LOVE & FLAWS | A NIGERIAN ROMANCE |

Chapter 25: Dooms day report.

Chidi's Ward Round was disrupted by a call from Pete. “Chidi, are you free or something? Can you come see Tina?”
“Good morning, Pete,” she greeted bluntly. She moved away from the patient and her colleagues towards the entrance of the ward.
“Good morning. Tina isn't feeling so fine. Can you come over?”
“I will be there in forty minutes. I'm almost done.”
“Thank you.”
“Bye.”
Chidi arrived minutes later than she promised. Pete sat by Tina on the bed; he planted his face on his palm and supported his elbow with his laps. Ugo stood by, his hands akimbo. They wore gloomy faces.
“What's wrong with her?” Chidi asked nobody in particular.
“Found her at the office burning up,” Ugo said.
“Has she taken any medication?” She retrieved her hands from Tina's neck.
“Yes, mum prescribed her some medications. She asked you to call when you come around,” Pete explained.

“Now that you are here, I will go back to work.” Pete stood on his feet.
“Take care, Sis,” He said to Tina who listened to them converse, with her eyes closed.
She gave him a slow nod.
“Stay strong, Tina. See you,” Ugo said.
Pete turned to Chidi. “Chidi,” he made a brief pause, “Thank you.”
Chidi took in the appreciation like a pill. It had been a while since she came in close contacts with Pete this way. They had a little suspense between them. Their past may have been forgotten but her wounds are yet to heal totally. They tiptoed around each other to avoid opening their wounds.

The boys cued out of the room, shortly before Chidi put a call across to Patricia. Before anything, Patricia made sure that Chidi was alone with Tina in the room before delivering her message.
“Good. Please take Tina to the hospital. I want you to run malaria-typhoid test and pregnancy test.”
“Pregnancy?” Chidi covered her mouth.
“There's no cause for alarm, dear. Just take her to the hospital.”
“Okay, aunty. I will.”
She made eye contact with Tina. “You will be just fine.”
She sounded more like she was reassuring herself than Tina. Tina could feel the unspoken fear in her. She took that as a cue to get up. Chidi supported her weight as they climbed down the stairs and got to her car.

The Outcome Of the test rattled Tina. For days, she gazed distantly into space and cried occasionally. Chidi observed her with clouded eyes. “Seriously, you can't sulk your way through this, Tina. It's four days now. Your Mum is on a hook. You have no intention of letting him know.” She appealed to her, “you need to do something already. Talk to your Mum, at least,” She almost cracked.
Gazing at the tin air, Tina sighed, uncertain of a response to Chidi's plea.
“I will come up with something by tomorrow,” she communicated to Chidi. “I'm hungry.”
“Try to.” Chidi lightened up, “and stop over thinking it. I'm always here to support you. I will go prepare something.” Tina followed her to the kitchen to help her with the meal.

Clint wasn’t sure of what he read; he read the message again. The news worried him. From all angles, the news didn’t sit well with him.
Clint: How?
His response was impulsive, and his question rhetorical.
He wondered if she was being real and what could be her motive if she had made it up. He dropped his phone and sat up. He planted his head on his hands and rubbed his face afterwards. What is his next step from here? He picked his phone again.
Clint: Let's see at lunch tomorrow.

Tina's doomsday report worried him, not because he didn't have a solution to it, but because he feared Tina wouldn’t do his bidding. He really had himself to blame if this was true.
“Boss! Clint!” Ola called back his attention, “are you with me?”
“Let's do this another time,” he dismissed Ola.
“Okay, sir.” He picked his stuff and left the table.
Clint left his seat and paced around the office slowly. He stopped by the glass window and absorbed the street view for some time and then left the room in a hurry.

After Downing Two glasses of whisky, Clint felt better. Having gotten liquid courage, he left for the meeting and as usual, punctual, if not for anything, as a confused expectant father. He couldn't get the word ‘confused' off his thoughts, one of his takeaways from the fight.
He arrived at the restaurant, just in time before her. He watched her arrive a few minutes after him. She stepped out of the car and walked into the restaurant. He followed suit.
They settled on a table, by a corner in the restaurant.
“Good afternoon,” he muttered.

