Chapter Five

I must admit that I regretted speaking my mind when they'd left but the feeling only lingered for a moment. Totally consumer by the desire to meet Tim again, I kept glancing at the wall clock, Impatiently waiting for the hour of three and when it did come, Caleb was still nowhere to be found. I figured he would be on his way and didn't want to pressure him to come back ASAP so I resisted the urge to call him.

I waited till 4pm and he still hadn't showed up so, I grabbed my phone and dialed his number while cursing silently. It rang but he didn't pick. I called again and again till he finally picked on the 4th ring but he was silent at the other end of the line, probably waiting for my nagging to come first.

"Caleb!" I called. I heard him grunt but said nothing.

"Caleb" I said again

He burst into laughter "I'm coming" he said and cut the call before I could continue the rest of my ranting. I glared at my phone for a while as though it was the face of my brother, gasped and lay down again. Maureen had just left for her chemotherapy session.

"I have to meet Tim today" I muttered, utterly uncertain exactly why I had to and what that meant to me. You know, it would have been easier if I'd just known his floor or exact ward number. That day we'd met, I felt it was going to seem too straightforward to ask for those information. I mean, we'd just met for the very first time. I felt such encounters would be frequent but lo, I've not caught a sight of him ever since. And I guess that's what happens to other people out there. They withhold whatever it is they wish to say, procrastinate on expressing love and care until something happens to the supposed recipient. But in my own case, I was lost as to why I felt that way. Perhaps because we sort of, connected during our little conversation but then...

"Fine" I admitted to myself "I think I like him" I as convinced about this because I'd tried to find myraids of excuses but it couldn't cloud the fact that I like him and I decided to stop lying to myself. I sat up, covered my tattered hair with a hoodie and primped myself a bit to the amazement of the others.

"What's going on?" One had asked but u tactfully evaded the question as it could give me away. I was done and peering at my face in the face mirror I held to cover my face but I smiled at that question.

"Jane, what are you up to?" Came Joy's approaching voice "this is new to us" she grabbed my arm and swayed it repeatedly expecting an answer but I knew her tactics too well. U remained tight lipped.

"Hope it isn't that conspicuous?" I asked, turning to face her. She scanned my face carefully and wiped the corners of my lips with the back of her hand.

"You're good" she said

"When my brother comes, please let him know that I went to my usual place" I said, getting out if the bed and putting on my flip-flops "he shouldn't bother looking for me. I'll be back soon"

Joy was smiling and her eyes were saying 'oh, you're meeting someone in the garden? That's good, you need a life as well'

I laughed and tapped her shoulder on my way out " Snap out of it" I said and left the room without stopping to look back and again.

When I was out of the building, u was so elated and something told me if be able to meet him this evening. I felt like running till u got there but I get tired too easily and may slump again which, God forbid, would likely extend my stay in the hospital. So I resisted the urge but walked briskly towards the garden with a smile on my face.

When I got there, my countenance changed instantly. The garden was empty. Not that it was unoccupied, because there was an elderly man and his daughter (I think), seated on the bench, some other guy at the far end was shouting into his phone but there was no Tim so it felt empty. I walked desolately to the shade where the aforementioned duo were, acknowledged their presence with a nod and squeezed myself beside them. The time was 4:45pm and I Feld kind of relieved. 'There's still plenty of time' I told myself, igniting the lost hope that I could still meet him here again. By staged coincidence, if you know what I mean. Ha ha..

There was an awkward silence that ensues ever since I'd say among them so just to assure them that I was 99.9% uninterested in whatever they were discussing, I plugged in my earpods and listened to Mozart. It worked like magic because they resumed talking at once (I didn't have to look at them to know. I just knew) how could I not? When I'd reduced the volume of my phone to the accurate decibel at which I could still enjoy Mozart's composition as well as overhear their little chat. Not that I was interested; I had to satisfy that 0.01 percentage of curiosity. Contrary to my speculations, they were just having a random discussion whilst enjoying the evening view of the garden. I glanced at my phone again and it was just few minutes past five. I decided I'd go back to my ward at half past five if he still doesn't show up. Then, I rubbed my knees and said a silent prayer.

My benchmates got up and left about ten minutes later. I readjusted and scanned the area but no one was in sight. My jaw dropped and I made a show of going through my phone but u was feeling a surge of rage building up inside of me. Now, I wonder why. I still had two minutes left but I got yo anyway and started to make my way back to my block. I'd switched from classical music and the song that was banging in my ears then was Imagine dragon's 'Thunder'. I had almost left the garden when a hand grabbed my shoulder from behind. Impulsively, I flinched and turned.

There he was, the face I'd been longing to see for donkey years now. He was smiling, showing off his perfect dentition and tiny dimples I hadn't notice other other day.

"We meet again, Jane Doe" he said and we smiled in Union as though on cue.