Delayed Diagnosis Episode 15

Delayed Diagnosis Episode 15
Written by Kingsley Olanrewaju Efughi

I heard her unlock the bolt of her door, mama Nkechi was coming outside to investigate the noise.
“Quick drag him inside” I whispered to Andy and he dragged him by the legs and pulled him into the house.
“Who is that..who dey there?”
The place was still dark and she remained on her balcony straining her eyes..not wanting to come near the house someone had been killed 5 days ago.
“Mama Nkechi its me”
“Rec” ( she never pronounced my name correctly she pronounced it: wreck)
“Yes Na me”
“Wetting you dey find for here”
“Wetting I dey find for my house?”
“You no know say police don dey find you come since”
“For wetting?” I asked impatiently
“You wan tell me say you no know say person die for your house”
“Madam please you are wasting my time if you have nothing useful to tell me then please leave me alone..I don’t have time for this”
“Tor- no vex o”
She looked at me a second longer then hurried to her kitchen
I joined Andy in my home. It felt so different, like a strangers home now.
“We need to leave..that woman if she has any police number then they are on their way already”
“We need to question this girl asap..we can leave them here”
” She wouldn’t even wake up” Andy said “I have poured both hot and cold water on her, been shaking her since but no response..I think she may have suffered a concussion.”
“Shiit!..what do we do now..” I rubbed my face..my beard scratched my hands..before I shaved every morning and could always boast of a clean and smooth jaw line..but not anymore.
“Look let’s take the car and go and lodge somewhere..I haven’t slept at all..since yesterday and this is almost 5:30, and by noon we have to be at the general hospital!”
Andy nodded in agreement..”so this babe what do we do?..even the other guy is still in the car and he hasn’t woken up since..hope you didn’t kill him?”
I shook my head already moving towards the door “he was still breathing..we’d just dump him on the pavement..there isn’t much we can do again..I’d call an ambulance from the car..”
Andy still remained rooted to the spot.
“Look this my neighbour that just saw me means bad news..we need to get moving”
At the car we dumped the fat man who was still tied up and breathing heavily on the side of the road.
I watched Mama Nkechi’s house warily and I could see her peeping from the side of the curtain.
I sighed in relief once I got behind the wheel and sped away.
I hadn’t been able to get the answers I needed but the information I had was enough to start from.
The chiefs wife ran an organisation that supplied help to widows with children and Fome and Mona’s mother had been the first person to come under the ‘widow’s initiative and coincidentally when their Father who was the chief’s friend had kicked the bucket the Chief had ripped his friends promising business and used it to launch himself.
I remembered a long time ago during our bedroom stories, Fome had said her mother had been cheated out of soo many things because she wasn’t literate and had vowed that her daughter must be learned I hadnt thought much of it at the time but now….it seems I was connecting the dots little by little but there were still so many dots that were far apart to connect..
“Penny for your thoughts” Andy said
“Bro..penny no go reach I tell you”
“Tell me about it man..my own thoughts sef fit drown me”
I was silent as I headed for a near by hotel. My mind kept on drifting to my parents who were coming on sunday..I had to stop them…but even if I stopped them from coming…where they safe in their house?..what the chief had said about this black September had instilled fear in me..would I be wise to hand the paper over to the Dr. Today? But even that would surely mean my death.
But I had browsed my phone on the black September group and it was said that the Kidon in the ‘operation wrath of God’ had killed all members of the group and the last one had fled to somewhere in North Africa to seek refuge..but that didn’t mean the group had ended did it?
the paper that had put me in this mess was stuffed in my pocket, rolled up in a ball and I knew I would be foolish to just hand it over to the Dr. I had to have a back up plan…something that would put me and my loved ones in a safe place.
“Andy you said something about tracking this Dr. Rasheed before?”
He was already dozing and he yawned lazily “yea..you said he had a handler abi..so we just need him to lead us to his handler”
“But his handler should be an Israeli secret agent..have you ever heard of mossad?”
