10 10 THE SEARCH

One month and three weeks later, the doctor at the Sickle Cell Foundation building who had the bushy hair and round eyeglasses on a long-bent nose spoke to us in his foreign accent as we sat in front of him in his office. The doctor's office had books and books on every free space.

"Everyone who volunteered already has their sample checked and stored in a database. All we had to do was search to find a match but there was none. As it looks, for us to find a match, a new volunteer has to come in," the doctor said.

My dad bowed his head and squeezed his hands together. It was as if he was praying. Then he raised his head, moved closer to the table and spoke to the doctor.

"You mean that from everybody in my family I brought in here to drop a sample, we couldn't find a match?"

"Yes. I told you. The younger the volunteer, the better the match for the transplant itself since your daughter herself is young. Moreover, the transplant is better and safer for younger patients."

"Yes, you said that. But there must be a way to find a match from the people I brought. They are family. There should be some…"

He interrupted my dad, "Your son here has a closer relationship to your daughter and he isn't a match. These things do not work like that. Being related is not enough; there are HLAs to think of.

Four classes of them. HLA - A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-D. Then you have HLA-D, which is further divided into other classes."

The doctor stopped speaking as though he had caught himself doing something wrong, then he apologised. "I am sorry. I shouldn't go all technical on you."

"What are HLAs?" I asked the doctor. He had roused my interest.

He turned to me, "Do we have a future scientist here?"

"I want to know everything so that I would know how to find what will save my sister."

"Interesting." He then kept quiet and sat there looking at me as if he was trying to make up his mind over something.

"Can you tell me what HLA is?" I asked again.

"Osaik!" My dad called my name with a stern sound that meant that he wanted me to keep quiet.

"It is okay. I can answer his question. We have to always encourage the inquisitive mind of children to fully bloom," the doctor said, then he smiled and continued speaking, "HLAs are Human Leukocyte Antigens."

"What?" I was instantly confused.

"Let's just say that is the full meaning of their name."

"So HLA is an acronym?" I asked.

"Acronym. Who taught you that?"

"I know a lot of things."

"I can see that."

"I like the way leukocytes and antigen sound. I will look them up."

The doctor laughed, reached his hand across the desk, tapped my hand which was on the desk and said, "I like you."

"Thank you," I responded with a smile.

"Okay. HLAs are molecules found on every cell of our bodies. They define us. This is why if a foreign cell…" He stopped and looked at me, "You know what a cell is, young man?"

"Yes," I responded.

"Great. So, if a foreign cell for example from an unmatched transplant, or bacteria or a virus or any of those germs we cannot see with our eyes is introduced into our body, the fighter cells…"

"The white blood cells, right?" I said eagerly.

He smiled and looked at my dad, "You have a brilliant boy here. You should get him into a gifted school or something."

My dad smiled and nodded. The doctor turned back to me and continued.

"Yes, white blood cells. They will attack the foreign cell or cells in order to protect the body. This attack or reaction can be so intense that even normal body cells may be destroyed. You don't want that to happen. That is why you have to ensure that your HLAs are very close to that of the person who will receive the transplant from you."

"Do you get them from your dad and your mum?"

"Yes.Each person receives a unique combination from both parents. One from each parent; so, for example, you may inherit HLA - B3 from your dad and HLA - B65 from your mum.When you grow older, get married and have children, you will also pass on your unique forms of HLA to your children - one to one child and not to another child or to both children. Are you following me?"

"Yes," I responded with a nod.

"Okay. Remember you also have a wife. And your wife will have HLAs too. And she will also pass on hers. So let's say she also can pass on her HLA B-3 to one child and not to the other or to both children. So imagine a case in which you pass on your HLA-B7 to the same child she passed on her HLA B-3 but you didn't pass it on to the other child, which she had passed on her HLA B-3."

"Are you with me?" the doctor asked with furrowed brows.

"Yes," I replied with my brows also furrowed.

