I knew Lola to be a strong girl, very strong and tough. I never pictured her dying, although she was hit straight to her chest; a dangerous point. She was strong enough to live up to three days after the hit before giving up. The news of her death really shocked me; she was truly a great friend. Her death pained me seriously; I just wished she could come back.
******
Vincent: She’ll be buried later in the day
Me: What? Why?
Vincent: She was a Muslim
Me: Lola was a Muslim? How is that?
Vincent: Yea,,, her Father is a Muslim. He refused to allow his children to be converted to any religion. Lola doesn’t really like being a Muslim; I tried to convert her but her only fear was her Dad.
Me: I didn’t know all this
Vincent: My worry is if she confessed and accepted Jesus before she died
Me: That’s another thing
Vincent: I heard you’ll be discharged in the evening?
Me: Yea
Vincent: That means you’ll attend her burial?
Me: Yea but this is really not cool,,, it’s just too soon
Vincent: There’s nothing we can do about it bro
Me: Please take me to where they are
Vincent: Will they let you?
Me: Sure, why not? Besides I’m no longer on drip
Vincent: Alright
*I was already getting up before Nurse Norah walks in*
Norah: Where are you going to?
Me: To another ward where I just lost a friend
Norah: Ow… really sorry about that but you can’t go out yet
Me: Why not?
Norah: I’m here to give you your last injection before you get discharged
Me: Ok that’s not a problem, it won’t take time
Norah: I will advise you to remain in one position so it’ll function well in your body because it’s not just any injection; so… please
Vincent: Listen to her bro, she knows better. There’s still time
*I annoyingly lay back on the bed*
Vincent: I will be outside **Walks out**
Norah: **After injecting me** Sorry about your friend
Me: **Still feeling annoyed** Thanks
Norah: I know how it feels to lose a friend **She sat down on my bed** I also lost a friend. She was a very good friend of mine. She nicknamed me ‘Noriz’ back in our secondary school days. So believe me when I say I know how you feel right now **she held my hand and started caressing it** I’ll be here if you need someone to talk to.
Me: Thank you but I’ll like to be left alone to do some thinking
Norah: No no no… there’s no way I’m going to leave you like this; you need someone by your side dear **palming my left cheek**
Me: You don’t have to be worried about me; you should attend to your other patients
Norah: I’ve attended to all of them before coming here, I’m attending to you last today because you’re my favourite and my hero and I’m also using this opportunity to spend time with you since you’d be discharged today. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?
Me: I just want to be alone
Norah: I’ve been through this, leaving you alone won’t do you any good trust me
Me: **Speechless**
Norah: I can make you feel better
Me: **Speechless**
**She slowly leaned forward to a kissing position**
Me: What are you doing?
Norah: Shhhh…. Relax **her lips almost touching mine**
*Not again!*
Me: Stop it! **with annoyance after a slight thought of Lola and Dorothy**
Norah: *Got shocked then adjusted her position**
**Door opens**
Vincent: What happened?
Norah: Just trying to console him about the demise of his friend but he seems to hate consolation **getting up**
Me: I need to be left alone
(They both left the room)
I didn’t know what to even think of, I just felt enraged. My mind wasn’t stable, different things kept scrolling past my mind. Lola’s death was like an evil imagination to me that I can’t believe. She’d be buried today, so I won’t see Lola again. She left when I started liking and understanding her. Just not ok!
I told the doctor to discharge me earlier than the time he mentioned of which he did. I told my Parents to go home without me that I’d come home after the burial but they insisted on going there too. I got discharged and joined others at the cemetery where they were to bury Lola. So many people including students showed up on such a short notice. I felt absolute pity on both Cynthia and Mirabel. Even Nancy was very much affected because she really liked Lola from the first time she knew her. Lola was laid down into her grave without wasting time. Many people that knew her cried out that I didn’t know when tears rolled down my cheeks. Lola is gone!
**************
Later in the evening at my Family house that same day, we all sat down in the parlor looking dull but facing the TV. I sadly yet proudly watched myself on TV during the President’s visit; that was what stabled my mind because I focused on the TV that moment. I was like “how I wish I added this and that to my replies” that kind of feeling. We talked and laughed over it.
The President later spoke on Lola’s death; he said the killer will pay dearly.
I remained in the house for two more days before I returned back to school without communicating with Mirabel all through. I attended lectures the following day but Cynthia and Mirabel didn’t show up. I used Nancy’s phone to call Vincent and asked him about Mirabel, he said she and Cynthia went on a mourning trip to Ghana to mourn Lola. Which one is mourning trip again? And she didn’t even inform me about it. I visited my Lecturers one by one in their offices to present myself as I’m back. They all welcomed me with a handshake saying I shouldn’t worry about the lectures, tests and assignments I missed; then I vamoosed from school. By then my wound has healed up a lot. I bought a new Samsung galaxy phone and a new sim then I did a welcome back.
My Parents called me that night saying they just came back from the Presidential villa. They happily and joyfully announced to me that the President is now aware of the relationship between Mirabel and I and he’s fine with it. They said the President suspected it when he visited the military clinic. My Dad also said that the President told him to come back in four days’ time to receive an official contract as an Auditor of NNPC; do you know what that means? Enough money flowing in abundance.
I was very happy, I will surely vote for him in the forthcoming genera[l elections that’s few months away same as my final semester exams in the University.
The following day was Dorothy’s trial in court; I couldn’t go there so i went to school and came back to see that judgement has been passed. She was charged with manslaughter, kidnapping and cultism. She was sentenced to be continued…..