“Only when I watched strike back” his eyes were closing and I realized I had passed the hotel I was heading for. I slowed down for a U-turn.
“Then you should know they are very dangerous..they are the best at observing and intelligence gathering..they knew things about my family that they shouldn’t have..if we should be seen following this man then I fear we would be killed…what do you think?”
His response was to snore softly..he must have conked out since..I shook my head ‘Rex Obasi…your problem was always over thinking and look where it got you..what is the use of looking before leaping when you still can’t see the other side clearly?’
I made a conscious effort to turn off the brain and stop the over thinking as I turned into the motel’s driveway. I needed to catch some sleep, no matter how short. It was already 6 am.
My eyes opened what felt like an hour later and I sleepily checked my phone on the bedside table for the time. Andy was sprawled beside me snoring loudly.
My eyes cleared immediately and I shouted.
“Chisos!..Andy get up..get up get up…its quarter to two!!”
In fifteen minutes we had showered, dressed and were sitting in the car. The effects from Wendy’s brush were totally gone now and I looked my normal youthful self..the tribal marks had dissapeared and Save for my bald head which still made me unable to recognise myself whenever I saw my reflection.
“If you think we are running of to the hospital on an empty stomach, you better think again!” Andy warned and I agreed or rather my stomach growled in agreement.
The garage where strange eyes and I had eaten breakfast days (which felt like ages) ago was close by and I started the engine and headed in the direction. The mood was heavy and sad and I tried to lighten it “I’m so keeping this car Andy..after all they put a tracker in my own and forced me to abandon it.”
He was still silent.
“They can keep my asthmatic ridden Nissan..this one doesn’t need an inhaler..just hear..the engine sound!” I put it on neutral and pumped the accelerator “the lungs are super fine”
Still no word from Andy he just stared blankly ahead And I gave up. The atmosphere was gloomy and I began to feel depressed too.
Andy’s phone rang. He checked it then cut the call. “Ariyo..probably wondering why I’m not at work…well sorry Mr. But I’m in no frame of mind to listen to stupid costumers who have one useless issue or the other with their stupid account!”
I looked at him..I knew the source of his outburst: Mona..he must have woken up and remembered the events of the night before..his wife was dead…I knew because the first thought that had crossed my mind was that Fome was dead too.
“How did we both wake up on the wrong side of the bed when we both slept on the same bed?” I asked grimly.
He burst out laughing hysterically..”that’s very strange…Oba..very strange I tell you!”
“You know what’s more strange?” I was behind a danfo bus that was blocking the entrance to the garage but I didn’t horn or gesture in impatience.. suddenly I had all the time in the world.
I also started laughing crazily..”you know what’s more strange..I killed a man yesterday!”
Tears were practically rolling down his cheeks by now as he laughed harder at this. But this was far from tears of joy..it was tears of sorrow on the brink of craziness..I know because I felt it too.
“You know the strangest thing..?” Andy asked in between fits of laughter “I’d like to do it again..I wouldn’t mind killing another motherfucker!”
” me too!..I concur majorly!”
The bus had moved and I entered the garage finally, the smell of palm oil stew was enough to drag us back from the brink of insanity and we were quiet as I parked the car.
We got down and headed towards the rows of benches occupied by thugs and mechanics and Andy sighed..”reality really is a bitch men”
I was about to nod in agreement, reality was messed up once you had to face something painfully true…but my eyes had caught something..or rather someone.
Sitting on a bench in the same spot we had occupied days ago sat strange eyes spooning mouthfuls of rice and beans(just like before) into his mouth. He appeared unaware of his surroundings and just sat still with the only motion his hand moving the spoon from the plate to his mouth and back again.
I stopped Andy by holding his arm..”you say you wanted to meet that strange eyes abi”
“Yes of course..I plan to stick his head up his ass if his answers to my questions are not satisfactory”
“Then let’s go”
“I thought you said at night?..what of the hospital?”
“Andy that man in the checked shirt..you see him?”
