“Lister Hospital?... Siisi’s eyes widened and his heart started
racing faster than Usain Bolt’s after his 9.8 seconds world record. Patricia’s
eyes enlarged on impulse as Siisi repeated what the nurse had said.
“Not Lister! …Lystell Hospital at Sakumono” the nurse replied frantically. “Come quickly…”
“Hello… Hello…..”
Siisi looked at the screen and realized the call had ended. He looked at
Patricia who was equally confused.
“What is it, Siisi?
Who’s been admitted at the hospital?”
“I don’t know…but I
need to dash there quickly…she sounded serious. I don’t even know where it is
located …Lystell Hospital at Sakumono. Do you?”
“Nope…never heard of
it. I only know Lister. Google Map
can take us there. I’ll set it up.”
“Thanks. Lemme quickly inform the committee
members of the development and we’ll go.”
Patricia’s eyes were
fixated on the entrance of the staircase which led to the meeting room. After
about 30 seconds, Siisi descended again and pointed to the far right of the car
park, and started running towards the direction. He pressed the ‘unlock’ knob
on the key case about 50 meters away from the glossy grey 2007 BMW 315i – a pass-on from his dad when he returned from the UK
after graduating with distinction. He had enhanced its appearance with a 15” A-Line Devon Black 4/100 alloyed
wheels and replaced its original engine with a 3.0 L N57 Turbo l6 to accommodate his genuine love for speed.
Siisi revved up the
engine whilst Patricia searched online for the location of the hospital and
indicated their current location in the bar. The route was mapped out for them.
The speed with which he exited the parking lot was enough for Patricia to
grasp her seat and mutter an audible prayer for safety. Siisi could not be
bothered – a dear one’s life was at stake.
“Who could it be?”
Siisi thought whilst speeding. “I spoke to my mum two days ago, and she was
fine. My dad too is fine, I think!…
Who at all could it be” he sighed heavily afterwards. There was no room for a
conversation – utmost attention was being paid to the voice giving directions
from Patricia’s Samsung s7 Edge which
lay on her lap.
*****
Tina still lay on her
bed in the beautiful 4-star Akroma Plaza
in Takoradi where she and her
colleagues had been lodged since Saturday afternoon. They had impressed on
their client, an oil support company, to allow them come earlier than their
already scheduled Monday to enable them have adequate rest of both body and
mind before they began their grilling work. As usual of her whenever they went
on an assignment outside Accra, attendance to church service featured nowhere
in her plans, although she knew the Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah-led Royal House Chapel had a branch there.
For her, attendance to church was not a criterion for admission to Heaven – the
purity of the heart and one’s belief in God does the trick. And so long as she
was tired, she wouldn’t stress herself – God knew.
She turned to her
right to check the time on her phone and realized it was past noon. She lay on
her back and stared at the rotating fan which hung from the beautifully
designed POP ceiling above her. She had woken up at dawn to switch off the 1.5 HP Haier Thermocool air condition as
it sent chills down her spine even when the thick quilt was securely wrapped
around her. She opted for the ceiling fan in its stead.
The confusing dream
she had woken up from not too long ago played back in her mind. She put her
palms under her head and locked them at the fingers. “What kinda dream too is this?” she steupsed after she mentally asked
herself.
In it, she saw herself
clad in a white, vital statistics-revealing wedding gown, walking down the
aisle with her dad, and being heralded by Richard Wagner’s popular Bridal
Chorus played by Alfred Patrick Addaquay
on a Model D Concert Piano from Steinway & Sons. The sound
reverberated in the imposing, awe-striking Holy
Spirit Cathedral in Accra, where Philipp is a congregant. It struck her as they
walked down the aisle that the church was empty, but loud cheers could be
heard. She looked straight at the altar but saw only the Priest standing there,
beckoning them to come. “Where is Philipp?” she asked her dad, who shrugged in
response and kept walking majestically on the red carpet towards the priest.
When they reached the
priest, they saw his left arm stretched and pointing towards an individual
sitting in the confession box with another priest. She tried to go there, but
was prevented by her father who wouldn't let go off her arm, which was
interlocked with his. She tried to free herself, but her dad's grip was
reminiscent of a retired sumo wrestler.
She stood there with
her free arm akimbo, waiting to see who it was behind the confession box. The
cathedral, all of a sudden, was full to capacity with guests, with all of them
anxious to see who the fellow with the seared conscience was. Tina began
sweating profusely as she didn't find the situation amusing at all. Then all of
a sudden, the silhouette of a well-built individual emerged from the confession
box with a dark cloud over his head, walking towards her. "Philipp...is
that you?" she asked and immediately woke up to reality.
"Is Philipp
hiding something from me? ... Why would he go to the confession box on our
wedding day? ... What is so serious a crime or sin that he would have to
confess before tying the knot with me? ... Am I going to be safe with
him?" she asked herself in quick succession.
"Did I overeat
last night?" she asked herself when she realized she was unsuccessful in
her attempt at wrapping her mind around the dream. "Maybe, I have to find
a way of retrieving the dossier Siisi has been keeping on Philipp. I'll call
Siisi after having my shower and lunch" she concluded and swung her legs
down the bed and made her way to the washroom.
*****
“That’s
it…” Patricia pointed to Siisi when they negotiated the final curve, drove
about 100 meters, per the leading of her phone, and saw the Lister Hospital. He
parked the car and run to the entrance of the hospital with Patricia in tow. He
turned and hit the lock knob on the car key, and the amber light from
the trafficators blinked twice in quick succession.
“Hello… I’m Siisi Grant. I was called to quickly dash
here by a nurse”.
“Wait a minute, sir” the nurse at the reception
responded.
Siisi’s heart was beating mightily fast as he was
anxious to know which loved one had been rushed to the hospital for which his
urgent attention was required. Patricia joined him at the desk moments later.
“Yes sir!” Siisi’s attention was drawn by the nurse.
“Your father collapsed and was rushed here about two hours ago”.
His eyes widened and mouth gaped. “Where… How? Is he
fine? How is he doing?” he asked, all in a single breath. “Can I see him?” he
added before the nurse could answer the preceding questions. She nodded and led
the two to the ward.
Siisi muttered some inaudible prayers against any
misfortune he was unprepared for whilst they climbed the flight of stairs
leading to the wards. When the entered the ward where his dad had been
admitted, and saw the oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth and the heart
monitor to his right, he held the door for his own stability. Patricia held
him.
He moved closer to him steadily. The inaudible prayers
continued. Then his countenance changed.
“This is not my dad” he said. His was a tall, dark
elderly man with an average build and grey hair, but he who lay on the bed was
quite fair and bald.
“Huh!” Patricia blurted, as the two ladies looked at
him with surprise.
To be continued
Hmmmm. Who might the sick person be? I can't wait for what happens next.
ReplyDeleteGreat job PKBW. Keep it coming