Resurgence

14. Alchemy

“There is magic, but you have to be the magician. You have to make the magic happen.” – Sidney Sheldon.

•••

“And are you sure that he isn’t going to have amnesia?”

Lani couldn’t help but ask for the umpteenth time in her disconsolate state, as the doctor hovered over Tari’s unconscious figure slumped over a plump sofa in the room. He had been out for more than an hour and she couldn’t help her perturbed state from escalating out of control. Asides from the fact that it was her fault that he was hurt—as a result of her absent mindedness and unawareness of her surroundings—she didn’t want any harm to befall him. But as he sat on the chair, pillow plopped under his neck and ice patch plastered to the back of his head, she couldn’t help her intrusive thoughts from veering towards abysmal fates.

“No, Miss Olaere. I assure you that a collision of that nature isn’t enough to wipe his memory.” The doctor turned around to face her, tight lipped with his hands dipped into the outer compartment pockets of his white jacket. The middle aged man before her looked qualified and adept enough, with a stern look that spoke volumes of experience but yet it wasn’t enough.

“Of such nature?” She couldn’t help but scoff. “That was a Eurocave heavy duty wine cabinet that fell over his head, with its edge hitting him and you say it isn’t an impact of such nature that wipes off memories? Perhaps you’d like a demonstration or two to see just how fatal the collision was. Maybe I should drop it over your head.”

She knew she was being antsy and inexplicably rude, but she couldn’t help it. Who was he to label something as not fatal or not. She didn’t care if he had been a doctor right from his mother’s womb. It didn’t grant him the liberty to say an accident like that wasn’t ghastly. It wasn’t until the person was involved in a car crash or shipwreck that it could be termed as a calamity.

“I’m sorry Miss. I didn’t mean to insinuate this isn’t a big deal, but I can assure you that Mr. Ibiyemi here would be fine.” The man winced at her backlash, and the rest of the members of her team who she was sure were watching the trio from the corner of their eyes even after she had ordered them to resume their work after the crash. “My work here is done, I’d advice that you tell the people here to put a hold on their work for an hour or two, so he would be well rested when he wakes up.”

She nodded in compliance. “Is that all?”

“Yeah, that should do.” The doctor said, slipping out of his white overcoat, which he folded and placed into his briefcase before sliding the shutters close. He straightened up and threw a final glance in the direction of Tari before throwing in a final word. “And make sure he doesn’t partake in anything strenuous for the rest of the day. In fact, it’s highly advisable that he should leave here the moment he wakes up and head home to sleep. I’d be taking my leave now.”

Even though she hadn’t been exactly respectful to him, she held out a hand and flashed a smile of gratitude. The man took without hesitation and it was obvious that he wasn’t dredging up a grudge as a result of her behavior earlier. Definitely it wasn’t new to him as he would have met a large number of people of varying traits and character due to the consulting nature of his job. After the doctor walked out, Lani did as she was advised and told the carpenters, painters and other specialists on site to take an hour break so a measure of tranquility could reign. The news was received well, as they all walked out in haste.

Her team members remained behind in a bid to be a pillar of support, but she insisted that they leave after they had offered to bring something up for her in the way of lunch. She wasn’t hungry, she wasn’t a person who ate much and so the hunger wasn’t going to sprout out of a damp soil—which was her troubled heart for Tari’s state.