A Teen Again

It was a Saturday morning, the church looked crowded as the people sat awaiting the groom's arrival.

Indeed, nothing was a shocker than Joe finding a love of his life. It was a bigger shock for his family to be the fourth time he was going to pass through this stage.

Mrs. Vera wiped off her face constantly to way of tears that kept begging to roll out.

Her son was finally getting married having dated his soon bride for two years, this is the longest date he had so far, all others ended at a date or on the wedding day.

Emily, Joe's younger sister, sat beside Mrs. Vera, holding her hands firm as she smiled with joy.

" It's going to be alright" she encouraged her mother as they turned their gaze to the priest.

The priest constantly looked at his wristwatch, as the groom was already out of time.

This is the longest, a groom has ever delayed in appearance since he knew.

"Could they be traffic on the way?" The priest asked out of tiredness, he was fed up and needed to eat, for he had stood almost for an hour.

He stepped down from the altar and ordered for a meal.

The congregation laughed at the priest impatient behavior.

Mrs. Vera couldn't help but wonder if he was really a priest, for even her twenty years old daughter behaved maturer than the seventy years old looking fool.

Of a fact, Mrs. Vera was full of insults, she gave it out at the slightest opportunity given.

"BANG!" Was the next sound heard as the door of the church hall was suddenly pm opened.

"The groom is missing" the groom's man spoke, looking sweating as he had tried searching.

He was pushed out of the way by the bride, who headed for her parent's sit.

She had tears constantly rolling down her cheeks, which made her makeup ware off gradually as she ran towards her parents.

" What is going on here?" Mr. Franklin Yelled allowed raising his daughter Imelda who had fallen on the floor with his wife Joan who supported him.

"What do you mean by missing?" Ringo Joe's uncle asked.

Mrs. Vera had already fainted at the sound of missing.

The church was filled with echoes and noise, leaving many guests to wonder how a man age fifty would run away from his wedding.

Mrs. Vera managed to open her eyes after much attempt, but Mr. Franklin was just on time to attack her.

"Look here" he began, "if your son is not willing to continue with the wedding, pay me back the money for the dowry he furthered.

"I knew it, you must be responsible for my son's disappearance, Joe wouldn't just run away from a long awaited day like this" Mrs. Vera accused standing up on her feet, not minding the gossips that sprang at her back.

Mr. Franklin got furious at her words, which he termed false allegations, leading to a quarrel.

Mrs. Joan, Emily, and Imelda tried separating the conflict which eventually led to a physical combat leading Mrs. Vera to kick Franklin in the groin.

Mr. Franklin fell to the ground screaming for help as his friends came to his aid at once an ambulance was called.

Mrs. Joan looked at Mrs. Vera furiously and dashed out after her husband.

"That man will forever remain paralyzed" the priest spoke having witness the hard kick Mrs. Vera gave to Mr. Franklin.

The hall emptied bit by bit as the guest left gradually.

"I told you he would have just became a priest, Ringo mentioned taking his leave.

Mrs. Vera was lost in tears, Emily had many tears in her eyes too and Imelda was also with them.

She was really the right one for Joe, as no one had stayed with him like she did. Who could endure an illiterate?

"I wonder where he would be right now?" Imelda asked with great concern.

"Let's just hope he's safe" Mrs. Vera answered wiping off her tearful eyes.

***

A man could be seen sitting quietly on the sea beach, his head bent towards his knees that stood up, and his arms rapped around them.

He buried his leg in the sand and allow his black chukka to sit beside him.

This man seemed to be crying, he sniffed his nose regularly watching lovers and couples on the beach having fun, he thought of how bad his life was and regretted badly.

This is the fourth time Joe was supposed to get married, but he couldn't bare the stigma from previous weddings. His previous ex-wife era abandoned him either on the wedding day or at the wedding night.

"Was l curse not to have a love of my own" Joe stuttered with tears from his eyes as he recalled one of his previous ex's words.

"You are too immature" she said after giving him a hot slap on the cheek.

That was at age thirty-three, now he was more of an old man than a middle age for he is fifty years old.