He nodded.yes
“You see how fvcked up his eyes are?”
“Yea..his eyes are soo..strange” his eyes widened suddenly and he looked at me in question.
I nodded in reply..”yep..that’s the fool alright”

Andy and I sat down on the bench opposite strange eyes. He didn’t even look up but continued Eaton with his eyes downcast.
I was about calling his name when the madam hurried to my side. She obviously remembered me from before. “Yoga welcome o..I don ask bross for you but he say you no dey” (she pointed to strange eyes when she said ‘bross’)
“Wetting una go chop?”
“Its too late for beans..just give us rice…garnish am well well we dey very hungry”
She hurried off but I had no time to look at her ample behind..my eyes were boring into strange eyes’s strange eyes. His head had jerked up immediately he heard my voice and he paused, with the spoon midway to his mouth. He glanced at Andy then back at me then he smiled…”you know Rex..you have really grown in these past few days..how could you track me so swiftly and I wouldn’t know?” He dropped his spoon and started clapping softly.
“Listen to me..we’ll be asking the questions here” Andy said and his eyes were hard and cold that strange eyes first spared him a fleeting glance, but then he had to look at him again more closely.
“And who might you be?”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said..or are you deaf?” Andy replied in a controlled voice that dripped hate.
Strange eyes looked away uncomfortably “look Rex..I don’t know who this is or what you are playing at..but I’m not in a mood to be messed with”
I knew strange eyes was armed. He had a pocket size gun (A .32 caliber .ACP).
But I didn’t care about that right now. “Look here strange eyes-“
“Stop calling me that…I don’t like it!” He sounded like a whining child.
“Look here” I continued “His wife and my fiance died last night..your men gunned down Mona and yet you ushered in the chief for protection..I want to know why”
“I don’t owe you any explanation..you made up your mind when you ditched me at the boutique and stole Ada’s car” He took a tooth pick from the table,stuck it in his mouth and got up.
“Madam..I’m leaving you can keep my change”
Andy was swift, he stood up and with one hand on strange eyes’ shoulder forced him down so fast and with so much energy that strange eyes landed on his seat with a loud thump.
The people around who had been busy with their food and didn’t pay any attention to us now looked our way with raised eyebrows.
“What do you think you’re doing? Do you know who I am” strange eyes sounded surprised and angry but he made no move to stand up again.
“I don’t care who you are..but you’re not leaving here until I’m you have answered every question we have”
Strange eyes looked at him for some seconds then at me. “Rex..talk to your friend..I dont-“
He stopped talking as the madam returned with two hefty plates for Andy and I.
“Oga if you want anything else just tell me..abeg and you too oga” she added to Andy.
“No problem thank you.”
She retreated and strange eyes sighed and leaned back. He rubbed his face tiredly and I had the impression that he had not slept a wink.
“OK..first of all I’m sorry about your wife” he said to Andy. “And about Fome..I never wanted her to die”
But you wanted her kneecaps shot out abi? I almost bursted out but I kept quiet.
“What exactly do you want to know?”
He asked in a resigned manner.
Andy looked at me to proceed and he faced his food. The aroma was dancing in my face but and my stomach was responding but sadly I had to wait..it seemed I had the first shift of interrogation and I had too many questions right now.
“Firstly what did Mona mean about the year 1989 and this widows initiative..what happened that year?”
He sighed then took a long pull from his bottled water. “Mrs Benita Amunike launched the widows initiative in the year 1989..the purpose was to provide help for widows with children..but there was no capital to actualise the dream..as a matter of fact the plan had been stagnant for years before that because of lack of funds”
He decided to continue with his food after all and continued sending spoonfuls down his throat.
“That year however,”he continued with his mouth full “her husband the chief, bought the major shares of his dead friends steel industry which was on the uprise and getting profitable…and within the next 6 months, the turnover was outstanding and he was able to pump the suitable capital into his wife’s organisation.”
He stopped and looked at me as if he expected a question and I fired away..I had too many to disappoint.
