CAUGHT

THE ENCOUNTER

He was not friendly as he stared at her. He wondered what a young woman was doing with so many bruises. She did not wear any wedding band nor was her name written in the patient admission case file as "Mrs".

When he attended to her as an emergency case earlier, he did not let his eyes wander over her body. Checking her after recieving her test results, he examined her wounds carefully as she slept. They were recent, reddened and from the looks of it, this girl could be in pain, he pondered in thoughts.

Tega had gone back inside the hospital by 8am to check on Onome but found the annoying medical doctor looking at her like she had horns. He saw the judgment in the man's eyes but he also knew the doctor was not stupid enough to ask him who flogged her.

"The test results showed some levels of malaria in the blood so, she will be treated for that. " The doctor said.
" My name is Tega, I am her man", Tega quickly said claiming responsibility for everything.

"My name is Doctor Oladele Oladeji but you can call me Dr. Ola, I am the attendant doctor on duty". He replied rudely.

Onome sluggishly opened her eyes at the sound of his voice and looked at the doctor. He was a light skinned tall hunk with a plain head. There was no hair on his head or his chin. He could be bald for all she knew. He wore his doctor's ward coat over a plain dark suit. He scowled at her as though she had offended him. Her sight seemed repulsive to him as he twitched his nose in an irritating manner.

"These are some antibiotics she will need but the hospital does not have them in store, you would have to get them from a reputable pharmacy." Dr. Ola said giving Tega a list of prescriptions. She tried sitting up but couldn't and she struggled.
"Madam you need to relax. Don't stress yourself unnecessary or exert energy." He blurted out.

He left the room in annoyance and Onome wondered what she did to offend him or what Tega had said to the doctor.
Tega seeing that she was fully awake, knelt by her bed side as usual.

"Sugar you gave me a scare. Why did you not call me that you were burning up., I am so sorry. I have called your mother, she is bringing you something to eat.  So sorry sugar." Tega said while caressing and holding her hand.

She closed her eyes and allowed the pain medicine coarsing through her vein to continue as she went back to sleep. She didn't feel like talking to Tega. Seeing him annoyed her but she lacked the ability to express her emotions in a healthy peaceful way. She did not want to quarrel or create another fracas in the hospital, hence her silence. Tega adjusted himself up, leaving the room,he went to get the medications the doctor prescribed.

The sound of her mother's footsteps woke her up a second time. This time, Tega was no longer in the room. Her phone was by her side alongside her wallet. Her mother's slippers always grazed the floor every time she walked briskly into a place. It was her signature move and it was irritating to Onome's ears.

"I done bring food, oya sit down make you chop" her mother, Mrs Igho said. Onajite was her name but most people knew her as madam garri. She was a hardworking farmer, who married a fisher man. Her only challenge was that she gave birth to too many children. Onome would always wondered why her mother loved giving birth. She was her mother's maid in raising her younger ones. She would always say, the first five was enough, why did she have to give birth to more, Was she in a competition with anyone over child bearing?

Onome was the eldest at 21 years of age. The second child is
Fejiro, a girl, she was already in her second year in the university at age 19. Oghenerunor a boy at 17 followed next with Oke a boy at 15. Both of them just gained admission into Ozoro polytechnic not so far from home.
Okiemute a boy at 13 in his senior year in high school is followed by Rukevwe a boy at 12 who was in secondary school also but about to write his junior WAEC.
Edafe a boy at 10 was in Junior secondary school, while Efemena a girl at 8 and Collins a boy at 6 years of age were in primary school.