Out Of Pity

Chapter 6: Without Words

"Will you answer me? Or will you just keep staring?" Morenike snapped at him and he blinked.

"Oh, sorry." Kelvin wiped his hand from his neck to his head. "I was absentminded. I'd misplaced Shedrack's contact a couple of months ago. Seeing you on the news, I had to rush here."

"The press left an hour ago, and I noticed you since you stepped in. Does it take so fast to fly here?"

"No, I was in Aja when I heard the news." He glanced sideways with blowed-out cheeks.

"Okay, that's understandable."

A small smile forced from Kelvin's lips as they walked eastward of the hospital.

"Death is indeed wicked. I wish Sheddy and I could have one more moment of understanding, but all of that is the past. Sorry, to say, what happened to Moses shattered me that losing my husband." Morenike clarified while they climbed the stairs, which led them to the next block. Kelvin followed her by the side, focusing.

"My boy hasn't opened his eyes since the accident. The doctors said he might not survive this. Her low voice cracked to a pause. Moses should have undergone surgery by now, but they billed us three million naira for his surgery. I asked that they announce support from the public. They said I will have to meet their manager to do so." Morenike halted as they walked through the corridor. "Hope I'm not bombarding you with my problems?"

"No, not at all." He nodded to the sincere reply. "I wish I could avoid all of these... I mean." Kelvin held his head, slouched and lost for words. "Sorry, all of this is emotional for me."

"You and Sheddy must be close." She implied after watching him closely. Her arms folded as she closely faced Kelvin. Then, Morenike turned at the passing patients and briefly rubbed her eyes. "What's your name, again?"

"Kelvin." He introduced in a stutter. "Kelvin Jakande." He pronounced it properly.

"Kelvin? Thats weird! I only know of Gideon and Bayo. I never knew any of his friends baring Kelin throughout our marriage."

"We were childhood friends and we haven't met for fifteen years now." Kelvin lied, trying to explain, but she interrupted him again.

"Well, he hardly shares things with me so, that's understandable. Did you fly from Abuja to visit Moses?

"Yes, no!" a sour grin failed his facial expressions as he lied again. "I mean, yes."

This was getting normal. It took a lot to hold the truth from Morenike. Kelvin wished he could fly a plane again. Although he never met Shedrack Benson, he wished the lie he just told was the truth.

"That's nice. I never knew Sheddy had such a connection, I mean. We lived from hand to mouth. What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a pilot."

"A pilot?" She said in admiration, replaced the gaze of disbelief in her eyes.

A hand roughly grabbed Morenike from behind, they turned to meet an elderly woman in white laced buna, wapper, and blue gele made of aso oke.

"How shameful? It's not up to a week yet. You are already cheating on your husband?"

"Stop it, Iya Ola!" Morenike spat as tears gathered in her eyes into a painful gasp."This is Shedrack's friend and you're in a hospital." She immediately pulled away from Kelvin.

"I see you've got a better catch!" Iya Ola rolled her eyes at Kelvin and hissed. "Don't you know the world is watching? After my son gave you his all! You aren't even caring for his son?"