"Okay, those two children will not be matched if there has to be a transplant because one has HLA - B7 and the other doesn't have it. But if your wife passes on her HLA B-3 to your two children, and you pass on your own HLA - B7 to the same two children and you both pass on all other HLA molecules to the same two children, then those children will be a perfect match. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do." I nodded slowly as my mind lit up with what he had described. I could see it in diagrams. Shapes with letters and numbers attached to them, coming together and forming patterns like a jigsaw puzzle.

I heard the doctor speaking to my dad as though it was an echo from far away.

"Your son is incredible. Do you know how long it takes for medical students to understand the science of matching?"

"Yes, he is very intelligent."

"You listened to me explain it, right?"

"Yes."

"I hope you understood it."

"Yes, enough to realise how tough it is going to be to find a match for my daughter."

I pulled myself away from the diagrams in my head, brought my attention back to the office in which we all sat and turned to the doctor.

"One last question, please?" I asked with my finger raised up.

The doctor turned to me.

"Yes."

I put down my hand and asked, "Do HLAs have a smell?"

"A smell?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"My dad said it is rude to answer a question with a question."

The doctor looked at my dad. He was visibly embarrassed.

"We try to raise them in the best way we can," my dad said to him apologetically.

"That's good," he said to my dad and turned back to me. "Okay, let me see how I can answer that question. Do HLAs have a smell? Yes and no."

"Yes and no?" I asked in confusion.

"Yes, because they could have a smell, and no because I don't know if they have a smell."

"Why don't you know?"

"Because I have not smelt them."

"Why haven't you smelt them?"

"I told you that they are very tiny. Microscopic."

"Microscopic?"

"Yes. Things you can see only with a microscope are called microscopic. You know what a microscope is?"

"Yes.My friend has one. It is a toy though."

"Okay. So HLAs are microscopic, and microscopes can only see, they cannot smell. That is why there is no way I can know if HLAs have a smell."

"I think I understand that," I said as I thought about what he had explained.

"So now it's your turn to answer me. Why do you want to know if they smell?"

I looked at him and hesitated. I wasn't sure if it was something I was supposed to tell anyone. I didn't know if Kompa would be happy that I told anyone of our plans.I heard my dad speak to me.

"Osaik, answer his question."

I turned to my dad. He looked worried. I could see that he also wanted to know why I had asked the doctor the question.

"He is waiting," my dad said again.

I turned to the doctor. He was looking at me from the top of his sunglasses and his right hand was stroking his chin. Then I exhaled and it sounded very loud to me. After that, I sat up straight and spoke like I do when I answer the questions I know in class. Confidently.

"Kompa says if he knows what it is that decides if there would be a match or not, he can sniff it out from people and that way we don't have to wait for someone to volunteer, instead we can just go out on the streets and Kompa will smell everyone."

"Who is Kompa?" the doctor asked.

"His dog," my dad answered.

"He is my brother," I also answered when the doctor looked back at me after he had turned from my dad.

"I see," the doctor said, then he turned back to my dad and continued speaking. "I wish there was more I could do, but as you can see, we just have to wait for more volunteers or you have to bring more people here to be tested, preferably children your daughter's age."

I sat there listening to the doctor.I became sad as the reality dawned on me that the plans Kompa and I had carefully hatched were going up in smoke and the chances of Eghe Boom Boom finding a match for the bone marrow transplant was becoming slimmer and slimmer.

That night, I sat with Eghe Boom Boom and Kompa in her room. She was feeling better and was playing a game on her tablet. As I talked with Kompa, we could hear my dad speaking loudly over the phone with someone who was saying something that was upsetting him.

I stood up from the bed and walked to the window. Kompa stared at me from the bed. I pulled open the blinds and stared out from the window at the night sky.It was littered with stars. Uncountable. I stood there for a minute trying to see if there were any of the stars that would wink at me. That wink that looked like a malfunctioning fluorescent tube that was blinking.

"I wonder if Mum can help us find a match," I said.

"Why don't we ask her?" Kompa asked me.

