Olumide remained on the chair after Dami went to the cafeteria to buy breakfast. He mused on the memories that he had made with Romola, while watching people pass him by. They hadn't made much memories but he was willing to make some more.

"They were out of soft drinks so I bought you some ice tea." Dami sat beside him and handed him a pack of Chivita ice tea.

Olumide held the drink even though he knew he wouldn't drink it. He couldn't eat in the hospital. He had this funny feeling that the germs in the hospital would infect his meal and poison him.

The sliding doors to their left opened and vicky strolled in, dressed in the same coloured scrub as the previous day but wearing a different sneaker. She was walking towards Romola's room when Dami called out to her. "Her Royal ickiness."

"Urggghhh," she groaned, turning towards Dami with a frown. "I can't believe you two slept here."

"I slept. He didn't." Dami pointed to Olumide.

Vicky stood legs apart glaring at both of them. "Making yourself suffer won't make her better. Taking care of yourself till she recovers will help you in the long run."

"So... what do you suppose I do?" Olumide asked.

"You go home, eat, have your bath, watch a movie, talk to your parents if you have to but please don't come here looking like somebody died. She's not dead yet and I don't think she will die."

"See what I said. For once in her life, Vicky is making sense." Dami smirked.

"Please, shut up. When human beings are talking, don't talk." Vicky retorted.

"It's okay. You shouldn't bicker now." Olumide's words were slow to leave his mouth. He was beginning to feel light headed. The effect of missing lunch combined with that of missing dinner and now breakfast was creeping up on him. "Can I see her before I leave?"

Vicky sighed, tapping her feet on the ground. He knew she was trying to decide whether or not to let him see Romola.

He rose to his feet and stood by Vicky's side. "Please."

"You have two minutes." Vicky led them towards the room where Romola slept.

Olumide's eye stretched at the sight of a tube going into Romola's mouth. She was hooked to a large beeping machine. Three bags of drips connected in one line met under a plaster on her left hand. Her eyes were closed in a death like sleep. Images of Muyi being in a similar position flashed through his mind.

"Can she hear us?" Olumide turned to Vicky.

"Scientifically, I don't think so but it can't hurt to try."

Olumide took a step toward Romola, unable to form a sensible sentence. This was the first time he was seeing her since she had received proper medical care.

"Say something." Dami nudged his ribs, forcing him to take another step forward so that he was standing beside Romola's bed. He itched to run his fingers against her skin and hold her hands in his.

"Romola. I...I didn't mean for this to happen. I mean... I didn't plan for things to turn out this way but I'm sorry that it happened. I hope you em- wake up soon and em... please just wake up."

Dami's palm rested on his shoulder with a light squeeze. The illogical part of his brain imagined that Romola would hear his words and then she would wake up. It was silly to think that it would happen but that was what Olumide wished for.

"Dami, do you want to say anything?"

"It's not her funeral. So nope." Dami popped the 'P' sound.

"Both of you, don't worry about her. She's safe and if her heart keeps beating like this, she'll be stabilized soon," Vicky said.

Olumide turned from Romola to face Vicky. She hadn't said 'When Romola's heart was stabilized.' She had said 'If'. That meant that Romola wasn't out of danger yet.

He placed a quick peck on Romola's forehead, pausing to whisper to her ears. "Get well soon. I love you Romola."

* * *

Olumide went home with Dami but he could barely eat. He wanted to be with Romola again. He wanted to be there when she opened her eyes. He wanted to be the first person she would see and he wanted to repeat those same words 'I love you' to her conscious mind.

He hurried to Dami who didn't seem the least interested in returning to the hospital. Dami managed to convince him to sleep so that he could have enough strength for another vigil. He slept for eleven hours straight.

It was some minutes past 7pm when he woke up. He walked down the large staircase to the living room where Dami sat on one of the black leather couches watching a football match.

"Dami, let's go." He tapped Dami's shoulder before walking to the door.

"Guy, you just woke up. You haven't even had lunch. You should eat something before you go."

"I'm not hungry. Let's go." He hurried to the door and Dami followed him locking the main door behind Olumide. Olumide was hungry but he didn't want to eat anything yet. At least not until he was sure that Romola would be fine for the night.

He could have called Vicky to find out but he didn't want to. He was sure that she wouldn't tell him that Romola wasn't doing okay over the phone. He had to be sure that she was doing fine. 

###

Hey guys,

Compliments of the season.

So I was suppoused to publish this last two weeks but I got caught up with some work stuff and personal stuff and then the holidays came and so on and so forth. But here is the update. The vote score for publishing this book is once in two weeks. 

Thank you all for voting and commenting and sharing this book. I really appreciate it. I want you to know that even though I might not be updating this book as frequently as I used to, I am still writing it as fast as I can. 

Anyways, 2020 is just a day away. I can feel the new decade in my heart. (Just kidding). I already have a goal set for my blog www.tarealsink.wordpress.com I hope to publish at least 62 posts by the end of next year and the first of those posts drops on Wednesday. Be sure to check it out and subscribe to the blog so that you don't miss anything. 

What are your 2020 goals? I want to know.