Chapter 1: Drip Room Drama

While I dey get drip for the infusion hall, I just dey hear the inner mind of the fine boy wey dey sit down opposite me:

Na so breeze from the ceiling fan just dey blow the faint scent of Dettol everywhere, drip stands line up like parade. Everybody for the room either dey shiver under wrapper or dey gist in low voice. But this fine boy own face different — e look like person wey dey reason deep matter for inside. I notice say e leg dey bounce small-small as e dey eye him phone.

From the way e dey look me, I fit almost hear the kind thing wey dey run for him mind:

[Chei! No be this babe dey for Uche’s phone lock screen?]

[If I call Uche now, no be so so run e go take come?]

[This kind midnight, she dey alone dey take drip—Uche no go feel am for body?]

Even the nurse wey dey change drip bottle for the next bed, I see am dey look our side with corner eye, like say she sabi as boys dey behave when fine girl dey around. The hall get that typical hospital vibe—people dey cough, one mama dey pray quietly, some children dey sleep for plastic chair. I for no believe say na me this boy dey think about. Abeg, na me wey dey wear old wrapper, face rough from sickness? Who I be?

The whole infusion hall full. I just reason say this fine boy no fit dey talk about me.

Mosquitoes just dey buzz for my ear, the white light for ceiling dey harsh. I just dey mind my own, dey calculate when nurse go change my drip. I tell myself say e no fit be me, abeg, who I be? My wrapper sef no fine reach today.

But wetin shock me pass be say, na me this guy dey use him phone dey snap on the low.

Omo, e dey try form like say e dey check Whatsapp status, but na me e dey snap steady. I adjust my scarf, pretend like I no notice, but for my mind I dey para. I wan open mouth ask am, but my voice no gree come out. Wetin I go talk for this kain place? E no fear at all, see wahala for this Lagos!

One woman balance pure water for hand, dey sip am slow as if na medicine. As I dey sick, na only me waka come hospital dey take drip.

My body just dey cold, I use wrapper cover leg. Everywhere dey smell of hospital spirit, that one wey dey make person feel like home and prison together. I just dey wish make my mama dey around, but I no wan worry her.

I dey look the drip bottle, I no even fit close eye sleep.

That plastic bottle just dey drop one, two — as e dey go down, my mind dey calculate how many more bottles remain. Mosquitoes no dey let person rest, my eyelid dey heavy, but I dey fear make I no doze off when drip go finish. If nurse forget me, and blood begin climb pipe, na wahala be that. I dey pray make God send helper.

For that kind lonely, weak moment, na so I begin hear the fine boy opposite me dey reason for him mind:

[Chei! No be this babe dey for Uche’s phone lock screen?]

[This kind midnight, she dey alone dey take drip—if Uche hear, no be wahala?]

[If I call Uche now, no be so so run e go take come?]

See as e dey type, sometimes e go glance up, eyes dey sharp. I dey try compose myself, form strong woman, but my mind dey trip small.

The place choke with people. I swear, I think say the guy dey talk about another person.

People just dey waka up and down, nurse dey call number, children dey cry small small. Nobody dey really look my side, so I just reason say e fit be another babe e dey notice.

Like normal onlooker, I just dey look around, dey wait for gist to burst.

For Naija hospital, wahala dey plenty, gist dey everywhere. I just dey expect make one drama burst, maybe nurse go quarrel person, or one old mama go vex say dem no give her attention. But na me drama land for head.

But na me the fine boy dey snap quietly with him phone.

The thing just dey vex me and dey make me laugh inside. Shebi if no be because I dey weak, I for don comot face for am. But na so e dey, person wey dey sick, body no dey too strong for wahala.

I come dey wonder whether na because I dey sick, I just dey imagine things, say maybe I dey too lonely. But I still hear the guy mind dey talk again.

My mind dey do one kind. Na so sick person dey reason. I ask myself whether na malaria dey make me hallucinate, or if my spirit dey fly. But the guy dey reason me, e dey real, I no dey craze.

He bend down like say e dey type message:

The boy bend well, e thumb dey fly for phone, e dey smile that kind sly smile wey boys dey give when dem dey plot runs.

