Chapter 179: Carlien's dilemma 1

''Are you in front of my house?'' Paige asked and opened her window. Jordan waved at her from his car. ''Wait there, I will be down in a minute''

Paige ran out of the house and when she got closer, she hugged him tightly.

''Hmm, nice smell''

''I smell? I just took my bath'' Paige said and sniffed her arms.

''Not that, I mean to say that you smell nice''

''Why did you come back again?''

''I came to see your face, to hug you for a while and also to do this…'' he said and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a quick kiss, ''I wasn't able to do this today, so I came back to as soon as I remembered''

''Such a sweet talker'' Jordan leaned against his car and pulled her closer, with her back against him, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders as they chatted.

''You don't have to stress yourself over Jessi's legs''

''Huh? You heard me?''

''Yes, I did. The truth is I've tried so many treatment plan but none of them have worked so far. Jessi's self-will is weak and she has given up on treatment. No matter how I pursued her, she 

''Can you let me see her medical report? I don't think her refusal is because she doesn't want to get better. Most times, people going through trauma don't want to do anything that will remind them of the trauma. It's like a psychological barrier they put up to appear strong but deep down, they are actually weak and wants to be loved''

''You seem to know this so well?''

''Off course, I have been helping out at Touching Lives Healing Village for almost two years now. I have met a lot of people whose cases seemed hopeless but now they are doing well. When I saw Jessi singing today, this thought came to my mind; she is just a little girl with dreams but unfortunately, she had to cut her dreams short. Jordan, I want to help Jessi. This is not because she is your sister, but because I just find it too pitiful for her to have to let her dreams die so early''

''I will send her medical report to you tomorrow, then, but don't stress yourself over it. I hope you wouldn't be so hard on yourself. Just help as much as you can, okay?''

''Okay''

...

''Stop work, bring the answer sheets right now'' Carlien announced as she sat across the group of boys. They frowned as they reluctantly handed over the sheets to Carlien.

Taking the sheets into her hands, she looked at them and sighed. It wasn't going to be easy tutoring these group of boys. Since the day she beat them up and asked them to work at the store, she has sent them back to school and given her name to their homeroom teacher as their guardian. The boys weren't so bad at studies but they were extremely lazy and would rather dilly dally around than learn.

Today, she didn't have lectures until later on, so she decided to tutor them since they were on vacation but it wasn't as easy as she had thought.

Carlien put the papers down and stood up, her mother who sat at the counter looked worriedly at them. She was happy her daughter had been able to tame those boys. Thanks to Carlien, the neighbourhood was now peaceful because they boys now watched over everyone and no longer had any mischievous acts under their sleeves. Even their parents had visited her numerous times expressing their gratitude because the boys were changing into better human beings. She was proud of her daughter.

''Count the apples and multiply them by their price'' Carlien said to Marcus as they stood outside in front of the apples boxes.

''Big sis, I don't have confidence in Maths. I would rather you ask me to write an essay instead''

''Stare right now, or you won't be able to go home today, you, silly boy''

''Okay'' pointing his fingers at the apples, he started counting them. 'Big sis, there are 30 apples in one box''

''So, tell me. How much do you think is the total amount for one box of apple?''

''Big sis, this…''

''Big sis, is $50 dollars for a box'' Leslie said and Carlien nodded her head, impressed with him.

''Good, Leslie. Now, you four boys should go back to studying. I am going back home to do something, take care of the store and my mother. Right, here is some money for work this month'' Carlien removed some money from her wallet.

''Big sis, we already said you didn't need to pay us for anything. Out parents are rich, we have money'' Ruhad said sheepishly.

''Yes, big sis, you keep the money and take is as out tutoring fee'' Eli added.

''Alright, since you boys are being so well-behaved, I will get you pizza when I come back''

''Okay!!!''

Carlien chuckled at their childish antics and went inside, bidding her mother goodbye, she left the store to go home. Their apartment wasn't so far from the store, so she decided to walk home. a car pulled over in front of her as she curved into the alley and she stepped back startled.

''Who is this crazy person?'' Carlien muttered as she looked at the car. The front door opened and a young man got down from the car and shouted her name.

''Carlien Arthur'' he said.

''Lazarus? What are you doing here?'' Carlien asked surprised. Lazarus was their classmate back at high school.

''Look at you, I missed you so much'' he said and hugged her. Carlien's body stiffened and she quickly stepped back and smiled.

''You are welcome. When did you return?''

''I came back a week ago. I looked for you and Paige and someone told me you girls moved from Victor Street to this place. I was just following the address to look for you and here you are. I recognised you the moment I saw 

''Do you mean to say I haven't changed a bit? That's so sad, I thought I looked beautiful?''

''You do, but, you are still the same to me. Are you going home?''

''Yes, my mom has a store at the corner there. I was just going home to change and go somewhere. You said you were coming to me?''

''Yes, I was coming to you, but you seem to have plans?''

''They can wait, you are here after so long. Let's go together and meet with Paige. She will be so thrilled to see you''

''Get in'' Lazarus said and opened the front door for her and Carlien got in.

...

Paige sat at the window side of her favourite café sipping a drink as she looked at the medical report of Jessi that Jordan sent her. She was also waiting on Carlien and Lazarus to arrive. Back at school, Carlien and Lazarus used to be good friends, one time Paige was even sure Carlien had developed feelings for the boy but they never spoke about it since, Lazarus left to study outside the City during their final year of high school. Since Carlien never spoke about her feelings for him, Paige too didn't want to probe into it.

Now that Lazarus was back, she didn't know if that ship was going to sail or Carlien had gotten over her feelings for him.

Flipping the report of many pages, Paige stopped at one particular page which had discussions between Jessi and her therapist, it was a year after the accident. From the report, Paige realised, the girl had never really opened up about the impact of the accident on her. All the questions that were asked has vague answers.

Paige sighed. It wasn't going to be easy getting Jessi to open up about the accident, especially because, nothing had been reported on what exactly happened before the accident. Paige was suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Was Jessi's accident really an accident or premeditated? The more she read the report, the more things didn't add up, everything seemed so seamless to be true. Remembering what Jessi told her, if things were really like that, then could it be possible for one's memory of an event to be distorted due to the impact of the trauma?

Paige picked up her phone, dialling Professor Glow's number, she called the latter who picked up after a few beeps.

''Paige''

''Professor Glow, can someone's memory of an event be distorted after an accident. For instance, can someone have a different memory of how events played out before and after an accident?'' not wasting time to exchange pleasantries with him, she went straight to state her purpose for calling.

''I'm doing well, Paige. How about you?'' Professor Glow said sarcastically.

''Professor Glow, I'm serious here''

''Well, it is possible because at the time of the accident, if the person experienced a shock or something life threatening even before the accident or at the point of the accident, it is possible for that person to have a different memory of how things played out. Did the person you want to help have such signs?''