Delayed Diagnosis Episode 18

Delayed Diagnosis Episode 18
Written by Kingsley Olanrewaju Efughi

The day was spent with a lot of laughter actually.
My dad was in a splendid mood. My mum was also happy although I could tell Fome was still foremost on her mind.
She held her peace though, and by 2 in the afternoon when they were both rested. She busied herself in the kitchen with the bitter leaf soup just as she had promised me she would bring.
My dad, Andy and I stayed in the parlour.
A very large TV, so large I didn’t bother to contemplate the inches took one side of the wall and we watched cable on it. A comedy episode and my dad burst out laughing every now and then.
A bottle of ammunition was on the table before him and he offered it generously but I declined. I needed my head to be as clear as possible. Andy however obliged him and they drank and laughed together.
I was restless. I wondered over to my mother who was busy finishing up the soup. It smelt like heaven.
“Rex..what of Fome? Are you people broken up?”
Mama Fome is dead! Blown to bits! And it was all my fault!
“Fome…mama Fome travelled..she went to Ibadan she should be back by next week”
She poured the hot water from the kettle to a big bowl and added garri into it.
“I don’t have strength for pounded yam..if your father can not eat EBA then he should drink garri”
I laughed..all my years growing up she had never taken a stand like this before. No matter how tired she was from the shop she always pounded the yam which was like every night but recently I had been noticing some changes, it seemed my dad was starting to appreciate her more. I was really glad.
The discussion was far from over however.
“Ehen…as you laughed now..just laugh the truth out”
I almost said Fome had left me for another man..better to have my mum on my side and that would end the matter immediately. However to lie against the dead was something even my cowardice couldn’t allow. (Even though Fome had told me she was leaving me for another man..I had come to find out the truth and I couldn’t use it against her..God rest her soul)
I tried to buy sometime. “Which truth Mama?”
“If you think I can believe that then maybe I raised a fool after all” she sounded pissed.
I sat down on the kitchen stool.
“Mama..Fome and I we broke up”
She said nothing. Just continued turning in the bowl.
“We were not working out..I felt it better to stop so that we wouldn’t bring children into a loveless marriage” the moment the words were out I felt like cutting my tongue.
My mother however first seemed not to mind.
“I can understand that..sometimes I feel that’s what I should have done..then where will you be now?”
She turned away and I knew she was hurt. I had pierced an old wound unknowingly. The truth would have just been easier to say.
I spent some seconds hugging her. “Mama its alright its alright..I didn’t mean it like that. I love you for the sacrifice you made for us..please mama”
She wasn’t one to let emotions ride for too long and soon enough she was dishing the food while I assisted and blabbed about anything I could think of, trying to make amends.
She responded me and after sometime she began smiling again.
“Something smells wonderful” my dad barged in the kitchen accompanied by the smell of alcohol. He winced at the sight of the plate.
“Martha..garri again?”
“Al, my arms can not pound anything..I can boil the yam if you want”
My mouth opened wide. This was a first. I watched my dad waiting for his reaction but he just shrugged
“I would have managed semo..but no problem..give me enough soup o”
I looked at my mum..”when did this one start again?”
She smiled “I have my own secrets too”
“Which secrets..but I’m not keeping any now!”
She shook her head “Rex..then whose house is this? You see you can fool your father but not me”
She carried the tray containing my fathers food out of the kitchen.
I stood dumbfounded and amazed. But I tell you one thing: I love that woman!
•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°
After the meal, Andy and I retreated to the room to continue our ‘work presentation’ while my parents remained in the living room watching a Yoruba movie. They didn’t understand the language but they relied on the subtitles. They loved Yoruba films..my mother especially and always said they had the best story lines when it came to Nigerian movies.
Not up to 30 minutes into the movie and I could hear my father snoring. The ammunition must have caught up with him.
Andy and I finished up with fastening the suppressor to the gun. The result was really impressive. But it seemed the weight doubled.
“So how do we do it..I need to head to the hospital so I can fuel the car first”. It was 4:45 pm.
“Your parents are safe with me Oba..just do your part..nothing should happen to this girl and if you see this assassin bury a bullet in his skull”
I carried the briefcase. Who knew, maybe if I offered the money to the assassin he would disappear into the shadows. Andy had his dagger and he selected another very big kitchen knife.
He could see me hesitate and read the fear on my face.
“Oba just trust me..I would watch this house like it were my own parents in it”
I nodded.
My dad was still sleeping but my mother glanced at me then at the briefcase I held.
“Where are you going?”
“I need to rush to the bank. Ariyo just called me that we are needed at headquarters”
Her eyes said she didn’t believe me. “Tooor..hope you’d be back in time for dinner”
“Of course!” She could crucify me in the morning.
