My Distraction

Episode 38

“I’ll elope with you if you permit baby”. she rasped. “Just say yes and leave the rest to me”.

“But that’s not possible now you’ve made up with your man”, I said.

“Would you have even agreed if I was yet to make up with him?” she replied. ”You never wanted me for keeps”

“Oh don’t stir my emotions now, Sunil”

“Anyway”, she shrugged. “Whatever we had, it was good while it lasted”.

I could detect sadness in her voice, which was now shaky. And she turned her back to me, facing the other way. To be frank I knew the babe loved me, but I just wasn’t ready for the type of commitment she was asking for at the moment. Then I moved closer to her, cuddling her, as my limp c0ck smouldered her round a-s. She responded immediately by nudging her backside towards my g—n and I fondled her b00bs from behind.

“Sunil…Sunil…”, I stuttered. “I’m not just ready for any commitment now”

“But I can wait”, she stated. “Do I look like i’m in a hurry? I’m not like all those naija babes that want to rush a man to marry them. I’m willing to wait”

“Oh dearie…”

“Just give me the assurance and I’ll kick Karam out of my life for good”.

Mehn…she sounded serious oo. But this was my fellow guy we were talking about here. Yes I know he’s a jerk and an a-s wipe, but it will be bad of me to make his woman break his heart for my sake. What if na me nko? I wouldn’t find it funny.

“So you’ll be going back to New Delhi with him”. I said

“Yeah. And I don’t think I’ll practice medicine again once I get back to India as his wife”.

“Ah ah….why naa?” I asked. She scoffed sarcastically.

“As if you care. Well….you don’t know who Karam is”, she said. “He’s against a woman being a doctor. Says it’s gonna make her far from home keeping”.

“Then why does he want you, knowing fully well you’re a doctor?”

“Karam is a traditional Hindi man. He simply hopes to make me stop practicing”.

“You have every right to object!”
She turned to look at me then shook her head in dismay. “As if i have a choice. Every Hindi girl is taught to adore her husband”

“That’s bullshit!” I spat.

“If you think it is then tell me you want me, and stop ranting like a toothless barking dog”.

Walahi her last statement pissed me off. Na me she dey call toothless kini? If not sey she just give me her sweet kpomo now I for woze her face. This babe no know sey I don rugged since oo. Kai Goodheart don suffer. See curse, just because of tôto. If na when I still be Flame the Hit Man….mtcheeeew…..anyway.

“I was suggesting shaa”, I growled.

We fell silent for a while and I looked at the time it was 12 midnight. Few minutes later Sunil was already snoring, still laying with her back to me. Suddenly my phone rang (the sound disturbed Sunil who mumbled in her sleep)….I picked the call and a nurse’s voice came on line.

“Hello sir, Goodmorning sir”.

“I’m not supposed to be on duty this night, what is it?”

“Sir…it’s Dr. Saha…please come down to the hospital”. and she cut the line.

I hastened to my feet, startling Sunil who woke up in panic. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“It’s about Dr.Saha. A nurse just called me now. I think it’s an emergency”, I replied dashing into my bedroom. By the time I was out, Sunil was no where too be found so I stepped out my apartment to find her already dressed and leaning on the car. Without wasting time, we got into the car and drove away speedily.

The ambience surrounding the hospital was moody that early hour of the morning (when we arrived). And we were surprised to see other doctors gathered round with long faces. In panic we ran to our moody colleagues

“What happened?” I asked but no one was ready to answer me. So I left Sunil behind and ran to the ICU only to meet a shocker. There was my boss and mentor covered in a white cloth, and I rushed in to confirm by opening the veil. His peaceful face was so heartbreaking that I couldn’t hold back my tears as it came rushing down my cheeks. My knees were now weak to carry me, and I staggered and sat on the tiled floor of the ICU sobbing. Minutes later, Dr. Sunil came in with a nurse and her (Sunil) eyes were already swollen and red and she came to squat before me were I sat.

“It’s okay doc”, she said to me. Then the nurse came close to redraw the white veil over Dr. Saha’s face.

“What happened to him?” I asked the nurse.

“He fell into a delirium and I think his brain couldn’t handle it”, the nurse revealed.
A Delirium is a severe mental state with sudden onset that is associated with patients in the Intensive Care Unit. It can be caused by several underlying medical conditions.

Then the nurse continued “You can meet Dr. Adeyemi for details”. And she turned to leave, and I stopped her once more.

“What was his time of death?” I demanded. She heaved deeply

“11: 53pm sir”, she responded softly before walking away sorrowfully.

And so it was that on that gloomy night, we lost a big brother. A colleague, a friend, a boss and a mentor. Who would fill the vacuum created by Dr. Saha’s exit. Many would look up to me, of course because I too was a good doctor, trained under the great Saha himself, but Dr. Saha was peculiar. His type was rare to find. He had this Midas touch with which he did his own things.

I’m not trying to say he was perfect, but he was special.

Leaving the ICU, Sunil and I walked towards the other doctors who raised their faces the moment we walked in. They all had their eyes on me, and I knew what that meant. But no matter what, Dr. Saha was irreplaceable and Briggs Memorial will never be the same again without him.