Broken: Episode 21

I regained consciousness and stretched my left hand to block the light rays from the florescent tube as my blurry vision got clearer. I saw Kofo smiling down at me, she had the most beautiful smile and she looked like an angel. I tried to touch her with my right hand but felt a sudden sharp pain, I couldn't raise my arm because it was fractured and already covered with a POP (plaster of Paris). I turned to Kofo and she wasn't there. My mind was playing tricks on me. I saw a bandage on my left leg, it was huge. I remembered the event of the accident and wondered how I made it out alive and with lesser injuries than I expected. I saw Cynthia dozing off on a chair nearby, not too long after she woke up. I could see the relief on her face as she saw me. I could tell she had cried her eyes out.

"Thank God. Bayo you scared me!" and she rushed to hug me. I was in pains but I felt it wouldn't be fair to leave her hanging so I hugged her with one arm and pushed her away gently when the pain became unbearable. She apologized immediately and sat beside me. Her eyes were sore, her skin was pale, her makeup smeared but somehow she still looked beautiful. She held my left hand and rubbed them and I could hear the words "You'll be fine" in her action. A part of me hoped she was doing this out of love while another part of me hoped it was just out of guilt.

"Please I need to see Kofo" I stuttered.

She withdrew her hands gently and I saw the smile on her face disappear, she was about to say something when a nurse walked in, Brenda was behind her. The nurse didn't look surprised to see me awake, Cynthia stood up and went back to sit down on the chair while the nurse took my vital signs. Brenda just stood there in awe. After the nurse was done, she adjusted the speed of my drip and told me my sister was here then she left. Brenda managed to smile, said hi to Cynthia and walked up to my bed. I smiled and asked her when she became my sister, she just shrugged and asked me how I was doing. "Not so good, but I'll live" I answered. She sat on the bed beside me and put her palm on my cheek and rubbed on it gently "of course you will." Her hands felt warm and relaxing.

I could tell from the look on Cynthia's face that she wasn't comfortable with what was going on. She picked up her phone and left the room to make a call. Brenda told me all about how she had found pictures of my car and read about the accident on Twitter last night.

"By the way, hope I didn't scare Kofo away." She said refering to Cynthia.

"No, that's my colleague."

"Wow! She really looks torn for you. So you couldn't get to Kofo. I'm really sorry dear."

I looked at Brenda and I was sure she was far from being really sorry. Although I wouldn't blame her, with Kofo out of the picture we would have a chance to make what we have work. Cynthia came back and told me she was leaving to get me something to eat as per the doctor's advice.

I asked Brenda to help me look for my phone but she couldn't find it. So I asked her to help me dial Kofo's number. It was one of the few numbers I could recite by heart. She was reluctant at first but she did. She put it on speaker and although I didn't want her to listen in, I didn't have much of a choice. It rang for a while before Kofo's fiancé answered. I froze, I didn't know what to say

"Hi, my name is Brenda, may I please speak with Kofo?" Brenda cut in just in time to save me from embarrassing myself.

He replied that Kofo was in the bathroom and he could take a message. Brenda told him not to bother that she was going to call back then he asked to know more about her. He justified by saying he didn't really know Kofo's friends. She concurred and gave him the basics then he proceeded to ask if she was prettier than Kofo. I didn't know whether to be angry or sad. Brenda laughed and answered "Of course!" I asked her to take it off speaker and go outside to complete their conversation. She came back several minutes later and quickly apologized for leaving me.

An hour went by, Brenda was texting on her phone when I woke up from a brief nap. She smiled warmly and asked how if I felt better, I nodded in the positive. It was almost noon and I was getting hungry. A few minutes later, Cynthia walked in with a basket in her hand, she was wearing a black dress that could be likened to a good lecture (long enough to cover the subject but short enough to create interest) and she looked really beautiful. She was accompanied by a nurse who helped me tilt my bed up so I could sit up and eat. I couldn't take my eyes off Cynthia and the nurse couldn't help but notice what was happening below my waist as she adjusted my sheets and she gave me a condescending look as she left. Cynthia went ahead to serve the food, she had prepared rice and chicken stew, bread, fried egg and tea, she said she didn't know which one I would prefer and my phone was with her so she could not call to ask. I opted for rice and chicken stew. Brenda got up kissed me on the cheek and told me she had to go to work and she would stop by after work.

