Romans 7:14-15
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
"ARE YOU REALLY not going to let me in on what's going on? It's been two days and I'm worried about you. I used to tell you that your own kindness is too much. Who do you know in this day and age that lets strangers stay with them at their own expense, in this Nigeria? None. You're carrying this whole holy holy matter on your head o. Even Jesus no do this one. Now you're the one coming to me to borrow money," Ogechi said, forcing herself to talk below a whisper. The clock read five am on a Monday morning as the girls sat in the living room discussing Naomi's decisions.
Ogechi was dressed in a nightgown which belonged to her sister after deciding on Saturday to spend the weekend instead with her sister. Naomi herself was dressed in her usual scrubs ready for her early morning shift at the hospital. It was difficult for her to hide her weary expression from her sister as she thought about her rash actions the previous week. Ogechi's pestering about how naive she was by sacrificing even her bed for a man started that Saturday night when she brought out an old mattress, two pillows and blankets for them to sleep on the couch and floor respectively.
"Oge, is all this because I'm asking you for a common one thousand naira? If so then leave it abeg, I'll manage on my own. The month will soon end so I'll be expecting my salary sooner than you think," She said in defiance, not one to grovel or beg for something despite how much she needed it. Her bank account was completely spent leaving nothing tangible to work with. She desperately needed that money to enter motorbike or else she'll be forced to walk all the way to the hospital to have enough money to return in the evening, or vice versa.
Ogechi wasn't new to her sister's guilt tripping. "Oya now, since you don't need it, that's fine." She folded her arms around her chest, watching Naomi try to hide her disappointment. "That's all, right? You'll be back before seven pm."
Naomi slowly got up, grabbed her bag and hunched it over shoulder in resignation. She forced a nonchalant look. "Yes. Thank you for agreeing to stay and watch Lucius while I'm out. I drew up an itinerary for him, please don't do anything outside of those activities."
"Is he a baby? You're treating him like he'll break or something." At the sight of Naomi trying to talk back she said, "It's okay, it's okay, I'll follow the itinerary to the dot. Now go or you'll be late."
Naomi turned to leave.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
Naomi frowned. "What?"
Ogechi slipped out a one thousand naira note from the bag beside her on the couch and folded it into her sister's palm. "Stubbornness will be the end of you." Naomi's face split into a big smile.
"Thanks. I love you, see you this evening." She didn't wait for a response before leaving. Ogechi was certainly securing her share in her incoming salary. Ogechi sighed, swallowed by the silence that weighed on her in the small room. Sleep eluded her so she decided to examine the itinerary Naomi came up with.
Number one. Don't let him walk on his own. If he's to go anywhere you'll have to assist him.
Number two. There's a basin and cloth you can use to wipe him up in the morning. It's either that or helping him to shower. (I don't think you'll be cut out for that).
Number three. I've left food. After eating, do a routine check up. Ask him what he remembers, check the jotter I gave him and give him some encouragement.
She began to feel antsy by the time she reached the fifth instruction about not bringing anyone into the house. On a normal morning like this Ogechi would wake up and induce her system with a good amount of high before continuing her day. Almost three days now and her body had been deprived of what it yearned so much so that she could barely focus on anything. But she made a promise, logic was fighting with her to break it. They were just words after all, and Naomi would forgive her always because that was just her personality.
Then she imagined the disappointment she faced every time. It strengthened her resolve to do better. She decided the best course of action was to continue sleeping, even though it was hard to succumb to that bliss.
Hours later, when the sun shone brightly on the horizon and the heat started to permeate the atmosphere despite the early hour of the day, Akintoye sat at the edge of the bed he'd been occupying for three days now. He stared into the abyss, thinking about the words spoken to him in his dream. He couldn't remember what exactly happened but he always woke up to the words ringing in his ear.
Go back.
Remember Paul.
Paul.
It all confused him, jumbled up his mind, left him with more questions than answers, spiked the anxiousness he felt gnawing in him even more. What's so special about Paul? Could Paul be a fragment from his past? He would've gotten up to stretch his body if not for the cast weighing him down. Akin brushed his hand on the bandaged wound on his shoulder blade and tried not to think about the one on his back. The ache had dulled but there was a deep pain attached to it which ran past the wounds itself.
What to do with all these thoughts?
"You're awake. Good." He turned to see Ogechi standing by the doorway. Coupled with the sun rays incident in the room through the window and the dimness of the room because the electricity company withheld light from them her brown skin glowed. When she yawned and stretched, her gown raised a bit, wrapping around her curved waist like a glove. The sight stirred something in him. He looked away, feeling like he'd been staring at her for too long.
Ogechi didn't seem bothered as she came to sit beside him on the bed. "Naomi's gone for work so I'm the one looking after you today." She shot him a look. "Look I'm going to be frank with you I don't trust you. You might be injured or whatever but that doesn't make you innocent. As soon as you're good to go you'll leave my sister alone. She's been through enough."
Akin smiled. She was trying to intimidate him. "I owe your sister my life."
She scrunched up her nose. "Please try not to talk. Ọnụ gị na-esi isi. Your mouth..." She waved the air around her as if it would sting her. "Lemme go and bring your toothbrush and things. I can't carry you o. Before I break my own back."
Akin shook his head as he watched her walk away, swaying her hips slightly. That girl truly had no filter. She returned with a cup of water, a bowl, washing basin, towel and essentials she'll need to clean him. Akin brushed his teeth himself, spitting out the pasty foam in his mouth into the bowl. He took the cup of water from her, gurgled, spat it out and drank the rest.
