LOVE AND DIAMONDS(EPISODE SEVEN)

RAYMOND

 I found myself pacing around the sitting room. It was two hours since I had beentrying to get through to Nene  but the number  always rang out and went to voicemail. I wanted to remind her of our date tonight even though I knew she wouldn’t forget. I could bet she was looking forward to our date night just as I had been since morning. I had even lost concentration during the board meetings of the editors of THE COMPASS thinking about Nene and our date and suspended the meeting till Monday. Many weird thoughts crossed my mind “what if she was involved in an accident’. I ruled that out because Nene was a very good driver maybe even better than me though I wouldn’t tell her (ego things). What if she had been robbed? I cancelled that too because the phone would have been switched off by the thief due to the incessant calls. What am I still doing here? I askedmyself. I looked at the clock on the wall, it was 6.47pm. I took my car keys from the table; I dashed out of the house after informing Lauretta that I would be coming back later.

Preye opened the door to let me in, when I entered their compound. I had looked towards the garage and seen Nene’s car parked at her usual parking space.

“Hey,” I greeted Preyewalking into the house behind her.

“Hi, Ray, good evening. Thank the heavens you are here.” She replied .

“What happened? Is Nene okay?”

“You just came at the right time Ray. Kaine has been in her room ever since she came back from the hospital. We don’t know what went wrong at the hospital but we heard her sobbing. We tried talking to her but she would neither budge nor open the door. We know she is like that sometimes locking herself up in her room but this one has passed the normal Kaine’sdeaf and dumb mode’ syndrome. Maybe you can use that your magical touch to coax her into opening the door and bring my friend out. You know how it works for you guys in the lovey lovey things.” Typical Preye,making light of every situation.

“Haha Preye, lovey lovey things eh?” I chuckled. “You never cease to amaze me but I will surely get back to you on this.” I retorted back at her.

“Oya please continue going to where you were heading to. Remember your girlfriend needs to be dragged out of her room.’

“Yes ma.” I said and left the room. When I got to the front of Nene’s door, I knocked three consecutive times and waited for a response.

KAINENE

I woke up to the incessant knocking on my door. I wiped my eyes to rub off sleep and grabbed my phone. Twenty-two missed calls; fourteen from Ray and eight from Chris. I let my mind drift back to the eventsthat happened earlier today at the hospital to the call from Chris. I remembered the  conversation I had with Chris.

“Christopher Meludu.”

“Yes, it is me Adanne. I am sorry for what happened. I am sorry for leaving you and mum after dad’s death.”

“Did you just come back from the land of the dead because the brother I knew of had been declared dead?”

“It’s the Chris you know,your brother. I am not dead. I came into the country few days ago in search of you and mum. I just got your number from Barbra yesterday. I am very sorry Nene. I just called to know if I can see you in person to apologize and know if Ican see mom. How is she Kaine?

"Mum is dead Chris. She died five days after you left to God-knows-where. She died on her way to Aswani market. She died thinking of you Chris. Mum died because of you. You left without notice, without informing anybody. You left when we needed you the most.” I shouted my voice rising ten times higher.

“Yes I know Adanne and that’s why I have come back to Nigeria to mend my ways. I can explain what happened.

 

“You owe nobody an explanation.”

“I do okay. You are my family.”

“Correction, I was. I have to go. Goodbye Chris, we have nothing to say to each other.” I finally said and disconnected the call.

     Another knock brought me back from my reverie. I felt so exhausted. Since I wasn’t dressed properly to answer the door, I walked to the mirror and the image of me wasn’t encouraging but I couldn’t care less at the moment.  My face was swollen, my eyes red and my head was like something that got itself into a battle of the titans sighed. The knocking continued, I covered myself with my bathing robe, proceeded to the door and turned the knob. Ray was at the door. He was clad in formal dinner jacket then I remembered. “Oh”, today was supposed to be our date night. “I am sorry Ray.” I said as I felt the first drop of tear on my cheeks.

“Come here.” He said as he held out his arms. I went into his waiting arms immediately and sobbed. I couldn’t pray for a better comforter than him. He patted my back. ‘It’s okay Nene. I am here now okay.” My sobbing turned to wailing as he pulled us into my room closing the door and sitting us on the bed.