“So..what exactly did this organisation do for his dead friend’s wife and kids?”
“It took a couple of years and they couldn’t be found..but finally the widows initiative was able to contact Fome’s mother and they took them in and sponsored the eduction of both daughters and provided for them…but the state they were in was very bad..they lived on the streets for years literally from hand to mouth” he stopped again and began scraping his plate. Andy had kept on eating although his eyes never left strange eyes. On the other hand I had lost interest in eating..for the main time at least.
“So its supposed to be a good thing now..tell me the but..what is the initiative really about?”
He smiled “Rex..I really must say you have improved..you really impress me now..you’re asking the right questions and I must say I never expected you to survive this long when you ditched me, but here you are and I must commend-“
“You can take a rain check on kissing my ass..I asked you a question”
He frowned slightly but continued “the initiative although innocent at first..but over the years when the Chief became involved in-eh…should I say illegal activities it became a medium for human trafficking”
Andy stopped eating “human trafficking?”
“Yes..sadly the medium that was supposed to help widows and children is now a medium for trafficking the same widows and children outside the country”
“But how is that possible..how can they get away with such?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing
“Rex..the initiative only covers widows with no place to go..no family members or cases that the husbands family has shut them out and exploited them and her own family is nowhere to be found or not well to do at all..that way they are hardly missed..and the ones who are missed…” He shrugged and pushed his empty plate away.
I was outraged “you call yourself a government agent and you have this kind of information and yet you do nothing with it? And yet you protected this same Chief? Have you no idea the countless widows and young children being sold out for God knows what?..how can you sleep at night..how can you live with yourself…what kind of person are you?”
He bowed his head in what looked like shame.
“Do you know how my eyes got to be like this?” He asked.
I was breathing fast from my outburst..all thoughts of food completely forgotten now but I managed to say “no”.
“That’s a long story Rex..not one I like telling and not one for now anyway…however believe me that I wasn’t born this way” he glanced around at the other people busy with their food.
“Everything I told you now..I found out myself under the one year I was with the chief..and when I relayed the information to my superiors I was told to stand down! Imagine…I went a step further but my identity was leaked to the Chief and that was when he sent the two assassins to your place to kill us”
“But why did you let him walk away? Why did you offer him protection last night”
“Rex believe me When I tell you the chief can’t be touched..he literally can’t be touched..if anything had touched the chief..anything as small as handcuffs..I won’t have my job anymore.”
I was disgusted..”which Job?..what exactly is the purpose of the job..so you’re keeping your job by not doing your job! You disgust me..what if it were your sister being smuggled out? Or your mother?”
He shook his head sadly..”you met me here..I came here because I was sick of my actions..I have been kicking myself mentally all along..the thing is I plan to give all the information to the newspapers anyway”
“So why haven’t you?”
He sighed again for the thousandth time. “There is a paper of supreme importance..I can’t even begin to explain what the paper contains…the paper was with the chief at first..but it got mixed with the papers you stole..but then Fome stole it from you. That is why I wanted Fome badly.”
The paper!! I had forgotten about it! It was still in my pocket..but now the time was past 3 in the afternoon and I had forgotten all about the hospital. I looked at Andy and I could tell he read my mind perfectly..The general hospital.. Dr. Rasheed was waiting..concerning my enemy’s delayed diagnosis.
“Fome didn’t steal the papers…it was her sister Mona..may their soul rest in peace”
I corrected strange eyes.
“Amen” strange eyes Replied and he looked chastised. I nodded to Andy and we stood up. I signalled for the madam and she hurried to our table.
“Bross you no chop your food?” She frowned looking at my full plate “even you self bross..you no finish am..anything dey wrong with am?”
“Nothing madam…come take money” I paid her excess that was about the last change I had on me. “Keep the change”
She frowned but didn’t say anything else. She collected the money, looked at strange eyes accusingly then retreated to the kitchen.
“Where are you going now?” Strange eyes asked. He looked defeated but I had no sympathy for him.