"Yes, let's go ask her." I turned around and walked towards the door.

Kompa jumped down the bed and walked towards me. Eghe Boom Boom looked up from her tablet.

"Where are you guys going to?" she asked wide-eyed.

"Don't worry, we will be back soon," I replied.

"Too late, I am already worried."

"You are fibbing. You know you are never worried about anything."

"Osaik, tell me, where are you guys going to?" she ignored what I said and asked again.

"Tell her and let's go," Kompa said as he walked past me into the corridor.

I shook my head. "We are going to ask Mum to help you get a match."

"You are going to the cemetery?"

"Duh, she is not there."

"We buried her there."

"Thought you said she spoke to you here in the room."

"Yes, she did."

"So why are you saying she is in the cemetery."

"Because she no longer comes here to speak to me."

"Well, she didn't go back to the cemetery, she went up to the sky. Like I told you before, she is a star."

"I want to go with you to see her," she said as she climbed down from the bed and struggled into her flip flops.

"Dad doesn't want you to go outside at night."

She walked over to me and responded, "He will allow me if he knows we are going to speak to mum."

Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting.

"She is right, let's go," Kompa said from behind me.

"Okay, but don't say I didn't tell you," I said as I turned and walked into the corridor.

Kompa, Eghe Boom Boom and I filed out of the room and made our way to the living room where my dad was still speaking angrily over the phone.

When we got there, my dad was walking back and forth. His left hand was drawing circles in the air like a choirmaster as he spoke on the phone.

"I have a transplant for my daughter to pay for, so please don't tell me that this deal cannot go through. I have done my part of it, it is left for you to do your part as you promised!"

Kompa walked to the main door and sat down there.Eghe Boom Boom and I stood a short distance from my dad and before I could speak, she called out to him.

"Daddy, can I go with Osaik and Kompa to speak with Mummy up in the sky?"

My dad didn't hear her at first. It was as if he didn't even notice we were there. He just kept on speaking.

"…can't you understand what I am saying? I will be totally broke if you do not make this happen. I have spent nearly all I have to pay the designers for the preparation and documentation for the contract. I need the money to pay for the transplant once a match is found."

Eghe Boom Boom walked up to him, pulled on his jeans and shouted at the top of her voice, "Daddy!"

My dad looked down at her and spoke into the phone, "Give me a minute, please."

He turned to Eghe Boom Boom. "What is the problem, sweetheart?"

"Can I go with Osaik and Kompa to speak with Mummy up in the sky?"

My dad looked over at me.

I shrugged and said, "I told her you don't want her to go outside at night."

"But, Daddy, I want to speak with Mummy. I miss her very, very, very much!" she said it with desperation.

He looked back at her and ran his finger through her hair, "Okay, love. You can go but go wear something thicker and remember to tell Mummy that Daddy misses her too."

"Thank you, Dad. You are the best!"

She kissed his leg and ran towards her room, shouting, "Osaik, wait for me!"

Dad went back on the phone and in no time was speaking angrily over the phone. I stood there worried as I heard the phrases, "no money" and "transplant" being repeated over and over again.

"Looks like getting a match is not our only problem," Kompa said in a whine.

Before I could respond, Eghe Boom Boom ran back into the living room. She was wearing her Minnie Mouse sweater.

"Let's go!" She announced as she pretended to be out of breath.

I turned and opened the door. Kompa stepped out to the staircase in front of the house. I stepped aside for Eghe Boom Boom.

"Thank you!" She skipped out.

Then I followed and locked the door behind me, cutting off the voice of my dad who was still speaking angrily over the phone.

Dauda watched us silently from the guardhouse as we walked to the back of the house, but he didn't follow us.

When we got there, we stood and looked up at the sky. The stars were spread out as far as the eyes could see.

"Hello, Mum, it's Osaik," I said as I searched the sky to find the winking star.

"Where is she?" Eghe Boom Boom asked while looking at the sky.

I didn't respond, my eyes were fixated high above.

