Solitude – Episode 18
SOLITUDE
_18_
All the way to the clinic I hold on to my tummy, it hurts so bad and the tears just start falling involuntarily. I don’t know what to make out of this, one minute I was okay and the next I am feeling really sick.
‘Hold still Nella we are almost there.’ He says driving really fast
I don’t know what happens next but I pass out.
AUGUST
I have been waiting for the doctor to attend to Nella for the past eight hours, it’s now 8 in the evening and the nurse is just letting me know that for as long as she is unconscious, they won’t be able to attend to her. Now more than ever I am confused, worse of I am the one that was with her before she started complaining about the stomach pains so I am pretty sure if anything I will be blamed.
At 7 the following morning I decide to call Chanda, she had tried calling the previous night and I didn’t pick up. She has already sent me hate mails but nothing will compare to when she hears from someone else that I have been here all along.
‘I am coming.’ She says immediately I explain what happened
It doesn’t take Chanda long before she shows up at the hospital, she has brought me some fresh clothes with coffee.
‘Good morning baby.’ She says pecking my cheek
‘Good morning.’ I respond thankfully taking the coffee from her
‘What happened?’
I narrate everything, not omitting any details and she just listens. I can see she is already dressed for work.
‘Have you called anyone? Her relatives maybe?’
‘You and I both know she doesn’t have any.’
‘I don’t know that.’ She says
‘Well I am telling you now.’
‘August you have work to do.’
I look at her with disbelief
‘Are you hearing yourself? Nella is in there unconscious and you want me to leave when in actual sense I was with her when she got like that.’
‘Maybe if you weren’t all this wouldn’t have happened!’ she hisses
I can’t believe her right now but I choose to let it go because this is not the time or the place to do it.
‘I will be going to the office, at least one of us cares about our jobs. At least one of us have to work our ass off to get to the top than being given handouts by dead women!’
‘Chanda!’
‘Take care of your mistress, you will find me home in the evening.’ She says
I watch as she angrily walks away leaving a clicking sound with her shoes.
‘Mr. Cochrane.’
‘Yes.’ I say turning around
‘Ms. Mphanda is now awake and being attended to by the doctor.’
I rush to the ward and find her still in the state that she was the previous night, except now she is even vomiting. Her face looks really pale
When she stabilizes, the doctor asks that I go with him to his office.
‘Doctor what is wrong with her?’
‘I need to do some tests but from the symptoms shown I can tell it is Stomach flu.’
‘Stomach flu?’
‘It is an intestinal infection marked by diarrhea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.’
‘Wait doctor, but what causes that?’
‘Stomach flu is typically spread by contact with an infected person or through contaminated food or water.’
‘But she was okay yesterday.’
‘Depending on the cause, stomach flu symptoms may appear within one to three days after you are infected and can range from mild to severe. Symptoms usually last just a day or two, but occasionally they may persist as long as 10 days.’
‘And how do you treat them?’
‘I will give her some medicine and write down a list of some foods she must avoid until further notice. For now, I will just put her on a drip, then we can let her go by afternoon.’ He says
‘Alright thank you.’ I say going back to the ward
‘Hey you.’ She says looking pale
‘You were almost dying.’ I joke and she smiles weakly
‘I better write my will.’ She says rolling her eyes
‘Do you think this has something to do with the company?’ she askes after much silence
I look at her, honestly, I had thought about it but I didn’t want to bring it up thinking that maybe I am just overreacting.
‘It crossed my mind.’
‘I was with you when all this happened, I am certain anyone might think it’s me. Considering Chanda is my, you know.’
I cant bring myself to say that Chanda is my woman.
‘Did you poison me?’
‘What? Of course not.’
‘Then it’s not you.’ She says
‘What makes you so sure?’
‘I trust you.’
‘You what?’
‘August, we have been working together for the past three months, if you wanted to harm me, I really think you would have done it sooner.’
‘Or maybe I was just trying to gain momentum.’
She looks at me
‘That may be true.’
‘Are you going to pursue this further?’
‘I have a strong feeling Chibesa has everything to do with this.’
‘Chibesa?’
‘From the onset I knew there was something fishy with the way he invited me to dinner and all, I had a feeling something would come up.’
‘Or maybe it was genuine.’
I laugh.
‘I am not naïve August.’ I say
I don’t say anything, I watch as she dozes off. She sleeps through the afternoon and around 3PM she is discharged now I am debating on whether to take her to my place or hers.
‘Why are we here?’ she asks when we get to my place
‘I need to get some clothes.’
‘For?’
‘You honestly think I am leaving you alone in this condition.’
‘August.’
‘Nella this is not up for discussion.’
‘But work?’
‘I will work from home; besides you are not in any condition to work.’
‘And when did you become a doctor?’
‘Just now.’ I say leaving her in the car
I go inside the house and collect some things; I notice the wardrobe is filled with Chanda’s clothes. I know she will kill me for this but Nella is not in any position to live on her own right now, maybe I could keep her company for some days until she is back on her feet.
I pack everything that I need then drive us back to her place.
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‘I don’t know if the couch will be okay for you but we are not sharing my bed.’
‘I have a deflating mattress.’ I respond with a huge smile
She shakes her head in disbelief
‘Of course, you do.’ She responds sighing heavily as I walk behind her