There was no way I was telling him the paper he searched heaven and earth for was in my pocket.
“Someone needs to stop this initiative and if you wouldn’t do it..then I would do your job for you”
I replied him.
“Let’s go Andy”
Andy pushed his chair back and glared down at strange eyes.
“Someone needs to pay for Mona’s death”
Strange eyes said nothing.
Andy looked at me and I pleaded with my eyes..we had bigger fish to fry.
“I’m disappointed in you” he said to strange eyes.
“Who appointed you” strange eyes muttered but he didn’t raise his eyes.
I was curious about the story behind his eyes but I left the table with Andy behind me.
“I meant what I said Oba..someone has to pay”
“Exactly..but that someone doesn’t have to be him” I jerked my head towards the food joint where strange eyes still sat staring into space.
“The person responsible for their father’s death, throwing them into poverty and years later killing both of them that’s who has to pay..but right now..the hospital is waiting”
He nodded slowly.
And when we entered the car, the mood wasn’t as crazy as it had been before or as sorrowful. It wasn’t closure we had found but now we had purpose. Somewhere to direct our anger and no matter what it took,the Chief had to go down..with his family..maybe the exception of Ada..I could tell she was innocent of anything else and besides-
“Oba can you please start this car…its almost 4pm”
Andy broke into my thoughts rather impatiently and o hastily started the car. Dr. Rasheed here I come! I would give him the paper and I would be safe from the ‘tip of the spear’ and my family too.
But it felt like jumping from frying pan to fire.

We encountered heavy traffic along the way. The Apapa wharf is notorious for being blocked by container carrying trucks either to or from the terminal and the road is only passable very early in the morning before the drivers begin their road blocking routine. I had forgotten this small fact and because of the direction Andy and I were coming from we got stuck in the stand still. I looked nervously at the time every few minutes. “Why would this place be like this? See how they block the road! Most of them are not even inside sef!!” I complained for the thousandth time checking the time.
“Na we jonze..see most vehicles are taking one way..this place is just upside down!” Andy was mopping sweat from his brow vigorously with his face towel. The car had little fuel and we couldn’t afford to waste it with the a/c on.
We grumbled and complained, slapped the steering and dashboard countless times in frustration and looked at the clock on the dashboard about a million times. But there was little we could do.

Finally by quarter past 7 we pulled into the driveway of the general hospital.
“What time did he say you should come?” Andy asked.
“He didn’t really specify..but the 48 hours was up a couple of hours ago”
“Anyhow..does he know the stress you went through to get it”
“Wetting dey even worry me now na the hunger wey dey flog me like this”
My stomach growled in reply right on cue.
“You for don try chop now”
“Bro with what I was hearing that time..I no reason food at all o”
“True..I didn’t even finish mine”
There was silence as we both reminisced on what strange eyes had said.
“What do we do about that initiative? How do we go about stopping it?” Andy asked.
“I don’t even know..my head is just expanding too much..let’s tackle this doctor first.”
“You’re right..poka a poka”
“What does that mean again?” I asked him tiredly. I had killed the engine and we remained in the car.
“I had one crazy teacher in school..little by little..I don’t even know what language..I’m sure he didn’t too”
“Maybe Spanish” I responded dryly.
It seemed we were avoiding talking about the necessary but it had to be done.
“You said we should try and track this Dr. To his handler..are you still down with it?”
“Yes I’m down..but we will need to be super careful sha”
“But what do we do then..if we find his handler?” I asked and Andy shrugged in reply.
“You never know about tomorrow..it may look unnecessarily dangerous and foolish but it may be very important tomorrow.”
“No problem…I agree..let’s do this”
We shook hands before alighting from the vehicle. If before we had been like brothers now the bond had been strengthened and now we felt like twins.
The hospital was as busy and crowded as it was the last time. I tried to remember the directions I had been given the last time and I could see familiar doors and hallways.
I must have missed a turning because however we found ourselves in a different room. It looked like some kind of specialist room or some ICU of some sort. It was empty or so I thought.