"Osaik, show me Mum," Eghe Boom Boom pulled on my arm.

Just then, I saw a star wink at me.

"There," I pointed up at it.

Eghe Boom Boom and Kompa followed my pointed finger.

"Where?" she asked again, craning her neck.

"There," I said.

Kompa barked twice.

"Kompa says he has seen her."

"Why haven't I seen her?" Eghe Boom Boom asked.

"Follow my finger and look at all those stars to your left. You have to be patient and you have to concentrate. Just follow my hand," I said, still pointing at the star.

Eghe Boom Boom stood there quietly, staring up at the sky. It felt like a very long time had passed before she shouted, "I see her. She is winking at me."

"Yes. That is Mum."

"Hi, Mum, it is me, Boom Boom," she shouted, waving up at the star. Then she turned to me and said, "Can she speak?"

"If you listen quietly enough, she might speak to you in your mind."

"How can she speak to me in my mind?"

"Just like you speak to yourself in your mind when you are thinking. But this time, it will not be your voice, but Mum's voice."

"Oh, I see. Okay. Let's all be quiet."

"Before we go quiet, I have to tell her why we came here so that she can answer in my mind."

"Okay."

"Mum, how are you doing? We have come to ask you for a favour. Mum, can…"

"Wait!" Eghe Boom Boom shouted.

I turned and looked at her.

"I want to ask her myself," Eghe Boom Boom said with her arms crossed.

"Ask her for what?" I said.

"For a match."

"You know that was what we came here for and you were asking all those questions in your room?"

"I was just having a conversation with you."

"You are so annoying."

"And I love you too."

I burst out laughing. She always knew how to melt my heart.

"Okay, ask Mum," I said running my hand through her soft curly mush of hair, just like my dad had done.

She turned back to the winking star and began to speak, "Mummy, why don't you come to speak with me in my room again?"

"Ask her the question."

Eghe Boom Boom continued speaking. It was as if she didn't hear me, but I knew that, as usual, she was just ignoring me.

"I have been waking up at night to see if you are standing by the wardrobe, but you are not there. Did I do anything wrong?I am sorry if I did. Are you angry with me for falling sick? I tried not to fall sick. I always wear warm clothes; I don't play rough games with Osaik. I don't go out of the house to play. I don't jump on the bed. I always eat all my food. I drink plenty of water and take my vitamins and eat my fruits and vegetables."

I stood there listening to her and staring at the winking star. It was glowing brighter and winking even more rapidly.

Eghe Boom Boom kept on speaking, "Daddy said I should say hello. He misses you too. I hear him crying at night in his room. Would you come and tell him that he should not cry anymore? I am sure he will like that. And Mummy, can you do me a favour? I don't want to be sick anymore. It hurts too much. Please, can you help me find a match? Osaik will like you to do that for me. And Kompa too. We are all here now asking you to please help me. You see us, right? We are still your darling lovables as you used to call us. Please help me stop being sick, Mummy."

At that moment, Kompa began to growl. It was a sound that I had never heard from him before.Eghe Boom Boom stopped speaking and turned to him just at the same time I did. Kompa was looking up at the winking star and growling. Then he began to howl like a wolf.It was loud. His head was raised high and he leaned it back as he howled louder.

Eghe Boom Boom looked over at me and said, "What is wrong with Kompa?"

"I don't know." I replied and then I turned to Kompa and called out to him, "Kompa."

He ignored me and kept howling.

"Kompa, what's wrong?" I asked again.

This time Kompa stopped howling and turned to me. His eyes were glowing. They were blue like the light in a swimming pool at night.I had never seen him look the way he looked. The hair on his body was upright, his ears were erect, his tail was in a straight line behind him and it looked as if he was vibrating.

Eghe Boom Boom put her hand in mine and whispered in fear, "I am scared."

I held her hand tighter and said to her, "Don't be afraid, Kompa is our brother, he will never harm us."

At that moment, Kompa charged towards us.

