"Yes, I did. The guy saved my dumb ass tonight," said Jason turning to look at his friend. "You heard the lady, right?
Carlos scuffed and said, "Oh please, stop acting like a kid. I'm grateful Bernard is alive, but Jesus? Don't mingle with all that religious sh*t mehn."
Jason crossed his arms over his chest and gave Carl a good look. "You're grateful? To who or what? To the skies? To God? Tell me Carl."
"I'm grateful to God, but that's as far as it goes. So just thank God," and Carlos stressed the last word, "and watch it."
"Watch it, huh? I get."
They wheeled the stretcher away and Jason joined other people who had been waiting, into the ward. Bernard was seated on a chair with a plaster on his forehead and another around his left wrist. He stood up as soon as he saw them but he wasn't smiling.
"Ben. What's up man? How are you doing?" Carlos greeted him first, giving him a hug.
"I'm alive," Bernard answered, his face stiffened in anger and his eyes still fixed on Jason. "I can never count on you for anything, Jason, never."
Jason put a hand in his trouser pocket while the other one ran through his hair. His brother had a right to be mad at him tonight and for good reason. The two weren't getting along as before and it seemed the gap was widening between them. But he wished at that moment that they could put their differences aside and be brothers, especially after the night's encounter.
"You are right, Ben," Jason looked up at his brother to meet his gaze, "Be glad I wasn't the one driving tonight."
"Damn you!" Bernard said, stepping forward but Carlos held him back.
"Easy Ben. This is the hospital. Are you good to go?" Carlos said to Ben.
"Yes. Please take me home," Ben replied Carlos and they left the ward together.
Jason was behind them. How he felt inside was well different from his external reaction but he couldn't help it. He walked to his car and waited until Carlos had driven out, before leaving the hospital and it was 11:10pm.
****** ****** ******
As soon as Bernard entered the house, his mother, who was still awake sitting in the living room, quickly went to embrace her son.
"Bernard, what happened to you?" she touched the plaster on his forehead and he winced from the pain.
"Mum, I'm sorry I wasn't picking your calls. I had to handle some things that couldn't wait until tomorrow," Bernard said to her.
"You haven't answered my question, son."
"Just an accident I had today. I'll tell you about it tomorrow mummy. I need to rest now." Bernard kissed his mother goodnight and walked away just as Jason stepped into the house.
"Jason, what happened to you two? You kept me worried sick about your whereabouts and no one was picking my calls. Why?"
Jason was short of words. He just apologized and left for the Boys Quarters where he stayed.
****** ****** ******
He was walking in the street alongside other pedestrians. Suddenly he saw himself alone floating up into the air. He tried to keep his feet on the ground and gain his balance but the more he tried, the more he was lifted off the ground. He lost strenght trying to resist and started soaring higher and higher into the sky, stretched out like a dead man.
And then the skies darkened like a heavy stormy rain was about to break forth. Then somewhere in the sky, just above him, the cloud parted, exposing a brilliantly coloured blue sky cascaded with shiny stars. It looked like heaven. He could feel himself being sucked into the opening.
Just when he was about to be sucked through the hole, gravity found its way into the scene and he saw himself falling from that very tall height back to earth, until he thunderously crashed into the ground and woke up.
Again he was awake, but not awake - just like it happened the previous night. He tried to move his body, but he couldn't. This time he didn't hesitate to call the name of Jesus and as he was doing so inside, even though it wasn't escaping his lips, he's left eye opened just wide enough for him to see a very white small cat sitting unperturbed on his pillow, looking directly at him. He was shocked. The cat watched him for a moment, and then stood up on it's own and walked away. And Jason watched within the periphery of his vision as it left.
Immediately it left, he gained control of his motorskills and he stood up looking around for the cat but it had disappeared into thin air. His looked at the clock hanging on the wall: the time was 4:45 am.
********** ******** **********
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities... powers... rulers of the darkness of this world... spiritual wickedness in high places...
********** *********** *******
He yawned and fell backwards on the bed, holding his head. A cat? What was the meaning of all these, he thought. And what do I do. This is the second time in two nights. The third time and it might succeed in killing me. Fear gripped him as that thought flashed his mind.
Feeling too guilty to pray even though the thought crossed his mind, Jason stood up and went about preparing for work.
* * *
“Did you pray this morning?” she asked him.
“Bubu, not yet but I will. I have to visit the hospital now. I want to check on the driver,” Bernard replied over the phone.