RAYMOND’S POV

I walked us to Nene’s bed and sat down. I cradled her in my arms as she wept profusely. I felt so distraught and helpless not knowing how to help her even though I had promised to be always there for her. I wondered what went wrong at the hospital. I felt a thump on my chest. Nene  was thumping my chest harder as the tears continued  flowing down her beautiful face..

“Oh God why me?” Thump

“Why will all these happen to me? Why will I be the victim of a malicious attack when I know I have not wronged anybody?” Another thump.

“Why will my brother who abandoned me for years come back now claiming he is sorry and asking for forgiveness? Tell me why Ray? Why?” She said as she continued pounding my chest, this time harder. I held her tightly not saying anything because I felt it was better she let it out. After some minutes, her cries subsided to just a few sniffs until she was silent. She had fallen asleep. She looked so peaceful, nothing like the woman whom I saw when she had let me in. This was bad. What had happened must have really had a grave effect on her. The last person I had seen cry like that was my mum when my father died in my teen years. He was shot while embracing my mother on his return from work one evening. She had locked herself in her room for two days refusing to talk or eat. I watched her sleep for a while until I eventually gave in to sleep. I was coming out of sleep two hours later when I felt someone stir in my arms.

“You are still here.” Nene asked.

“Yes sweet, I couldn’t leave you like this.”

“Thank you.” She said her face lit up in a smile.

“You are welcome. Would you like to share?” I asked with hope that she wouldn’t keep me out as she had done to her friends. She nodded and sat up to face me.

“Now the parents of Fatai have threatened to sue the hospital and if that happens, I ...

“Shh…. Nothing will happen okay,” I said cutting her off.

“How sure are you about that? What are you going to do? She lifted her eyes looking at me quizzically.

“Just trust me on this one Nene. One more thing, don’t forget to keep me in on the updates okay.” She nodded.

That night, I left Nene with a promise to myself that I was going to get to the bottom of this and for her brother, well I had not met him yet but I would make sure he doesn’t put her through yet another pain all in the name of family.

KAINENE

I was having breakfast two days later in the kitchen when Amina came in and went straight to the fridge without even a glance at me. She took a bottle of water, drank some of it and placed it on the table and sat down. I knew she and Preye were angry at me for keeping them out of the loop. I had wanted to tell them but I couldn’t bring myself to, at least not yet. That night after Ray left some minutes to midnight, I had locked my room refusing to let anybody in. On Sunday, I went for the early morning mass and afterwards retreated to my room. I heard Kiki’s voice in the house, she had come knocking on my door but I didn’t let her in. I was not happy with her. At least she would have told me what had happened before I went into the children’s ward. So much for keeping a friend.  I planned to tell the girls tonight after the meeting with the hospital board. I had gotten a call from chief requesting my presence at the meeting with the hospital board as the parents of Fatai would come with their lawyer  to the hospital that morning. I knew Amina had a lot of questions on her mind. I could sense it from the continuous tapping of her fingers on the table.

“So Kaine, what’s up?” Because I had food in my mouth, I resisted before I answered, “Nothing”

“Huh”

“Nothing”

“So what happened on Saturday? The usual ‘deaf and dumb’ mood, refusing to talk, ignoring us?”  Amina had the ability to question people and she could be pretty damn blunt in her questions. Preye chose that moment to make her entrance to the kitchen.

“Yes tell us. Your boyfriend came into the house and you just let him into your room.” She made a gesture wither hands. “And you shut us out since Saturday. I mean what are friends for, not just your friends but people you live in the same house with if you can’t share your problems with us. Seriously Kaine, I am not happy with you at all.” She said joining us at the table. She took a slice of bread from my plate lading it with butter. I was short of words. I knew I was wrong for shutting them out and now they were visibly angry with me.

“I am sorry guys. I had planned to tell you but ... let me just say it now.” They both nodded. Just then my phone vibrated on the table. I picked it. “Hello” After some talks with the person at the other line, I picked my bag from the table.

“I am sorry guys, I have to leave you now.”

