(S2): HEARTBEAT OF BELLO'S HOSPITAL. E1

A big SORRY to all of you. I know this is coming late. 
*******
Episode I Title: The decision
********

Gerald Duke’s went to his office to think. He felt as if a part of his heart has been ripped out from his chest. A piece of him was no longer with him. He was feeling awful and he didn’t like it. He went to the restroom to watch his face. He thought he would feel better but it became worse.

He wanted to go home and lie on his bed and sleep for a long time, maybe he won’t feel overwrought anymore. He had to leave. He had to get out of the hospital. He didn’t want to see Lola’s beautiful face. He rose up to get ready to leave.

*******

Jidenna peered into Lola’s eyes and smiled brightly. “You have made me so happy.”

She smiled back at him. “I am glad I made you happy.”

He held her hand. “Let’s go inside.”

Her next reaction surprised Jidenna. She slipped her hand away from him.

“What is it?” He asked. “Anything wrong?”

‘Nothing is wrong,” Lola bowed down her head. She looked up and peered into his dazed eyes. “I don’t want you to take it the wrong way. I don’t want our relationship to be the talk of the hospital.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“No one have to know we are dating. I want us to take it slow.”

“Are you ashamed of me?”

“No! Never!”

“Then why don’t you want people to know about us?”

“I didn’t agree to be your girlfriend because of people around us. I choose to be your girlfriend because I care about you. Our relationship should be private. It’s personal. It is nobody’s business. Anyone can figure it out on their own. We don’t need to spill it out. Please.”

Jidenna heaved a long sigh and put his hands on his waist. “I will only agree to keep quiet about it for a short while. I want everyone around me to know I have finally found the right woman for me.”

“When it is the right time to make it official, I will let you know.”

“Okay. I am glad you are my girlfriend.”

“I am glad you are my boyfriend.”

They smiled at each other and he pecked her on the left cheek. “Let’s have dinner next weekend.”

“No problem. Let’s go in.”

Both of them walked side by side and approached the entrance. Duke didn’t see Lola and Jidenna on time until he was quite close to them. He would have dodged but it was already too late.

“You are leaving already?” Jidenna asked.

Duke replied him. “Yeah.”

Lola smiled at Duke but he didn’t look at her direction. She gave Jidenna a nod and walked away. Something in her knew she had made a wrong choice but there was no way she could end the new relationship that has not even started.

Duke looked back as Lola strolled away, and he turned to Jidenna. “I’m happy for both of you. You look happy.”

Jidenna stared at him uncertainly. “You are happy for us?”

“Yeah. I know Lola accepted to be your girlfriend. I’m sorry. I overheard your conversation when I was coming over to where you were.”

“Oh, really? Thanks. I am very happy. What were you coming to do there?”

“I wanted be alone and think.”

“Oh I see. I hope you are doing okay.”

Duke grinned. “I am doing great.” he tapped him on his shoulder as he was about to step away from him. “I will see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Jidenna quickly touched him to stop him from leaving. “Lola doesn’t want our relationship out yet. I know you don’t talk a lot. I know you won’t tell anyone.”

“Your secret is safe with me.” Duke walked away.

*******

Lola went to check on the couple that lost their son. She expressed how she felt and wished them well. She thought of the old man that needed a kidney transplant. She saw him awake and he displayed his set of teeth at her. It was obvious he was happy to see her.

“How are you feeling sir?” She asked as she moved closer to his bed.

“I feel the same. I just want my kidney transplant as soon as possible.”

“You will have the transplant soon. It will be before three weeks ‘time.”

“Were you able to see my daughter?”

She gazed at him with pity. “Yes I did.”

“She doesn’t want to see me, right?”

“I don’t think so.”

“I don’t think so means she is not coming to see me. I knew it. I knew she won’t come. I wasn’t a good father to Patricia. I wasn’t there for her when she needed me.”

“Can I ask what happened between both of you? I know you told me you pushed her after her mother’s death.”

“You have the right to know what happened. You tried to help me. You deserve to know the truth.”

He closed his eyes for few seconds and the moment he opened them, Lola sighted tears around his weak eyeballs. He looked at her and tears drizzled down the left side of his face.

“After I divorced Patricia’s mother, I remarried and abandoned the duties of being a father. I didn’t do anything for my daughter. She was only seventeen at that time. Years later, her mother felt sick and died. I didn’t visit Patricia or attend the burial.”

Lola was visibly shocked as she opened her mouth.

