One

Tonia was walking on the highway with her mind scattered into pieces. She feels like life is not fair to her, she was given the sour water of life to drink. She is desolate without anyone around to console her.

Tonia struck the main road without making sure the road was cleared before passing over, an oncoming vehicle almost ran her over. The man matched the brake with force. His wife was beside him in the car, she screamed "o' my god!". She thought her husband succeeded in knocking the girl off.

"Honey, go and check if she is still breathing," Madam Florence ordered her husband. The man fidgeted when he saw the girl lying on the floor. Within a few seconds, people gathered around the scene. 

In distant voices "You have killed her, you won't go freely." 

A woman from the crowd shouted, "She is breathing, hurry and take her to the hospital." 

Tonia was rushed into the car of Mr. Badmus two people joined them in the car and they took her to the nearby hospital. The people feared that Mr. Badmus might change his mind, and dump the innocent girl somewhere. They followed them to the hospital to be sure he indeed was going to the hospital and much certain that the girl will be treated, not just abandoned.

Madam Florence's mind was not at rest inside the car, she kept asking "hope she will be fine?" 

"Madam pull your mind together, save some energy for later use, once we get to the hospital the doctor will know what to do", responded one of the strangers following them to the hospital.

They drove for about 25 minutes before they arrived at Gethsemane hospital. Mr. Badmus was not conversant with the Lugbe environment in Abuja. He and his wife went to check a property out, they want to add to their collections. 

The nurses rushed out to receive Tonia from Mr. Badmus, she was taken to the treatment ward. The doctor came to examine her.

"How is she?" They all chorused at the same time.

Well, I need you all to do me a favour, the doctor responded to their question. 

What? they asked eagerly. "I want you to put your mind at rest, nothing serious happened to her, she was not hit by the car", the doctor's words of assurance.

"I knew it!" Madam Florence exclaimed.

The doctor asked who among them was the girl's family, and they all gave the same reply " we don't know her." 

"There is something spectacular about this girl I need to inform her family about", the doctor said while facing the four of them. There was silence in between them for some seconds before Madam Florence cracked the silence. "Doctor, let's wait for her to wake up, you will get all the information you need about her relatives from her."

Mr. Badmus asked the doctor "why hasn't she opened her eyes?". She was shocked by the sound of the brake plus she has not rested her body and soul for many days now. She is exhausted, and the doctor briefed them on Tonia's condition.

"We need to be on our way now, doctor please take good care of her", the two good fellas that accompanied Tonia to the hospital left. They went with news back to the scene where everything started. "The man did not hit the girl with his car, you guys should stop spreading rumours!" said one of the good fellows, who just returned from the hospital. 

This is good! crowd chatter. 

"I hope she is responding to treatment?", an elderly man from the crowd asked. "She just needed bed rest that's what the doctor said." one after the other they all departed from the scene back to their normal life.

Mr. Badmus and Madam Florence are left alone in the hospital, watching over the sleepy girl, they are both thankful that they were not tagged as a murderer.

Two hours later, Mr. Badmus' phone rang. On the other end, the caller requested his attention at the office. A client has been waiting for him in his office and the deal he came with worth millions when sealed.

Mr. Badmus called the doctor aside, "Doctor please I have an emergency waiting for me in my office, my wife and I need to go now. I will pay some amount of money into the hospital account," he gave his phone to the doctor to type in the account number. "In case she needs something, please doc! don't hesitate to attend to her." The doctor said there was no problem. Mr. Badmus gave him his contact card "call me if anything comes up". Madam Florence and Mr. Badmus bid Tonia farewell, though her eyes were shut but she could hear them, especially Madam Florence's words. "We are leaving dear, please take care of yourself, we will come around to check up on you later." 

Madam Florence held Tonia's hand so firm. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer, and with that, they exit the hospital. They made sure they paid one of the hospital staff additional money to specially attend to Tonia's needs.

Tonia woke that evening, she was surprised to see herself in the hospital bed. She asked the nurse taking care of her some questions. 

" Nurse, what am I doing in the hospital?" 

You are awake! Hope you are feeling better? The nurse consulted.

"I am very much in good health now, nurse, but you have not answered my question", Tonia let out.

A couple and two other fellows rushed you here some hours ago, the nurse replied to her unanswered question. 

What happened to me? Tonia raised yet another query. 

"They said you were almost hit by the couple's car, if not that the man is a good driver, maybe we won't be having this conversation by now", the nurse replied as she monitored her vital signs and recorded them in the chart book.

The doctor was busy attending to patients in the ward. Gethsemane hospital is a private hospital with only one doctor and seven nurses with two cleaners. Doctor Frank is a professional at his work! He has more patronage than his fellows in the same neighbourhood as a result of the testimonies coming out from the mouths of those he has treated in the past.

He was so busy that day that he forgot to call Mr. Badmus and tell him about Tonia's recovery. Very early the next morning he called, meanwhile, Mr. Badmus was anxiously waiting for his call. 

"Hello, this is Doctor Frank on the line, am I on to Mr. Badmus?" 

"Hi, doc! This is Badmus, I have been expecting your call. My wife and I discussed this a while ago, that if we wait till afternoon and you didn't call, we might journey down to the hospital ourselves. How is she doing?"

She woke up yesterday afternoon sir, I was too busy to inform you, pardon my manners. Mr. Badmus on the other end smiled "Doc! I understand how cumbersome your work is, apologies accepted. Have you contacted her family and what was their response?"

The doctor answered him on the phone "She said she has no one to contact, she is her family."

This is serious! Mr. Badmus paused for a few seconds on the phone. Are you still there?" Doctor Frank asked to be sure he was not in a conversation with just the air and himself. 

"Yes, doc! I'm with you, this is what I want you to do for me, please keep her in the hospital till when my wife and I will come. This evening we will try to be there." 

No problem sir, we will keep her safe, doctor Frank made a promise to Mr. Badmus before he hung up the call.

The doctor gave his nurse an order, "give her dextrose 500 mls with bco injection 5cc let it flow slowly. Watch her closely, she must remain in our custody till when Mr. Badmus will come for her in the evening."

The nurse did as the doctor said. They made her feel comfortable while she was on the infusion. They provided her with lots of fruits and her choice of meal.

Mr. Badmus called the doctor at around 5:45 pm. "Hello, this is Badmus speaking."

 The doctor answered, "I'm aware sir, I had your number saved on my contact list." 

"Good, still in a board meeting. I don't think I will be able to come to the hospital today, unfailingly tomorrow morning before I go to work, I will come to see her. Just want to inform you ahead."

Noted sir, we will keep her with us till tomorrow then. The doctor went to Tonai's ward, "Mr. Badmus and his wife will be here tomorrow, after that you can go to your house."

Okay, doctor, Tonia said. She mumbled some words " I like it better here, I have everything I need. Outside there is a world of suffering, I wish to stay longer on this hospital bed." Her eyes filled with tears, and she forced a smile out of her lips to avoid questions from the doctor.