IZIGORA

Chapter 20

'How would you love to join me to Bille this Saturday for a one-day medical outreach?' Kobi asked Izigora.

Work had kept him so busy that he hadn't seen her in a while. She had moved in with Sotonye, almost five weeks earlier, eight days after Kainye's attack on her. He'd been reluctant to let her go and with good reasons but it was the right decision to make in the circumstance. She still had nightmares and froze every time he came close until he had to remind her that he wasn't her husband.

He figured it had something to do with his build. The last abuse had let her know how easily a man of his height and build could easily break her bones and hurt her. On one of the days he had heard her telling Chinny that if she ever decided to go into a relationship after divorcing Kainye, and which she never intended to, she would go for a man who wasn't more than two inches taller than she was and with little or no muscles.

Not all tall, muscular men were abusive. Kainye would have been abusive even if he was Izigora's height. It wasn't in the size of the man but in his mental state.

Izigora's wrist injury was completely healed but the weakness in her knee required the use of knee braces for the time being. It was an after effect of the surgery and not uncommon.

'Where exactly is Bille?' Izigora asked him. 'I've never heard of it before?'

'It's in Degema Local Government. It's a riverine community.'

Izigora's eyes widened.

'By riverine, you mean we'll be crossing water, right?'

'Yes.'

Izigora shook her head. 'I can't swim.'

'There'll be life jackets, Zig. And besides, I'll ensure you sit next to me on the boat.'

Izigora wasn't sure if going on a ride on a boat when she couldn't swim was a sensible thing to do but there was something about Kobi that made it so natural to trust him. She hadn't seen him since Chinny's sweet sixteen birthday party.

He handed her a flyer which she quickly perused. The medical outreach was in partnership with a few other organisations. It would feature talks on diabetes, hypertension, cancer and maternal health care and there would be free tests and dispensing of drugs for malaria, diabetes, hypertension and eye problems. The outreach was starting as early as 8am with the talks which would last for an hour and a half so that the medical practitioners could commence the consultation and dispensing of drugs.

Kobi spoke animatedly on the past medical outreaches he'd been involved in even from his days as a medical student and Izigora saw a man who was passionate about his profession. The medical outreaches were free and he wasn't being paid for volunteering but he seemed to look forward to this medical outreach.

'All right, I would love to come with you especially as a volunteer.'

Kobi smiled, revealing those long incisors which seemed to add to his attraction. She hadn't asked him much about what was going on in his life, besides work, since she moved out but she was sure he was dating someone, perhaps in the medical field. Considering how busy he was, he might not get to meet non-medical practitioners much.

Chinny had gained admission into the University of Nigeria and Izigora was happy for her. She had scaled all the papers required for her chosen course – medicine. She wanted to be a doctor like her father but unlike her father who had recently concluded his specialty examinations in neurology, Chinny wanted to be dermatologist.

Izigora smiled as she thought of Chinny. The young matchmaker who was trying to pitch Izigora and her father together. She would find a way to add the topic of her dad into every conversation they had face to face or on phone. But there really wasn't anything between her and Kobi. She was a married woman and he was a decent man raising his daughter in their simple yet well-furnished two-bedroom apartment and loving the opportunities available to provide free medical care. And besides, even if she was single, after her experience with Kainye, she wouldn't want to get involved with a man who was bigger than her and who could at any time change and become abusive. Once was more than enough for her.