Twenty one: Miriam

                                    

                                          
Jide was a sorry sight.
                          
His fists were clenched so tightly that his veins were popping out. His hands moved about as he paced the waiting room of the ICU while I watched. I could tell he was trying hard not to cry.
                          
The doctor came out.
                          
"How is she?"
                          
The doctor simply waved us to his office.
                          
"So...? Give me a status update. What's going on?"
                          
Jide was extremely impatient.
                          
"She was involved in a car crash."
                          
"That I know, just tell me how she's doing."
                          
The doctor took a deep breath and I was almost scared.
                          
Was Jamilah dead?
                          
The prolonged silence was suffocating. Jide however looked like he wanted to bang hard on the table to get answers.
                          
"Her case is critical. Her legs were damaged along with a severe head injury not to mention the amount of blood she lost, right now we are trying to keep her heart beating and she's in the Intensive Care Unit. She arrived here early enough but she was unconscious and still in state of comatose. Luckily for her, we were able to contact you when we saw her phone."
                          
Jide's hands unclenched a little as he burst into tears. I was shocked, crying was the last thing I thought he'd do.
                          
"I failed.", he whimpered.
                          
I felt extremely sorry for him. I also felt this deep pit deep down in my stomach, I almost felt like upchucking my morning's breakfast. How did the accident happen? Pretty sure Jide's car would have been completely lost but he could get another one. Jamilah, however, was on her lifeline. She could die any moment from now and if she did, she was never going to come back.
                          
"I'm very sorry sir. We are also going to need a blood transfusion."
                          
Jide looked up at him again, as if the doctor said he could bring Jamilah to a very healthy state.
                          
"I'll donate it but can I see her?"
                          
"I'm sorry sir but you can't, she's in a critical condition and for now, no guests are allowed."
                          
Something flashed in Jide's eyes and I knew what was going to happen next. I held his arm and ran my hand on it till I felt him relax a little. Even the doctor stopped talking.
                          
"You'll need to fill a form and do a blood test first.", the doctor said a little terrified after Jide almost pounced on him.
                          
"Can we do it right away?", I finally spoke after a long silence on my part.
                          
"No, but we'll begin by running some tests, the results will be out soon. I'll see you tomorrow for the tests, just go home and take care of yourself, make sure you eat well."
                          
After that he gave Jide a form to fill and left to somewhere. He grabbed the pen beside the form with shaky hands. I put my hand on his shaky one, earning him a look from me.
                          
"She'll be fine.", I assured him.
                          
In the next second he surprised me with a hug, crying hard.
                          
"I failed Miriam, I was supposed to protect her."
                          
I hugged back, really touched, then I stroked his back. All of me hoped I wouldn't catch him drinking when we got back to his house. I was shaken.
                          
"You didn't fail, it wasn't your fault.", I whispered, "And she'll be fine. You'll do the blood donation tomorrow."
                          
And pray she'll respond quickly, I almost added.
                          
To be honest, I wasn't a religious person, but I was ready to do anything to see Jamilah healthy and okay, and to see Jide unhurt and happy.
                          
He squeezed me tighter and sobbed. It felt so weird.
                          
"Come on Jide, Jamilah wouldn't want to see you like this.", I tried consoling.
                          
At first he was silent, then I heard him talk.
                          
"You're right, she'd want me to be strong.", he slowly broke the hug and gripped the pen.
                          
He would have tried to be strong but I knew he wouldn't be the same. It was too much.
                          
He scribbled words on the form and signed at the end. Minutes later, the doctor came in and took the form. Jide asked one more time to see Jamilah but he wasn't allowed so he gave up.
                          
The journey back was not so easy, we used public transport and all the way Jide was not himself. I tried to calm him down most times. I really didn't imagine that the first time in weeks that I was going to leave Jide's house would turn out like this.
                          
We finally got home and I tried preparing something for him. I would never be as good as Jamilah but I was trying anyways.
                          
I finally got something for him to eat and brought it up to his room where he was. I was relieved to see that he wasn't holding a bottle of liquor or something.
                          
I knew he would refuse eating but I wouldn't have none of it. He nestled on me like a child while I kept whispering things to make him feel better.
                          
I was determined to be there till he slept and when he woke up. I shook my head mentally. Why I was dedicated, I didn't know.
                          
I only knew it broke me to see him in pain. I sighed. Pain was every part of humanity. I felt pain in the past and still do now, he was in pain, I guess human beings probably could not do without pain.
                          
Pain was synonymous with humanity. We just have to bear it and grow from it. We have to live past it and find peace. I knew Jide would find peace. Just like I had found peace with him. It was strange enough that I had admitted it.
                          
I found Jide's body on me becoming heavier and his breathing slowed. He was asleep. I slowly adjusted to make myself comfortable.
                          
Then I felt his phone buzz beside me. I took it and looked at it to find a message. A part of me wanted to ignore it but a bigger part of me was dying of curiosity.
                          
Eventually curiosity won after a mental debate and I quietly used Jide's finger to unlock the phone. I had seen him do it multiple times so I knew the exact finger.
                          
After succeeding in unlocking the phone I opened the message. The number was not saved in the phone so it made me wonder who it was. I read it anyways, but then I wish I hadn't. The message created a new kind of panic.
                          
What happened to her was just a warning. You're next if don't want to talk terms with me. You know I don't joke around.
                          
- Gabriel.
                          
I looked at Jide whose head rested on my chest and then at the phone. A lot of questions were going up and about in my head, my first one was; Who was Gabriel?
                          
Then it clicked, the day Dave was murdered, the day I ran away from the brothel, the person Majoress was talking to.
                          
My blood ran cold and the phone fell from my hand.
                          
And here he was threatening Jide's life. My eyes immediately darted to Jide who, thankfully, was still asleep.
                          
Oh God.
                          


                          
~~~
                          
Author's note: My loves ❤️
I won't say anything about the story shaa.
                          
Y'all should check out "The contract wife" by @babygirlkodi She's a real sweetheart and my twin from another mother.

                          


                          
Still, much love from your girl 😘
                          
And stay safe 😉