I shouted, "Kompa, no!" and pushed Eghe Boom Boom behind me to shield her from Kompa.

And in that instant, Kompa ran past us and headed towards the front of the house. He moved so fast that when we turned around we didn't even see him take the turn around the corner.

"Let's go." I pulled Eghe Boom Boom's hand and we ran after Kompa.

When we got to the front of the house, Kompa was running back and forth and barking loudly in front of the gate. Dauda was there shouting at him.

"Kompa! Kompa! Kompa!"

But he didn't stop and kept on barking.

The front door of the house opened and my dad walked out. He still had his phone in his hand and stood there at the top of the stairs.

"Dauda, what is wrong with him?" my dad called out to him.

"I don't know, sir. He just ran here barking. See how his eyes have changed."

"Is there someone at the gate?"

"No one, sir."

My dad turned to Eghe Boom Boom and I, and asked us with a puzzled look, "What happened to him?"

"He just started behaving strangely and howling like a wolf at mum and then he ran here and has been barking since," I replied.

"You guys should come into the house. Let me see what is going on with him."

As we began to walk towards the house, Eghe Boom Boom shouted, "I just heard Mummy's voice."

We turned to her as she continued. "She just spoke to me in my mind just like you said she would."

'What did she say?" I asked her.

"She said that Kompa wants to take us to a match."

"What?!" my dad said in disbelief.

Eghe Boom Boom looked up at him and continued speaking, "Mummy said that we should open the gate and allow Kompa to take us to the match she has found for me."

My dad looked at me and then at Kompa as he ran back and forth in front of the gate barking, then he turned back to us.

"Okay, give me a minute." He ran into the house.

I walked with Eghe Boom Boom towards the gate. Kompa ignored us as he kept on barking. His eyes were still glowing blue. And now he was jumping up and down like he wanted to jump over the gate.

"Boom Boom, are you sure Mum spoke to you?" I asked her quizzically.

"Yes. She is still speaking to me."

"What is she saying?"

"It is a secret."

I turned to Eghe Boom Boom in surprise and she stood there with a smile across her face and her head cocked at an angle. It looked like she was listening to someone whispering to her.

My dad ran down the staircase and rushed over to his car, he opened the front door and entered into the car. I ran over to him with Eghe Boom Boom.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I will drive behind Kompa," my dad said as he started the car.

"Mummy said you have to take us with you," Eghe Boom Boom said.

"Why?" my dad asked her.

"She said that you will need us," Eghe Boom Boom responded in her tiny voice.

My dad hesitated for a moment, then he said with a sigh, "Okay, back seat, you two."

I opened the door to the back seat and stepped aside for Eghe Boom Boom to get in, then I followed her and shut the door behind us.

My dad called out to Dauda, "Open the gate."

Dauda opened the gate, and Kompa immediately stopped barking and took off into the night.

My dad had the headlights of the car shining brightly as he drove out of the compound after Kompa.

Kompa ran through the night in the brightness of the car's headlights. We watched him from the car as he ran and ran and ran down different streets, over the long Third Mainland bridge that crossed the large lagoon, across more streets, some with streetlights and others without streetlights. He ran across streets that had trees and others that didn't. He ran at the side of the road so that other cars would not hit him. He ran and ran and ran until he got to a street where there were no cars and the houses were big and had tall walls around them.

It was Ikoyi, a neighbourhood where very rich people lived. Finally, Kompa stopped in front of a house that had a big black gate and white walls. The black gate had a smaller black gate at its side. Kompa went on his haunches and faced the gate. My dad parked the car at the side of the road, and we all got out and walked to where Kompa was sitting.

My dad patted him on his head, "Good work, Kompa."

He turned to Eghe Boom Boom who had gone over to hug Kompa. "Hey, Boom Boom, what did Mummy say we should do?"

"She said you should knock on the gate and ask for the owner of the house."

I felt a twinge of jealousy as I watched Eghe Boom Boom repeat what my mum was saying to her. I wanted to be the one that Mum was speaking to and not Eghe Boom Boom.