The meal was delicious but eating with my left hand and in a lot of pains was a bit tedious although Cynthia offered to help but I refused. I could see the pity in her eyes and I didn't want to seem totally helpless. She asked me to let her call my family but I insisted that she didn't. My family troubles were far greater than my present predicament. "Don't worry your family members from the office will soon be here." she said in a bid to console me. I forced a smile, I knew it wasn't going to be the same without Kofo. I thanked Cynthia for the meal and collected my phone, the screen had cracked from the accident. I decided to send a text to Kofo, I didn't know what to type at first but I finally managed to summarize what happened to me and ended telling her how much I missed and needed her then I sent it and prayed she would respond.

The following day, Kofo called me and she couldn’t stop saying it was her fault, she apologized several times but I could sense she had not forgiven me completely. I would need more than sympathy to get back in her good graces. I told her she had nothing to be sorry about that it was all my fault and that I would understand if she was still mad at me then she promised to call me back later. I was happy, this was a good sign and I could still have a chance with the love of life after all. TGIF! I had a lot more to be thankful for besides the fact that it was Friday, the doctor had come earlier to let me know my survival was a miracle and my case wasn’t has bad as it looked when I was brought in and that I would be discharged the next day hopefully. Cynthia had brought me breakfast before she went to work and she was very relieved to hear the news. She came back later in the afternoon and brought me lunch, she had asked Alex to cover for her so she didn’t need to go back to work.

“You know Cynthia, you can stop feeling guilty about this whole thing” I said, “I spoke to Kofo this morning and I have a good feeling we’ll work out our issues and even if I don’t get her back I won’t hold it against you.”

“I’m glad you feel that way. So I guess I’ll just have to get another booty call. Not that you were that great anyway.” she said jokingly.

We laughed it off and we discussed about work and the office. She told me of one of the managers who had a thing for her and has been on her case for a while, not minding the fact that he was married and had a daughter almost as old as she was. She played with my fingers and glowed as we talked, I’d never seen her this way before, we were usually at loggerheads with each other even after our affair started but now she was gentle and seemed like the most caring person in the world. Our chit chat was interrupted by a nurse who came to check my vital signs. She seemed nicer than the nurse on duty the night before.

“Madam, your husband is a very lucky man.” She said to Cynthia and smiled.

I was about to correct her when Cynthia cut in “Thank you. I’m very grateful to you guys.”

“You’re welcome” she turned to me and asked if I had taken my medication, I nodded in the positive and she left.

“You want us to be the topic of their gossip?” Cynthia said “Don’t worry, I’m off limits anyway.”

“Really? When did you become off limits?” I asked and tickled her on her back.

“Leave me alone jor” She laughed.

Later that evening she told me she was going to stick around for a while but I insisted that she shouldn’t.

“You shouldn’t dull up because of me. It’s Friday, go and have fun. Besides I’m tired and I’ll sleep soon.” I said.

After she left I sent a text to Kofo telling her that I was going to be fine. Brenda called some minutes later to apologize for not coming over apparently she was very busy and was still at work, we spoke for a few minutes before I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up the following morning and struggled to walk with my new crutch. I was pressed and I needed to get to the rest room. When I got back Cynthia was waiting for me, she came bearing breakfast. She offered to help me but I told her I needed to do it myself. I found my way to the bed and sat down. It was painful but bearable. Cynthia helped me tilt the bed upward so I could rest my back. We locked eyes for a moment and I felt a deep connection with her.

“My head hurts” I said in a bid to escape the moment.

“I could help with that” she looked away and put the food basket on the bed side locker.

“Really? What do you have in mind?” I asked enthusiastically.

“This” She turned and kissed me passionately. “Did that helped?” She whispered with her nose and lips still touching mine, our eyes locked once more and I grabbed her by the nape of her neck and kissed her.

We were interrupted by the sound of cans dropping to the floor. Kofo had dropped the basket in her hand, she stared at us for a moment then she ran out of the room.