chapter 3

Luckily enough, they permitted a visual of a swollen stomach before blackout, which he never seemed to realize until then.

The next day, reality dawned on Ken as he fully remembered, all that had happened.

He kept on looking at the motionless body of Nicky, fixed with various life support machines, multiple fluids injected into her skin.

At first he felt sympathetic, readjusted his pillow and took another glance, reflecting about his kind of life. It was far tougher to be with a baby if he cared to admit. He had a rough life to live. Ken led a dangerous life.

From the various gang parole, to the various attacks they kept on planning just to keep up the business of dealing with rival gangs.

"I have to be there to maintain the business." Ken warned himself.

"Goddammit I shouldn't have drank that stuff." He kept on lamenting quietly to himself, pounding his fist against the guard rails of the hospital bed.

Ken kept this a prayer point as he continued ruminating on what to do, "she mustn't wake before all this is over!"

Ken made efforts in disconnecting the syringe connected to his skin. “I have to leave this place or maybe make sure she doesn't come awake." He thought, a smug look dressing his facial features.

Ken had succeeded in making his right arm free by now. He turned towards his left, making progress with movement until the door sprang open.

Ken readjusted himself swiftly. Holding his left arm, he jammed his teeth trying to overshadow the pain he incurred.

"Thank Goodness! It's you Ben." Ken sighed, relieving himself of his forced performance.

Ben carried a polythene bag, his smile faded into anxiety as he saw a shocked ken getting relieved at his presence. He sensed maltreatment.

"Hey boss, you good?" Ben questioned, dropping the bag and raising his baggy shirt, revealing a silver pistol hanging stuck on his pants.

Ken gave a look of disapproval. "Listen" he beckoned. "You’re gonna get us all blown away carrying a weapon around like that."

"Yo boss, times changed." Ben spread his arms, stressing his point in bravery. "I'm no longer the short-shy Ben y'all make fun of." He said proudly.

"Shut the fuck up." Ken ordered, not finding it funny.

"That chick over there," Ken pointed at the glass. "She's carrying my baby!" He paused to look at Ben who kept on playing with his beard strands as he stared at Nicky, "and I'm not ready for a..."

"Whoa." Ben alarmed, interrupting Ken who simply buried his face in his palm waiting for a costly joke.

"Yo boss, you didn't say you had a wife." Ben kept on blabbing, "don't worry. I forgive ya, I’ve always wanted to be an Uncle Benny." Ben said, turning to see an angry face. He forged a grin.

"Shut the fuck up." Ken dragged Ben close, with Ben's snatched gun placed under his neck. Realizing he wasn't strong enough for it. He relaxed in pain.

"Yo, sorry boss, take it easy." Ben apologized, laying him to rest, setting the pillow in a right position.

"You've got to take it easy boss, whatever it is, we'll sort it out." Ben assured her with a smile.

"Remember that night at the party?" Ken paused expecting a reply to continue with his explanation.

Ben wasn't so good at remembering things except matters pertaining to cash.

"Before your accident of course, tell me." Ben played along, touching his beards and looking involved.

"Good," Ken continued. "That's the chick I felt the brotherhood to meet." He paused worried if he was getting along.

Ken kept on ignoring the confusion written all over Ben's face. "We chatted all night, she kept avoiding my advances to kiss or even touch her. I kept ordering drinks, she got drunk. I had my way before the..."

"Good morning Mister Ken." A voice broke in, the two men shocked back to composure.

It was the doctor in his regular ward coat standing by the door grinning at the two men.

"Good morning Doc." Ken replied, trying to play along.

"Hey doctor!" Ben started stylishly, doing things overly, a bit. "You can see he's getting better." Ben added, forcing a smile.

"Not bad," he smiled at their weird response as he walked towards them.

He lingered forward, checking his heartbeat, updating his physique.

"Can I be discharged any sooner?" Ken asked, dropping his head backwards in a bored manner, his eyes still fixed on the doctor who simply kept to his work.

"Truly you've got speedy recovery." The doctor paused, "but!" He exclaimed. "As you can see your wife hasn't woken yet." He spoke stylishly, his hands pocketed in his coat.

"She's not my fucking wife!" Ken yelled, giving an angry look at the doctor. Ben nodded along in agreement.

The doctor paused for a bit, adjusted his glasses and scanned both men. He said nothing afterwards, simply kept to his duty.

Ken turned towards Ben who sensed something nasty had to be done.

"Yo Doctor, my man here wants a discharge. You've got to make that happen!" Ben ordered.

While staring plainly at Ben, the doctor simply tapped Ken's shoulder and left the room not bothered by his tone.

"Damn it!" Ken surrendered.

"What do you suggest we do boss?" Ben inquired, trying to get involved.

"Now listen to me." Ken raised his eyebrows, sounding bossy. "Go make him agree, she mustn't find me here."

Ben nodded and gave the gang nod as he stormed out of the room.

The Baron in Ken was awoken.

Not long after, the emergency bell rang, movements intensified, nurses hopped here and there.

Ken got scared. Had Ben being caught? He kept wondering. He watched every side, not sure on what to do.

He noticed then that the room where Nicky was had become crowded, "had she woken?"

Ken watched, praying it wasn't what he thought. The nurses kept gesturing to calm Nicky who kept on vibrating. He was shocked to see her eyes open.

"Where the fuck is Ben?" He kept on expecting him to show up.

He was lost in his worry occupied mind that he was taken aback by the presence of a frightened doctor who walked in, suddenly announcing his release. The doctor had been accompanied by Ben who stood by the door, wearing a conqueror's smile.

"Well thanks doc." Ben smiled.

"Now go eject those things." Ben ordered, his hands stuffed in his pocket. The doctor did as he was told.

"And the girl?" The doctor asked in a shaking tone.

"You can marry her for all I care." Ken laughed. Ben helped him broadcast, laughing louder than ken did.

In no distant time, Ben accompanied a leaping Ken who supported himself with a pair of clutches that had been given to him by the hospital. They stopped as they got to the entrance of the hospital.

"Hold on boss, let me get the car." Ben pointed to a black BMW parked some meters away.

"Isn't that my car?" Ken asked angrily at Ben who kept on bouncing towards the car.

Ben got in, brought the car engines to life and drove closer towards Ken. He got down to help Ken get in and once that mission was accomplished, Ben resumed his position and the car was sent on a rampage, filling the area with exhaust smoke.

The occupants of Maribel's street sensed danger as the car drove in the street, accompanied with loud engine roars. Children ran indoors, animals gave way for the lunatic behind the wheels.

Once a puppy had blocked their path. Ken had it blinded with his cigarette and sent it flying across the road. Other animals seemed to have learnt from such encounter.

The car was brought to a halt in front of Ken's apartment.

"Listen carefully," Ken spoke "we've got to finish what we started, we aren’t backing up on this." He said as soon as the car was stable.

"You'll go back there tomorrow and kill that bitch, leave no traces understood?" He warned.

Ben nodded, feigning confidence concealing his worry from Ken's decision.