And immediately the feeling of jealousy came, I heard my mum's voice whisper to me in my mind, "Osaik, family is everything, you can't be jealous of your sister, she has too many sad things happening to her, do not be envious of the little happiness she has from time to time, instead, be happy for her, think of all you can do to make her life easier. It is called sacrifice. That is what siblings do for each other. You stand with them always through everything. Boom Boom is counting on you to be there for her, think only good thoughts, I am here with you."

I broke out in a smile. There was a warm feeling in my chest. I was happy that my mum had spoken to me too, even though she was not happy with me because I had envied Eghe Boom Boom.

My dad walked to the gate and knocked on it. There was silence for a moment before the sound of metal clanging on metal came from the compound, then the little opening in the smaller gate opened, and an unsmiling face peered out at us.

"Can I help you?" Unsmiling Face asked.

"Good evening, sir. Sorry for coming this late. But can I see the owner of this house?"

"You want to see my Oga?" Unsmiling Face asked again.

"Yes."

"What is your name?"

"Mr Osagie."

"I am coming."

Unsmiling Face left the space in the gate and it shut behind him. We stood there silently as Eghe Boom Boom played with Kompa and after what seemed to be a long but was not actually a long time, the little opening in the small gate opened up again, and Unsmiling Face peered out.

"My Oga said he does not know you. He wants to know what you want."

"Please tell him that my daughter has sickle cell anaemia. It is a disease. She needs a match for a bone marrow transplant. So we were told that there is somebody here who is a match for her. We have come to ask if that person will be willing to be a donor of bone marrow cells for my daughter."

"I don't understand what you are saying. Can you write it down and I will take it to him?" Unsmiling Face said.

"If you have a pen and paper, I will."

"I don't have a pen or paper or even a pencil. You can go home and write the letter then take it to Oga's office. Actually, he doesn't receive visitors he does not know at home, only at the office."

Kompa began to howl again at that moment. We turned to him. It was a loud howl that went on and on, and then it stopped. Immediately, in most of the compounds on the street, other dogs began to howl with Kompa.

Unsmiling Face asked my dad, "Why is your dog making all the other dogs misbehave?"

"I have no idea," my dad responded.

Kompa howled again and the other dogs howled with him. He howled and they howled. Unsmiling Face kept telling my dad to tell Kompa to stop howling, and my dad kept telling him that there was nothing he could do to stop Kompa from howling.Then Unsmiling Face turned away from the little opening when a grumpy voice sounded from inside the compound.

"What is causing all the dogs to make noise like this?"

"It is the dog of the Osagie man that said he wants to see you, sir. The man himself is saying something about transplant and match for his sick daughter."

We could hear both voices even though we couldn't see them. My dad looked at me and then at Eghe Boom Boom. She was stroking Kompa's head as he howled.

The little opening in the small gate opened up and a new face peered out.

"Yes?" he said.

"Good evening, sir, I am JJ Osagie. I am here with my son, and my daughter who needs a match for a bone marrow transplant."

"How can I help you with that?" New Face asked.

"I was told that there is someone who is a match for her in your home, sir."

"Who told you that?"

"My daughter did, sir."

"Ask her who this person is."

My dad looked over at Eghe Boom Boom and said to her, "Boom Boom, can you please come tell him who the match is?"

I knew my dad was taking a gamble that my mum would tell my sister the actual name of the match.

Eghe Boom Boom left Kompa and walked to the small gate.Kompa immediately stopped howling.

The other dogs stopped howling too.

She stood in front of the gate and looked up at the opening in the smaller gate.

"Good evening, sir. My name is Eghosa, but everyone calls me Eghe Boom Boom. I am a warrior, which means I have sickle cell anaemia. We are sorry for coming here this late to disturb you, but I am going to die if I do not get a bone marrow transplant. There is someone in your home called Morenike, who is a match for me. Please, can you ask her if she is willing to be a donor so that I can be cured of the disease and live a happy life like all other normal children? I will be forever grateful if you can do this for me."