Joe stood up on his feet after realizing how many pains he might have caused Imelda, he fastened his shoes on and set to return home, his attention suddenly attracts to a scene where a teenager shouted.

The teenager fell from a canoe into the big sea.

"There's no way he'd survive the wave" a lady commented as people drew near to the scene.

Joe quickly pull his coat and dived into the sea.

"Will he make it?" many asked with concern as they stared strictly at the sea.They was no sign of Joe or the teenager popping out of the water.

Minutes later divers dived into the water to rescue the beings that were drowned.

Mrs. Vera sat all alone in the deserted hall, she gazed at all the abandoned foods and drinks and wept badly, she had imagined her son dancing across the decorated tables with his newly wedded bride, how foolish she was to hope that, it would ever happen.

Mrs. Vera felt a quick pull on her hands, it was the police, what do they want from her when she was mourning her lost son?

The men ordered her to keep shut as they handcuff her, leading her out of the hall.

THREE MONTHS LATER

Joe blinked his eyes opened after a long coma, he glared at the hospital ward which he was in and attempted to sit up.

"What happened to me?" He questioned, no one in particular, for he was all alone in the room.

Joe tried recollecting the previous incidence, but couldn't get a recap of it.

"Vroom! The door opened, and a nurse walked in.

"Oh! Master Peter you are awake" she retorted with a smile, she dropped the tray in her hands on the table that sat near the bed.

The nurse dashed out happily from the room on her way to inform the doctor of Joe's state.

The tray she had left on the table had a content of sandwich, orange juice and drugs.

Joe reached out to the sandwich immediately for he was hungry, he ate like a mad dog and flushed the cup's content at once.

He wondered why his name was interchanged to Peter? was they a mistake somewhere?

Shortly enough the doctor arrived, he stared for a while and ask Joe how he was doing.

Joe replied he was fine and asked what he was doing in the hospital, but instead of answering the doctor was carried away with a phone call.

"Don't worry Peter your parents will be here any minute" the doctor assured.

For a fact, Joe only recalled he had a single parent which was his mom.

Nothing seems to make sense to him.

Indeed, a few minutes sooner than later a young lady ran in giving Joe a tight hug.

She had beams of smile on her cheeks and tears prevailed toward her cheeks.

"I thought we'd lose you" she cried.

"Ho ho! My boy is back" another man rushed in griping confused Joe tight.

"Eric!" The lady called, and a teenager walked in.

"Brother is really okay" he commented.

"Who are all of you" Joe questioned after succeeding to free himself from their grip.

This question left the family in shock as they all move their gaze to the doctor.

The doctor drew nearer to Joe and felt his skin.

"Am perfectly fine" Joe retorted, "All I need is my mother's presence" he added.

"Am here peter" Lucy said to Joe.

"No you are not my mother, her name is Vera" Joe sparks out with fury.

"Doctor, what is going on?" Mr. Mike asked with great concern, seeing that the son he was informed to come and see was overreacting.

Joe was tied to the hospital bed as he struggled to get out.

After much examination, the doctor concluded that he was mentally ill which led to loss of memory.

Lucy almost fainted at the sound of that, thanks to her husband Michael, who supported her balance.

Eric bowed his head to the floor, he had pains in his eyes but looked more of a faked.

***

Mrs. Vera handed over an envelope to Mr. Franklin at the police station, her eyes burned with terror as she gave him a disgusting look.

"Count yourself lucky that my daughter Imelda fell in love with your old man" Franklin spoke out, intending to offend Vera.

"Oh! Really, I knew you had something to do with his disappearance" she accused.

"But I promise you if my son doesn't return home before tonight you'll go-to jail" Mrs. Vera promised but not without calling Franklin a nincompoop.

They both exchanged harsh words at each other, it got worse to the point where the police had to send them out.

They didn't stop at all, even with Emily's plead, rather Vera saw this as an opportunity for a fight and this time around she kicked Franklin hard on his cock mentioning that he was a loser.

After words, she left with her daughter.

