Must Read: A man

7 years ago

Must Read: A man

Richard rushed back to the hospital to check
on Christina again, thank God it was Friday
evening, even if it wasn’t, he had been
unfaithful to his work. He was sad as he saw
her just lying on the bed, probably thinking
she might die. “Christie.” He tapped her as he sat besde her, on the plastic chair.

“Welcome back bro, how far?” She asked.

“Still hoping, I met a lady and I discussed a
little about us with her. I pray she considers
me and help us out.” He said.

“Will it even be necessary again?” She smiled.

Richard frowned and stood up. “Don’t start
saying any rubbish, don’t say anything
frightening over there, Christiana.” He warned
and sat again.

“Bro, it’s a matter of knowing the truth and
the truth, setting one free. I pray I’ll be alright,
but…” she smiled again and kept quiet.

“It is better that way, than saying any rubbish
that might annoy me. What have you eaten or
what will you eat?” He enquired.

“I’m alright.” She waved her hand.

Richard stared at her as she waved her hand.

She had grown leaner than before, it seems
that yellowish pattern on her skin has reduced
but she looked dehydrated also. He sighed
and kept quiet for a while. “I’m asking, what
are you going to eat?” He asked again.

“I’m serious, I’m alright.” She replied.

“You’ve grown leaner, but your beauty can’t fade. I love you Christiana.” He said, squinting his face as tears almost fell from his eyes.

“I love you too, Richard. I think you should go
home and rest properly.” Christiana said.

“What are you saying? I can’t leave here
tonight, I’ll sleep over.”

*******

Jay clapped his hands together after receiving
a call from the Secretary of the office and sat
down beside Uche. “This one na die.” He
clapped again.

“What did she say? At least we got the Boss
informed about our absence today, hope we
are not in trouble?”
“None. She told me the Director asked her to
draft Richard’s sack letter this afternoon, isn’t that bad?” He hissed.

“Sack letter again? In this problem! Though, to
be realistic, hs deserves it, but Director should
have at least pitied him.”

“He has done his worst, my prayer is just that
his sister doesn’t die, the guy might die too.

But, today na Friday night na, we no go go
club tonight?”
“I’m not in the mood, I don’t feel like.”

Uche la!d on the sofa.

Jay took a deep breath.

*******

“When the frustration one is passing through
is too much, the person might say bad things
to God.” Pemisire said as she dropped the
bread In her hands.

Helen cleared her throat. “What on earth are
you trying to drive at again? I hope it isn’t
that you want to cry again?

Pemisire had started crying within a twinkle of
an eye. “The last time I ate bread, it was with
Pemisayo. She was discussing about death
that day we were eating. She told me one isn’t
ready for death until it comes, she never knew
her own days were numbered already.”

“Just take it easy! If I knew you’d do this, do
you think I’ll allow us take bread tonight?
Stop it!” She cautioned.

Pemisire snifled. “Alright.” She wiped her tears and dropped the bread. “I have never seen a guy weep like the one I met today, I never knew many people love their siblings too.”

“I hope you won’t tell me you aren’t eating
this bread again.”

“I lost.. I lost the appetite.” Pemisire replied
as she stood up.

“I miss her, I miss Dad, I miss my acoustic
guitar and… Helen!” She exclaimed.

“What?” Helen raised her head quickly.

“My diary! It is still in that house!” She
shouted.

“What do you mean? Did you write anything
implicating in there?” Helen asked.

“I wrote the secret about the attaché case, I
left it on my bed. They must have read it!”
She shouted.

“Take it easy girl. They might know you have
the attaché case but how are they going to
get you? You better let go of these scary
thoughts.”

“No, I repeat, no! Something tells me I might
be caught, Helen, do you think this place is
really safe?” She asked.
Helen laughed. “You this girl, even if they get
hold of your diary, how will they know you are
here? It is not possible! You have no mobile
phone that can be used to track you down,
and many things like that.” She smiled.

“I pray so.” She sat again, battling with her
thoughts.

*******

Pemisire got to the front of Hexagon Club and
Bar and met Richard out there, crying already.

It looked really strange. It was early in the
morning, why would he come and sit at the
front of a Bar and start crying? He also cried
the night before, wasn’t it getting too much.

What could be making him weep? Or has his
sister died? She felt she was getting to close
to him, as a stranger but his tears had always
made her affable. She felt for him as she saw
him. She had felt something even much more
than that and knew how it’d be to loose such
a treasured person.

She stood awhile from him watching him as he
cried there. She couldn’t force back her tears
too as she swallowed hard and started crying
too. Seeing him made her remember her twin
sister and father again. She also remembered
her mother who had died of cancer.

As his last hope, if his sister should die, he
might not forgive her again. When his sister
was still alive and he turned himself to a
useless person through drinking, what if
everything should end?
She swallowed again as she wiped her tears.

Though, she didn’t know him, though they just
met but it seemed Richard was real. It must
be her gregarious character that brought him
back to her again, if the transplant is
protracted, she might really die.

If a pea falls out of the pod, leaving the other
pea, it would be so sad and lonely of the pea
still enclosed in the pod. She had stood there
for five minutes already, crying and wiping her
tears, wondering if she could help him out.

If she had someone to help her, her family
might still be alive. “I’ll help him!” She said
and looked determined as she approached
him.

“Hey.” She waved at him.

Richard sprung to his feet on seeing her.

“Unknown, please help me.”

So, he hasn’t forgotten this my name… She
thought as she smiled faintly. “Where are you
here as early as this?” She asked him.

“Because I really need you to help me. A week
is running out and the kidney transplant
hasn’t been done on her, please!” He begged her, crying.

Pemisire looked at him with leery eyes and
shook her head. ‘He looks real!’ She affirmed deep in her. “Even if I die all in the name of helping him, I have a reward from God.”

“Em… What’s your name?” She asked.

“I’m Richard. I’m really serious, I’m real.”
He repeated.

“I think I’m going to give up on working here
becaus of you, I don’t think kidney transplant
is an easy thing. I.. I believe all will be well.

Can you take me to that sister of yours and let
the preparations start.”

“Wha? You are really..” Richard jumped
happily, that was what she also wanted, joy,
happiness, being ecstatic, being enthusiastic.

“Are we good to.. good to go?” He stammered.

“Yeah.”

God please help me, please assist me. I’m just
acting by your words which is to assist
anyone in problem. I still have many battles I
have to fight, please strengthen me and don’t
let this guy turn out to be a hired killer.