The flight to Zanden and the ride to the hospital had given Tseju’s imagination more than enough room to run wild. By the time she got to the hospital, she was practically running crazy not knowing what condition her chocolate man was in. “I’m looking for Bayo. Ermm Bayo Ayodeji Jacobs.” She asked the immaculately dressed woman sporting a name tag that read “Imuetiyan Mabel.”
“And you are?”
“Tseju. I’m his girlfriend.”
“I’m sorry but I can’t let you see him except you are family.”
“But but… You.. you don’t understand.” She cried, roving her fingers through her thick but soft nappy hair in desperation. “I need to see him. Please!”
“I’m sorry ma but there’s nothing I can do. It’s a hospital policy.”
By now, Tseju was a sobbing mess, but she couldn’t care less. She was plagued by images of her chocolate man with cotton balls up his nostrils covered by a white cloth. “Please I’m losing my mind. I just came in from Benin. Please. Please.”
“I’m really sorry.” Mabel was moved by the scene unravelling before her. The girl was weeping furiously, and Mabel wished she could help, but she loved her job too much to risk it. “Maybe you can try calling one of his family members and have them call management to give you permission.”
Hope spurred in Tseju’s heart. She dialed Yemisi’s number.
“The number you are trying to call is not available at the moment, please try again later. Thank you.” Click.
“No no no.” Tseju cried, hope plummeting to the bottom of her stomach. She dialed again, same response. She dialed again and again and again. After calling 15 times, she tried Akande’s number.
“Helloooooooooo human,” Akande’s chirpy voice flowed through the speakers, causing the hope in Tseju’s heart to hit full speed on reverse. “You’re getting this message because you need a piece of this fabulous girl, but she’s off being fabulous. So, leave your gist at the beep.” Beep.
“No! no!! no!!!” Tseju felt the hope in her chest crash and burn as she sunk to the cold tiled floor of the hospital reception. She hugged her phone crying, wishing she could communicate using telepathy. Thankfully, it was a quiet afternoon at the hospital, so Tseju had no audience as the pain and fears in her heart leaked out through her eyes. Then, she remembered her mother was still MIA and she sobbed even harder.
Human sympathy prevailed and ten minutes later, Tseju stood outside the wooden door of the room that Mabel said her chocolate man was in.
“You can’t go in, please or else i’ll lose my job. Please stay outside. It’s better the doctor meets you out here than inside there. Please.”
Tseju rested her whole body on the door hoping she’d fall through it. “I won’t.” She replied, not even looking away from the door.
“His sister was notified when he came in. She should be here soon, so when she gets here, you can go in with her. Please don’t go in before.” Mabel said, turning to leave the distraught girl to herself.
Sinking to the floor, Tseju pulled out her phone to call her brother to ask about their mothers whereabout. Her head was throbbing and she felt like throwing up. She was weak and hungry. She’d neither bathed nor eaten since yesterday.
Dafe picked on the second ring. “Dear girl.” He greeted, exhaustion evident his voice.
Tseju felt hot tears trail down her cheeks again. “Ple… please tell me you’ve found my mother.”
His deep sigh told her all she needed to know, and she began sobbing again. “Why is this happening to me? Who did I offend?” She began. “My mom is missing, my boyfriend lays separated from me by a wooden door probably half dead on a hospital bed.”
“Woa Woa. What happened to Bayo?”
“He had an accident. I was still out when Yemisi called. I don’t know anything.” She broke off again, overwhelmed by sadness. “I don’t know anything and now… now I can’t even see him because of some stupid hospital policy.”
“It’s gonna be fine little one.” Dafe whispered. It was an old habit to call her little one when he tried to sooth her. “It’s gonna be okay. He’ll be okay. He’s gonna be alright. So will mum. She’ll be fine, okay?” Dafe felt powerless. He shut his eyes firmly to prevent tears from rolling through.
“Please stay with me. Don’t end the call.” Her voice broke off a little. “I...i feel so alone.”
“No problem little one. I’m right here. But where’s Ada and Tessy? Why are they not with you?”
“We have a test tomorrow. I couldn’t let them come. They really wanted to, but they need to read. Plus, someone needs to fill in for me.”
“So, they’re gonna write the test for you?”
“No no, they’ll explain my absence.”
“Oh. I guess missing mom is as good an excuse as they come.”
Tseju coughed out a laugh. “Yea. The best.”
“What of his sisters tho?”
“I guess they’re still in the air.”
“I don’t understand.”
“They went back to Canada yesterday.”
"The same yesterday that they left Benin?"
"Yea. They had a late night flight back to Canada later that evening. As soon as they touched down Lagos, they were on another flight straight to Canada.”
“Oh… but if they were in a plane, how were they able to call you?”
“Yea, they took the private jet to Canada, not a commercial flight.”
“So, how come you’re unable to reach them now?”
“Yea, um. When they got the call from the hospital, they had to stop at an airport and take a commercial flight back. They sent the jet on to Canada to bring their dad here.”
“They have a private jet?”
“Two actually. But one of the company execs is with the other.”
“Wealthy family. I hope his mom won’t give you grief over her son. You know, the normal ‘my son is too good for you’ wahala.”
“She won’t. His mom is late.”
“Oh.”
“Yea.”
Dafe heaved a deep sigh. “You’re thinking about mom huh? She’ll be fine little one. She’s a Tumise woman. They’re fighters. She’ll be fine. I just know it.”
“I hope so. I’m not ready to live without my mother.”
“Of course. Free food and whatnot.”
“I see she got to you too. If I don’t live off of her, who will?”
“Did you just make a Dettol reference? Good to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor.” He said, trying to lighten the conversation. “But did you really pass out after our conversation? Women! Always so weak willed.” He added, trying to get a rise out of her. Anything to distract her from her thoughts.
Tseju huffed, but remained silent.
“So, tell me about him. Aside from the private jet and family money, what’s so special about him?”
They stayed on the phone for the next four hours until some doctors came around. They ignored her presence and Tseju assumed Mabel had explained her situation to them. She struggled to get a glimpse into the room when the doors opened but the full bodies of three middle aged doctors and two nurses blocked her view. They came out some minutes later and proceeded to the room next to Bayo’s. When they left completely, she went right back to sitting on the ground in front of the door. This was the closest she could get to her chocolate man and she cherished it with all her heart.
“Tseju.” A soft voice whispered, followed by a soft tap on her shoulder. “Tseju wake up.”
Tseju opened her eyes but her sleepy vision was blurry. She blinked two times and struggled to her feet with the help of the two sisters. “Yemi! Aka! You’re finally here.” The three ladies hugged, and then hand in hand, hope in their hearts and prayers on their lips, they walked into Bayo’s hospital room.
“Oh my God!” Tseju whispered sharply, sinking to the floor both hands covering her face, a fresh flood of tears trailing down her face.
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Tseju's Bayo
Romance"Okay. What's your favourite food?" "It will be you after we get married, but for now It's anything you give me to eat." He deadpanned. Tseju almost choked on her own surprise. Sputter. More sputter. "Close your mouth shugah. I don't wanna share th...
