LOVE AND DIAMONDS(EPISODE TWO)

KAINENE
'Good Afternoon doctor Kaine' Kiki, the receptionist at the reception greeted when I walked into the hospital's lobby to resume my afternoon duty.

'Afternoon Kiki, did you check the charts today?'
'Yes. Dr Olubanjo said you should meet him once you come today and Dr Mark requested you to scrub in with him for a tonsillectomy by 3:00pm.

'Okay... Thanks, I will be in my cubicle. 'Okay ma'am. I entered my cubicle, I sat down, pulled off my shoes  then went over my patients files I had left yesterday. Twenty minutes later, I was done and made my way to Dr Olubanjo's office.


.'Afternoon doc', Dr Olubanjo's secretary greeted me as I entered his office.

'Afternoon Stella, is Chief around?

'Yes he is, you may go in,' she said.

'Thank you Stella' I said. Giving three soft taps to the door I waited.
'Yes, come in.' I heard Chief's sonorous voice as he ushered me into his plush office adorned with exquisite and sophisticated furniture, with two office desks at the corners with Chief seated on a chair behind the one at the western part of the office which had two chairs in front of it.

'Afternoon chief'

'Afternoon Kiane, you may sit down . How are you?'
'I am fine chief.' I replied. Dr Olubanjo popularly known as chief was the chief of pediatrics in St Anne's Hospital Maitama, the largest hospital in Northern Nigeria. Having known him for almost eight years when still in the university. He was like a father to me. He was one of the professors that taught us pediatric during my fifth year in the university. We actually became close during that period when I wrote my fourth medical school examination. After the exams, I remembered him calling out my name in the class.

'Who is Kainenechukwu Meludu?'

Nobody answered and I couldn't answer because I was afraid of the reason why I was called. It is not everyday a student is called out by a professor unless it is something serious or negative. He repeated my name again. I really wanted to stand up but I couldn't bring myself to do so as if I was glued to my seat.


'Okay, since the bearer of that name is not present in my class, let us begin the business of the day.' he finally said. I felt a surge of relief run down my spine immediately. We met again in my final year when he became my academic adviser and my research supervisor. I had gone to his office to get my research topic approved.

'Good morning sir.' I greeted him as soon as I walked into his office.

'Yes, how may I help you?, he asked me without looking up from his laptop meaning obviously he was very busy before I entered his office.


'Sir, I am here to get my research topic approved as you are my supervisor.'


'Okay, sit down. What is your name?' He had asked me still typing away on his laptop.


'Mmm... my name is Kainenechukwu Meludu.'He suddenly looked up to me, bringing down his glasses to the tip of his nose. ' Really?' he asked.

'Yes sir.' I replied in a low tone which I had used to answer my name praying that he wouldn't bring up the incident that happened in class. Unfortunately that was not meant to be because the next thing he said was 'Hmm, so you are the infamous Meludu? Where you in my class the day I released your results?.'


'Mmm....yes I was.' I replied.


'Well, I have been waiting to meet you and now I have. I must tell you this, you are an exceptional brilliant student and I will encourage you to do your specialty in pediatric. Keep it up. Choose your topic because I know you will choose a very good one. Come back on Monday for my approval, if I am not available, give it to my secretary. Hope you like children?'


'Yes sir, I do. Thank you .' I said and left his office. That day marked the beginning of a very close relationship between us. He was like a father to me having lost my parents at th tender age of five.

Back to the present.###

'So Kaine, I have seen your results from the last residency exams that you wrote and you performed excellently well. I think you are the best resident I have had in a long time. Very hardworking both in practice and research. You know I am on longer young and very soon I will be relinquishing my rein of power as the head of pediatric and so I have given the hospital board your name as one of those that are eligible to succeed me when I retire. I just want to inform you so you wouldn't be taken unaware.' he concluded and inhaled deeply.



'Sir I..... I..... I mean I don't know what to say. I am still young and I don't really have much experience like others.' I said this because I had only been a resident for five years. 'Dr Mark, Dr Biola and Dr Rukewe have been here long before I came. They even have more experienc than I do.' I countered him.

'I know Kainene. But I have chosen you to this job because I trust you and you are so good with the children. It is just an offer but do consider it okay.'


'Okay chief, even though I am not so enthusiastic about the offeri, I am still grateful for considering me for such a responsibility. I will not disappoint you.'


'I know you will not'

'Thank you Chief.' I said. 'Please tell Aunt Tinuke that I really miss her and her ewedu soup that I would drop by one of these days to see her'
'Oh dear.' he chuckled. ' I will dear. She really misses you.'


'Thank you Chief, have a nice day.' I said and left his office.
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I was sitting in my cubicle after a busy day from the wards to the theatre and back to the wards again before I finally took a break. I was already feeling cramps on my legs and I had had to drag myself to my cubicle, my haven of rest. I looked at my Chris Aire wrist watch which I had gotten as a birthday present from Preye last year. It said 7:45 pm. Slipping off my boots, I allowed the cool fresh air coming in from the windows cool my feet as I stretched it on top of the desk. Leaning back in my chair,I closed my eyes to enjoy few minutes of peaceful existence when suddenly the intercom on tin desk rang jostling me up. 'Hello,' I spoke into the receiver .

'Dr Kainene, you have been requested to come immediately into the ER (Emergency room). There has been a fatal accident involving a man and his child.''Oh no, not this time.' I thought. Just now I was about to rest. Anyway, I had already sworn the Hippocratic oath so I don't have a choice right now than to get myself ready to save lives for an average of time of 8 hours meaning another night at the hospital. Putting on my boots, I grabbed my coat from the hanger and left my cubicle to the OR (Operating Room).

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The accident involved three persons. The driver of the trailer,a five year old boy and his gorgeous father. I know I am supposed to keep it professional but I couldn't help but admire the body with full muscular abs and arms and .. Okay stop, I chided myself. For all I know, this man here has already been taken. He has a five year old kid who is so gorgeous with long eyelashes fanning his chubby cheeks meaning his wife is probably somewherei. The man had some bruises on his face and arms while the little boy had deep cuts on his face and arms and some pieces of broken glasses which found their way into his body because the car fell onto his side as the trailer and its drunk driver suddenly swerved from the left side of the road to the right hitting the car which made it to jerk violently to the side and saumersaulted once on the road. That was the information I got from the paramedics who brought them in. Ihad instructed the nurse to give them some IVs (Intravenous fluids) as the peripheral circulation is possibly shut down before the man was taken over from of from another doctor while I concentrated on saving the child's life.
Six hours later, I was done with the surgery and the child had already been moved back to his room. Back in my cubicle, I filled the necessary paper work handing it over the nurse in charge picking my bag from the table, I made my way to the door , bade goodnight to the nurses and dragged myself to my Toyota Rav 4 2010 model I had bought as a birthday present to myself I drive straight home. Luckily the girls were still sleeping and I didn't want to disturb them so I quietly tip-toed to my room, had a luxurious and refreshing bath and whoop, I jumped straight to bed only covering myself in only my towel. It was 6:15 a.m, I will able to have a decent sleep before I begin another afternoon shift and I can't wait to see them especially .... I drifted to sleep.