Who We Are.

Clueless

I am rolling farther and farther away from my nurse. I don't know their name, I don't want to know their name. I continue rolling down the hallway until I hear someone, probably my nurse, call out my name.

"Hey! Chimamanda!" I whip my head around for a short second before turning back around and continuing to roll. I cut the corner and thrust my wheelchair into a room with an open door. I can hear the footsteps are far behind me - she's probably walking not to raise the alarm that her patient was trying to escape from the hospital. I hear the door click as I slowly and quietly pull on the handle and close the door completely. I pause for a second and wait for the slow footsteps to slow down before I breathe again. I wait for the nurse to pass my door before I open my eyes again. I don't even remember when I closed them. It is around 10 at night and my mom just got here, trying to see me. She hasn't come to visit in over a week because her boss is so demanding. The one time that she is probably going to let her off in the next month is today and she came to see me. I have to get downstairs before she leaves. I feel some cold air behind me and I slap my neck. I turn around and don't see anything. I stand from my wheelchair, stabilizing myself with the wall, and try to adjust my eyes to the dark. I don't see or feel anything but to make sure, I put out my right arm and smack the air. My hand connects with something and I hear a slam. I  grab whatever it is and I feel flesh.

"Ow, Chimamanda. Jesus, I thought you broke your arm." I jump back onto my wheelchair, ready to open the closet and hop out. I twist the handle and I drive out into the light, not caring about the nurse coming back. I fall and hammer straight into the floor. Luckily, I'm in the hospital. I grab for the wheelchair but when I turn around, trying to collect myself, I see the voice has a body. Of course. River walks out, clutching his cheek with one hand, and in the other, he is holding a Walmart bag. He puts down the bag and picks up my wheelchair. Instead of hugging him, I slap him again. This time, I hit his arm because his hand is still on his cheeck. He drops the Walmart bag he is holding and grabs his arm. Some pills spill out on the floor but I disregard them. He looks broken. Underneath his breath, I hear him curse.

"Chimamanda, what the hell are you doing?"

He looks up and down the hallway and when he makes sure that it is clear, he forgets about his injuries and stuffs the pills back into the bag and turns back into the closet to grab some more.

I grab his hand and turn him around. "What are you doing here? Did you come through the lobby? Is my mom still here?" He turns back around and continues what he's doing. I forget him and go back to the elevator. I click the button and I see him stuff the bag to the top and tie it. Then, he looks up and down the hall again. River is acting so shady and my mom was about to leave. I turn back to River, wanting him to explain everything, but instead he just slung it over his bag over his shoulder and ran towards the elevator. 

"Go, go, go," he whisper-shouts. I am about to ask why he is rushing me but instead I look down the hall and see the nurse that was looking for me before is running down the hall at full speed. I click the button over and over and over again. The nurse grabs my wheelchair handles and pulls me away from River. Then, she looks at River suspiciously and then looks at his Walmart bag. The door elevators open but instead of turning around, he grabs his bag even tight and sucks in a breathe. Then he starts.

"Um, I'm Assistant Minen and I am here to pick up Chimamanda's drugs and prescriptions and delivery them to her mother." He grabs me and pushes the wheelchair to the side. He drops the bag in my lap and I hold it in one hand. She tries to grab the bag but I pull it away. I start to play along.

"Yeah, these are my personal things." I retort. She looks angry but she has nothing against me and River. She wipes the sweat from her forehead.

"Okay, Mr. Minen. I am going to check in with the head of this hospital to see when you checked in. Is that alright?" she says slyly. We both nod and she turns on her heels and runs down the hall. He pushes me into the elevator and he stuffs the bag in with him. Then he presses the lobby floor and we go down in silence. The elevator stops for a second but then continues. I lean against River, then stand up by myself. Yes, I can walk, it hurts like hell though. He looks at me in shock but then turns back straight ahead. I still don't know why he's here but he has probably been put in this hospital. I have been reading a lot of newspapers in my past time and it is all over the news how people are losing their jobs and having to pitch in somewhere else for free. 

The door pings and I see my mom sitting on the couch, scrolling on her phone. I hobble over to her and hug her hard. She looks up and hug me even tighter. She starts to explain the situtaion.

"Chimamanda, I am so sorry. I have been working all week. How far?" 

I chuckle, and just smile and sit down. When I catch my breath, I answer, "Good, but how is everyone at home? Do you know if the money you have earned is enough?" She opens her mouth to answer but I realize what I have just said. Money. The car that I damaged. What happened to the person I crashed into? I pull my mom up and say, "Mom, did we ever visit the people I crashed into?" Her face goes blank and she rushes me to the car. I turn back to River to wave him goodbye but he is too busy talking to someone. I just run after my mom, hoping for the best for him.