Chapter Two

Stacey.

Sunday, September 25.

9:35pm.

  Things have gone really crazy today, I cried a bit when I heard what happened to Mikel, but I could not cry in front of the kids at the orphanage, and also I had to rush to my hospital since there was an emergency.

"Doctor James." Rosie called, she was not only a doctor, but also my friend, we were childhood friends ever since I was nine, then I just relocated to Lagos.

"What is wrong?" I asked as we both moved swiftly into the emergency room.

I'm starting to hate my job, that minute when you have important family issues to attend to, they start calling your name 'Doctor James we need you at the emergency room stat.'

I checked the wall clock before swinging into the emergency room, 9:39 pm.

I couldn't cry my eyes out in front of the kids at the orphanage and now work is preventing me from crying, I want to pour out all the sadness in my heart, pour out those tears full of emotions.

Mike is dead... It kept replaying in my head, I couldn't save Mike but I can save this patient that looks very much familiar.

But I was too busy thinking of Mikel as I focused on the wounds.

Didn't care to know who the patient was even though he looked very familiar, I just wanted to go home when I'm done treating this shit.

"What happened?" I asked one of the nurses as we began the operation.

He had severe cuts and injuries and I was really not sure I could save this one.

"Got run over by a van." the nurse replied, I did as if I did not hear... I cared less but still I don't want to loose a patient.

He laid unconscious in what seemed like a pool of blood.

"Where have you guys been." Doctor Timi asked looking frustrated, I just ignored him and shoved my hands into gloves.

"There is no time to argue, I don't want to loose a patient." I said totally ignoring him, I did not spare him a simple glance.

He is probably fuming, I'm the head here and no operation is carried out without me, Rosie got everything we needed ready with the other three nurses.

*******

We were done and It seemed like we treated the patients for hours.

I checked my watch to see that it was already 11pm

I wanted to go home, even though normally I'd  slept at the office in the on call room, then drive home the next day when I get the day off. I know I fought with Mike but he is still my husband.

And Lilian does not know about it yet.

"You are going already?" Doctor Timi asked when he saw me rushing to my car.

I just nodded before opening the car with the remote not caring to look back, I pulled the door open.

"Won't you eat dinner with the others." he asked again, he is unaware of my husband's sudden death.

"I can't wait, I have to go." I said before twisting the keys to start the car, I still did not look at him as I rushed starting the car.

Rosie came running, We usually went home together, but now I am not sleeping at the office, I have to rush home.

"Wait for me!" she yelled before swinging into the front passenger seat, I drove out of the hospital immediately she got into the car.

"Why the rush, abeg slow down." She said before pulling her seat belt, I did not bother to do mine and I drove roughly, Rosie could notice something was wrong.

I kept my eyes on the road, and I did not reply to any of the things she uttered.

"Did something happen?" She asked for what seemed like the fifth time and I was already tired of the question.

"Mike is dead." I said still not taking my eyes of the road, she was shocked and she held her head, closing her eyes tight.

She was also a friend of Mike, we all went to the same high school. and I know she won't like the news at all.

"What happened, Stace what happened?" She asked still holding her head, she had began to cry and then me too.

"Rosie I don't know, I got a call from the police, Some assassins shot him before they escaped... No one knows who." I said still crying, my breathing became fast so I had to slow down a bit, constantly hitting my hands on the steering wheel with frustration.

We fought two weeks ago and since then I paid all my attention to the kids at my orphanage.

I only came home when I felt, because I don't want us to end up fighting again, I love my daughter and I don't want her to see us fight.

Mike is gone....

Just then my phone rang and I was not in the mood to pick any calls, after ringing for the third time I checked the caller ID and I saw that it was Betty, so I had to pick the call.

"Stace where are you?, Lilian fainted." Betty uttered sounding worried and scared.

What I did not want just happened, I wanted to tell my daughter myself and reassure her that everything will be fine.

I wonder who the hell delivered the news to her.

"Bett, I'll be home soon... I just left the office, please take care of Lilian." I replied before dropping the phone, that made me cry more, I hanged up immediately focusing on the road as I increased my speed.

  The Lagos traffic was high and cars were not allowed to pass the BRT busses lane only Ambulances, Police cars and other important teams that were on a mission to save lives.

I pressed the horn out of frustration and Rosie kept telling me to calm down.

It is not her husband that died, she can't know what I'm going through.

After waiting for fifteen minutes and we are still in the never ending traffic, I turned to take the BRT lane... I'm  a doctor and I will make up some emergency story if I'm caught.

"Stace what are you doing?" Rosie asked looking furious, I just commited a crime, I just violated a traffic rule... At least I did not pass a one way, that one can lead to an accident.

I received another call and I did not pick it, seeing that it was a call from the hospital.

Rosie picked the call after checking the caller ID from my work hot line.

"Doctor James, move to the ICU stat." the voice came blaring out.

"Cut the fuck off!" I yelled at Rosie, she did not listen and she just started to say her rubbish as I still placed my eyes on the road.

"Look, we are far from the hospital and we can't make it... make preparations for another team and carry out the operation." Rosie uttered, it came out fast from her lips and I ran with my car on full speed.

The road was clear and I was so desperate to get home.

"You guys owe me." Timi replied before ending the call, that was very unprofessional though, any other calls after that Rosie handled it.

