"Wait for me!!!", Paul screamed suddenly as he woke up from sleep.
Janet, his wife, sleeping by his side woke up also with the intensity of the screaming.
"What is the problem?", she asked
"Someone standing at the other end of the road invited me with his hand to come over to his place. As I was getting closer to him, I identified the person to be Peter, my lovely brother.
"After so many years, it's a thing of joy that I am reuniting with my brother. I ran fast towards him but to my greatest surprise, he disappeared into the thin air. I was calling on him to wait for me to no avail.
"I saw myself up before I realized that this was just an imaginary event I was seeing in my sleep. I was dreaming". He explained to his wife.
Few years before they got married, Paul had explained how he lost touch with his only brother, Peter.
They were born in Eke village where their parents showed them parental care and love. Everything was going on well not until their father was transfered from the village post office where he works to another branch in a village 20 KM away. Unfortunately, on his way to resume the new posting, he had a motorcycle accident and died. His death changed the whole narratives about their well-being. It is expected because he was the breadwinner of the family. In order to lessen the burden for their Mother, John, her younger brother that came for a condolence visit took custody of Peter.
They were in touch constantly for few years before a message got to them in the village that flood had wrecked havoc on Peter and his Uncle's family.
The impact of the flood was severe to the extent that they could not find any of the victims afterwards. Paul and his mum cried for days but with time, they got over the sad experience. They finally concluded that non of them survived the flooding after the mum visited Internally Displace Camp (IDP) where surviving victims were camped without finding her people.
It's now almost 17 years and Janet wondered the implication of this dream. She consoled her husband and said;
"Take heart dear, things like this happen as a reflection of the love that both of you shared. Please, let's go back to sleep, we'll talk more about it tomorrow if the need arises.
They went back to sleep. In all of these, their five years old son did not wake up. The following morning, Paul got over the dream and went to his place of work. The wife also went to her shop where she sells groceries.
Barely two months later, Paul was selected among the staff of his organization to go for a senior executive course in Coasta, a far away city.
He got few of his corporate wears, and some documents and left for the course.
While on the flight, all he was thinking was about the significance or implication of his dream where he saw his brother.
The executive course is a two weeks paid course. The participants were lodged in a hostel from where they proceed to attend lectures and return back in the evening. Since his arrival on Sunday evening, he has been admiring having a tour of the town but the busy nature of his schedule of training never allowed him.
"I wish to go out tomorrow to explore and learn new things about this beautiful town and the people", Paul said to Jack his colleague in training.
"Are you not from this town?", Jack replied
"No, I came here for the purpose of this training. I have never been to this town before."
This reply from Paul is making Jack more confused now and he said;
"Are you not Duke, the manager of Hillside Garden?
"Or, is he your brother?"
"I don't have any body called Duke as brother neither is any of my name Duke.", Paul replied.
"Since you talked of finding a place of attraction to visit, let's visit the Garden tomorrow so that we may be able to clear any doubt about this discussion." Jack concluded.
That very night, Paul was looking forward to the visit so that he could see the said Duke. He wondered who would have shared much semblance with him to the extent of the identity mixup.
The Reunion
On Saturday morning, Jack and Paul left their hotel rooms and set out to the Hillside garden in Jack's car.
On getting to the garden, they were conducted round the garden by a Gardner after which they took their seats under a bamboo tents to have some drinks.
On the screen of the TV in the bar were some information about the garden being displayed for the viewing pleasure of the customers.
"Who is that man?" Paul asked curiously as a picture was displayed on the screen of the TV.
"That's the manager, it's written on the picture." Jack answered.
Paul immediately stood up and requested to see the manager but the manager was busy in his office. Paul is becoming convinced now that that person on the TV is Peter.
After so much persuasion, the attention of the manager was called to a customer desperately waiting to see him.
The manager came out immediately and on setting his eyes on him, Paul shouted
"Peter!!!"
Duke, seeing their striking resemblance, and also knowing full well that nobody in that town knew him as Peter became convinced that this person was his brother. He thereafter replied;
"Paul"
They hugged one another and with tears in their faces, they sat down in Peter's office to have some discussion. Paul began;
"We were informed many years ago that you, uncle and his family perished in flood. Mum searched for you in IDP camp without success. What happened?"
In his response, Peter explained how he survived.
"Like you heard, our house was submerged by flood. It was so severe that we were all swept by the flowing water. I tried swimming but couldn't due to the turbulent nature of the flow. I was lucky that the team of rescuers that were mobilized to the scene rescued me on time. I sustained some injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment. I was unconscious for days and I think that was when mum came to the IDP camp to look for us. It was after I gain consciousness that I was profiled. I lost my memory due to the impact of the injury sustained in my head. I barely remembered our village name not to talk of address to locate you and mum.
"The doctor who treated me applied and took custody of me. I finished my high school and got a degree under his custody and sponsorship.
"Am I in the land of dreaming or what?"
Paul replied;
"I was the one that was dreaming but now, we are in the world of reality"
Peter asked after their mum and was told that their mum is doing fine. They both agreed to go back together after Paul's course to meet with their mum and celebrate the reunion.
"I'll also like to visit your foster father before we leave"
"We will do all that tomorrow being Sunday", Peter said.
Peter, Paul and Jack all sat on a round table to eat and drink.