ENIOLA: Beauty For Ashes

Chapter Six

Oge watched her friend down glass after glass of wine and flirt with every man that glanced at her. She was okay with being the one with loose morals, the freak, the flirt, the party girl but not Eniola.
It wasn't her.
Eni was supposed to be calm, reserved, partially tipsy and controlled as she always was. Right now she was loud.

So loud.

It broke Oge's heart to see her like that. What hurt even more was the fact that she'd just learnt that her work bestie was a victim of domestic violence for years and she knew nothing about it. She never would have imagined that Eniola was even experiencing something like that. How did she hide it?
She couldn't even stop her behaviour at the moment because the woman had been through so much and she was releasing all the pain and fear she'd been hoarding.
"Eni...babe"
"Mm? How fa?"
"It's getting late. We should go home"
Eni laughed and burped. "Home to where? It's not like I have a husband waiting for me with a belt to ask me where I've been or what I've been doing. Now I can stay out as long as I want! I need more wine ohhh. Why is my glass empty? Oge you're not drinking"

She looked away to hide the tears forming in her eyes. But for the fact that she needed to be in super protective mode, she would have run to her car to cry. When she turned back, Eni was being whisked away by some middle-aged man.

"Hey! HEY!"

She ran after them and dragged a very drunk Eni away. The man got offended and started ranting.
"See this stupid girl oh! Can't you allow your friend enjoy her life? She has been sitting with you since. My fren allow her!"

"Will you SHUT your deformed mouth? Useless man! It's your father that is stupid! Idiot! Can't you see she is too drunk to know what she's doing? It's like you're looking for who to rape this night! Rapist! RAPIST OH!"

Her voice brought unwanted attention and the man moved away.
"No, come and stand here and talk nonsense! With your head like Nepa ladder. Idiot! Eniola let's go abeg. It's enough, we are going back home. Stand up!"

"Oge wait nauuuu, why are you shouting at meeeee?" Eni said, whining like a child.
Oge ignored her and dragged her out of the club. Dragging her was not even easy. It was like she had put on extra weight by being drunk.
After about 10 minutes, she was able to get her into the back seat. Eni kept giggling, obviously enjoying herself.

"I don't even know your street name well. Eni what's your address? Abeg just compose yourself and tell me so we leave this place"

"N--number... *hiccup* number 10, Aaaaaatekong"

"Ate-gini?"

Manic laughter.

"Ohhhh Eniola Atekong is in Calabar nauuu. What are you saying?! Why am I even asking you? You sent it on WhatsApp sef. Let me check"
As she was typing the address on Google Maps, she noticed Eni had gone silent. "You've finally passed out mm?"
She turned back to look and screamed. Eni's eyes were rolled back and she was shaking. It looked like she was convulsing.

"Eni! Eni what's happening?! Jesus ohhh!"

She drove out of the parking lot, nearly hitting one of the club security men. Which hospital did she even know in Maitama? Which one was Eni admitted into for the last two months?
Re-something.

                  *************************

Following the encounter with Daniel and his...festivities...King decided to stay back in the office and tend to some more work. By the time he was done, it was 1am. After checking on some of the patients, he called it a night...or an early morning and packed up to go home.
Just as he was about to exit the building, a Mercedes flew through the open gates and screeched to a loud halt at the entrance. A woman ran out, screaming for help for her friend.
He watched from his car as the nurses on call helped remove her friend from the car onto a stretcher.