Andy followed me and I stood on the other side of the door until I heard him lock the gate.
“Good luck Oba..we’d meet tomorrow with good news by God’s grace”
“Amen bro!”
I heard him walk away but I remained still.
I wondered this time tomorrow where I would be. Hopefully still on Earth.
••°°••°°••°°•••°°°•°
I avoided the Apapa traffic this time and followed one-way the briefcase was in the passenger seat. Filled with just the raw cash and the gun. The two letters. One from Fome’s dad and the other from the crazy assassin was in my breast pocket. The rest of the papers containing the coordinates and locations of the widow initiative were all in the care of Andy.
I wondered at the subconscious motive in giving it to him. ‘Just in case’ I didn’t make it back, so he could continue with the war against the initiative.
I shook such thoughts from my mind as I turned into the driveway of the hospital. It was 6:15 pm.
I thought of doctor Rasheed. I wondered if he was still running the diagnostic center and I had a good mind to go and smack him about in his office and threaten him with the gun for all the bull he fed to me about mossad and making me live in fear. Besides he might know how to reach this shadow killer and get him to terminate the contract.
I knew that wouldn’t be wise. My immediate priority was in safeguarding Olivia and I planned to do that before any other thing.
I located the ward I had met her before and it was empty.
I cursed myself for not asking her for her room during the little time we spent together.
A small girl sat in the corner with someone who had to be her mother soothing her as she received oxygen from a face mask or nebulizer.
I strolled over to them.
“Madam..sorry o..she’s asthmatic?”
She appreciated my gesture but frowned at my approach “her enemy is asthmatic not her”
I was immediately apologetic. “I’m very sorry. Please don’t mind me”
She softened immediately “no its alright..I’m just tired of all this..one whiff of dust and she starts wheezing”
I hung back and talked with the woman until the child’s breathing relaxed and she removed the face mask.
“Now where is this doctor..this woman can not stay in one place!”
She looked about impatiently but we were the only ones in the ward.
A young doctor came in with a stethoscope.
“How is the little princess doing?” He glanced at me “are you the father?”
The woman replied before I could “No he’s not….where’s the lady that attended to us before?”
“Esiri is busy at the moment…there is an emergency case she is handling now”
The woman nodded and the young doctor proceeded to check the breathing of the girl with the stethoscope. He seemed satisfied.
“She can leave now..don’t forget to pick up the drugs that were prescribed for her.” He knelt so he was eye level with the girl “be a good girl..stay away from dust you hear”
The girl nodded and she and her mother left feeling happy.
The doctor straightened up and looked at me. He glanced a second too long at the briefcase I held and I was suddenly very suspicious. I felt a bit cold. Could this be the killer?
He just stood there beside me staring at the TV which had one of their usual soap operas on.
“Asthma is a very bad illness I tell you..I suffered from it myself..thank God I outgrew it”
Who asked you? Please leave!
I was very uncomfortable.
“The sickness leaves a lot of ‘shadows’ abi” I placed emphasis on ‘shadows’ and I watched him carefully. But he just looked at me strangely.
“By the way..we don’t usually allow visitors here by this time”
Before I could answer the door opened and an elderly nurse wheeled in Olivia.
Her face brightened when she saw me and my heart literally skipped a beat.
The elderly nurse wheeled her in and she beamed at me.
“Hello..I almost thought I dreamt about yesterday..so nice to see you again”
“I told you I’d be here” my God I was a goner!
The doctor cleared his throat.
“Nurse just wheel her to the corner.I’d be giving her the injection because Esiri is very busy now”
“Yes sir” the nurse wheeled her to the corner.
My eyes went wide.
Hell No! No bloody way

The doctor set his tray on a near by table and began arranging syringes he flicked the bottle with his finger. The way they always do before pulling the contents with the plunger into the syringe.
The nurse had wheeled Olivia to the corner but he didn’t draw the curtain.
She looked back at me and smiled. And I knew I had to do something.
“Excuse me..this doctor..do you know him?” I asked the nurse.
“Its a big hospital my friend. But I think I’ve seen him before” the elderly nurse replied me then headed to the door.
The doctor held the syringe then he went to the corner where Olivia was. He looked at me before drawing the curtain and my legs suddenly found purpose.
I hurried and parted the curtain.
“Hold on hold on…what injection are you about to give to her?”
“This is demerol with methadol its a pain reliever..what are you doing here? Please leave immediately”
Olivia struggled to turn. “No its fine..he can stay..he’s a friend”
“Friend or not..its against hospital regulations”
He stared at me and I stared back. Finally he backed down. He brought out the syringe again and tested it by pushing the plunger..a line of fluid squirted from the needle and I began to panic.
