Into the Starry Night

Twenty-Three

When I opened my eyes again I was in a sterile white room with flapping blue curtains over a picture window. The sun was out in full force and I could tell it was already afternoon.

That was pretty much the only thing I could infer because I had no idea where the hell I was.

Looking down I found myself wearing an unfamiliar ugly blue and white hospital gown. The material was starchy and cheap and I could feel my skin start to crawl from having it on my person.

I was wondering who'd changed me out of my clothes when a movement to my right caught my attention.

It was Timini fast asleep on the only chair in the room, his jacket spread over him forming a makeshift blanket.

Hazy memories of the dinner came flooding in and everything made sense. I had a horrible allergic reaction to his food and he must've brought me to the hospital.

I immediately felt bad. All he had wanted to do was cook for me and I had gone and almost died, all of it right as he was in the middle of speaking.

I was beyond mortified and I had no idea how to rescue this particular situation.

Just as I was about to say something to alert him of my consciousness the door opened and in walked a tall middle-aged man. He wore a lab coat and had a stethoscope around his neck.

“Let's see here. Amarachi Okon,” He tapped the clipboard he was holding with the pen in his hand before looking up at me. “Well good afternoon Miss Okon, my name is Dr. Adeleke, how are we doing today?”

The noise woke Timini and once he saw I was awake he stood up and came to sit beside me, taking my hand and giving me a concerned look.

“Hey,” he said softly. “How are you?”

“I'm fine,” I answered both of them. “I'm just a little bit tired.”

The doctor hummed as he consulted the board. “You're lucky that's all there is. Yours was the worst case of anaphylaxis I have ever seen in my thirty-year career. You're lucky you had that EpiPen with you, it might be the only reason you're still with us.”

“Wow, not the kind of record I was looking to set. I mean, thirty whole years? Jesus.”

It didn't look like Dr. Adeleke acknowledged my words, he only continued scribbling on the clipboard for a few minutes before walking forward and placing it on the bedside table.

“I'm just going to examine you quickly then prescribe something for you to pick up downstairs, after that, you're free to go.”

I bobbed my head. “Sure, that sounds great.”

The doctor brought out a small flashlight and a tongue depressor from his pocket and began his examination of my eyes and throat.

Timini held my hand all through the entire process, quiet with only a crease in his forehead as he followed the doctor's movements.

“Alright, Miss Okon,” the doctor snapped off his white gloves. “That should be all. I'm officially giving you a clean bill of health. You're free to go, just try not to end up back here, ok?”

“I'll do my best doc.”

With a nod to both of us, the doctor took his clipboard and left us.

“So . . .” I started sheepishly after the door had been shut. “How long have I been out?”

“A couple of hours. I brought you in last night and it's one o'clock now.”

“Right.”

For a minute or two after that, there wasn't a single sound in the small room other than the wind and our breathing.