Chapter Six

On my way out, I bumped into Ayo who had made himself at home in the food and drinks section. In his hands were two stuffed bags filled with what I assumed to be takeaways.

"What's the rush man?" He called out as he spotted me in the crowd.

"I've got to get home. Something's come up."

He must have noticed something either in my voice or my expression because he suddenly sprang into action.

"Come on, let's go." He said as he moved towards the door.

"Thanks man."

"We're practically brothers. You don't have to thank me. I'll let Idris and Laura know we've left."

Once we got in the car, Ayo revved up the engine and we took off. A few minutes into the ride, I received a call from an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Hello, am I speaking to Mr. Michael Damari?"

"Yes, this is Michael on the line."

"Very well, I am calling on behalf of Delight Catering Company. This is to inform you that your mother was involved in a kitchen accident. You are required to come to Meyers Hospital immediately. I will text you the address. More information will be provided upon your arrival. We apologise for any distress this might have caused you sir."

I froze. The ability to reply with a coherent sentence, gone.

"Are you there, sir?" The man asked.

"Y-yes, yes I am." I cleared my throat.

"Sir, it is important that you come as soon as possible."

I took in a deep breath and replied.

"I'm on my way. Thank you for calling."

"You have our deepest apologies, sir." The man said, before the call was ended.

I took in a deep breath as I closed my eyes and leaned back against the headrest, lost in thought.

"Michael?… Michael!…" I suddenly snapped out of it when I heard Ayo's voice.

I opened my eyes to find him looking worriedly at me before he focused his attention on the road.

"What exactly is going on?"

"I just got a call that my mom is in the hospital."

The car swerved a bit. 

"When did this happen?" Ayo asked with a shocked expression. "She looked completely fine the last time I saw her."

"Just today, at her workplace." I replied.

"What happened to her?"

"She was involved in a kitchen accident." 

I couldn't believe that while I had been at some stupid party, my mother was in danger and I hadn't felt anything. No warning, premonition, nothing absolutely nothing to prepare me for this.

"Listen, nothing is going to happen to her, alright." Ayo said. "Now you need to pull yourself together because we're almost at your house. Ola shouldn't see you like this."

I just nodded solemnly.

Ayo saw that I was still in doubt though.

"If she's in the hospital, then there's still hope. They're working to help save her. She's going to be fine."

I felt a bit better after his words.

"You're right." I said.

"Aren't I always?" He said with a cheeky grin as we pulled up in front of my house. "Come on, let's go and get Ola. She'll want to know what's going on."

With that, we both got out of the car and walked into the house. Swift foot steps came down the stairs.

"Hey kiddo."

"Michael, Ayo, you guys are here." She smiled with relief.

"Yes, but just to pick you up. We're all heading out to the hospital. I got the call a few minutes back." I said, as I walked towards her.

"The hospital, is mom going to be alright?"

"She will be alright." I said firmly so as to reassure her.

"Okay." She said in a small voice.

"Have you eaten by the way?" I asked her.

"A couple of hours ago."

"Alright, do you want to grab something to eat before we go?" I asked.

I wasn't sure how long we would spend at the hospital and I didn't want her to get hungry.

"No, I'm coming now." She ran upstairs to get her jacket and shoes.

"What am I going to do man?" I said to Ayo.

Ayo gave me a light nudge on the shoulder.

"Chill out man. First thing we'll do is head out to the hospital and then we'll take it from there."

"Yeah, you're right. I should be so freaked out but I just…" I trailed off. 

I knew Ayo understood what I meant. He, Laura and Idris had been there when I lost my dad. It was a slow and agonizing experience. For several weeks, my dad had been confined to a hospital bed, unable to help himself, we couldn't do much to help him and it slowly progressed in that manner until it all became too much to bear and he passed away.

"Listen, your mom isn't going anywhere okay? You aren't going to lose her."

“Okay man.”

"Good." Ayo said as he patted me once on the shoulder.

"I'm ready." We heard Ola say as she came down the stairs.

"Alright. I'll turn off the appliances. Go wait with Ayo in the car."

"Come on kiddo."

Afterwards, I turned on the porch lights and locked the door behind me.

"Ready?" Ayo asked as I got into the car.

"Ready." I replied and we drove off.

We had just entered the building when a nurse walked up to us.

"Mr Damari?" A voice asked.

"Yes, that's me," I replied.