“So its not pentothal that is in there?”
He looked at me..”what on earth? Are you crazy? Please if you would remain here then you better stay quiet and allow me do my job.”
I decided I couldn’t risk it. This guy was too suspicious.
As he neared Olivia to administer the injection, I caught his arm then twisted it with force. I bent his arm backwards and the needle pierced into his shoulder. I pressed the plunger down and all the fluid entered his arm.
He looked at me and shouted.
“What do you think you’re doing? What is the meaning of this?”
“I can’t risk it..you’re shadow aren’t you..well I can’t let you kill her she is too precious”
He fell to his knees.
“What the Bleep!…are you mad!! What are you talking about?” He pulled out the needle carefully lest the needle break off in his arm.
Olivia had rotated the wheel chair and she looked at me like I was mad.
“What is going on? What did you do that for?”
“Believe me..Olivia its for your own good .somebody wants to administer a lethal injection to you tonight and I have to stop him”
I could tell I wasn’t making any sense by the look on her face.
“I don’t understand. Lethal injection?”
The doctor was struggling to his feet “this is absurd and crazy..what lethal injection.” He winced and held his arm..I held him back then ripped his lab coat down from the arm. I could see the place I had pierced him swelling rapidly.
“Ehen..so its nothing lethal and your shoulder is already swelling abi” I thought of smacking his head with the briefcase.
“Which planet are you from?” He shouted angrily
“Any injection that misses the vein is bound to cause swelling because the fluid did not go to the destination” he winced as I released him. “Its also very painful”
The pentothal poison stopped the heart in seconds right? And when it had been used on Sule he had died almost immediately.
I was beginning to feel foolish.
The doctor shrugged out of my hold and winced. His arm was very stiff.
“I’m calling security to throw you out..” He turned to Olivia “lady I don’t know where you know this man from but he is not sane!!”
He almost ripped the curtain apart as he stormed out and I knew if he had been a fighter he would have fought me himself.
“What was that all about..you scared the living daylight out of me”
I couldn’t stand the way she was looking at me. Like I could hurt her.
I wanted to wheel her out if this ward but I knew I had to explain myself before I could try to touch her.
“Olivia..I messed up with the wrong people…very dangerous..there’s a killer on the loose in this hospital and he threatened to kill you tonight by injecting you with something potent..I know I sound crazy but please you have to believe me your life is at stake..but I came down here to stop him that’s why I couldn’t let that doctor touch you..and the nurse told me his is a new face”
“But he has giving me before this isn’t the first time”
I shrugged weakly. What was done was done.
“Wait lemme get this straight so you’re involved with killers? What business do they have with me? Why come after me?”
I moved closer to her and I was glad she didn’t shy away anymore.
“You ever watched Superman or batman or even spiderman?”
She looked at me cynically and I hurried on.
“The reason they always were masks and use alter egos like Clark Kent is so that their enemies won’t locate the people they care about and hurt them..”
I had unknowingly (or knowingly) told her I cared about her. And she looked at me with big and searching eyes and I knew a man could get lost looking in them.
I was practically drowning in them right now and I knew we had to move.
If security came things were going to get nasty because I wasn’t leaving this hospital with her behind.
She must have taken my declaration to heart because she didn’t argue as I began to wheel her away but instead she rested her cheek on my hand that gripped the handle.
“Rex..what have you gotten into..I hardly know you…”
Outside the curtain Tosin was outside with the mop bucket at his feet again. This dude must clean this place on a hourly basis, I thought to myself.
He was facing the television set with a device in his hand like a remote. But too big to be a remote. It was more like a game pad controller.
I paid him no attention until the light bulb flickered.
I looked at the TV again. There was no decoder so there was nothing he was operating. The program on the TV wasn’t a local one but one of those telenova stations.
The light flickered again.
He looked at us.
“Madam Olivia..good day o”
“Tosin how are you today?”
He nodded at me and went on fiddling with the control again.
I stopped wheeling Olivia.
“When did this man start working here?”
I whispered to her.
“About two days now..but he’s just a very nice young man”
The same way the person who had delivered the note to my mum had been a nice young man?!
Alarms were ringing in my head.
Tosin looked at me and nodded politely again then he continued with the remote thingy again.
Olivia must have felt me tense.
“What’s wrong?”she asked me..
In reply the light went off sending the whole place into darkness.
My hands started shaking. I fumbled with the briefcase trying to free it open and get to the gun that was inside.
The whole place was dark.
I stepped in front of Olivia. And pushed the wheel chair roughly backwards as I fumbled with the snap of the briefcase.
Either my hands were too jumpy or I wasn’t settled because it wasn’t cooperating.
I heard Tosin’s voice from the darkness.
“Target…”

TBC
.