From Housemaid To Oga’s Wife Episode 7
Nnenna started feeling weak and uncomfortable. Her head was hot, and her body felt heavy. At first, she thought it was just tiredness. But by the second day, she couldn’t even get up from bed. Her whole body was weak. She lost appetite and didn’t want to talk to anybody. Her eyes were dull, and she kept turning on her bed. She knew something was wrong. She reached for her phone and sent a message to Jessica.
“Madam, I’m not feeling fine. I don’t think I can come to work today. I will rest and see how I feel tomorrow,” the message read. Jessica replied with a short message: “Okay. Rest well.” Nnenna dropped the phone and covered herself with her wrapper. Her whole body felt hot. She slept off again. The next day was worse. She couldn’t even walk to the bathroom without support. She lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling, feeling helpless.
By the third day, Martins came to visit. He saw the state she was in and became worried. He helped her sit up and touched her neck. “You’re burning up, Nnenna. This thing is serious. When did this start?” he asked. Nnenna struggled to speak. “Since two days ago. I thought it would go,” she said. Martins got up immediately. “Let me go and get drugs from the pharmacy. We can’t leave this like this.”
Martins rushed out and came back with malaria drugs, vitamin C, and paracetamol. He gave her the medicines and sat beside her, watching her closely. “You need to eat something,” he said. Nnenna shook her head. “I can’t eat. I feel like throwing up.” Martins sighed. He looked around the room. “I’ll buy fruits. Maybe oranges and bananas will help you,” he added. He stayed a while and left later that evening.
One week passed. Nnenna was still sick. The drugs didn’t work. Martins came again and saw her condition. He didn’t waste time. “You’re not getting better. We are going to the hospital now,” he said firmly. Nnenna tried to protest but he shut her down. “Don’t talk. Just get ready.” He helped her pack a few things and carried her to his car. She rested her head on the seat as he drove.
At the hospital, she was taken to the emergency unit. The nurses checked her temperature and blood pressure. A doctor came and asked a few questions. Then, they took her blood for tests. After some hours, the doctor came back with the results. “She has malaria and typhoid. The typhoid is serious. We also have to monitor her pregnancy carefully. She needs to be admitted,” the doctor said. Martins nodded. “Please do whatever is necessary. Just make sure she’s okay.”
Nnenna was moved to a female ward. They placed her on drips and gave her injections. She slept most of the time. The nurses checked on her often. Martins stayed with her, refusing to leave. He sat beside her bed and talked to her whenever she was awake. One evening, she opened her eyes and saw him sleeping in the chair. “You’ve not gone home since?” she asked weakly. Martins sat up. “No. I told Jessica that I travelled for a business conference in Abuja. That’s how I got time to be here.”
Nnenna looked at him and tried to smile. “You’re doing too much for me,” she whispered. Martins shook his head. “You are carrying my baby. That alone is enough reason. I won’t leave you. I’ll stay here until you’re well.” Nnenna said nothing. She closed her eyes again. The nurses came in later to check her drip. They told Martins to help her eat something when she woke up. They also gave him a list of drugs to buy.
Martins went to the hospital pharmacy and bought everything on the list. He returned and kept the drugs beside her bed. Later in the evening, Nnenna managed to eat some rice and stew he bought for her. “Thank you,” she said slowly. Martins helped her clean her mouth. “You need to be strong. Everything will be fine. I’m just glad we brought you here early,” he said. Nnenna nodded slowly. Her body was still weak, but she felt safer.
By the third day in the hospital, the fever reduced. The doctors were happy with her progress. “She’s responding well to treatment. But she still needs bed rest. The pregnancy makes her condition sensitive,” one of them told Martins. He thanked the doctor and returned to the ward. He held Nnenna’s hand and said, “Soon you’ll be strong enough to go home. I’ll be here till that happens.” Nnenna looked at him and blinked slowly. She was too weak to say anything.
Jessica tried calling Martins twice that day, but he didn’t pick up. He later sent her a message saying he was busy with meetings. Jessica didn’t suspect anything. She even told one of her friends that Martins was in Abuja for a business event. “He travelled since last weekend. He’ll be back next week,” she said. Meanwhile, Martins was sitting beside Nnenna’s hospital bed, watching over her.
The next morning, Martins helped Nnenna sit up and fed her pap. “I just want to get well and carry this baby in peace,” Nnenna said. Martins looked at her. “You will. I promise you. I’ll stand by you.” He stood up and adjusted the bedsheet. The nurse came in to check her temperature. It had gone down. The doctor came later to check her. “She’s improving. Just a few more days,” the doctor said.
Martins went to get some fruits from a nearby market. He returned with oranges, apples, and bananas. He washed them and peeled an orange for Nnenna. She smiled weakly. “You’re spoiling me,” she joked. Martins laughed. “Better get used to it. You’ll soon be too big to do anything by yourself,” he replied. They laughed together. For the first time in days, Nnenna looked like she was getting better. Her skin was brighter. Her eyes looked a bit lively.
Later that evening, the hospital allowed visitors. One of Nnenna’s neighbours came around. “Ah, so you’re here. We’ve been wondering what happened to you,” the woman said. Nnenna smiled faintly. “Malaria and typhoid. But I’m getting better.” The woman stayed for a few minutes and left. Martins stood by the window, looking outside. When she left, he returned to the chair. “We need to keep this quiet. Nobody must know I’m the one here with you,” he said. Nnenna nodded. “I understand. I won’t say anything.”
That night, Martins made a bed for himself on the floor beside Nnenna’s bed. He used a wrapper and a pillow from home. He slept there like someone who didn’t have a care in the world. He only got up when the nurses came to check her. By morning, he woke up early, washed his face, and went to buy bread and tea. Nnenna managed to eat. Martins helped her drink her drugs. She looked at him with tired eyes. “Thank you for everything,” she said. Martins sat beside her and smiled. “Just get better. That’s all I want.”
To be continued