Franklin tried hard to stand to his feet, but he couldn't as his hands held tight to his privacy, which wasn't any longer as a common woman had launched in.

Was he going to survive that? He thought as he took two steps forward.

"I don't believe I actually gave my savings to that fool" Mrs. Vera confessed to Emily who kept rubbing her back constantly.

It was the second day after the wedding disaster, but still, they can't yet figure out Joe's whereabouts or the reason for him not showing up anymore.

Mrs. Vera tried as much as possible to hold her hopes high, but was discouraged as no news trooped in from the police about her son.

"That demon is responsible for my son's disappearance" Mrs. Vera spoke out referring to Mr. Franklin.

***

The hospital securities struggled hard to catch Joe as he ran swiftly across the gate to the road.

Lucy could not catch her breath properly, she held her husband's hand tight, rubbing her wet face on his shirt as he parted her head.

"They will find him" he assured her.

Eric watched from a distance seeing how Joe ran across moving vehicles, he watched until he was out of sight and nodded negatively.

"Will he really survive?" Eric muttered to himself.

THREE MONTHS LATER

Joe blinked his eyes opened after a long coma, he glared at the hospital ward which he was in and attempted to sit up.

"What happened to me?" He questioned, no one in particular, for he was all alone in the room.

Joe tried recollecting the previous incidence, but couldn't get a recap of it.

"Vroom! The door opened, and a nurse walked in.

"Oh! Master Peter you are awake" she retorted with a smile, she dropped the tray in her hands on the table that sat near the bed.

The nurse dashed out happily from the room on her way to inform the doctor of Joe's state.

The tray she had left on the table had a content of sandwich, orange juice and drugs.

Joe reached out to the sandwich immediately for he was hungry, he ate like a mad dog and flushed the cup's content at once.

He wondered why his name was interchanged to Peter? was they a mistake somewhere?

Shortly enough the doctor arrived, he stared for a while and ask Joe how he was doing.

Joe replied he was fine and asked what he was doing in the hospital, but instead of answering the doctor was carried away with a phone call.

"Don't worry Peter your parents will be here any minute" the doctor assured.

For a fact, Joe only recalled he had a single parent which was his mom.

Nothing seems to make sense to him.

Indeed, a few minutes sooner than later a young lady ran in giving Joe a tight hug.

She had beams of smile on her cheeks and tears prevailed toward her cheeks.

"I thought we'd lose you" she cried.

"Ho ho! My boy is back" another man rushed in griping confused Joe tight.

"Eric!" The lady called, and a teenager walked in.

"Brother is really okay" he commented.

"Who are all of you" Joe questioned after succeeding to free himself from their grip.

This question left the family in shock as they all move their gaze to the doctor.

The doctor drew nearer to Joe and felt his skin.

"Am perfectly fine" Joe retorted, "All I need is my mother's presence" he added.

"Am here peter" Lucy said to Joe.

"No you are not my mother, her name is Vera" Joe sparks out with fury.

"Doctor, what is going on?" Mr. Mike asked with great concern, seeing that the son he was informed to come and see was overreacting.

Joe was tied to the hospital bed as he struggled to get out.

After much examination, the doctor concluded that he was mentally ill which led to loss of memory.

Lucy almost fainted at the sound of that, thanks to her husband Michael, who supported her balance.

Eric bowed his head to the floor, he had pains in his eyes but looked more of a faked.

***

Mrs. Vera handed over an envelope to Mr. Franklin at the police station, her eyes burned with terror as she gave him a disgusting look.

"Count yourself lucky that my daughter Imelda fell in love with your old man" Franklin spoke out, intending to offend Vera.

"Oh! Really, I knew you had something to do with his disappearance" she accused.

"But I promise you if my son doesn't return home before tonight you'll go-to jail" Mrs. Vera promised but not without calling Franklin a nincompoop.

They both exchanged harsh words at each other, it got worse to the point where the police had to send them out.

They didn't stop at all, even with Emily's plead, rather Vera saw this as an opportunity for a fight and this time around she kicked Franklin hard on his cock mentioning that he was a loser.