I looked to Andy “we must have missed a turning..this isn’t the diagnostic center”
He nodded and we turned to leave but then I saw her or rather I heard her. Just a single sob. A sound filled with so much grief and pain that I paused with my foot in mid air. Andy continued in my front thinking I followed him behind. I turned and studied the room and I saw her in the corner. She was in a wheelchair and I thought she was disabled but then I saw the cast her leg was in. Her right leg was wrapped in a thick cast and propped before her on some kind of stool and I only glanced at it. Her face was what caught my attention. She was beautiful..I mean very exquisite. She had this vulnerable and fragile look about her and I felt a strange urge to protect her. To shield her from whatever put that hurtful look on her face. She was dark complexioned, and I noticed her hair was really long and I wondered if it could possibly be real. It was pulled back in a ponytail and it made the angles of her face come out more and my breath caught in my chest. (Now you may wonder which kind person be this..not up to 24 hours Fome had died and here I was drooling over someone else. But I can’t explain it…the fact is during the past three weeks I hadn’t been as emotionally attached to Fome as I once had And I had really loved Fome but perhaps the love had waned a bit when she left me and it had died a little when she had gone gangstar in the chiefs house whipping the gun about and when I had found out she and the old crooner were pals..anyhow I can’t explain it..but I was drawn to this young Lady on the wheelchair) I stood still, observing her from my position she couldn’t see me but she didn’t even look up anyway. She seemed lost in her world of grief and I noticed the tears that rolled down her cheeks freely and I wanted badly to brush it away and make her laugh. I stood for some seconds wondering what was making her cry and wishing she hadn’t lost a loved one or that she didn’t have some terminal Illness.

“I swear to God Almighty…I dey tire for you Oo” Andy had returned to the room after noticing I wasn’t on his heels and he shook his head at me. “You just dey here dey spaceout what is it again?” He traced my eyes then saw her too. He studied her for some seconds “do you know her?”
“At all..but I need to..I’d be right back” I started towards her direction.
“Oba we don’t need this..there isn’t time for socializing..uuugh” he gritted his teeth in frustration when I paid no attention to him but continued moving towards the girl in the wheelchair.
She didn’t look up as I approached her but kept on staring into nothing with the tears still streaming down her cheeks.
“Excuse me miss..are you okay?”
She looked up at me then tried to smile. She brushed her tears with the back of her hands.
“I’m fine thank you” she tried again to smile but failed and I could tell that when she did smile the result would be breathtaking. I had a strange urge to make her smile.
“I hope you are fine..I saw you crying and I had to come over..is there anything I could get you?” I glanced at the cast on her leg. “You need a doctor or anything?”
“You’re not a doctor?” She asked surprised and for a minute I wished I was.
“No I’m not..I was heading somewhere and I took a wrong turn..but it might be a right one..are you sure there is nothing I can get you”
I had looked back when I said ‘wrong turn’ and I saw Andy was speaking to a young man in cleaning overalls with a mop stick and bucket at his feet. He had just come in to clean the place probably and the way they were looking in my direction I knew the subject of their discussion had to be the young Lady I was speaking to.
She looked at me and was about to shake her head I could tell. No there is nothing you can do for me thank you. But she seemed to consider and she smiled at me with all the tears gone now.Although she was still teary eyed.
“Actually if you don’t mind to push me around a bit…I have been in this room all day..”
I hesitated I needed to locate Dr. Rasheed it was 7:30 pm already.
She must have read the hesitation on my face. “Don’t worry about it..I’m fine”
I shook my head “no its alright I’d be glad to.”
I removed the stool and she put her ‘casted’ foot on the partition of the wheelchair.
I wheeled her gently towards the door where Andy and the cleaner man still stood discussing in hushed tones. They stopped when we approached them.
“Tosin good evening” she greeted the cleaner.
“Evening madam..how the leg”
“Its better thank you..this gentleman is moving me around a bit..I know you want to clean up..so I won’t disturb you”
She seemed to be in a better mood and her voice was clear and lovely and as I stood behind her holding the handle of the chair, Andy looked at me strangely.
