Tragedy of the African Cinderella [Black Book3]✔

20.

They had left the hospital in a hurry, without any word exchange and she didn't understand why.
She was now seated on the bed, watching him pack up his luggage, as he earlier ordered.
Did he consider returning home as mentioned in their last conversation? If so, then what will become of her after he left?

"Where're you going?" She quizzed. Just to make sure he really was leaving for home.

"We're having a little vacation." He retorted, dumping a bunch of clothes in his suitcase.

"We? Why?" He ignored.

Once done, he instructed she waited in the car while he spoke to the receptionist.

"At least, tell me where we're going." She spoke only when she realized they were heading in the direction which led out of the region.

He was hesitant for a good long while before saying, "Yaoundé."

Her eyes almost bulge out of its sockets. That was quite a long journey ahead. Why go to the capital for vacation when there were far better places not far from home for that? "For vacation? We could just go to Limbe or linger for a bit in Douala,"

He didn't say anything but kept an immersed gaze on the road.

They stopped every once in a while to purchase something to devour, though the duration for that was no longer than five minutes as it happened to be ready-made snacks which youngsters sold by perching on the windows of any car that stopped by.
It was killing her how he wouldn't even talk to her or reply to her when she tried to bring up small talks so, she decided to take a nap.

Three hours had drained and they were still on the highway. Darkness approached, muteness reigned, her head thumped, eyelids drooped, and again, she fell asleep.

"We're here, Nora, wake up," he nonchalantly said, unbuckling his seat belt.

Before Nora made it out of the car, he was already ahead with his luggage. She followed him into the gigantic five stars Hilton hotel's lobby like a duckling. The interior shone so brightly that one would've thought it was noon if the wall clock hadn't read 8:23 pm.

She watched him converse with the receptionist and hand her a card. Even when talking to her he didn't reciprocate the lady's smile.

"Welcome to Hilton hotel." The slender receptionist blinded them with a smile as she handed Ace a single key. "Have a good stay, sir."

"Let's go,"

The room was elegant and cozy, neither of which could surpass the awkward tension between them. Was he still mad at her for giving him a piece of her mind? Or did something else happen while she was unconscious? Because now, at least she knew he wasn't leaving. "What's the matter with you?"

The question seemed to have hung midair as he pulled out his trainers and headed to unbuckle his belt.

"You've been ignoring me all day long, aren't you tired?"

"You're right," he flung his trousers on the armchair. "We had a long today and will have a longer one tomorrow. Go to bed,"

Nora unbelievably scoffed. "Stop twisting my words, you know what I mean," 

He simply sauntered to the bed to get a pillow then returned to the sofa.

"Ace, I'm talking to you. For God's sake, what on earth is--"

"Wrong with you!" He yelled, an act which startled her to the marrow.

"I don't know what--"

"Typical," he harshly raked his hair. "Do you know the condition in which I found you yesterday? Well, it wasn't the best ok? You scared the living shit out of me, Nora, just like you did all the other times I had to drive you to the hospital. So, you tell me what is really wrong with you."

"I...Nothing. Nothing's wrong with me. I was overstressed and--"

"Do you get an award for this?"

She looked puzzled. "For what?"

"For lying of course. Do you?"

"Ace, I honestly don't like this conversation. Know what? You were right," she sat on the bed to discard her shoes. "It's been a long day. We should get some sleep."

"You complained about my stitched mouth earlier and now you're wimping away? Listen, I want to help you. You clearly need it, no matter how many times you deceive yourself that--"

"I do not need help, ok? I'm very fine; I'm healthy, I'm happy and breathing. What do you want to help me with, talk? Blink?"

"You won't be breathing for a long time if you do not admit you need help and accept it."
Nora almost choked on air.
"You think you can correlate brain tumor to common flu which a dose or two of antibiotics will have you counted among the living again?"

"Wait, is this why we're here?"

"Yes,"

Nora began pacing while shaking her head. "I shouldn't have followed you."

"I knew you wouldn't if I had confronted you before we left. Go to sleep now, will you? We're going to the oncologist tomorrow."

"I'm not." His hand paused from grabbing the covers when she protested.

"Yes, you are,"

"I said No,"

Ace made it to her in two almost invisible strides. "What has come over you, are you going insane? Do you want to die young?" He vigorously shook her.

Nora wiggled out of his piercing claws since her winces did nothing. "It's best for everyone. At least, I won't have to occupy unnecessary space in this world. Why do you think I didn't tell anyone about it? What I'm I even saying," she let out a bitter chuckle.
"The day you took me to that hospital was the day I was diagnosed with it. That should be a month and some days ago if my brain cells are still functional," she laughed and expected him to join her but to her greatest dismay, his lips didn't even go as far as a twitch.

"I knew something was wrong with me but I...I didn't think it was something deadly and incurable," her eyes welled up. "You know, I returned home the following morning with the hospital booklet and some medications which no one cared to pay attention to; my stepmom was in for her usual assaults and my dad..." She shrugged.
"Well, he did what he could do, as a father, to keep her crazy flames from me that day and since then, no one ever asked me what went wrong or what was jotted down in that pamphlet brought home. No one. Well, until today. What they all know is I got into a trivial accident.

The doctor was willing to recommend me to his friend here in the capital a couple of times. He said I shouldn't worry much about the money for the operation for I was going to refund it in four installments instead of two, but I know where I come from. Four is way too much of a short time, still."

She wiped her cheeks and blinked several times. "So Ace, you better not distort your baggage. It will save us time to reach the province early, tomorrow. Good night."

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