After words, she left with her daughter.

Franklin tried hard to stand to his feet, but he couldn't as his hands held tight to his privacy, which wasn't any longer as a common woman had launched in.

Was he going to survive that? He thought as he took two steps forward.

"I don't believe I actually gave my savings to that fool" Mrs. Vera confessed to Emily who kept rubbing her back constantly.

It was the second day after the wedding disaster, but still, they can't yet figure out Joe's whereabouts or the reason for him not showing up anymore.

Mrs. Vera tried as much as possible to hold her hopes high, but was discouraged as no news trooped in from the police about her son.

"That demon is responsible for my son's disappearance" Mrs. Vera spoke out referring to Mr. Franklin.

***

The hospital securities struggled hard to catch Joe as he ran swiftly across the gate to the road.

Lucy could not catch her breath properly, she held her husband's hand tight, rubbing her wet face on his shirt as he parted her head.

"They will find him" he assured her.

Eric watched from a distance seeing how Joe ran across moving vehicles, he watched until he was out of sight and nodded negatively.

"Will he really survive?" Eric muttered to himself.

Joe was discharged from Psychiatric hospital and was given drugs.

The doctor assured Michael and Lucy that their son would be alright, all they had to do was give him the prescribed medications and remind him frequently of his past.

With the words of the doctor, the couples felt a lot better.

They held on to Joe as they walked out.

Joe felt pity for the couples knowing he wasn't their son, how does he get out of this mess he had gotten into?

"Wait a sec, he pulled, "if I'm in the kid's body, then who is in my body" he asked himself.

***

A woman could be seen at the front of a coffin with flowers in her hands, this woman had plenty of tears in her eyes and couldn't control it.

They were a few people behind her also holding flowers to keep on the coffin.

Mrs. Vera was heartbroken, she only got to see her son in his wedding suit dead.She would never forgive her, will she?

Emily's clouded eyes turned red visually, her only brother had died.

Imelda was also there, she stood in the background with great bereft.

Mr. Franklin showed up suddenly and to pay homage to the corpse.

Mrs. Vera gave him a slap immediately after sighting him, she couldn't control the rage she had towards Mr. Franklin.

She even went as far as blaming him for murdering her son, swearing that she won't let it go.

Mr. Franklin left at once, despite his hatred for Joe, he never wanted him dead.

He made sure to drop the same envelope Vera gave to him, he apologized to her as well.

***

Joe stared at the large room that was called his own.

He couldn't believe his eyes, for it was a combination of his room and his mother's.

Lucy closed the doors behind him, leaving him in the room with Eric.

"Is this really my room?" Joe questioned in amusement.

"Yeah! Indeed, it is, you don't remember anything, do you?" Eric spoke out.

"Well! Joe began," I'm not really....

"Eric!!! Interrupted Lucy as she opened the door slightly, making Eric leave in the middle of the conversation.

Joe sat down on the floor with his head bent down.

" I should have just died" he thought.

Minutes later, Joe was called downstairs, he was informed that someone was searching for him.

"Who is she?" Joe asked.

"Man! You were really knocked out, Hun? Eric commented, telling Joe that she was his girlfriend.

The girl walked up to Joe and gave him a slap, making him respond with a hot slap.

Vanessa fell on the floor with great shock as Lucy came to the rescue.

Joe kept on wiping his mouth with his hands.

He ran upstairs quickly without looking back.

Lucy apologized to Vanessa, informing her about Joe's brain disorder.

Vanessa took her leave, hoping that Philip gets well soon.

Michael ran down from the stairs, he heard the sound of a slap a while back and was too busy to respond to it immediately.

The questions were written over his face when he looked at his wife.

She gave the answer also using facial expressions, looking at Gabriella, who wiped her tears before entering the car.

"It's going to be harder than we thought," Michael confirmed to Lucy.

"They have to be a way to put him back, what about Eric" she suggested?

"Indeed, they are close"

"Great! We should talk to him, he will definitely help his brother out".

