Chapter 4: Hospital Night

But I no expect say as I reach hospital VIP ward,

The hospital big, with those white tiles and strong smell of dettol and burnt jollof, nurses dey rush waka, wrapper dey sweep floor, everybody dey tense for corridor.

Na school beauty, Lami Musa, dey block door, dey beg:

Lami, wey dey always claim say she be school queen, dey beg like say na her last bus stop. Her wrapper almost fall, wig dey shift for head, she dey almost kneel for bodyguard front.

"Abeg, make I enter!"

The voice get one kind desperation, eyes red.

"No be tonight be full moon? How you take know say Young Master Okafor no need me?"

She dey squeeze her phone for hand, face squeeze like person wey chop bitterleaf.

"Brother Qing, abeg, make I help you!"

I just wan laugh!

The scene be like Nollywood movie, as per side chic dey hustle for oga side.

Okafor Yan say Lami Musa no be anyhow babe, but see as she dey try enter him brother side!

The bodyguard wey no gree make Lami Musa enter, as he see me, e rush open door, tears for eye:

His uniform rough, sweat dey his face, but the relief when he see me na like say he see angel.

"Aunty Kamsi, you don come at last!"

"Abeg, enter, oga really need you this night!"

The urgency make my mind skip, my body start dey hot as I waka enter. God, abeg, no let me disgrace myself for here.

Lami Musa face twist with jealousy, she dey shout:

Her lipstick don smudge, she dey stamp leg, voice high.

"Why Kamsi fit enter?"

"Brother Qing injure because of her!"

"Na bad luck she be, how una fit let her enter?"

The pain for her voice dey loud—Naija babe no dey gree lose without fight.

I shock small. Save me? Wetin she mean?

My eye widen, confusion just dey dance for my face. The matter dey pass my power.

The ward don scatter!

Doctors dey rush, nurses dey press drugs, everywhere dey noisy.

I see Okafor Qing dey bed, shirtless, face red, hair wet with sweat!

Sweat dey roll down him chest, bandage red with blood, but him eyes still sharp like person wey dey command soldiers. His body dey hot, like person wey get serious fever. Muscles dey tense, but blood dey flow for bandage.

Him fingers dey shake, back wrap with thick white bandage, blood don soak everywhere!

The blood smell choke the room, person fit faint if dem no get strong mind. Somebody dey chew gala, fanta bottle dey roll for floor.

Doctor dey shout:

"Oga, abeg, no dey hold am again, quick find woman help you. The gauze I just change don soak finish—how much blood you wan lose?"

The nurse dey wave thermometer, panic dey everywhere, doctor voice sharp like bell.

"Especially for full moon, werewolf blood dey wild, your body no dey stop the bleeding, all the medicine I use no work!"

Even drip dey fall for floor, nurse dey pack am with mop.

"Now, na only to calm the heat for your body fit save you, if not, you fit die this night."

The urgency dey like old Nollywood scene where baba dey shout say pikin go kpai if mama no run come.

"You, the girl wey fit save oga, when you go reach here?"

Everybody dey look corridor, na so dem spot me sharp.

The bodyguards don see me!

Dem bow for me, ninety degrees, respect full everywhere!

You go think say na governor daughter enter. That Okafor house get sense for respect.

"Doctor, she don come!"

The announcement loud, people dey clear road.

As dem talk am, the man wey dey suffer for bed open him eyes!

His eyes sharp, red, almost like wolf, the glare dey pierce me.

Him eyes red, sharp, dey look me with vex and wahala:

"Who call her come? Make una carry her commot!"

His voice thick, but na pain and pride dey mix for there.

Bodyguard bow, talk:

No fear for bodyguard voice, just respect and loyalty.

"Oga, na me!"

"If Aunty Kamsi fit help you tonight, I go accept any punishment!"

You see loyalty? Na this kind boys dey follow oga enter fire.

"Plus, you even injure because of her!"

The reminder hang for air, the truth no dey hide.

"You don risk your life for her two times, no dey ask for anything, you fit no feel am, but we dey feel am for body!"

The bodyguard voice crack, him hand dey shake.

I dey look the man for bed, him presence just too strong!

Okafor Qing chest broad, scars dey show small for him shoulder, the kind of scars wey tell story. Even in pain, you go know say e dey control the room.

Even though me and Okafor Yan na padi, I dey always avoid Okafor Qing like plague!

Because dem dey call am living King of Hell!

Even bad boys dey humble for where him dey!

Area boys go cross road if dem see am for estate gate. His face alone fit stop riot.

Na real power and respect!

Even elders dey greet am with two hands, no be small thing.

I always dey dodge am!

I dey always find corner if I hear say him dey come. Person no dey use play joke with Okafor Qing.

But now, the man wey dey fear everybody, dey grip bedsheet, dey try hold himself, him body dey hot, breathing heavy. The contrast too mad—a fine man dey suffer for bed, person fit sin!

The sight fit confuse even strong woman, my eye wan turn.

But: "You talk say he injure because of me too?"

I ask with voice low, mind dey race. If to say na film, na here soundtrack for play.

Bodyguard wan answer, but Okafor Qing shout:

His voice cut the air like machete, even the nurse jump.

"Shut up. Talk again make I show you!"

Na serious threat, but bodyguard just dey humble.

Then e try calm down, voice soft small:

The pride still dey, but small weakness dey show.

"Kamsi, go outside. I no need you here!"

Even for pain, him still dey form hard man.

Bodyguard no send am:

He stand well, hands behind back, like soldier.

"Oga, abeg, drop all this forming. If you continue like this, you no go ever get wife!"

You go think say na elders dey advice son for compound.

"You dey form hard man, but your heart soft pass sponge. If Aunty Kamsi dey danger, you go risk anything. You think say we no dey see?"

Na real talk, everybody for room nod head small.