“I knew I made a huge mistake but it was too late.” he added. “I lost everything to the other woman that is why I cannot pay for my surgery. My wife left me last year.”

“When did you try to mend things with Patricia?”

“Three years ago. She refused to listen to me. I was wrong to abandon her even if I was no longer married to her mother.” The tears on his face had dried off. He gazed into Lola’s concerned eyes. “If I die before the surgery, please go back and tell her I am very sorry. I need her forgiveness.”

Lola put her hand on his shoulder lightly. “You are not going to die. You will tell her you are sorry yourself.”

“She won’t listen.”

“It doesn’t matter what her reaction would be. If she doesn’t want to listen to you, shout and I am sure she will hear you clearly. What you did to her was bad but as long as you are sincerely sorry, you deserve forgiveness.”

“Thank you doctor Lola.” 

“You are welcome sir. Don’t lose hope."

“I have lost hope a long time ago."

“Don’t give up. There is still time.”

“You are very kind.”

“I try to help people in any way I can.”

“Don’t allow anyone change who you are."

“No one can change me.”

"That's good to hear." He smiled.

Lola felt sorry for him. She promised to check on him the next day.
*******

A female nurse rushed to Melvin. He was approaching the doctor’s lodge.

“Dr. Melvin, your attention is needed. A pregnant woman has been involved in an accident. She was calling your name before she went into shock. She is unresponsive but Dr. Jidenna and Dr. Zara are attending to her.”

“She asked after me?” he asked in a surprised tone.

“Yes.”

Melvin and the nurse ran to the emergency ward. Melvin got there and looked closely at her and she looked familiar.

“Oh my God.” he muttered. “I know her.”

“You do?” Zara asked.

“Yes. This was the woman I advised not to travel.”

After thorough checkup, Melvin knew what he had to do. “We have to do an operation otherwise she will lose her life and her baby. The sound of the heartbeat of the baby is weak. Where is her husband?”

“I have contacted him.” The nurse answered. “He is on his way.”

“We don’t have time to wait for him. If I don’t operate on her now, she will die and lose her baby too!”

Doc Melvin, Zara and the nurse went to the operating room. 

********

Duke was on his bed. He was thinking of a way to neglect Lola. He had to avoid her. Just the thought of seeing Jidenna with her made him jealous. He has never felt like that before. What was he going to do to stop himself from thinking about her?

He thought and remembered seeing Lola’s mother. There must be a reason she lied. She told him she wanted to see Dr. Bello and when she saw her daughter, she changed the cause of her visit to the hospital.

What was Lola’s mother hiding? Was Lola related to Dr. Bello? He knew about what happened to his family and there was no mention of a daughter from another woman. He was not the kind of person to make snoop or poke-nose into people’s private life. He didn’t want to have anything to do with Lola. He thought again. He knew what to do.

********

Melvin came out of the OR and went to the meet the husband of the woman he had operated. The man quickly stood and gestured towards him. He appeared disturbed.

“How is my wife? How is my baby?”

“Your wife is a lucky woman. She survived.”

“What about my baby?”

His face fell. “I am sorry. We couldn’t save the baby.”

He shut his eyes tightly and sat on the chair. He covered his face with his hands and tried to hide the tears coming out from his eyes.

“I am very sorry.”

“I warned her. I told her not to drive until she gives birth.”

“You don’t have to blame her. You should confirm first if there was a fault in her car.”

He cleaned his face and looked up at Melvin. “Her car is perfectly okay. She drives roughly and I have told her so many times to get a driver.” he rose on his feet and turned his back at him.

“Won’t you see your wife?”

He turned back and his eyes were red. “I am not in the mood.” He walked out of the building.

*********

“That should not stop him from seeing his wife.” Lola said to Melvin at the lodge after he had told

Lola, Zara and Ahmed what the man said.

“What the wife did was senseless,” Zara said with no emotion in her voice. She had a mean expression on her face.

“Don’t talk like that.” Ahmed said.

“How do you expect me to talk? If she loved her unborn child she shouldn’t have driven the car!”

Lola shook her head and a nurse came into the lodge.

“She is awake, Dr. Melvin.” She said to him. “She is asking after her baby but I told her you would see her.”

“Okay. I will be with her shortly.”

“Alright doc.” The nurse left.

“What are you going to tell her?” Zara asked him

“What do you want him to tell her?” Ahmed questioned her.

“I wasn’t talking to you mallam.”

Ahmed frowned but didn’t say anything. Melvin looked at all of them.

“I have to see her now.”