“Ok. I almost took a flight to come see you this morning. Can’t wait to have you back on Sunday.”
Bernard stood up from the chair clutching the phone with one hand and hugging his mum with the other. “I miss you too, love. Mummy’s here. She sends her regards.”
“Send her kisses for me. Ok. Bye,” Bunmi said at the other end.
“Bye love.” Bernard hung up. “Mummy how was your night?”
“It was fine. You had an accident yesterday, Bernard. Why didn’t you tell me?” his mum asked.
Ben was surprised. “Mum how did you know?”
“Your brother told me about it this morning before leaving for work,” she answered and beckoned to him. “Sit down.”
Bernard sat down next to his mother anticipating the lecture of peace that she usually gives whenever he had a scuffle with his younger brother.
“I think you should settle your differences once and for all with your brother. You are the older one. I’ve always told you that it’s easier to relate with people when you know their character and understand their personality,”
“I know mummy. I understand that but there are just those things that need to be addressed in the attitude of a person and it has nothing to do with their personality,”
“And all the bickering can’t change a person set in his ways, except God does. We should continue to pray for him. Will you?”
Bernard chuckled. He hadn’t finished praying for his own self, not to talk of praying for another person. “Mummy I’ve heard you okay. I will work on it. I’ll be going back to the hospital this morning,”
“That’s okay. I’m so grateful to God for preserving your life,” she said, lifting her eyes up to the ceiling, “Abasi sosongo.”
Bernard left the house driving his mother’s car. And on his way out, he met Linn in her car.
“Heeey, Linda. How are you?” he greeted leaning out of the window of the car.
Linda wound down the window glass of her car, “Hi Ben. When did you come into town?”
“Last night. You look good.”
“Thanks. What’s with the bruises? What happened to you?” she asked, noticing the plaster and all.
Bernard smiled and replied, “Nothing much. Just a little accident.” While he was still speaking, his phone rang and he took excuse and picked it. “Carlos good morning… Thanks for picking me up last night… I’m better…”
Linda waved at Bernard signaling her departure from their conversation and he waved back while driving towards the opposite direction, still talking on the phone with Carlos.
* * *
“So why did you sneak out in the middle of the night without telling me?” It was Linda asking Jason over the phone, while he was at work. He didn’t want to pick her calls at first.
Jason sounded uninterested as he spoke, “Linn, I had to go pick Bernard,”
“And I'm supposed to believe that lie?”
“Why all these nagging? What’s wrong with you?” he snapped.
“No, I should redirect that question at you, Mr. Jason Duke,” Linn snapped back.
Jason paused for a few seconds then spoke, “Is this some reaction to your monthly flow or something? Thought we were cool yesterday?”
“So there’s another lady, eh? That why you’ve been acting so funny these few days,”
Now Jason was surprised at the accusation. “Sorry? What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Let me recollect your very words ‘If she rides with me, she rides with me’. Who the hell did you give a ride to, two days ago?”
Jason was speechless. How did she find out he gave Stacey a ride? He wanted to deny it but that wasn’t his style. “I gave a friend, a colleague a ride on my bike. So what?”
“So everything, Jason, SO EVERYTHING! You think you can just disrespect me with another lady? Trust me; you don’t want to see the other side of me.” She hung up.
He looked at the phone – she had hung up. If only she knew how he was looking for a way to detach himself from her right now, she wouldn’t pick an unnecessary quarrel.
The Project Manager had come and gone and all went well. There was nothing much to do on site so most of the workers went to the office and the cafeteria to relax. Jason joined them.
* * *
At the close of work, Chika met Stacey. “Will you like to hang out tomorrow evening? We’re having a small party at Ejiro’s place. I want you to also meet someone.”
“Oh Chika, I don’t want to turn you down, but em…-”
“C’mon,” said Chika, “it is just this weekend. And you know all work and no play will make you so dull. Don’t turn it down. It won’t hurt to have some fun.”
Stacey accepted the invitation after giving it a second thought. It really wouldn’t hurt and wouldn’t that be better than staying home all day, having to put up with mum.
“Alright, I’ll see you at 5 in the evening,” said Chika, and she left Stacey to her packing.
I hope I don’t regret this, Stacey thought. She had known Chika long enough to conclude that her choices of men were unscrupulous: married men, double dating men, all sorts of men as long as they had cash rolling were just okay for her. In fact she rarely hung out with the right kind. It would be a surprise if this first time she attempts to introduce someone to her; it turns out to be an okay guy. Until tomorrow.
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