Short Story: The 'Confession'...Episode 9

“Are you sure, Mr. Grant?” the nurse asked. “How can you say he’s not your dad?”

The stare Siisi gave her could cut through butter and yet leave no trail. “Don’t I know the man who gave me life? Is that what you are suggesting?”

“Uhm…then there must be a mix-up somewhere. I’ll check and…..”

“Hello… are you Siisi Grant?” another nurse walked in and unintentionally interrupted. She was much older than the first, and was clad in white apparel over a complimenting white pair of sneakers.

“Yes, I am” he responded, still wearing the frown.

“I called early on and asked you to dash here. But I tried reaching you again when we realized there’d been a mix-up – we mistakenly picked up a wrong file and called the number provided in cases of emergency. You did not answer” the older nurse said.

Siisi touched his pockets with both hands and realized he did not have his phone on him. He dipped his hands in them and tried to process the new information and also figure out where he’d left his phone.

“I must have left my phone in the car. But I’m not sure my phone rang again”. He looked at Patricia with a look that sought to ask whether she heard his phone ring whilst they drove to the hospital. She shook her head.

“Well, lemme sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. It is deeply regretted” the nurse apologized, and it sounded sincere.

“Hmm…that’s ok. Although I could have killed someone whilst I sped here like Michael Schumacher in a F-1 race” he forgave, whilst drawing smiles from the three ladies.

The older nurse apologized again.

“But I’m curious. Whose file did you mistakenly pick and found my name and number listed in there?” Siisi inquired.

“One Ekow Yamoah Grant… I suppose he’s a relative” she answered.

“I see. That’s my older brother. I didn’t know he patronized the services of this hospital.”

“We are the healthcare providers for his employers – Cadbury Limited.

“I see…Ok, we’ll be on our way then” Siisi said, reaching for the hand of Patricia, who looked at the older man who lay on the sick bed, wearing a pitiful countenance.

“I pray he recovers soon” she said, to which all three agreed by saying Amen.

Patricia felt the need to actually say a prayer for him, and all the others joined. Siisi was impressed.

*****

Agyeiwaa yawned as she sat behind the TV set watching an episode of Cheaters on CBS Reality, which she found boring. She had hurried home after church as it was situated in the neighbourhood to finish off two balls of Sunday Special Omo Tuo with groundnut soup, interlaced with snails, chevon, tuna and brɛboɔ (liver). She had woken up quite late that day and consequently, she could not have her typical English breakfast before going to church. Matters exacerbated as she chewed gum on her way to church. Gastric juice was being produced by the minute as the Superintendent Minister preached. She did not even hear the secretary ask all YPG members to wait for a short meeting after the first service. To first douse the fire burning in her stomach, she went straight to the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of mango juice and downed it with three ‘loaves’ of McVities Short Bread, whilst she readied herself for the preparation of the main course.     

She stood up to go take a nap in the bedroom when she heard her phone ring on the sofa where she sat.

“Taadi Aketeesia…what’s up?” she answered and started the conversation with Tina.

“Nothing much… I’m in the restaurant, waiting for my lunch…brunch…whatever they call it nowadays.

“Ei… I’m sure you didn’t go to church. So are you sure you’d make it to this Heaven we are all fighting for?” Agyeiwaa teased.

“I already have a front row ticket” Tina jokingly responded.

“You didn’t grab one for booboo? With this your selfish life, I’m certain you will be a seat-filler” the tease continued.

Tina laughed.

“Speaking of Philipp… Agyeiwaa, I had a very disturbing dream this dawn oo. I’m even confused.”

As she Agyeiwaa listened to the details of the dream as being told by Tina, the desire to sleep began to fade. She paid more attention than she did at church earlier in the day.

“Hmm…” she sighed after Tina had finished, in affirmation to the supposed disturbance of the contents of the dream. She was also disturbed. “It probably is nothing, Ewurama, you probably had a lot to eat the night before” she tried to allay the fears of her girlfriend.

“I don’t usually have such dreams. But when I do, they actually mean something, Agyeiwaa”.

“So what are you going to do now? Call Bishop Obinim to interpret it for you?” Agyeiwaa tried to elicit laughter from her friend but failed.

“Foolish!”, came the sharp riposte. “I’ll call Siisi after my meal and hope that he will be willing to give me the key to the cupboard where the skeletons are being hid.”

“Also hope that he’ll answer the phone when you call. Abi you know dada”

“I’ll get another sim card and call him with it”

“Well, good luck darling. And do give me feedback when you are successful.”

“Oh fior! Kɔkɔnsa nkoaaa na aka’w... I’ll do that. Now get off my line – my meal is here.”

“What are you having” Agyeiwaa inquired.

“They say there’s something called Creamy Pasta Cabonara with Turkey.”

“Ei madam… you are in Takoradi and not Turkey oo. They both start with T, but are different places – do keep that in mind. Bon appetit.”

Tina laughed and ended the call.

*****

“So, this evening?” Siisi enquired about their near-botched date as they walked towards his car.

“Uhm…let’s see. I’ll call to confirm” Patricia answered, with a teasing wink.

Siisi stood, with his lips slightly parted in surprise. Patricia turned to look at him and laughed when she saw the expression on his face.

“Come on….I’m messing with you. I’ll see you later in the day.”

“You don’t have to say it. I have the opportunity of taking you home, so I can come back there and even stalk you if you try to be stubborn”, Siisi said, with a smile. She smirked.

He opened the door for Patricia to sit, and when she thanked him, he bowed slightly and doffed his virtual hat. First thing he did when he sat in the car was to reach for his phone and scan through all the calls he missed. Five missed calls from a particular number, and he immediately remembered what the older nurse had said back in the ward. Two missed calls from another number about 5 minutes ago, and he hit the dial button.

“Hello…” a feminine voice answered and he immediately knew who it was. She said a much longer hello before Siisi replied.

“How are you?”

“I’m well…you?”

“Can’t complain….Are you at the hospital?” she asked when she heard the siren of an ambulance which had just entered the hospital.

“Yhup”

“You are unwell? You went to visit another?”

“None of the above…. A case of mistaken identity or something like that”

“Ah…in this day and age, which hospital does that?”

“Uhm…Lystell Hospital at Sakumono apparently does”

“Lystell??? Wow….”

“Why?”

“Philipp works there….”

There was a very long silence when she said that – mentioned that name.

“Hello….Siisi, are you there?”

She looked at the screen and realized the call had been ended abruptly.

Siisi slammed the door and started the car. His face was expressionless, which made it difficult for Patricia to tell whether he was angry or was just in a pensive mood after the call.

“Excuse me, nurse…” Siisi stopped a middle-aged who walked by when he was just about exiting the hospital.

“How may I help you, sir?”

“Is there a Dr Philipp here? ...I understand he’s on duty today…”

“I’m not sure…can you give a description?”

“Uhm…tall…dark…average build…just about your height….mid-thirties…”

The nurse looked up and saw the hospital administrator walking in after seeing a visitor off at the gate.

“What’s his surname?” the administrator asked Siisi.

“I’m not sure…. If I remember correctly, it’s Asare or so…”

The administrator shook her head and Siisi’s eyes widened.

To be continued…  

P.S. If you missed Episode 8 of The "Confession", you can read it here.