JUST BECAUSE IT'S FRIDAY.

“How are you feeling now?” the doctor asked May, putting the stethoscope to her chest and stomach.

He gently replaced the hospital gown.

“Better,” she said gently, I just feel as if my stomach has been wiped out.

“It’s normal.”

The doctor assured her. He made some notes in the file and returned it to the accompanying nurse.

“We had to purge you of everything in the stomach before it gets into your bloodstream, the test will tell us how far it’s gone into the blood but I don’t think it can create any damage.

She nodded

“The nurse told me they have taken the necessary samples,” he looked at her for confirmation.

“Whatever you ate,” he continued “has taken its toll on you and I think that is as much damage as it can do.”

“Thank you so much doctor,” Her mother replied.

“You are welcome ma’am”

“When am I going home?” May asked the doctor

“Oh! Not immediately, we need to observe you for a few days before we know if we should let you go.”

The nurse went to check the IV fluid and adjusted the flow.

“Can you please walk with me to my office?” the doctor directed at August who was standing beside his sister's bed.

“Are you sure everything is fine?” The mother requested worriedly

“Yes ma'am. I just need to talk to him about the necessary precautions and her drugs.”

“If you say so, ” she replied still not satisfied.

“Madam, calm down, you have been here for three days. If anything worse has happened, we would have told you by now.”

The doctor exited with the nurse and August in tow.

“Your dad called yesterday, he couldn’t sleep, he wanted to talk to you, but you were asleep.”

“You shouldn’t have told him.”

“I had to, I didn’t know what else to do. Your brother didn’t tell me on time too.”

“It’s over now mom. August and Olumide got to me on time. Foyeke was there too.”

“What exactly did you eat that caused so much harm?”

“I told you, nothing.”

“How did you get that bloody thing into your system then?”

“I told you, mom, I got home and was very hungry, the cook was not around and I told the other maid to get me a drink that’s all.”

“Which maid?”

“The one you got from the fruit seller.”

“You mean Fiyi?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“Fiyi would not put something in your drink.”

“You think so, that girl hates my guts. She could be angry I made her stay past the normal time. She was on her way out when I got in. I didn’t want to bother her, but I needed to take something that day and I kindly told her to get me a drink.”

“Where was Foyeke all this time, didn’t she get a drink too?”

“Foyeke didn’t go in with me, she was on a call when we got home, so I left her outside.”

“I am still confused.”

“You need to get that girl arrested,” May said raising her voice.

“Calm down, don’t get yourself worked up.”

“I need to mom,” she adjusted herself in the bed and started crying. “Why would she poison me? We pay her to do a job.”

“Of course, but she had no reason to poison you. I know she wouldn’t do that.”

“Maybe I'll just talk to dad then, ” She kept sobbing. “Maybe if I had died, you would have taken it serious. No one takes me serious these days.”

“May! Don’t say that.”

May tried to sit up on the bed but was finding it difficult.

Just calm down, her mom advised, helping her up.

“Explain why you think she'll poison you.”

“Ask Olumide, the last time I told her to make food for him when he came to visit, she refused and said she had to leave. She wanted to leave and was yelling at me until Olumide calmed me down and tried to wade into the situation. She probably sees me as an enemy."

“August seem to be fine with her though, ” her mother countered

“He is a guy mom. Think about it, she could manipulate him. She has always had issues with me. You know how these people are, she probably thought that she needed to get me out of her hair. All I ever did was make her work for the money we pay her, is that bad?”

“No my dear.”

“I’ll talk to your brother about it.”

“What do you think he’ll do? He will convince you not to arrest her. He is chummy with her. That’s what she does, get all the guys to like her so that they don’t see any fault.

Even August’s other friends. She flaunts herself when they are around, I wonder how many of them have slept with her.  I am the only one that sees her for what she is and I get punished for it.”

“ As I said, you need to calm down, how come you never told me all these?”

“That the maid was giving me attitude?”

“No, that she is such a person.”

“How could I? You are the good Samaritan, you would have made me feel as if I didn’t want you to help.”

“Not at the detriment of your health.”

August came into the room, closely followed by Olumide.

“Olumide!” She said happily holding her arms out as far as the IV would allow.

“How are you baby?” He replied holding her in a hug. He tried not to hold her too hard because of her state.

“You scared me, ” he said to her.

“I am sorry, ” She said and hugged him again.

“Good afternoon ma, ” he bent at the waist to greet Mrs. Wright.

“Good afternoon dear, how are you?”

“I am fine ma.”

“What did the doctor say? she asked her son as she vacated her seat for Olumide.

“Nothing much, just that we should be careful what she eats for the next few days and a list of drugs to be taken at the pharmacy.”

“Can I have the list?”

“I already gave it to the nurse, she’ll get everything ready”

“Okay.”

“We need to leave for our trip tomorrow morning,”  August informed his mother.

“We had to postpone it because of May's health.”

“I understand. I will get the driver to pick us whenever she is discharged.”

She took the other seat in the room and watched her daughter chat happily with Olumide. She began to give thought to their discussion. Why would Fiyi go to such an extent to get even with her daughter? She was only trying to help her family by employing her, why would she repay her goodwill with evil?


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