Omoshalewa - Episode 8

 

"Oh! Shalewa. How are you?" The voice at the other end responded.

"I am good and you?"

"I'm fine too."

"Please, I am at the motor park near your campus right now, can you kindly give me the direction to the hospital where Stephen was admitted?"

"Really? When did you arrive? Stephen didn't mention that you would be coming."

"Yea, I didn't tell him either."

"I see, so where exactly are you? I can just come and pick you right away, so that we can go together."

I gave him a description of where I was and the colour of the dress I wore. In about 7 minutes time, he came around and located me . We exchanged pleasantries.

"Wow! You look even more beautiful than the pictures I have seen. It's nice meeting you Shalewa. My name is Joel, Stephen's room mate."

"Thanks, I replied timidly. It's nice meeting you too."

He took me straight to the hospital which wasn't really far from the park too. By now, I was really eager to see Stephen. I began to anticipate and imagine the astonishing look that would envelope his face when he sees me.

We entered the male ward, Stephen's bed was at the far corner. We reached his bed side and I was really surprised at what I saw

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/omoshalewa

. A lady sat on his bed. She held on to his right hand while his head rested on her laps.

"Hello Mary," Joel greeted her. "Allow this guy to rest now, what's all these?" He snapped at her.

"Of course he is resting can't you see? He couldn't even sleep until I rocked him to sleep."

"Which kind rocking? Is he a baby?" He retorted.

"Of course, at least..."

She was cut short by Joel.

My heart started to race where I stood.
"Who the hell is this?" I thought. "Rocking my own Stephen to sleep on her laps. Delilah's lap or what?" I was really uneasy, I started sweating.
Joel's voice jolted me back from my thoughts.

"Shalewa, meet Mary, Stephen's class mate..."

"Stephen's girl friend, point of correction," Mary interrupted him.

Joel began to scratch his head, then he replied,

"See Mary, I don't know what you are talking about, all I know is that you are just a class mate. This is Stephen's Fiancée, Shalewa."

"No!" She looked at me with a disdainful eye. Stephen never told me that he had a Fiancée, he only told me that Shalewa is a friend.

By now, I was really angry and pissed off. "Who the hell does she think she is? How could Stephen tell her that I was just a friend? She even knew my name... Ha! Could it be true that Stephen has a girlfriend here at school?"

 I felt like crying but I held back the tears.

I looked at Joel who in turn avoided my gaze. I was sure he was only trying to cover up for Stephen, maybe if he had known that Mary was at the hospital, he probably wouldn't have brought me there.

I looked at the lady again. She was fair and beautiful, her naturally long black hair touched her shoulders. I felt so jealous. 
"So, this is who Stephen had been dating all along? Oyinkansola said it oh. Ha! No man can be trusted."

I determined to wait till Stephen wakes up, I really deserve an explanation. I turned to Joel and asked, "please where can I get a bottle of chill water around here?"

Mary replied, "just check out there..."

"I wasn't talking to you!" I snapped at her angrily. "What gives you the right and audacity to claim that you are Stephen's girlfriend in my presence? You are so cheap and desperate."

"And you are the slut here," she retorted.

"Hey ladies!" Joel whispered. Don't create a scene here. This is a hospital and Stephen needs to rest. Let's talk about this later. Shalewa, come with me."

"Don't worry please, I will get the water myself."

Just then, Stephen turned in his sleep and opened his eyes. He sprang up immediately he sighted me.

"Shalewa? How, when? I mean what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? So I can't come visiting you? Oh! I see your girlfriend is taking good care of you already, so I shouldn't have bothered about coming."

"No, that's not what I meant dear. I was only surprised to see you here. You didn't tell me that you would be coming. Come to me my Angel, I have really missed you." 

He pushed Mary off and sat up on the bed. I could see his pains as he struggled to sit up, he isn't well yet, I should have moved closer to help him but at that moment, I was restrained by the anger welling up within me, I couldn't feel for him at all. I was really really bitter. I should have been the one holding his hands and cuddling him. To think that there was another lady sharing Stephen with me was too much for me.

"Don't worry Stephen," let Mary continue her work, I am out of here." I replied and walked out of the ward.

Joel dashed after me. I could hear Stephen whispering after me, "Omoshalewa Abeni, please don't go my love."

But my mind was made up. I couldn't bear it any longer.

Read " The Honeymoon " by the same author ( Moyosore Teniola )

. The tears flowed freely down my cheeks, I couldn't restrain them.
"Oh what a waste! Love can be wicked. Why Stephen? Why?" I sobbed quietly all the way.

Joel tried all he could to stop me from leaving but all his attempts failed. I went straight to the motor park and boarded a bus back to school. I picked my phone and sent a WhatsApp message to Oyinkansola, summarising my encounter at the hospital. I didn't leave out the details about how beautiful Mary was and  that she looked like someone of a high class, judging from her outfit..."

I got back to campus at around 4:30pm in the evening. I couldn't go to my room, the sorrow was too much for me to bear alone so I went straight to Oyinkan's room. Ngozi and Stella were around too. She had briefed them already about what happened.

Immediately I entered the room, they all hugged and consoled me. I let out the sobs uncontrollably. I sat wearily on Oyin's bed while they rallied round me sympathetically. It was almost the saddest day of my life...

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Hmmmmm...
Who has a shoulder for Omoshalewa to cry on?