I'm supposed to be in work by now, and I'm going to be ignoring all my patients till tomorrow morning when I'm supposed to get the day off.

After a while another call came in, Rosie picked again and immediately I recognised the voice, it was Monika's voice.

"Stace... Please where are you Taiwo is unconscious." Monika said as her voice kept shaking.

It was a call from the orphanage.

I quickly made  a turn to head to the orphanage, I wonder what might have happened, I was still there this evening, anyways I'm not loosing one of my kids, I'm not loosing anyone dear to me.

"Stace are you going to the orphanage?" Rosie asked looking confused, as she ended the call.

"I'll drop you off, there is an emergency." I said still not facing her, she shook her head in disbelief before letting out a hard sigh.

And in thirty minutes I was at the orphanage, I looked at my watch and it read 1:35, I walked into the orphanage after the gate man let me in,  it was so silent and all the kids were asleep, I moved straight to the clinic block, and before I could push the door open someone already did, Monika hugged me immediately she saw me.

"Sorry for your loss." she whispered so that the other workers won't here. She was the one helping me to manage everything, she's my cousin too.

"It's Ohh..ohhkay, where is Taiwo?" She pointed at one of the beds, I could not see clearly since it was dark and the touch light was not bright enough.

"Tomike, tell the security to on the generator, nurse Titi get all the things I'll need ready," I ordered, Tomike stepped out immediately.

" Moni please check on the other kids." I said turning to face Monika. I was still wearing my lab coat and I did not have time to change since I was rushing home earlier.

Even though the fan came on I kept sweating, this is the worst day of my life, also my worst experience as a doctor.

"Did you give her any sought of treatment?" I asked the nurse in front of me, I just employed her and she was very clumsy and forgetful.

She nodded and it immediately made me furious.

"Have I not told you to always speak with your mouth?, now what happened to Taiwo?" I asked checking if she was still breathing.

Her heart was racing and she was not breathing very well so I had to do something fast.

"I think she had an attack." Nurse  Titi said, so I had to help her with oxygen... Since that was what she needed, asthma attack can be life threatening.

I placed a breathing tube down her throat, into her upper airway,  using a machine that pumps oxygen into the lungs, it will help her breathe, while I give her medications that will bring her asthma under control.

After the whole treating process I sat beside Taiwo placing my head on the bed.

"It's okay Stacey." Monika said patting my back. She was half caste, her mom was Nigerian and her dad Canadian.

Just like me, I'm Canadian and now I have lost the only Nigerian man I truly loved since highschool.

We are close cousins and our fathers are brothers, but my father died when I was nine, then I had to return to Lagos with my mom.

Now my daughter is sharing the same faith now that she lost her dad.

Ever since my father died, I have only had four friends.

Betty, Monika, Rosie and Mike, we all lived simple lives and we did nothing than  to help and make the world a better place, so who would want my Mike dead.

I cried my eyes out and after a while Tomike brought my phone to me, Tomike helped as an assistant to Monika and I usually sent her errands.

The phone was ringing and I checked the caller ID to see that it was Betty.

"Hello Stace." her shaky voice called, mine was even worse and it was more than shaky.

"Yes, how is Lilian?" I asked clearing my throat before cleaning my cheeks, my tone fixed with curiosity.

"Lilian is fine Stace," I let out a sigh when she said that, my head was pounding, as I held my head high in pain.

Mike is gone....

" Mike's family came and I over heard them saying you are going to go through widow rites in the village, also they plan to take Mike's property." Betty explained and I frowned immediately.

I really don't like those village people I remembered going to village when I just got married, I had to go through all their stupid and pointless harmful traditional practices.

" I'll call the lawyer, I won't be coming home... If I go through those widows rites, I'll die in the process... Mike has a will so I'll contact his lawyer." I replied almost breaking down into tears again.

Monika kept rubbing my back while Tomike kept telling me 'sorry'

"Okay, take care Stace... Please take care, I can't bare to loose you, please stay strong for Lilian, okay? " She begged, I nodded as if she can even see me.

"Okay thanks Bett." I replied before dropping the phone and ending the call.

Taiwo became conscious and I stared into her eyes, she was not only shocked to see me here again, and at this time, but she was confused seeing that my eyes were red and pale... It was as if I was crying for hours now. When I checked the time on my phone it was already 3:30am. She kept staring at me, not sure of the words to say.

I dialed the lawyers number and he said he was going to be at Mike's house on Tuesday, with all the necessary files and documents also Mike's will.

   I can't go home now, I'm not in a good state and I don't want those village people to add to my pain by making me go through stupid rites. "Okay Sir." I replied "Sorry for your loss." he said for like the third or forth time, I just told him a 'Thank you' before hanging up.

"Are you okay Aunty Stacey?" Taiwo asked me, I nodded before reassuring her that I'm fine... She rested her head back, I covered her slender body with the blanket before leaving her with Titi and Tomike.

"It's okay Stace." Monika reassured as we walked into our room that was in the same block as the clinic, just two rooms away.

"Thanks Moni... I want to rest now." I replied, she nodded still patting my back, my phone read seventeen missed calls from Timi and fifty four from the hospital's hot line.

Also ten from Rosie.

I don't want to talk to anyone, I just want to be alone....