Tina dismissed him with a wave. She brought out a white envelop from her bag and slid a white envelope on the table towards him. He caught it.
Whether Tina is being truthful or not wasn’t Clint’s problem at the moment. “I'm not here for this. I'm not interested in your evidence,” he cleared her, “what are your plans?”
“Nothing,” she signalled,
“What should we do?” He asked. ‘Ding! Here comes the confused fella again,’ that should be her thoughts now, Clint presumed.

Tina rolled her eyes and proceeded to make a series of hand movements. If she thought he is confused, then she is mistaking this time. He knows what he wants, likewise what he is doing.

He felt uneasy about it. If he must admit, he doesn't want to sound insensitive, knowing very well how emotional she could be. But, he was not ready for fatherhood, not this way, and not with her.

Clint prayed there their current situation wouldn’t go beyond them. He prayed it wouldn't get more complicated. Again, he reviewed his decision, carefully considering how to make it known without being viewed as a devil.
He held her gaze, “Tina.” He adjusted closer, resting his weight on the table before them and with a soft tone, he made his decision known. “I don't know how to say this, but I have to tell you. I'm not ready for fatherhood, in any form.”

Tina Stared At him, a typical example of an irresponsible fellow. No commitments, no responsibilities.
“I'm sorry. Don't get me wrong, but I can't.” he continued, “And you know the other path would be easier for us,”

Tina didn't know what to expect before now, but certainly, she didn't expect this. Not the indifference he showcased but the outright avoidance of any form of responsibility.
She held back the urge to display any emotion. It also helped that her emotions conflicted between laughter, anger, and sorrow. She recounted the words of Rev. Ben, “God does not allow temptations bigger than his children come to them.” She really needed to recount her sins to know why she deserved this cross; perhaps, no longer counted as a child of God anymore. The temptation before her towered over her like a mountain, it was way bigger than her. 

Clint wished she could yell at him or something. Text him on how a confused human he was. How irresponsible he is. How he missed a lifetime jewel, like would be the case of many ladies, or maybe, how he would regret his actions, instead of this staring contest.
Her words might hurt, but the silence was killing. He was regretting his actions already. That was how much of a soft spot he had for her. He hated complicated situations. Emotions could be messy, he forgot too soon. He waited for her to state her disapproval. Nada, she didn't. He was left to wonder what was on her mind.

To avoid brain combustion due to the plague sitting before her, sent to torment her life, Tina left the table. When she came out, Chidi leaned on the car, waiting for her. She must have read her because she didn't ask questions. She simply drove.
Drops of tears trickled down her cheeks. How could she be this careless? The worst was thinking he could have a change of heart because of the child. She was so blinded by her emotions to see dangers ahead of her, beclouded by her lust to think about events like this, and blinded by her fantasies, she ignored all that glitters is not gold.

Tina left the restaurant very disappointed. Dating Clint was a mistake that would have been better avoided, but she wasn't ready to dwell on it. She needs a way out of her current dilemma and forging ahead was the only way she could think of at the moment. She had to decide what to do with her life, especially with the baby. Clint had made his decision. He didn't want the baby; what did she want? She would have to make a decision; whether she would fulfil Clint’s wish or keeps it. The thought burdened her. Bile crept up her throat; her mouth tasted bitter. She felt like crying again, but she was done crying. She swallowed hard, and picked her phone. She wallowed in those thoughts even more.

“Don't be blinded by your emotions to see through the present.
Beclouded by your desires, you fail to think about certain outcomes of your actions. Blinded by your fantasies, you ignore all that glitters ain't gold. Most importantly, forge ahead regardless.
#it'syourgurlTina.#Firstlady#PeterObi#Davidhundeyin#Davido#Machalla”

For the first time in weeks, she tweeted. Chidi smiled at her.

“@Chidi_Mma07 replied your tweet, We meuve regardless, undeterred by our mistakes.” She smiled at her.

She went over to her  on the couch and hugged her.

*****
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