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The call I had gotten that morning was from Chief informing me that the meeting was brought forward to 7:30 a.m because Fatai’s parents were travelling to their home-town that morning to perform the final burial rites for their son. My suspension letter was waiting for me on my table when I got to the hospital. I had expected it but not this soon. I picked the letter and made my way to the administrative block where the meeting was going to be held. Chief was already present and so were the heads of various units including Dr Biola and the hospital’s lawyer. I avoided their stares and sat down on one of the empty chairs. Not long after I sat down, the parents of Fatai and their lawyer made their entrance. The meeting commenced without any hitch, both parties presenting their cases. Everything was going smoothly until Fatai’s mother Mrs Mogaji asked of the doctor in charge of her son. I flinched. She came towards me, her eyes bloodshot but daring. She looked me up and down.

“So it is you eh, the one who killed my son.” She snorted. Just look at yourself, you probably don’t know what it means to carry a child for nine months, a child who suckled your breastsand then you lose him at only two years due to your carelessness.”

“I am sorry ma, it wasn’t my fault.” I blurted out without even thinking.

“So whose fault is it eh young woman? Whose fault is it? Accept the fact that you killed him. You are a murderer. You will pay for this. You must pay.” By this time, she had come very close to me and was pulling my shirt rather aggressively. The tears flowed freely down her face marring her make-up. 

“Baba Fatai, she must pay for this. They will pay for this. I must avenge the death of my son. You cannot let them get away with this. You are not fit to be a doctor.” She finally spat at me before her husband pulled her away and sat her down whispering some words to her. The tension in the room rose. I could feel the eyes of every other person on me. After some moments of deafening silence, Mr Mogaji cleared his throat. “It is obvious that this meeting cannot continue any longer because the presence of the young doctor is affecting my wife and we have to head to our home-town now to conclude the burial rites for our son. We will let you know when next we are coming to the hospital through our lawyer but one thing is sure, the person or persons responsible for the death of my son must be punished. Good day gentlemen.” And with that he left with his wife and the lawyer, a stocky black man trailing at their back but not without a cocky glance at me. Chief asked me to meet with him and the lawyer in his office. Two hours were spent discussing the way forward, involving the security and the police in the investigation. The lawyer suggested I should not let out anything to the public as the press had been hovering around the hospital premises. The Mogajis were a very wealthy and prominent family in the society so it was big news that his only son from his third wife had died in the hospital mysteriously. I was about entering my car when my phone alerted me of a message. 

“Do not think it is going to be easy for you. This is just the beginning.” I checked the details of the message. It was sent by a short code 5000. This may just be a prank message from one of all those people looking for money online. I did not give it much thought but then another thought crossed my mind. What if the sender knew something about the death of the children?. I put the thought at the back of my mind and decided to call Ray. He picked on the first ring.

“Hey babe, what’s up?”

“I am fine Ray. How is work?” I enquired.

“Boring. I can’t wait to go home. Are you still at the hospital? How did the meeting go?”

I narrated everything except the strange message. He sighed deeply at the other end. He made me promise him to be very careful. We talked for about fifteen minutes with him feeding me bits on Naeto, the boring meeting and not forgetting the interview he had with a young prospective assistant just coming out of her teens who kept flashing her cleavage at him throughout the interview. I laughed picturing the scene and how Ray must have been disgusted. We said our goodbyes and hung up.

That evening, we were in the sitting room relaxing over a bowl of pop-corn and coca-cola when I told the girls about the incident at the hospital and also about the possible promotion to the head of pediatrics when chief retires. We immediately went to work. The girls suspected that it was possible the malice started from there. Amina asked me to make a list of all the personnel working at the pediatrics unit. I got my laptop from my room and logged onto the hospital’s website. We got the names numbering about one hundred ranging from the surgeons to the physicians, nurses, cleaners and the rest of the other workers. We set the task of ticking out unsuspected names until we were left with twenty possible names. Preye turned to me. “Kaine, you said you got a strange message on your phone?” I nodded.

“Can you give it to me?” I picked my phone from the center table and gave it to her looking at her confusedly.

“Stop looking at me like that. I won’t eat it okay.” She said and went upstairs. Fifteen minutes later she was back with my phone.

“Kaine, who is Stephanie?”

Edited by Oge_writes. She blogs at http://yougeecash.wordpress.com/