The next morning, Mirabel woke up with a restless spirit, unable to shake the unease brought on by a strange dream she'd had. She quickly reached for her phone and dialed her best friend, Binta. Ever since Binta's last visit to her apartment, she had been acting strangely, avoiding her calls.
"Hello, Binta," Mirabel muttered as she paced around her room.
"Yes, Mimi. You called very early today. Is everything okay? How is your mother?" Binta asked calmly.
"All is not well, Binta. I had a strange dream one where I saw you bleeding profusely from your eyes. As you bled, you kept telling me to follow your blood trail," Mirabel said uneasily, rubbing her chin.
"What? Bleeding? And asking you to follow my blood? What kind of dream is that?" Binta exclaimed, sounding both alarmed and confused.
"I don't know what it means, but you know my dreams always carry some kind of meaning. Ever since you met Mr. Femi at my apartment, you've been acting differently. It doesn't make sense," Mirabel said, her concern deepening.
"Mirabel, I think you've been stressed lately, your mother's illness, managing everything. Maybe you're worrying too much about me," Binta replied with a nervous chuckle.
Mirabel frowned, surprised by her friend's dismissive tone. "You think I'm exaggerating? And what's funny about this?"
"Calm down, Mirabel," Binta said, her voice more measured. "You worry too much. Try to get your mind off it or go back to sleep. I promise this will all seem insignificant later."
Mirabel's frown deepened. "Binta, is there something going on with you that you're not telling me? You've been acting strange, and I can hear it in your voice," she said, sadness creeping into her tone as she pulled out her outfit to get ready for the hospital.
"Nothing is going on, Mimi. I've just been busy and tired lately. Your dream is nothing to worry about, trust me," Binta replied, sounding defensive.
"Alright, fine," Mirabel said, though her unease lingered. "Just know you can talk to me when you're ready. And please, don't forget to pray before stepping out".
"Take care of yourself and your mom, Mimi. Bye," Binta said quickly before ending the call.
As the line went dead, Mirabel stared at her friend's number on the screen. Something was off, but Binta wasn't ready to share it. Shaking off her thoughts, Mirabel glanced at the wall clock and realized she was running late. After quickly freshening up, she headed to the hospital.
Upon entering her mother's ward, Mirabel froze. Mr. Femi was sitting beside her unconscious mother, gently holding her lifeless hand.
"What are you doing here? And why are you touching my mother?" Mirabel snapped as she rushed to pull him away.
"Good morning, Mirabel," Femi said, startled by her outburst. "Your cousin, Favour, told me about your mother's condition and that she's been unconscious for days. I thought it was only right to come and see her after all, she'd do the same for me."
"And you think you can just walk in here without my consent? Don't test my patience, Mr. Femi," Mirabel said coldly, glaring at him.
"I didn't mean to upset you," Femi said apologetically. "Can I at least come to visit again?"
Mirabel didn't answer. Instead, she turned to her mother and kissed her forehead, whispering a prayer. As her lips brushed her mother's skin, she noticed something: her mother's fingers twitched.
Startled, Mirabel gasped and quickly called the doctor. After running some tests, the doctor returned with an expression of amazement. "This is incredible," he said. "Her body is completely healed, no signs of illness anywhere. It's a miracle!"
Mirabel clapped her hands to her mouth, overwhelmed with gratitude. Her mother, who had been on the verge of being transferred abroad for treatment, was now healed.
"Doctor, do you know what could have caused this sudden recovery?" Mirabel asked.
"I have no explanation. This is unprecedented," the doctor admitted. "All I can say is, miracles happen."
As Mirabel sat beside her recovering mother, her thoughts returned to the remedy Chief Mina had given her the previous day. She quickly pulled out his card and dialed his number.
"Hello, Chief Mina," Mirabel greeted joyfully when he picked up on the first ring.
"Hello, who's this?" Chief Mina asked.
"It's Mirabel," she said excitedly. "Chief, you won't believe this! My mother has been declared completely healed by the doctors. They're calling it a miracle, but I think it's the remedy you gave me."
"I told you it would work," Chief Mina replied, his voice filled with satisfaction. "I'm glad to hear this, Mirabel. Now, do you believe in me?"
"I do, and I'm sorry for doubting you before," she said gratefully.
"Don't worry about it. This calls for a celebration," he said. "I'll come pick you up later today. By then, your mother should be discharged."
"That sounds perfect. How about 5 p.m.?" Mirabel asked.
"Let's make it 6 p.m.," Chief Mina suggested.
"Alright, 6 it is," Mirabel agreed, and they ended the call.
A few hours later, Mirabel's mother was discharged. Shortly afterward, Chief Mina arrived, dressed in a sleek black senator outfit that exuded elegance. His cologne lingered in the air as he walked confidently into the ward. Together, he and Mirabel helped Mrs. Ruth to the car, drawing the attention of everyone at the hospital.
Chief Mina drove them to the family home, where relatives greeted them with songs and dancing. After a warm celebration, he and Mirabel left for their private dinner.
At the restaurant, the evening began lightheartedly, but Chief Mina soon brought up a more serious topic.
"Mirabel," he began, "I know we've only known each other for a short time, but I'd like you to meet my parents. My father would love to meet the daughter of the woman who used his remedy and recovered so miraculously."
Mirabel's brows furrowed. "That's quite sudden, Chief. You've never even talked about your family, and now you want me to meet them?"
"I didn't bring them up because I didn't want to overwhelm you," he said. "But this feels important. Please don't take it the wrong way."
"I understand, but I think it's too soon. Let me get to know you better first," Mirabel replied gently.
"Fair enough," Chief Mina said with a smile. "But promise me that once you know me well, you'll agree to meet them no matter what."
Mirabel chuckled. "Alright, I promise, I'd meet them no matter what ."
They both laughed, enjoying the rest of their evening. But little did Mirabel know, the promise she made that night was far more significant than she realized.