I stood there stunned. I had never heard Eghe Boom Boom speak so clearly. She had spoken like an adult. My dad looked at her in shock. She stood there smiling up at New Face.

"How old are you?" New Face asked.

"Five years old, sir," Eghe Boom Boom responded.

There was silence for a moment, then we heard the clang of metal against metal as a bolt was dragged open and the small gate opened. New Face stood there in the open gateway. He was a big man with a friendly and chubby face.He also had a big stomach and was wearing a white robe with slippers on his feet.

He gazed down at Eghe Boom Boom and said, "I am so sorry, young lady, but there is no one called Morenike here."

Eghe Boom Boom stood there looking up at him silently. I looked over at my dad; there was a look of deep disappointment on his face. He stared down at his feet, his shoulder dropped. I turned to Kompa. He looked back at me. His eyes no longer glowed blue and his body was more relaxed. The old Kompa was back. Then he whined.

I heard him clearly, smiled, turned to New Face and said, "He said that she is the daughter of your cook."

New Face turned to me and asked, "Who said?"

"Kompa," I said pointing at him.

"The dog?"

"My brother," I corrected him.

New Face looked at my dad and said, "Is this a joke or something?"

"No, sir, the dog led us here after my late wife showed him that a match was here."

"Your late wife?"

"Yes, she died from the sickle cell disease."

New Face fell silent for a moment, and then he said, "I am sorry about your loss."

"Thank you." My dad was trying not to feel as sad and as disappointed as I knew he was.

"But that being said, I find this really weird. A dog talking and a ghost giving directions? I mean this is surreal."

"I understand, sir. I would think the same way if I was in your shoes, but I am telling the truth," my dad explained.

"I came out because of the racket the dogs were making. Normally, I wouldn't come out to see you at this hour. But now I did and you bring up crazy stories?"

"I am sorry, sir, but Kompa actually speaks." I turned to Kompa and spoke to him, "Kompa, say something."

Kompa growled. It was short. Then he whined before he fell silent. I turned to New Face and said, "He said that you farted a couple of minutes ago while you stood behind the gate."

New Face looked embarrassed as he whispered, "How did you know that?"

"Kompa knows a lot of things."

"Please, sir, can you take me to Morenike?" Eghe Boom Boom asked. As usual, she was focused on her own business and couldn't be bothered with distractions.

New Face looked at her for a moment. It was evident he was trying to decide what was the smartest thing to do, then he sighed and said, "I don't know what you are all about, I have a good mind to simply shut my door…"

Kompa barked again and whined. I laughed. My dad turned to me and said, "Behave yourself."

"Sorry, dad, but Kompa just said that he farted again," I said laughing and pointing my head in the direction of New Face.

Once again, New Face shifted around in embarrassment, quickly turned around and spoke to Unsmiling Face. We couldn't see him clearly because he was standing behind New Face.

"Does Rasaki have a daughter called Morenike?"

"He does sir. They also call her Atasweswe," Unsmiling Face responded.

"Oh, I didn't know that wasn't her real name," New Face said with a chuckle and then turned back to us. He was smiling even more broadly now.

"I think you are all in luck. Yes, we have a Morenike here. But you will have to ask her and her father if they are willing to help you out with your transplant problem. You can come in. I will take you to their quarters."

New Face stretched out his hand to Eghe Boom Boom, "You want to come in, little madam?" he asked her.

Eghe Boom Boom laughed, took his hand and walked into the compound with him. She was skipping with joy. I glanced over at my dad, he was smiling, the feeling of sadness that surrounded him earlier had disappeared. I felt the same happiness too. Finally, we found a match. My mum had done it for us. Hope had come at last. My baby sister will be like me. Healthy and free.

As we followed New Face into the big, well-lit compound, I looked up at the sky, and instantly saw the winking star.

I smiled once again and said to her, "Thank you, Mum. You rock!"