Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Kamsi brought out a notebook she had turned to a diary . The diary just had dates and a list of things she did want to forget . It was a reminder for her. In that book she wrote down her activities for the day: she was visiting the hospital for her first antenatal check up, she had to meet Joseph to submit her curriculum vitae, she had to buy things from the market.

She chewed the cover of her pen as she racked her brain hard to check if she could remember anything else she needed to do but nothing more came up. She stood from the bed and marked the date on the calendar, it was something she planned to do until the ninth month of her pregnancy.

Nauseated. That was how she felt immediately when she walked into the large reception of the hospital . Her bag was hanging down from her shoulder and she was clutching a big khaki envelope containing her curriculum vitae .

She sat on one of the orange colored plastic chairs that were arranged in the reception. People were sitting around and waiting to be called. They all had their tallies - a blue card with a number on it. She was not going to get one. She had the boss's number. She clicked on the contact that she had saved with the same name Michelle had sent it on WhatsApp, "De Okey"

She was saved from an awkward introduction of trying hard to explain who she was as they met once and he could have possibly forgotten her name. Michelle had also shared her number with him. It made her laugh to think that he would also save it with the contact name he was sent, "Pumpkin "

"Are you in the hospital? " he asked without pleasantries . Kamsi even felt he sounded annoyed.

" Yes, yes," she replied.

" I'm sending a nurse to you. Stand by the stairs. What are you wearing? "

She rolled her eyes before she started describing her dress which was quite easy. A jean trouser and a white polo she took from Mark's wardrobe. She walked to the stairs and waited for the nurse. She was surprised when the nurse came down and it was a man, a dark man that was round and brief. He could pass for a robust child but his face did not approve that.

"Miss Kamsi Nwoko? " he asked.

She nodded and followed him up the stairs.

"You are a nurse? " Kamsi asked, unable to keep it in. She almost laughed at her question which had an obvious answer. It did not prevent the brief nurse from smiling at her as he replied,

"Yes."

He stopped at one of the doors at the centre of the hallway and Kamsi was grateful. She was tired already. Those stairs drained her energy.

"Just knock," he said before leaving.

She obeyed and without waiting for permission to enter, she turned the door handle and peeped in.

"Come in," Okechukwu said quickly without raising his head from the papers in front of him.

She walked in and stood closer to the long leather brown cushion at the wall wishing he would say, "please lie down " but instead he said,

"Please sit."

She had truly wanted to lie down and sleep for sometime. She would prefer a change of environment also. The smell of air freshener, dettol, drugs all were trying to dominate themselves with little results. It had a displeasing smell.

"Just give me a minute," he said. He used his pen to travel each line of sentence on the paper before him . Kamsi watched him, playing with the hand of her brown sling bag.

"I'm sorry. Most times these lab scientists make silly mistakes," he said, putting the paper in a file.

Not knowing what to reply, she just nodded with a smile.

"Michelle gave me your contact. I have been expecting you since then. "

Kamsi made to say something but he did not need that. He must have known that it was just excuses that would exit her mouth.

" How do you feel ?"

She sighed. "Like right now , I would love some sleep ."

Encouraged by his smile, she continued talking.

"Sometimes, I want to throw up but nothing comes out and there was a week I had a headache for two days."

"Did you take a drug? " he asked.

" Yes. Sudrex."

"and it stopped ?"

She nodded. He got busy, scribbling  on a plane white paper. She took that time to look round his office. The calendars made with the hospital's name hung on the wall, a framed picture of him and a little girl hung on the wall also. She would have complimented normally but he seemed different from the Okey she had met in the village. This one was a doctor, he was in charge and professional.

" Kamsi, I am going to call a nurse to take you to the lab for some blood tests." His voice brought Kamsi back .

"We're going to be checking for malaria, typhoid and anything at all that may be a source of problem to you and your child. We would also check your HIV status to know... "

She laughed. "Please, don't bother. I don't have HIV."

Without replying, He placed a call and the round, brief nurse came in after some minutes.

"Ayo will take you to the lab," Okey said.

"Thank you, "

"You are welcome, " he replied, his eyes once again on the papers on his table.

……………………………..

Impatiently, she drummed her fingers on the round glass table. She was wrong for even nursing the idea of impatience when it came to waiting for a man that wanted to help her. Joseph had told her to wait for him in a new restaurant known for selling just native food. She had left the hospital after her blood samples were taken in the lab. She did not bother going back to greet Okechukwu. She felt it was a professional decision since he had appeared that way to her.

