James 1:2
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
"SO WHAT ARE you saying?" Naomi asked worriedly, tapping her feet on the ground as she felt an uncomfortable churning in her gut.
"Look," Doctor Ahmed removed his spectacles. "The hospital can't keep treating him without payment being made. He came in with no name, no document on him and with bullet wounds. For all we know that man could be a criminal. This is Nigeria. His bills must be paid."
"But doctor! That man has amnesia. He can't remember anything from like twenty years ago. That's the most serious case of amnesia I've seen in all my life and you want to let him go? He'll die. He has no one to call on."
"Exactly. Please calm down, Nurse Naomi. It disheartens me but there are protocols to these things. He can't remember his name, he doesn't know who he is or who his family is and he keeps blurting out nonsense -"
"-it's not nonsense."
"And so these are valid reasons why we can't continue his treatment. The hospital will have to get the police involved as well." Doctor Ahmed reclined on the chair in his office. "Now Miss Naomi I know you care for the patient because you brought him in when he could've died and that's a great thing you did but don't form too much of an emotional attachment. We have to handle this situation as professionals."
Naomi sighed. There was no way to convince him or even the board of directors to keep treating an unknown man, wasting their resources on someone they suspect could be a criminal. But what if he was attacked? What if he was just an innocent man caught in a crossfire and is now bearing the consequences? She thought doctors were supposed to save lives. She thought hospitals were a place to give people a chance to heal but here they were tossing out a man in dire need of treatment because of money.
She was at her wits end about the situation but couldn't challenge any decisions being made because of the chance that there could also be an inkling of truth in the points they made. So she nodded meekly and exited his office.
Naomi ignored the greetings of her fellow workers, heading straight for the clinic washroom where she could hide inside the stalls and bawl her eyes out.
And she did exactly that. The moment she got there she slammed the door shut, hunched over her back and wept in her palm. Her shoulders shook as she let out all her frustrations. How could they leave that man to die? The worst part is that she really wanted to help but felt too pathetic to do anything. "God what should I do?" She raised her head back to stare at the cracked ceiling. Tears dropped at the side of her eyes. Each time she pictured his unmoving body covered with blood in front of that building a fresh wave of sadness came over her and she wailed even louder.
She didn't even care that some people were knocking on her stall inquiring about why she was crying. Nothing mattered other than the fact that things weren't going the way they should. Her phone rang showing an image of her sister. The picture was one she took without her being aware. She looked so silly that it made her chuckle.
She let the phone ring without answering. She couldn't handle any more bad news.
"Are you okay?" A woman asked when she finally stepped out. It was only her. The others who were worried probably left thinking that it was out of their hands. "Here, have this." The woman gave her a tissue to wipe her makeup and snort with.
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.
Is the man a criminal?
Focus.
She walked to the section of the hospital where payments were made. An accountant, Stanley, smiled at her. "Hey Naomi. Long time no see. You don't come to this side these days."
She chuckled. "Sorry about that. Things have been hectic in the hospital recently. All hands on deck, you get? Anyways I'm here to pay for someone."
"Okay. What are your relations with the patient?"
Naomi chewed on her bottom lip. Her Access bank balance showed a very little amount of two hundred thousand naira. His total bill should come up to around a hundred thousand naira for the week that he had been there plus she had no light at home. Her bill had expired. Not to mention her sister calling her and the empty pantry in her apartment.
A Bible verse immediately came into her mind.
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life. -Matthew 6:27
"He's a friend. He stays in ward A3."
Stanley typed on the computer before his information came up. "His total is one hundred and ten thousand three hundred and ninety nine naira. Will you be doing a transfer or generation of an invoice? There's also a POS available for you."
Naomi gulped. So much money is leaving her pocket in just a day. She just had to trust God to replenish it. "I'll transfer the money to the hospital's bank."
Stanley called out the bank details. The computer beeped, confirming the transaction seconds later. "Done. You should be coming -"
"Okay, bye!" Naomi was already speed walking towards ward A3 before anything happened. She had never felt more frustrated with hospital protocols than now as she filled out the discharge form in the reception on the second floor where ward A3 was. Of course she couldn't just wake him up and take him away with her. She had to lie to Abigail, the one working there that she was a family friend of his before she could get a form.
Upon seeing doctor Ahmed talking to someone at the end of the hallway she wrote faster, her heart beating wildly in her chest. He's probably heading to ward A3. Once she was done Abigail printed a photocopy for her to take with her to show the security personnel at the gate.
Quickly, Naomi ran to his room. She ignored the cops dozing off as she slipped into the room. She heaved, carrying the heavy man onto a wheelchair wasn't easy. She pulled the drip bag on the pole along as she wheeled them out of the room, effectively dodging Doctor Ahmed and his incoming questions if he were to see what she was doing and slipped out of the hospital building without anyone she knew recognizing her.
Relief flooded through her. Not only that, a huge smile formed on her face. What she was doing felt right even though it was spontaneous, crazy and cost her so much. It just felt so good that happiness bloomed in her chest. After the security guard let them pass, not without inspecting the discharge form, she wheeled him to the roadside where the Uber she ordered would arrive.
"Hey!" Her heart skipped a beat at the person who shouted her name. "Nurse Naomi. Hi!" It was Abiola. "A pleasant surprise seeing you here with... a patient. Is this why you were crying?"
"Erm...I..."
"Oh, forgive me if I'm prying. Where are you heading towards? I could give you a lift."
"Thanks but I've already ordered an Uber which will arrive any moment now."
"Please let me help. It's the least I can do after what you did for me."
Now it was her turn to be confused. "Me? This is my first time meeting you."
Abiola laughed. "Okay let me be specific. What you did for my daughter. She's the one who saw you in our car. You saved her life and the little one growing in her womb."
Recognition flashed in her mind. They looked alike. This was the mother of a girl who came in wanting to have an abortion because she was afraid. Naomi was there when she cried, feeling lost and hopeless because her future was ruined.
"Will you come, please? It's the least I can do for now."
Naomi nodded and followed.
She wouldn't know that soon after she left two police officers stepped out grumbling among themselves.
∞
I've been playing the song above on repeat (≧▽≦)
Anyways what do we think of this chapter?
Vote, comment, and follow to get more updates!