“I will like to come with you.” Lola said.

“No problem.”

Melvin and Lola walked out and Zara mimicked what Lola said with a displeasure look on her face.

“I will like to come with you.” She hissed and Ahmed glared at her. She saw him and eyed him. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

“How am I staring at you?”

Zara hissed loudly and bounced out of the place.

*******

The woman’s right hand was on her not-so-flat stomach. She was in tears. Melvin and Lola walked and were surprised to see her crying.

She looked at Melvin. “Where is my baby?”

Melvin gazed at Lola and back at the woman. He was speechless. He didn’t know how he would tell her.

“I knew something was wrong when the nurse couldn’t give me a direct answer when I asked her about my baby. I want to hear it from you doctor, where is my baby?”

Melvin remained numb. Lola moved closer to her. “I am very sorry. Dr. Melvin tried his best but he couldn’t save your baby.”

She began to cry audibly. “I didn’t even travel and I lost my baby. What am I going to tell my husband?”

“He already knows.” Melvin finally spoke.

She stopped crying and sniffed her nose. “What did he say? Where is he now?”

Melvin wanted to answer her but Lola quickly spoke. “We don’t know where he is right now but I am sure he will come and see you.”

“Did he leave the hospital?” She asked in a confused tone.

“We have been at the lodge. We will check for him when we leave here.”

“Tell him I am sorry.”

“We will tell him.”

Melvin checked her pulse and asked about how she felt before he left with Lola. 

The moment they came out from the room, he spoke to her.

“You should have allowed me to tell her the truth. Her husband has gone.”

“This woman just lost her baby. Telling her, her husband has left the hospital can cause more damage to her health.”

“What if the husband does not return today? What do we tell her?”

Lola thought of what to say. “I need his phone number.”

“For what?”

“I will talk to him. She is sorry and she needs him by her side.”

“With the kind of look in his eyes, I don’t think he is ready to see his wife.”

“Don’t conclude. He might have gone somewhere to think. He probably needs a quiet place for now.”

“Well, I don’t have his number. Ask the nurse in charge. She is with the woman’s phone.”

On their way to the ward, they saw the nurse and the husband of the woman. He was holding a lovely flower.

“That’s the husband.” Melvin quickly whispered to Lola.

“I told you not to conclude.” She said with a smile on her lips.

“Hey doctor,” The husband said to Melvin as he approached them. “I’m sorry for my behavior. I shouldn’t have walked out.”

“That’s okay. She asked after you.”

“And she is truly sorry about what happened.” Lola chipped in. “The accident wasn’t intentional.”

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

The nurse led him to see his wife. Lola still had a smile on her face as she watched them walk away from her sight. 

Melvin looked at her. “You better stop blushing. Forget the fact that he is holding a flower for her. Their marriage will never be the same.”

“Don’t say that. You don’t know how much he loves his wife.” Lola sauntered away and Melvin gave a pale smile.

*********

Lola returned home and met her mother Bidemi in the living room. She got up and moved to stand in front of Lola.

“I am happy you came home. How was your day?”

“My day was good. You didn’t have to come to the hospital.” She wanted to step away but Bidemi blocked her way. “What is it?”

“I know you are upset with me. I am sorry.”

“Sorry is not enough. If you really want me to forgive you for hiding the truth from me, find a way to contact my father or any member of his family.”

“I don’t know how to reach any of them.”

“Have you even tried to reach any of them?”

The look on Bidemi’s face changed. “You won’t understand.”

“Then make me understand.”

“I have told you I really don’t know anything about your father’s family.”

“What about the full name of my father?”

She refused to answer. Lola shook her head angrily and began to walk away.

“Omolola, don’t walk out on me. I am still your mother!”

Lola turned to her direction. “But you are still lying to me! I don’t know why but you have to tell me the truth. I deserve to know the truth! Why can’t you tell me his full name? What are you hiding?”

“I am not hiding anything from you.”

She motioned near her. “What is my father’s full name? I can use that to find him or any of his family members.”

Bidemi heaved a sigh before she gave a response. “I only knew him as Bello. I am sorry.”

Lola could tell she was still lying. “Okay.”

“Okay?” She said in a surprised tone.

“Yes. It’s okay. Goodnight mom.”

Lola walked away to her room and Bidemi didn’t say anything further. Lola thought of one of her mother’s old friend. She planned to see her during the weekend.