Then as she sat and watched people come in, buy food and leave, she wished Joseph had accepted when she mentioned she would drop it with his wife at home. She was seated there when a couple came in, all the time she watched them. She could not hear them but because she was bored she tried to join the conversation by reading their  lips. She was very bad at it plus the Lady bent her face most of the time . She was watching them till they left. Out of frustration, she groaned and slapped her head. Nobody liked to wait and she was included.

The only money remaining in her purse after she paid for the lab tests was her transport money back home. She looked hungrily at the showcase. She was famished. She already called Joseph twice to let him know she was waiting. She did not want to call again so it would not seem like a disturbance.

"Is this seat taken? "

She turned to her side and her eyes landed on a man dressed in a suit, well knotted tie and white shirt. He was of average height and one of his eyebrows were lifted as he waited for a reply.

"I'm waiting for someone, " she replied, suddenly remembering she had a phone. She brought the phone and began to go through her instagram stories. She only knew how to watch others glow, as if glowing was just for a particular group alone.

"Let's wait together," the stranger said, settling down beside her.

"Please get up from that seat" she said, "You see that table, it is free just like most other tables in this place " she pointed to free tables as she talked.

"It is this table I want na."

If anger was a tank, Kamsi's tank was full and over pouring but she was trying to be calm, to be polite so she doesn't raise her high soprano voice and make a public embarrassment.

"Please get up from that seat," she said again, slowly and firmly.

"Which is your problem sef. You sound like an uncivilized child. In this era where you treat strangers right, you are here acting all mean" the man replied casually, even fully relaxing on the seat and stretching.

"What would you like to take ?" he asked as Kamsi was quiet.

Only if she had come out with her ATM card, she would have shown him she could buy what she wanted. Of course what she wanted would not be more than the five thousand naira breathing in her account which was all she had - home and abroad.

"Angel ?" the stranger called, reminding her of the uninvited guest on her table.

" Don't let me embarrass you. You really don't want to know what I can do. Get up and leave, " She said, putting her phone in her bag.

"Oga, stand up na. She said you should leave. "

She looked up to see Joseph. His height was intimidating enough then his body built just like his junior brother, he was well sculpted like it was a heritage.

The stranger straightened his suit, an attempt to pick up his pride that was scattered on the floor. He stood up slowly as some eyes in the restaurant watched them like a free movie without tickets.

" I'm sorry for keeping you waiting," Joseph said and sat in the seat directly facing her.

"It's fine, " she replied. Could she have said otherwise when she was the one in need?

"There was an urgent call I received and I had to attend to some things. I'm truly sorry. "

In reply, she nodded then pushed the khaki envelope on the table towards him. She was more than eager to get back home. It was not just her day.

Joseph opened the envelope and scrutinised the paper inside with his eyes narrowed in concentration. Impressed, he put back the contents of the envelope.

"Fine arts, I would have never thought, " he said with a smile.

"Surprise. "

" You got me really. So why did you not want to make money from it? " he asked.

Kamsi shrugged, composing herself to tell those lies that she had told for years.

"I'm not good at it."

"I don't believe that. You don't look like someone that could give time to something and not be good at it."

Those words made Kamsi smile because her talent was like a treasure locked away. As time passed by with her brother-in-law there, touching areas of her life that she had given up and buried, she wanted to tell him the truth then.

"I have to be going now. I have not had anything other than breakfast," she said.

"Oh my God, I'm sorry. Let me get you something. "

Kamsi did not protest. He called a waiter and made an order for her.

"Is that okay? "he asked.

She nodded, wishing the food could come faster.

"Have you told mama you are pregnant? " he asked.

" No."

It was not just Mama, she had not told Maka who is  a childhood friend and like a sister to her.

"That's why she has not packed in to pamper you like she did when Mimi was pregnant, " he replied.

The food came; Porridge plantain with  dried fish. She was the only one that ate, she was the only one very hungry and she did not disguise her condition.

" I will get you something in the local government but I would also love it if you start doing something with what you studied, " he said.

"It's not like my opinion matters, you know. I would actually be your highest customer if you start," he added.

Her eyes lit up as she swallowed her food. It was like she was seeing the possibility of the whole talk for the first time that evening.

Joseph watched her eat. The woman before him looked like a baby, a very vulnerable child that could not take care of herself . He felt pity just looking at her in an oversized polo and her hair packed up in a donut, though some strands of hair had left the band.

" If there's anything you need. Anything at all, just let me know," he said, knowing that when it comes to money, he would never disappoint.

He dropped her off at their gate and waited till the gate was opened before he drove off.