Chapter 8 Chp 8 - Light And Life

"Paranranran paranranran paranranran panan! Paranranran paranranran para...." Mukhtar's mother quickly came out of her room to pick up her phone on the couch before the call disconnected.

"Krm krm," she cleared her throat while trying to zip up her blouse with one hand, "Ehen, hello yes, who's on the line?" She asked impatiently since it was an unknown number calling.

The person on the other end responds, "Hello ma, good afternoon ma, please, am I speaking with Mrs. Waris ma?"

"Ah ah!" She looked at the surface of the phone and then placed it back against her ear. "You called my number, and you're asking if you are speaking with Mrs. so and so? Do you not know who you are calling in the first place? Look here, young man, if you don't have anything to say, I will disconnect this call now instead of you wasting my precious time!" She had to disconnect the call.

"No, ma, hold on, please," the person on the other end said with urgency.

Ehn, ehn, what?"

"So sorry ma, I just want to confirm I got the right details before relaying the message I have to pass across. I am sorry about the imposition." He pleaded

"What message?" She snapped

"I am calling from THE LIGHT AND LIFE hospital, ma, regarding Mr. Mukhtar. He was brought in about eight hours ago due to a fatal accident, and our specialists have been working tirelessly to resuscitate him. It was when we were sorting out his belongings that I got your number from his cell phone before it shut down. That's why I am calling you to verify if I got the right details, ma." He explained articulately

While the man was explaining all this, Mukhtar's mother collapsed on the couch like her legs couldn't support her anymore while gulping in the air with her mouth wide open.

Silence

"Hello, ma, are you still there? Can you hear me?" Just... just be factual with me, please. Is he?" she swallowed. "Is he dead? Are you calling me right now to tell me that he's dead or to give me fake hope?"

"No, no, not at all, ma," the man reassured her. " I am calling because we need his family here by his side to sort things out."

She jumped up "Yes, I am coming now. I am coming. What did you say the name of your hospital is again?" She asked while frantically looking around for her keys and purse.

"It's LIGHT AND LIFE HOSPITAL, ma"

Please, give me directions; I will be with you now; I am on my She paused suddenly, like she remembered something "Hold on, have you informed any other person apart from me?"

No, ma, your number was the only one I was able to pick before..."

"Very good, I am his mother; don't call any other person; I will be with you right now, in the direction I asked for!" She asked as she frantically put on her slippers, grabbed her purse, and hurried out while the voice of the attendant could be heard through the phone giving her the directions to the hospital.

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"What do you think is happening, Marissa?"

Evelyn, who looks quite unkempt, could be seen moving about restlessly in her room while Marissa tried to help her arrange her disarrayed clothing.

The only thing I know right now is that his phone is not going through and he hasn't been around. Evie, just give him time. You know several things could be the issue, but not necessarily what you are thinking about, right? Just give him time and stop being so pessimistic!" Marissa replied with an exasperated tone

"And you do need to clean up, girl; I mean, you look a fright! Just look at yourself in the mirror over there if you don't believe me. I am sure if Mukhtar sees you right now, he will almost faint with disbelief!" She joked while wagging her finger at Evelyn.

"Who cares about how I look?" Evelyn flung her hand while clucking, "I am telling you, Marissa, something just doesn't feel right! Do you see these red-rimmed eyes of mine? It was because I couldn't sleep well! I was just feeling so forlorn and restless all through the night, and I have been trying to call his number since then, but it hasn't gone through! It's unlike him, Marissa! Quite unlike him! Muk will never leave his phone off this long when he knows I could call him anytime, especially not now! Not now, Marissa! He always ca.

"Evie?" Marissa cut her off

"What? You know I am."

"Girl, you really need to stop this before I am forced to gag you and put on my earpiece," she threatened with a mock stern voice. "You are so lucky today is Saturday and I don't need to be at work; otherwise, you would have to drive yourself crazy by now, and for real? You need to stop this; it's neither good for your mental health nor that of your baby!" She laid her hands on her shoulder to turn her away from the window, where she had been peeping for moments.

"How can I stop this? I can't stop this! You know he's not like this; he is always accountable! What more? He was supposed to come over yesterday evening to inform me about his discussion with his mother, or at least call me. Mukhtar will never just go to bed without telling me anything, not when he knows I will be anxious." She picked up her phone from the table again to dial his number. "He needs to..."

"Ehn ehn," she collected the phone from her while turning her toward the bathroom. "The only thing he needed to do right now is come back to a sane partner, not one who couldn't at least bathe because she was anxious like a village wife who is anxiously waiting for her husband to come back from his hunting spree, We are going to be civilized about this like the total babes that we are and won't jump to any conclusion for any..."

Evelyn turned so sharply and without warning that she almost hit her head against Marissa's nose

"Do you think I could call his mother to ask? That was the last place he told me he was heading to yesterday when we talked. I have her number, though she has never deemed it fit to pick it up since the day she realized that that was my number. Do you think she will pick it up? Maybe she will this time. "Let me just..." she said as she moved towards her phone.

"Evelyn Chidiebere, if you so much as move towards that phone, I promise I will bodily carry you to the bathroom myself," she threatened

Evelyn laughed. "You can't even carry me when it's just me, and you think you can now that we are two?" She taunted, laying her palms flat on her stomach

"Oh, do you want to try me?" Marissa replied while rolling up her imaginary sleeves and blocking the way. "Oya now, come on, come and try this heavyweight champion; come on, let me show you who is boss," she beckoned her to move closer.

Evelyn laughed loudly "I know what you are trying to do, Marissa," she sobered up. "But I am truly worried; something is telling me that things are not right with him. It is an intuition, Marissa, and you have attested to the fact that mine is hardly ever wrong, haven't you?" she sighed dejectedly

"I understand you, girl; I sure do, just as I understand that you need to put yourself together as well. What if this is just a scare and nothing serious after all? Whatever it is, before you can deal with it, you still have to take care of yourself first. Eat, have a rest, and then we will work things out. If we have to go over to his place or call his friends, we will do that, but don't let us act hysterical without cause yet. You really need to refresh yourself and eat something. Remember you barely had anything for dinner as well?"

Yeah," she raked her hand through her hair, "I could barely take anything in, what with the anxiety and nerves. You will go with me if that is a necessity, as you promised, yeah? She asked pensively

"Yes, I will go with you," Marissa laughed

"And you won't back out? Because I know you don't certainly like situations like that."

"Nope, I won't back out, solemn swear." She raised her right hand to portray her seriousness

" Pro.."

"Go and bathe, stinky!" Marissa shouted

"Okay, okay! I am going," she sighed

Marissa leaned against the entrance and looked at her friend's back as she entered the bathroom and drew the curtain.

"Hmm, I hope it is not what I am beginning to be afraid of," she thought "Hmm, Mukhtar, you had better not turn out to be one of those irresponsible guys out there because this won't be easy on Evelyn at all. What exactly could be the reason for this uncharacteristic behavior?

"Marissa!" Evelyn called from the bath.

"Whaaaat? Evelyn, I swear if you don't stop calling me like you have a heart attack, I will break your head one day. Marissa laughed

Evelyn hooted with laughter "Come and scrub mummy's back!""Crazy girl," Marissa returned.