Joe locked himself inside the room, he looked through the window and thought it was a good idea to run away because he couldn't bare the fact that he was away from his real home, gosh. What will his mother be going through right now.

He pushed one foot across the window, but withdrew it, seeing the gardener urinating close by.

"An old man like him is being so childish urinating in the open," Joe snapped, ordering the man to leave his window.

The man apologized and left at once, even without completing his actions.

" This boy must be wealthy" Joe affirmed, for the man called him sir.

However, Joe was not desiring a change of fate he passed through the window, he had to go home, no matter what, at least his mother would understand when she sees him.

As Joe moved toward the gate, he was stopped by the gatekeeper, who carried him back inside.

On sighting Joe in the gatekeeper's hands, Michael was determined to lock Joe up for his safety.

"Hence forth, Philip will stay indoor with tight security" Michael commanded, dashing out of sight.

"Why this father's attitude suddenly changed toward his favorite" Eric taught.

On hearing Michael's words, Joe begged and promised to be quiet from then on.

Joe sat confined in the room like a three-year-old scolded child.

Footsteps kept moving to and fro from his door sill, it was Lucy, she was worried about Joe.

She tried talking to Eric to help out, but he was afraid of getting beaten, who knows if his would be even worse.

The door opened slowly and quietly as Lucy peeped into Joe's room, he still had his hospital gown on and was fast asleep.

Lucy quickly beckoned on the house help to assist in giving him a shower and changing his wears.

Joe slept sound despite the hard bath.

"Is he okay?" The helper asked Eric with concern.

"No, he has no many memories of us" Eric responded.

"So does that mean he won't be aggressive again"

"No. But he will be terrifying, so get prepared.

Eric stepped out of the house and told the house help to keep an eye on him and alert him when he finally wakes up.

'Knock' knock' the sound came from the door.

Joe opened it after a while and found Lucy at the door.

"How are you doing sweetie" she asked, trying to feel his temperature.

Joe pulled her into the room and shut the room behind them.

Lucy had her eyes popped open as Joe pushed her to sit on the bed.

"Am sorry if what am about to tell you will break your heart" Joe began. "I'm not actually Philip and I my memory is intact, my real name is Joe," he confessed.

Lucy stood up with pain in her eyes as she turned her heavyweight eyes to Joe.

"I knew it would get worse" she cried, running out of his room.

Joe wasn't getting any better either, if only he had drowned in the sea, all this wouldn't have been happening to him.

Mr. Michael walked into Joe's room and pulled him by the arm.

"Where are we going to?" Joe kept arguing as they climbed down the stairs.

He couldn't believe his eyes, a thirty-year looking man pulling a grandpa like him.

He taught people of his age lessons when they messed with him, but all that is gone thanks to this teenage body.

Michael pushed Joe into the car and drove off at once.

As they got to the express, Joe summoned the courage to apologize to be set free.

"We are going to the psychiatrist, you'll be

treated better there" Michael blotted out.

Having been there before and never wanted such an experience again, he confessed that he recalled everything.

"What do you remember?" Michael questioned just to be sure.

"Eh mm I... Yes! I remembered it was Eric who pushed me into the sea".

"What!"

Michael reversed the car immediately with fury.

"What have I done? Joe questioned himself, beckoning on Michael to come down, or he would get them both killed.

As soon as they got home, Michael roared Eric's name.

Eric came down towards them to welcome them, but he was knocked on the head.

"It would have been a punch" Michael said, bottoming off his wrist button, he lifted his hands high to hit Eric but was stopped by Joe who confessed it was an accident and that he was the cause of it.

Michael left both of them alone and climbed upstairs.

Eric swayed his head to show the knock was nothing, he gave Philip a daring look afterward.

"You should have just told him the whole truth, instead of lying" he said to Joe.

Joe stood mute and watched how Eric climbed, stamping his feet hard on each staircase.

He really wished all this hadn't befallen upon him, now he would have to pretend to be someone else.

He will definitely need someone to help out with this new change to fit in.

Accepting this fate would be the hardest thing he had ever done, for he would be eighteen again and the opportunity to correct his past lies before him.