“Gentleman?..this is no gentleman o..don’t let him fool you”
“Really?” She tried to twist to look up at me but couldn’t.
I narrowed my eyes at Andy..you bastard! My eyes read and he smiled knowingly.
“Don’t mind him..this is my friend Andy we came here together”
“Very nice to meet you Andy”
“And you too..”
But she didn’t supply her name, instead she leaned back into the seat and on cue I wheeled her away. “I’d be back in a few minutes” I said to Andy and he shook his head at me in reply with a faint frown or was it a smile on his lips.
The hospital was about three stories and we were on the second floor. I knew the diagnostic center was somewhere on this floor so I headed downstairs instead.
I wanted to ask her so many questions(a recent habit of mine) but I had the impression she wasn’t ready to answer any, besides she seemed content to lean back and enjoy the ride which was what it felt like..I handled the chair like a car rolling the tires and even drifted if possible.
On the first floor we passed the waiting room and the maternal ward which was the largest in the hospital. They were having an immunization sensitization lecture for all the pregnant women admitted in the ward who were ‘quarter to drop’ and they all sent stares our way as I wheeled her outside the hall.
The canteen was also this way and I asked her “would you like anything to eat or drink?” Then I remembered I was cashless..I had given my last cash to the woman at the eatery and all I had on me was my ATM card and I didn’t expect them to have a pos terminal.
She spared my blushes however “I’m not hungry at all thank you”
Life was full of risks “how about something to drink?”
She paused, considering..and I held my breath
“No I’m fine..thank you soo much”
I could tell her mood was lighter as we moved round the hospital and I noticed she especially ogled the new born babies who suckled at their mothers tits while I looked nervously away.
“I love babies soo much” she said in a wistful tone and I suddenly wondered why she had been crying before. But still I didn’t ask.
We spent a lot of time downstairs and it was almost 8pm when I wheeled her back to the floor upstairs.
Andy was sitting on one of the chairs staring at the wall TV which was showing one of the usual Spanish soap operas,a man and woman was currently in a heated argument then suddenly they embraced and locked lips and apparently threw the keys away.
He glanced up when we entered.
“Her doctor came to check on her..she was super pissed and she’s in there”
He pointed behind the curtain and I shrugged and wheeled her the rest of the way but I passed the curtain instead and passed where she had been before and I pushed her to the window.
“Its not much but the view with the lights is something worth looking at”
She agreed “Lagos can be so beautiful at times”
I turned to leave but she held my hand.
“Thank you” she almost whispered it and I thought the emotions were returning once more. “I don’t even know your name”
“I’m Rex” I replied her. I noticed the curtain opened and a fat woman in a lab coat came out. she frowned at me them headed in my direction. “You better leave..she’s a mean lady..I’m Olivia..thank you soo much..”
I made to leave. The fat doctors phone rang and she picked it and stopped her movement as she focused on what she was hearing on the other end.
Olivia still held my hand. “Will you still be in this hospital for long? Or you’re leaving”
“I would be coming every day this week and probably next” I had no idea where that came from..it seemed I wasn’t thinking straight.
But she brightened noticeably and I was glad I lied.
“So I would see you hopefully by tomorrow?”
“Definitely” I replied with a smile and she released my hand.
I walked passed the fat doctor who glared angrily at me, but she was too busy with the call and I made a grateful escape and followed Andy who had stood up when he saw me approaching.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Outside in the hall I turned to Andy “I’m sorry bro..I just had to do something..she was in so much pain”
“Its alright..its not my time you wasted..its your diagnosis you’re delaying after all”
I frowned at that and he laughed and punched me playfully on the arm.
I started down the hall trying to recall the diagnostic center and figure out where I had missed the way.
“It seems you’re in a joyful mood. May it last” I studied the two separating passages..which one was it again? I looked around for a nurse I could ask.
