ENIOLA: Beauty For Ashes

Chapter Sixteen

"Brooooo! Cheif commissioner of the chop life association! See your skin nauuu! Cut soap for me guy abeg!"

"Guy I go wipe you chord oh. Gerrout!"

On his way home, King stopped at the mall to get a few things and ran into an old friend from his NYSC days. Jamal was a cool, level headed guy. He knew how to conform to his environment and the people around him, or as King's pastor would say, he knew how to abase and abound. He was one of the few people King remained in contact with after NYSC.
King ran into him as he was exiting the mall and they drove to his hospital to talk some more and reminisce.

"What has been going on with you guy? See your stomach. Why are you pregnant?" King teased.

"Good living fam. God has been faithful. It's good to see you again man. It's been what, 3 years?" said Jamal.

"Yeahhh. This place is nice bro. My boy is doing well. Shebi I will not be pushing some cases here? Ehn? Make you help me reduce workload" said King.

"Push ohh abeg. I dey find workload guy. More workload, more money. What will you drink na? Don't worry, I no forget say you no dey take alcohol. There's juice and water"

"Juice please"

As they talked, King's eyes stumbled on an open file with a familiar name.

"Yo, what's this?"

"Oh yeah, a patient that was brought in this afternoon. Young lady involved in an accident not too far from here. She had a concussion, poor thing. And there's a history of head trauma from the scans I took. She'll be discharged in a few minutes actually-"

"Where is she? Abeg take me to her now" King interrupted.

"Ah ah. You know her?"

"I know the name. I need to confirm it's the same person. Can I see her ward?"

"Yeah sure, let's go"

Jamal glanced at him a few times on their way to the ward, puzzled at his anxious expression. The patient was discussing with a nurse when they entered the ward.
She had bruises all over her arms and neck and there was a little gash on her forehead that was stitched up. Needless to say she was shocked to see him.

"King?"

In three strides he was by the bed, enveloping her in a hug.
Jamal called the nurse out of the ward to give them some time alone. She sniffed, trying not to cry because crying hurt.

"You're a real cry baby, you know that?" King asked, pulling back to examine her face. She chuckled weakly and put her face back on his shoulder.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I..." she started but he cut her off.

"You know what? I don't need to know. It doesn't matter, at least not right now. Do you know where your car is?"

"Someone called a tow-truck. They've moved it"

"Okay" he replied and began to pack her things from the table by the her bed.

"You're friends with the doctor?" she asked. "Yeah, NYSC"
"Okay"
"King I'm sorry-"
"Shush. I'm taking you home. Is walking comfortable for you?"
"Not really. My feet are a bit swollen"
"Alright, I'll be back in a sec"

He went back to say goodbye to Jamal with a promise to hang out soon, got a wheelchair from her nurse and took her to his car. She fell asleep on the way home, worn out from the painkillers.
Emeka hovered while he carried her inside; opening the door, following instructions to get pillows and a blanket, and put water in an ice maker, all the while watching him like a hawk.