********

The next day, Duke arrived at the hospital very early. He called Doctor Yvonne to see him immediately she resumed for duty. Lola greeted her mom and when Bidemi tried to start a conversation, Lola told her she would be late for work. Lola left. On her way to the hospital, she received a lovely text message from Jidenna.

‘Hey beauty. I can’t wait to see your beautiful face today’

Lola smiled and replied.

‘I hope to see you too dear’

When she got to her destination, the first person Lola saw was Melvin coming out from his car.

“Good morning Dr. Melvin.”

“Good morning Dr. Lola.” He replied while smiling. “How was your night?”

“Nice and yours?”

“I slept like a baby.” They started to walk towards the entrance. “Do you know you and I would make a good team?”

“How do you mean?”

“Look at us yesterday. Despite we didn’t agree on something, we never got into an argument unlike Zara and I.”

Lola didn’t say a word but made eye contact with him.

Melvin added. “Apart from being colleagues, we could be good friends. Friends without benefits.”

“We will see about that.”

“I am actually a nice person.”

“You don’t have to tell me. Let me find out by myself.”

“No problem.”

They entered and passed through the emergency ward. Jidenna had finished speaking with a patient. He saw Lola and winked at her. Her face stylishly gleamed at him. Ahmed motioned towards them as they came close to the dressing room.

“Dr. Duke wants to see us at his office now.”

“Any problem?” Lola quickly asked him.

“I don’t know.”

“Let’s change.” Melvin said to Lola and she gave a nod.

They entered into the room and met Zara. She had already changed. After both of them wore their uniforms, the four of them went to Duke’s office and met him with Dr. Yvonne. She was standing beside the desk. Duke remained on his chair. Lola knew she deeply liked him. She didn’t want to use the word love. It would break her heart because he wasn’t the man in her life. Lola didn’t like the fact that Duke wasn’t looking at her at all. Something was off. She felt he has been ignoring her. He was friendly before but now he was acting cold.

“I called all of you here because I believe what I have decided on what to do will benefit all of you.” Duke said, looked at Yvonne and back at them. His eyes were on Ahmed, Zara and Melvin as he spoke. “Dr. Yvonne has agreed to mentor two of you. We are going to take one male and female each.”

Lola, Ahmed, Zara and Melvin were very surprised.

“But Dr. Duke, you are the Chief of contract staffs.” Lola spoke to Duke. “You are in charge of the four of us. We are supposed to get orders from you and report to you.”

Duke didn’t have an option. He looked at her face.

Damn! I’m in love with her.

“I know.” he said. “I have the power to change the procedure. I will still be in charge of all of you but Dr. Yvonne will send me the reports of those assigned to her. Whenever she has a surgery, two of the contract staffs will be with her, same with me.”

Duke looked at Yvonne and gave her a go-ahead nod.

Yvonne spoke. “Dr. Duke will be in charge of Dr. Ahmed and Dr. Zara.”

Zara gave a side smile and glared at already disappointed Lola.

She continued. “I will be in charge of Dr. Lola and Dr. Melvin.” Yvonne folded her arms. “Any questions?”

Apart from Lola, the rest chorused the word no. Melvin seemed happy with the expression on his face.

“You can all go.” Duke said and peeped at a document on his table.

“Can I talk to you in private?” Lola asked, looking at Duke.

He looked up at her face. “No. You can talk to me with everyone in my office.”

What is wrong with him? Lola asked herself silently. She was getting upset. Yvonne did not like her. How would she work with her? Yvonne might give Duke false reports about her.

Lola inquired. “Does it mean Dr. Melvin and I won’t be allowed to join you in surgery if we want to.”

“If I need any of your assistance,” he said. “I will inform both of you.”

“This is not what you told us when we got here. We can’t be tossed around like a football on a pitch. We are supposed to be under your wings. You told us we are a team. How can we remain a team when you have decided to separate us?”

Duke frowned. He wasn’t surprised at her statement. He already knew she was open-minded and smart. Yvonne and her colleagues were dazed.

“I know what I am doing.” he told her.

“Well I don’t know what you are doing. You have to explain. There must be a reason for this.”

“I owe no one an explanation!” Duke said in an angered tone. “You have no right to question my authority. Doctor Lola Bello, you are banned from coming to my office or even speak to me. Get out of my office.”

“But…”

“One more word from you, I will give you a query letter. Leave my office now.”

Yvonne, Zara, Ahmed and Melvin watched in shock as Lola scowled at him for few seconds, walked out and banged the door hard! Duke wasn’t shocked at all. He liked it.

******

To be continued…. On Sunday.