’t think I have a name. I cannot remember ever having a name. And by the way, who are you to know if I bear a particular name or not?” said Belinda.
Belinda’s mother and Uncle Ben looked at each other again in surprise.
“I am your mother. I gave birth to you. You are my own daughter. And this man here is your uncle; a younger brother to your father.” said her mother.
Unexpectedly, Belinda laughed. Belinda’s mother and Uncle Ben were thrown into surprise by that. Why was she laughing?
Belinda continued to laugh and the duo who was in surprise continued wallowing in their surprise. Afterwards, Belinda spoke.
“This is really funny. Do you guys do comedy? Because I don’t just understand what is happening here. You are my mother and he is my uncle; the younger brother to my father. Mother? Uncle? Father? I cannot just relate. I don’t think I have ever seen the two of you before you came into this place today and here you are claiming you are my mother and he is my uncle. By the way, I don’t think I have a mother. I don’t think I have a father. I cannot remember ever having an uncle.” said Belinda.
At that, Belinda’s mother stood up from where she was sitting and grabbed Belinda by her two arms. She was going emotional.
“Belinda, look into my eyes. Look into my eyes and tell me again that I am not your mother. Tell me that you are not my daughter.”
Again, Belinda laughed. What was happening was funny to her. Uncle Ben stood there in his astonishment.
“Woman, is this a joke or what? Are we playing games here? I said I don’t know you as my mother. I cannot remember ever having a mother on general terms let alone knowing you particularly as my mother.” said Belinda.
“Belinda, I said I am your mother. I am your mother. (This time, Belinda’s mother held and shook Belinda’s body with emotions. She was trying to get Belinda to understand her. She shook Belinda’s body in such a rough manner out of emotions and the nurse felt that could be dangerous to her health and she tried to free Belinda from her mother’s hold)
“Madam, please take it easy. You may deteriorate her condition with the way you are acting. Please, leave her alone.” said the nurse.
Belinda’s mother withdrew her hands from the hold. And then something happened that amplified her already established shock. After Belinda’s mother withdrew her hands from her hold, Belinda did not laugh this time. She became annoyed and embarrassed. Belinda turned to her mother and said:
“Is this woman okay? What is all this? What is all this embarrassment? I said I don’t know you and you are acting like we know each other. Please leave me alone. (Turns to the nurse). In fact, I don’t want to see this woman here. I am afraid she may kidnap me from here.” said Belinda.
“Calm down, please.” said the nurse.
“Don’t tell me to calm down. It is either she leaves or I get out of here.” said Belinda.
“I, your mother, should get out of here?” said her mother.
Belinda got angrier at her mom’s statement. She stood up from her bed and moved towards her mother. And what happened man?
She gave her mother a dirty slap! “Get out of here woman.” Belinda yelled at her mother.
Belinda’s mother was so shocked. She held the spot where she had received the hit. She could not hold back the tears as they rolled down her cheeks. The nurse approached Belinda’s mother.
“Madam, please take it easy. You know your daughter before she was brought here and you have heard what happened to her. Please, try to understand. Kindly move out of this ward and leave her for now, please.” said the nurse.
Belinda’s mother was walked out of the ward in tears and Uncle Ben followed. Before she got out, while was at the door, Belinda’s mother looked to look at her daughter who was giving her a strong look in return. She did not show any remorse for what she had done. Belinda’s mother could not stand the situation and she walked out of the ward. The nurse went with her to console her outside the ward then she went back into the ward to attend to Belinda.
“Please, take it easy okay. She is out now.” said the nurse.
“I don’t want to see that woman here again. What rubbish?” said Belinda.
“She would not come back, okay? Just relax.” said the nurse.
“By the way, who are you?” asked Belinda.
“I am only here to take care of you and help you get better. So relax. I am not here to harm you. I am here to help you.” said the nurse.
Belinda was made to lie her on the bed and was left alone in the ward.
In process of investigation, the police engaged the bar man at the hotel in some interrogations. There were two inspectors; Inspector John and Inspector Ramsey.
“You are the bar man here right?” asked Inspector John.
“Yes, I am.” replied the bar man.
“What can you say about the lady whose body was found in one of the rooms in this hotel and the unconscious state in which she was found?” asked Inspector John.
“Actually, I am the bar man so I work in the bar and my work here does not extend to giving customers access to our rooms in this hotel. But, I can say something about the lady because she and some people were at the bar yesterday before she disappeared from there.” said the bar man.
“Can you tell us what you think can help us in our investigation concerning the case with this lady?” asked Inspector John.
“Yesterday night, some individuals walked into the bar. From the way they walked in and interacted, it seems like they came together. Afterwards, my attention was called for.” said the bar man.
“Bar man, give every single one of us here two bottles of champagne; the males and the females alike.” said one of them.
(The other people scream)
“You crazy man? Are you going to wound someone? We have got ladies here.” said another.
“Come on man. This is party time and we are all going to drink and get high all night. We are having fun tonight. (Turns to bar man) Come on, go and bring the drinks.” said the other guy.
“Okay Sir.” said the barman.
“And I delivered the drinks to them according to what was requested for and I continued with my work.” said the barman.
“How many of them were together last night?” asked Inspector Ramsey.
“Seven of them including three ladies; that lady whose body was found in the room and two other ladies.” said the barman.
“After serving them the drinks, what happened afterwards?” asked Inspector John.
“After I served them, I saw them drinking and after some time, all of them had disappeared from the bar.” said the barman.
“Okay. We would leave you now. We would call you if there is anything we want to ask you later or if we need your appearance for any other reason.” said Inspector John.