[Uche, guess who I jam for hospital.]

[No be that babe wey dey your lock screen?]

[She dey here alone for infusion hall, nobody follow am.]

[How I go take know wetin dey do her?]

[But sha, na only her waka come.]

[I dey see as she dey fight sleep, head dey nod every second.]

[But once in a while, she go open eye kpam check drip bottle.]

[No be your heart go cut for her?]

[You wan know which hospital?]

[Abeg, better gist dey cost.]

[Ten thousand naira. Send am now.]

[If e short by one kobo, I no talk anything.]

Guy, this kain runs na Naija spec. I even dey imagine say if I dey stronger, I for bill the guy join, make e pay me part of the money, after all, na my fine face e dey use hustle.

Ten thousand naira? No be thief work be that?

E for better if na normal gist, but this kain sharp guy hustle, I weak. For Lagos like this, na so boys dey move.

E just dey do me to waka go meet am ask, "Oga, no suppose make I collect half that money?"

I dey imagine myself go ask am that kain question—omo, wahala for who no get mouth.

Ping—alert don land.

My body do me like when suya money enter hand—everybody dey feel am.

That ping loud o! For this Naija, as alert enter, body go sweet you. I see am shake small, arrange face like say nothing happen.

Fine boy just arrange himself well, excitement full him body.

E chest puff, e sit up, e dey look phone dey grin like person wey just win bet.

I still dey hear him mind dey talk:

The guy dey do as if e dey chat, but e eyes dey shine, mouth dey curve like e don hammer.

[Ah-ah, Uche, you get money no be small.]

[No wahala, I go tell you sharp sharp.]

[Na City People’s Hospital, second floor, adult infusion room.]

[Abeg come fast, I dey wait you.]

[No fear, I go dey watch her for you.]

E dey form loyal guy for Uche, but na hustle dey worry am. The kain wahala people dey do for padi na only God know.

For my mind, I just wan tell am: If you wan dey watch me, abeg help me dey look my drip bottle join.

This kain hospital, if you no get helper, na so you go dey fear say blood go enter drip. Na so person dey pray say make good samaritan dey nearby. As e dey claim say e dey watch me, at least e fit help with small thing now.

Sleep dey catch me, but I dey fear say if drip finish, nobody go call nurse. If blood begin enter or air enter the pipe, na wahala be that.

My body dey tire, but my mind no gree. Hospital wahala, drip matter, fear of needle — all join. I dey beg God make I no sleep forget myself.

I close eye, dey reason, but I no fit remember any Uche wey dey crush on me.

I dey rack brain, dey count all the Uche wey I sabi from secondary school reach NYSC. Nobody come to mind. Maybe na malaria dey affect my memory.

Until like twenty minutes later.

For this Lagos hospital, every minute long pass normal, especially when you dey sick. Na so I dey count drip drop, dey wish time go fast.

Suddenly, person burst enter the infusion hall.

Everybody pause — even nurse stop dey move. The person presence just choke. E be like say cold breeze follow am enter.

Black trench coat, tall, fine, long legs wey dey show, e just dey shine for the place.

Na that kain coat wey only big boys dey rock. E shoe dey tap floor steady, e move with confidence. For this hospital, e stand out wella.

Under the coat, white shirt, waistline just dey show small small, e get one kind cool sexy vibe.

E belt fine, shirt neat, perfume na one kind foreign scent, blend with small hospital Dettol, confuse my nose. E get that Naija big boy pose, no stress, no wahala.

But wetin shock me pass na the guy face—too familiar.

I look am well, heart skip. My mind dey rewind memory like old cassette.

Fine boy no be here.

All the women for the hall, even nurse, use eye follow am. Some small girls even dey giggle for corner. E just dey shine like star for night.

No be Uche Lanting, my bestie younger brother wey don japa go abroad?

Na so memory just knock me. The boy wey I think say I no go ever see again. E face still fresh, e skin still fine, everything package.

Na so old memory wey I think say I don forget just rush me.

My heart beat double. Wetin I go talk? After all these years, na hospital drip dem go use jam me and am?