He fumbled with the hem of his shirt. This was the part where Naomi would look away so that he would take his shirt off. A certain level of understanding existed between them when it came to how he exposed himself so Naomi never pushed. She was gentle, letting everything happen at his own pace. She would give him the sponge to scrub his upper body and then after washing his legs, leave.
"What is it? Remove your top na. You think I want to do this?" Ogechi said, irritatedly. Something about her felt different after some time. She was always tapping her feet, picking on her fingers, looking everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It almost reminded him of something.
He took the wet sponge from her. "I'll do it myself. You can go."
She hissed and left the room without any argument.
After washing himself he wore one of the big tops Naomi gave him and shorts she picked up somewhere on the street. He liked the shorts, it gave his leg some breathing space. The hallway smelled of fried egg and Lipton. He limped to the kitchen, using the wall to stable himself. There he saw Ogechi whisking eggs and pouring them into the frying pan. He loved the sizzling noise it made.
The electricity company returned the light a while back. In the living room the TV was already on a channel showing a game show. It seemed interesting so he wobbled into the room to watch. Eventually he was served toasted bread and egg with Lipton. They both ate silently.
"Where's your jotter? It's time for your check up, time for your check up. Do you know that cartoon? Doc McStuffins." She sang their theme song, "I don't think you do. Anyways, back to the book. Where?" Ogechi was a confusing person. One moment she's threatening him, helping him, abandoning him and now acting as though everything was fine. "Don't worry I'll search for it myself. Should be in that room."
She returned with the jotter in her hand. His handwriting was just ugly. She could barely understand what he wrote. Shockingly, it was only a word he penned down. Paul. She flipped through the pages. All were empty.
"That's all?"
He shrugged. "It's not that easy."
Ogechi tossed the book aside without a care. "What happened?"
"If I knew I wouldn't be sitting here."
"Right. Stupid question." She chewed the inside of her mouth. "Are you okay?"
His eyes clashed with hers, concern etched in every part of her features. "I..." he shook his head. "What are we doing today? The sooner we get started on things the sooner I regain my memories and hence the sooner I'll leave you and your sister's lives."
"It says here that studies have shown that focusing on another person helps stimulate mental activities. That's what we're supposed to practice. And then card games."
"You should get some rest first. You don't look okay." He said that because of the apparent dark circles under her eyes, the hollowness in her features and her disheveled appearance.
She nodded. "You can stay here. I opened the balcony door so this place can feel spacious. We'll continue in the afternoon."
°°°
Meanwhile, Naomi didn't wait for the motorbike driver to park properly before jumping off. She almost forgot to pay if not for the shouting of the driver accusing her of trying to run away with his money. She was in a rush to clock in before any of the doctors she worked under spotted her. At the entrance she signed the attendance sheet and slipped on a hair net as required. She rushed to her station to find Joana and Patricia conversing animatedly.
Patricia, dressed in her blue scrubs and purple crocs smiled brightly as she spoke, her expensive bone straight wig swaying to the side. Her fair skin glowed, there was an excitement in her eyes which showed in her body language. Joana winked at her. Seeing the two standing there made her feel left out. She slowed in her steps.
A hand wormed its way around her shoulders. Ezra looked down at her. His smile brightened her spirit. Immediately, she felt in a better mood. "Hey."
"Hi," she said softly, looking away to hide her smile. He was too nice to her.
"How was your weekend?" The two fell into step with each other. Instead of joining Joana and Patricia they went to the staff room where their lockers were. Naomi dumped her bag in there after taking out important things like her phone, handkerchief and gloves.
"It was okay. A bit stressful but I managed to get some rest."
"What could be so stressful on a weekend?" He asked, still searching for something in his locker. When he found it he slipped it into his pocket. Ezra came to sit beside her. She could smell the mousuf perfume coming off of him. "Are you okay?" He slipped his hands into hers, intertwining their fingers.
Naomi stared at their joined hands. She didn't feel that urge to pull her hand away. He'd never done that before. Is it just a friendly gesture? His strong hands in hers grounded her to the present.
What to say? Oh she stole a patient away without having any relations to him while the hospital suspects he could be a criminal and she could lose her job.
"I'm fine, Ezra." He didn't look convinced. "Really. Don't worry about me." Upon hearing incoming voices she slipped her hand away from his.
Chibuike, a pompous nurse of a higher position due to his close connection with one of the members of the board of directors of the hospital waltzed in with his two friends, Jamila and Derrick. Both equally from rich families and felt like they were too good for everybody. Chibuike turned to address her. "Doctor Ahmed requests your presence in the conference room. Now," he placed urgency on the now.
Her face drained of color at the same time she felt something drop in her gut.
"Why?" Ezra asked. He didn't like the smug look on their faces.
He shrugged with a knowing look. "She knows what she did. It's for the best anyway. You don't deserve to be amongst us just because your dead father was a close friend to the owner." His words pierced her heart.
Dead father.
Six years ago.
"Stop it, Chibuike." Jamila said.
"Why? Some of us had to work hard to be here, meanwhile she just had her position dropped on her lap. It makes me angry anytime I see her annoying face." He fumed before walking out.
"I'll be back." She said, not sparing Ezra a glance when leaving.
∞
I advise reading the whole of Romans chapter seven.
Share this story with your friends!<(￣︶￣)>
How do you guys feel about the songs?