Delayed Diagnosis {Book 1 of the Rex Obasi Trilogy}

Chapter 42

What ever elation we felt when my dad had return was soon dampened when I announced we had to be on the move.

"What a rogue family we are no where to lay the head!” My dad said

"Al!" My mother cautioned.

"That's the truth," he shrugged. "But the key word is family..." he turned to me "Rex you mentioned something about a thousand dollars before or was it just steam?"

"I'm not in debt...right now there's money"

Who's money? It seems the question hung in the air.

My money or rather Andy's money. He had taken a bullet for it after all. I had thought about it and I was sure the moment I snatched the briefcase and the shadow hadn't gotten the money promised him was the moment he had become extra crazy with the idea of killing me.

"Why does he do that? Why does he keep travelling? look at him! Not even here at all!"

I blinked at my dad who had complained.

"Can you blame him? Have you forgotten we met him on the hospital bed? He Has not even eaten," my mother replied and not another word was said.

Olivia kept glancing at me and I knew something was up.

My mum went to the kitchen and my dad soon followed the aroma and went to the kitchen.

“What is it Olivia?” I asked her once we were alone

"The date on the email, it said on the 3rd..." She said almost immediately.

"Yes I know"

"That's on Tuesday!"

She sounded scared. Seeing Andy in the hospital had affected everybody.

"Olivia if you want you can still back out now. I'd understand, we can find another way"

She stopped, as if considering it. I was quiet as I waited. She had my word.

But she forced a smile. "No..I'm in this...we're in this..it’s fine"

"I promise you nothing is going to happen" (but should I be making those promises?) I was already missing Andy, his calm presence was always reassuring and somehow we had formed a deadly combo. Two heads were indeed better than one..

"One more thing..I would like you to stay behind and not go to the hospital..maybe with my mum or with both of them but I have a feeling my dad won't want to stay behind"

"Why don't we all go?"

"Remember that doctor? The one supposed to give you your medications two nights ago?"

She was already nodding, "I thought I saw him"

"Exactly. I would be harder to recognise alone but I know if he sees you once, the resemblance would be just too much...it won't be good to raise any attention at all"
Mmm
She nodded as my dad called from the kitchen with his mouth full. "It’s like you people are not hungry abi?"

:::::::::::::
The meal felt like the last supper. We tried to lighten the atmosphere but the day had already been a bad one on so many levels. So conversation was light and filled with heavy stretches of silence inbetween.

I tried to put the house in order but the only problem was the mattress I had ripped mercilessly for the gun suppressor (the gun was gone now. I didn't even know the exact time it had left my hands but I knew I hadn't been with it later on)

The second problem was the fridge...oh the fridge had been halved.

I switched the bed from upstairs with the one in the guest room downstairs. But then I thought: 'what if Ariyo is always just too tired to climb the stairs? The man is getting old? With his big stomach and this would be the nearest room'