Too Good to Be Real

Chapter 55

Oma and Femi sat outside in the waiting room, holding hands together and praying.

"Oh Lord God forgive your daughter and bring her back to life. Perform a miracle..."

Oma managed to mutter amen after each sentence with the tears which had turned her face into a marsh. Femi was violently praying and gripping her hands painfully that Oma was certain their prayers would be answered.

In the Accident and Emergency ward, Asa didn't seem like she was going to make it.
Unfortunately Oma had found her over forty minutes after she'd slit her own wrists, when she'd lost a dangerous amount of blood. After rushing her to the same memorial hospital her mother had died in just a few hours prior, they'd felt a pulse so faint it was a gamble over her life.

Oma and Femi weren't allowed into the ward as a lot of things were going on so all they could do was pray and cry in the waiting room just like the others whose close ones were equally fighting for their lives in the ward. The hallway was a depressing place to be in, with people awaiting news of their loved ones whose fates were now in the hands of the doctors and nurses. Occasionally, someone began to sob while others stared in disbelief. There were no discussions.

A group of nurses wheeled in a patient whose face was almost unrecognizable with bruises and burn wounds and Oma shuddered and looked away.

After over an hour without any news from both the nurses or the doctor, they got tired of praying and sat down with the others. She knew she had to call Asa's father but she highly doubted he would be the first person Asa would wish to see when she woke up.

If she ever woke up.

But someone had to pay the hospital bills.

Oma burst into tears. She'd been so selfish, worrying about things that weren't even the least bit important when her friend and roommate was probably felt so lonely and pained after the short, emotionless cryptic message announcing her mother's death her father had sent.
She hadn't even wanted to see Asa who'd always been there to see her through her drama. She wished she'd done something different, anything to make Asa know she was loved and to have called her immediately the news came rather than slit her own wrists.

But she had to stop blaming herself, even though it felt impossible. Obi had told her about his own mother's suicide, how he'd realized some people couldn't just be helped.

A nurse came out, a dreary look on her face. This one was obviously a harbinger of bad news. The room became deathly quiet.

"Who's here for the young lady..."
Oma felt the air leave her lungs.
"Miss Marvelous Odi."

A woman who'd been crying sorrowfully indicated she was the young lady's mother while the others collectively heaved a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry to announce the demise of your..."
No one was able to hear the rest of what the nurse said as the woman began to scream, telling God to take her instead and even began to curse the nurse who she believed hadn't done enough work.

As the woman was taken away by two young men she identified as the deceased's brothers, Oma wondered how anyone in their right senses would choose to become a nurse. She couldn't imagine being in this situation everyday.

After hours with no News forthcoming, Femi left for some reason Oma was not interested in.
Oma remained in the same spot for more hours as new patients were wheeled in, another announced dead.

"Who's here for Miss Asa Daniels?"

"Me! Me!" Oma responded. She tried to guage the expression on the nurse's face, but it was a different nurse on the night shift, whose face was as expressionless as her voice. Oma stood, muttering a silent prayer for good News while the woman's gaze lingered on her for a suspiciously long time.