VILE

Chapter 49: The Present

"Are you comfortable?" The only thing Tomike could think of to start a conversation with him. He simply nodded in response.

"You're sure you don't need anything else?" Again he replied with nodding. Tomike knew that Dayo was avoiding any sort of conversation with her. But still she was just grateful he was alive and okay. God answered her prayers.

The two weeks that Dayo was in a coma almost killed her, not just metaphorically but literally. She would have panic attacks and dizzy spells. She bearly ate and lost so much weight. One time she fainted at the hospital because of fatigue, and had to be hospitalized because the doctors also realized her blood pressure was lower than normal. She was placed on bed rest and room arrest so she could actually rest. She was only allowed to see Dayo twice a day for her own good and was placed on sedatives to help stabilize her condition. She wasn't as strong as she thought afterall.

After Dayo finally got out of his coma everything got much better. He was recovering fast and responding excellently to treatment in Dr Javier's words.

But Dayo wouldn't talk to her. He wouldn't even give her as much as a glance. It hurt Tomike, but then again she was just relieved to know that he was fine.

"Well I'm off to work now. I'll be back by noon to check on you, I'll bring Anna along. Don't get too lonely before then okay?" No response. Tomike felt a painful pinch in her heart. She gave him a kiss on his forehand which he was unresponsive to and then walked out of the hospital room. Tears ran down her eyes as she walked out of the building. She couldn't stop or control it.

"Mrs Adedayo?" It was Dr Javier.

Oh dear, not this man again.

She tried to wipe her tears away before he noticed but it was too late.

"I'm sorry ma'am, are you alright?"

"Yes yes I am, it's nothing really"

"Are you sure?"

Abeg leave me alone na

"Yes sir, I'm sure"

"Okay. I just wanted to check on you to see if you're good. Have you been keeping tabs on your bp?"

"Yes I had it checked this morning, it's normal"

"Oh that's good"

"And by the way it's Miss, not Mrs. You keep making the mistake"

"Oh.. I'm sorry. Perhaps it's because it's so hard to believe such a pretty lady like you is single"

Is he hitting on me right now? Not like I mind anyways.

For some reason which Tomike could not understand, he seemed quite nervous. She was thankful to the man for being so hands on with her son's case and for being so patient with her the days she'd go off on him out of anger or frustration. But looking at him now it seemed there was much more to his kindness.

"You still don't remember me do you?" His gaze would pierce through her head if it could.

Pretty brown eyes he has.

"No I don't. Am I suppose to?''

"I didn't want to mention it before because the circumstances weren't right." He dipped his hands into the pocket of his white lab coat "Well we met at a restaurant in Brighton* a couple of months ago. You were out with your friends, and pretty tipsy if you ask me. You spilled your wine on my white shirt. I was going for a date that night and you totally ruined it" he chukled.

Just then Tomike recalled that night. There was a celebration for a colleague's birthday, and for some weird reason she obliged to go. She emptied her filled up wine glass on his perfectly ironed white shirt and the glass itself broke on his leg. She was just now realising he was the one.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry about that night"

He chuckled again "It's fine really. I'm just a bit disappointed you didn't remember me"

The only reason I wouldn't remember such a good looking face is cos I was drunk, otherwise...

"I guess it's because I've been under so much tension the past few weeks"

"Yeah I figured. Do you mind if I get your number?"

"Sure no problem"

They exchanged phone numbers and he had this grin on his face all the while. It wasn't an awkward or weird grin in Tomike's opinion, on the contrary it was a very soft and comforting one, so much so she didn't realise she was smiling back.