LOVE AND LIES
NINETEEN
Kola’s right leg was hung up at a side of the bed, bandaged. It reeked really bad. He couldn’t shake nor move it. He looked crestfallen as he laid in the hospital bed staring into the distance and thinking about his life.
The emergency room of the hospital had been really busy. It had a row of beds with emaciated patient sprawled in different positions in them. A cupboard for each bed could be seen by the side housing different medicines and beverages for each patient. Tall drip stands had blood and water bag running in a pipe to each patient. Floods of light gleamed from the roof. A horrible smell of drug hung in the air. Posters and photos with instructions about health beamed from the walls. Nurses, and doctors padded off and on. Some had their necks wired with stethoscope and shrouded in lab coats.
Kola was still wide awake. He looked sternly into the distance. He was imagining his life and how quick things had changed. For two days he had spent all the money in his account and the doctor had told him he would still need a surgery for his leg. Where on earth would he get the money? He would need to sell his car. It was already a scrap. He said to himself and hissed. What about Lara? She hadn’t picked his call not to mention visit him.
“That’s how so fast people can change.” He mumbled to himself. “They only need you till the favour you can render lasts.”He thought. But you just got yourself mingled with a wrong woman. Lara isn’t a kind of woman that will make you happy. Another thought told him. He shook his leg and tried to change his position in bed. His leg hurt and that quickly sent the signal that what he wanted to do was not possible. He wondered how long he would be in such situation. A manly ego restrained him from crying.
Nkiru walked in at this moment with a bag. She saw Kola staring and she smiled. Nkiru looked beautiful. Her face fresh with morning powder and eye-lid. She was in a tight- fitted jeans and a nice top that told Kola he was actually missing something.
“Good morning.” Nkiru greeted. “I believe you are getting better.” She said and sat beside him on the bed.
“Yes dear.” Kola replied. He couldn’t look into her eyes. All the wrong he had done to her began to haunt him. They flooded his mind like a storm. He became remorseful.
“I brought you some food.” Nkiru said and brought out the flask of food in her bag. She helped him up. He couldn’t eat himself because of the drip pinned into his right arm. Nkiru began to feed him, smiling as he rolled the morsel of food in his mouth and pushed it down his throat. She gave him water at intervals.
“What’s the doctor saying about your leg?” Nkiru asked.
“I need a surgery.”
“May God help us.” Nkiru sighed. “How much do we have left?”
“Nothing. I have spent all that was left in the contract I got. I am waiting for Dave. He should go and dispose that car. It is already a scrap.” He grunted those words between mouthfuls.
“Is that a good idea? I mean to sell your car?
Nkiru asked shaking her head in disapproval.
“Of what use is that scrap?” Kola mumbled, squeezing his face.
“How much will the surgery cost?”
“Nkiru you don’t need to do anything for me anymore. You are a good woman. I have been quite unfair to you. Please let me carry this my cross alone.” Kola said, about to cry.
“I knew when I married you that there will be tussles, ups and downs. Kola I am in this with you.”Nkiru told him.
“I have been an irresponsible husband to you. You are a good woman. You are not meant for me.” He cried.
“I have forgotten all you did. If that is what you want to hear. Just get better.” Nkiru said and stared into the food flask. “You need to stop talking and eat.”
Kola nodded and began to push more morsels of food down his throat. He drank water at intervals. He looked really sorry as he ate.
“Guess what?” Nkiru put in after a while.
“What?” Kola mumbled incoherently.
“I got a job.”
“Really!” Kola smiled.
“Yes but not a bank job. It is a school this time. I am going to be a teacher.” She rolled her eyes playfully and laughed.
“You just need to be busy.”
“Yes I will enjoy it. The kids are great.”
“That’s a great idea. I am happy for you!”
” The pay is not big. But I am ready to take the job. I was told to resume today initially but I told the woman I can’t that my husband is in the hospital. I told her I will resume on Monday.”
“You shouldn’t have said that. You should have resumed. You need to be happy Nkiru.”
“I am. ” She smiled. She looked at Kola. Their eyes met. Kola looked away sadly. Nkiru made sure he ate every food in the flask and she smiled when he was done.
“Now you finished it.” She said as she covered the flask up and put it away. ” I swear if you continue to eat this way, you will get really fat before you leave here.”
” I wish I would.” Kola smiled. Nkiru touched his face, rubbed some dirts off his cheek and adjusted his pillow. He laid back with a little effort.
” I need a bath and a brush. I am disgusting.” Kola growled regrettably. Nkiru laughed.
“Once the surgery is done, you will.”
Kola grunted rolling his head. Minutes later, he slept off.
Nkiru was with him by the hospital bed till night. Kola woke up to see her napping by the bed. He begged God for forgiveness. He shouldn’t have treated Nkiru the way he did. Marriage was for better for worse. Where was Lara anyway? He wished he would never go back to her. She was just a gold-digger looking for where to mine. She could have disappeared with another man. Kola told himself. But the fact that she had a son for him had got him glued. Kola wished he could have things straightened out with Nkiru and they would live happily ever after.
“Nkiru” he called her softly. He didn’t want to call her honey like before. It would sound untrue. Nkiru jerked up.
“You need to go home.”
“No I am not.” She said and laid back her head on the bed. Kola tapped her. She raised her head and stared at him with blood shot eyes. She smiled. A kind of smile that told Kola she was fine. Kola shifted leaving a good portion of the bed for her to stretch out. She smiled and laid stretched out beside him. She began to play with his beard. Kola cuddled her with the other arm. He pecked her on the forehead and rubbed off the strand of hair spilling into her face. He kissed her. They were not bothered about the people around. Nkiru smiled and they kissed more. Kola later slept off after a nurse had given him some pills to take.
To be continued……..
©Emmanuel Erondu, 2019