“Oba..it seems God directed you there..she might be our link to take down the widows initiative”
I stopped “how do you mean?”
“She’s a widow” he whispered although we were alone in the corridor.
“She was involved in a nasty accident this last week and she miraculously survived but her husband kissed The dust”
“Is that what you and the cleaner were discussing back there?”
“Yes..she only dislocated her ankle and some minor injuries..a real miracle from what I learnt..the accident was very nasty and her husband died on site”
So that was why she had been crying… She had been widowed just last week.
I shook my head “that is bad mehn..she was crying so hard when I came in..”
“Yea yea” Andy brushed it aside “this is the link we need..if we can get her under the initiative From there we could expose the trafficking scam and take down the chief and his wife and Mona and Fome wouldn’t have died in vain.”
I was already shaking my head in refusal.
“If there is one thing I’ve learnt this past week its not to use people for my own interest..no way Andy…we’ll find another way..we can’t endanger her so”
“I knew it..you’re smitten!” Andy exclaimed
“Call it whatever you want but no way…we are not introducing her to the very people who can traffic her out of the country for God knows what”
A nurse hurried past and I stopped her “Excuse me..can you direct me to the diagnostic center?”
“Go down this road your second turning..then you go through the first door to your right..you’ll see it in that section”
“Thank you” I turned to Andy “let’s go..you’ll wait outside while I go in”
He followed me but I could tell he wasn’t finished with the subject and few steps later he confirmed my thoughts.
“Oba..this lady..the thing is..she really could do with the financial help from the initiative..its been whispered round the hospital that the husband left her up to her neck in debt…there must be a way we can get her financial help and through her take down the initiative and save countless widows and their kids from the wicked fate that is sure to come upon them..and mind you we won’t let anything happen to her..no way!”
He was making sense and I knew it but it was hard to be objective when I remembered the way she had looked so sad and vulnerable.
“We’ll talk about it later..I promise..but first let me take my name and my family’s name out of the blacklist of the most effective killing squad in the world biko”
He laughed in reply “all right lover boy..go in I’d wait out here”
He went to a corner of the waiting room and I walked towards the entrance of the door labeled ‘diagnostic center 1’
I entered the office and it was just how I remembered it from before. Littered with test tubes and I.v stands, blood pressure checkers and x-ray machines.
I saw Dr Rasheed. His short frame behind his desk. He looked up as I entered but didn’t speak until I stood before his desk.
“Yes who are you here to see?”
“Dr Rasheed” I replied.
The room was dimly lit with just one coloured bulb on. The fluorescent was off and I knew it was deliberate.
He was quiet and he studied me for some seconds.
“Do you have an appointment?”
I had said no appointment before and I was about to repeat it again..that had to be part of the code. But then I thought..I had an appointment didn’t I? A 48 hour appointment even though I was some few hours late.
“Yes..I have an appointment”
He nodded “what is your prognosis?”
I hated saying it..and I hoped this would be the last time I had to say it.
“I have delayed diagnosis”
He smiled and I noticed his crooked teeth for the first time.
“I thought you were an old man” he said with a sly smile.
I shrugged in a ‘let’s get this over with manner’
He nodded briskly as if he understood.
“Very well then. Go in the next room..Dr. Rasheed would be with you shortly”
Why keep up this charade? I know you’re Dr Rasheed! Just get the paper now and get the dogs off my scent! I felt like screaming at his bald head.
But I was the one with the diagnosis after all, so instead I nodded meekly and headed to the next room.
And my thoughts drifted to Olivia..somewhere on this floor in the hospital.
I hoped she wasn’t depressed and mourning her late husband anymore. I was already looking forward to seeing her again which was pitiful and very foolish actually. Considering it would be wise for me to keep away from the hospital after tonight, especially if Andy and I traced the Dr. To wherever he went to drop off the paper.

I entered the office and sat down..funny I didn’t feel nervous at all unlike the first time.
The 2nd office was well lit unlike the first and I looked around idly as I waited for the Dr to come in.

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