Dirty

08 | Slipped out

Naomi stood in front of the mirror after wiping her face thoroughly. Her slim eyes were really red and puffy, there was still sadness in her features and she had dark circles under her eyes. Results of countless sleepless nights trapped in her thoughts. She turned to the woman. "Thank you miss...?"

"Abiola. I was really worried, you cried a lot in there. Will you be okay?"

"I don't know." She said honestly, head down as she looked at her feet. Naomi brought her head up, smiled a bright smile in order to ensure the woman that she would be fine. "But I'll be alright. Work was just... overwhelming I guess."

The woman didn't look convinced, however, Naomi was already walking out. The time on the clock read eight thirty nine pm. Her shift ended thirty nine minutes ago and she was yet to decide how to handle all that was happening. Her phone kept ringing in her pocket, irritating her further.

"Won't you answer that?" Nurse Joana asked. "Whoever it is seems to really want to talk to you."

"No, thanks. I'd rather not answer. Unknown number." The lie came out of her mouth, and immediately it felt like a brick had landed on her chest. That's how she preferred to describe the conviction of her Holy Spirit. Naomi closed her eyes for a moment, asking for forgiveness from God for lying.

"I'm really trying my best." She whispered.

"What was that?" Joana asked absentmindedly. Her attention was on a woman having difficulties filling out the information on her folder. "This column here is for those who had their names legally changed. You understand ma'am? But you haven't, so you can just write your normal name on the first column."

"Nothing."

"What are you still doing here?" Nurse Patricia waltzed in with her acquaintance, Denise beside her. Denise worked in the radiology department and had a reputation of being unnecessarily rude to everyone. "Never mind that, guess what I just saw."

"What?" Joana asked, ever ready for gossip. She was finished with the woman anyway.

"There are some cops standing outside ward A3." Denise said. "They're only two though. It's not a big deal."

"Excuse you. I wanted to be the one to say it." Patricia hissed while rolling her eyes. "So why are you still here Mimi? Your shift was over ages ago. Or do you want to give us gals a helping hand?"

"No please. I'm going now." She hooked her bag on her shoulder. "See you guys next Monday. Tell Ezra I'm taking my leave."

"Okay, lovers!" Trust Joana to shout it loudly for everyone to hear. Naomi had a calm personality though, so she easily brushed her antics off. She had major things to worry about.

Something was nagging her. It came in the form of an idea but she really didn't want to do it. It would add more expenses in her life. The voice in her head kept urging her to do it. That was the only way to help the man she didn't know why she had felt so compassionate towards even after knowing him for just a few days.

She sighed. If she didn't listen to her Holy Spirit she was only going to spend nights regretting her actions and reprimanding herself for being stubborn.

Naomi passed by the two police officers Denise mentioned sitting on a bench in front of ward A3. They appeared to be disinterested in being in a hospital to inspect a patient. She didn't understand why she felt an urgency to do whatever was in her mind before the cops got the go ahead to enter.