LOLA

CHAPTER FOUR

Walking into Maryland hospital, a familiar scent of being in a hospital swept through her, Lola felt dreadful. On Sunday, when she had met with Ayomide, a long time friend and a medical doctor, she had not thought their discussion would bring her to his hospital to meet with him. He had convinced her to come over despite her reluctance, according to her what could Nigerian doctors do that doctors in England couldn’t. She held her doctor's report from England in her hands and went to meet a nurse standing at the counter.

‘Good day ma, I am here to meet with Doctor Akingbade.’ She said.

After a phone call to him, she was shown to his office. On seeing her, Ayomide broke into a smile.

‘It is good to see you decided to come, I made some arrangements immediately after we met on Sunday and I want to assure you it is looking good.’Ayomide said. Lola could read his eyes and she saw the sympathy that she have seen on the faces of those she met at the hospital in London, where she was diagnosed and she hated the fact that she was still bothered by it. She guess it was in the nature of man to be afraid of death, especially when it was knocking at your doorstep.

‘I have spoken with your doctor in London and he has emailed me your files and I assure you that I will get every professional I can possibly get, my father, is already getting in touch with some people.’ At the mention of his father, her childhood doctor, Lola smiled.

‘How is Doctor Akingbade doing?’ She asked.

‘The old man is doing okay, he was very disheartened when he heard about your case, just as disheartened when he realised we are no longer soulmates.’ Ayomide said. Lola laughed.

‘I swear my life is like a soap opera. My ex is treating me for cancer.

Life is just life and I have learnt to accept that I may never get cured or live long. I have exhausted all my hope during mom’s case and she still died. I have gone to seminars and meetings and believe me, I am ready to accept anything that comes, I cannot fight against fate, if it is meant to be then it will be.’ She said. Ayomide shakes his head sadly.

‘Do you remember when we were kids? You were so bossy and full of life, not to mention the most beautiful girl on the street. I remember I was pulling Temi’s hair and making her cry, you walked up to me and sucker punched me on the nose, I was so startled I fell to the ground, and you towered over me and you calmly told me you will kick my ass if I behaved like a jackass and you threatened to tell my mom not to feed me anymore, we became friends after that. You may have accepted this ailment but your friends will continue hoping and I promise you I will do everything within my power to ensure you get what you need, just keep fighting for us, we love you.’ He said.

‘Why did we break up again?’ Lola asked with a light note.

‘Because you were too good for me and we work better as friends.’ He joked. Lola laughed, standing up to leave.

‘Thank you so much for your time. When I dare to tell my father, I will call you.’ Lola said. He smiled and walked her to where her car was parked outside the hospital premise.

Her relationship with Ayomide had not lasted long much to the dismay of her father, who was hoping to merge the family with that of his lifelong friend. Jacob had never liked him and always made it a point to make him uncomfortable anytime he came visiting especially when he come to pick her up for dates. This has always been a cause of the fight between Lola and Jacob even though she did not romantically love Ayomide but she never wanted Jacob to win and be proven right, especially when it involves something that pertains to her. She remembered the day after the party where she was almost assaulted, Ayomide came to the house to chill with her before he goes back to school at Ibadan. Still confused about Jacob’s behaviour the night before and oddly excited about it, Ayomide could sense Lola was not really into their discussion, so he suggested they watched a movie.

Halfway through the movie, Jacob walked in with his best friend Charles. His gaze swept over the whole room, taking in Ayomide sitting casually and my feet pulled up to his leg, he smiled mockingly and greeted Ayomide politely, something he had never done before.

Ayomide was also taken aback by his unusual behaviour.

‘We missed you at the party yesterday.’ He said. Lola’s heart almost stopped at that moment. Ayomide nodded in affirmative, talking about what he had to do which made him boycott the event. Honestly speaking, Lola did not hear a word he said because she was in a staring battle with Jacob who was smiling mockingly at her, his eyes threatening to spill all her dirty laundry to her boyfriend. To her relief, he just shrugged and went upstairs with Charles but not before saying ‘Lola missed you at the party, she was so shaken up.’ Ayomide looked puzzled but she quickly told him Jacob was just fooling around as usual. Ayomide looked so clueless and innocent that her guilty conscience wouldn’t let her look him in the eyes. The room suddenly became too hot even with the air-conditioning in the room, she needed to calm her nerves. Oh boy, being a cheat is not easy work.

‘Am thirsty. Do you need me to get you anything from the kitchen?’ She asked him as he turned back to the movie. He asked for some water, so she quickly left. Lola went into the kitchen and quickly opened the fridge, after pulling out a bottle of water she closed the fridge, almost scared to death when she discovered Jacob leaning casually beside the fridge with a devilish grin.

‘I thought you were with Charles in your room, is anything that you need?’ Lola asked, feeling her heart beating fast, she was far from calm.

‘Yes, I need something. As a matter of fact, I need you to tell me how you can look your boyfriend in the eyes and pretend you were not fooling around just last night with anything that has a dick.’ Jacob taunted. Lola scoffed.

‘Can you please bring your voice down, you son of the devil, what you are playing at? Please do us both a favour and get a life since it seems you have nothing to do than to make my life miserable.’ Lola said heatedly. Jacob chuckled and took a step toward her, closing the distance between them, that they were now practically touching. If he bent his lips down an inch then their lips would meet.

‘I make your life miserable? I thought I brought meaning into your life, I thought I made you feel alive not like dumbo there, I can tell by your body language that being with him is like being with a log of wood.

You can lie and deceive him and yourself but you cannot lie about how I make you really feel.’ Jacob said.

‘Why are you doing this to me, Jacob?’ She asked miserably. His lips twitched.

‘Just admit it and I will let you go.’ He said. Never.

‘The only feeling I feel towards you is hate and I wish you will just disappear from my life. Whatever happened last night was a mistake and it is your fault. Kissing you was like kissing the butt of a goat, absolutely disgusting, nothing worth remembering.’ She took a step backwards as his eye darkened but he only closed the distance, not giving her room to breathe. She wished she had not said that because she could tell he was already taking it as a challenge. She could hear her heartbeat loudly and she was sure he could hear it too.

‘Not worth remembering you said, why don’t we go for another test run.’ Before she could breathe out, he lean down and captured her lips in a heated kiss that stole her breath away. Who was she kidding Jacob was not a person you easily forget neither were his kisses. She never wanted this to end, slowly it came to her that her boyfriend was just in the sitting room and she reluctantly pulled away from Jacob. He was clearly affected because he was breathing hard.

‘Ditch the boyfriend, I don’t want him around you.’ ‘You are crazy. What are we doing? Don’t answer that, I have to go to my BOYFRIEND. I don’t know the game you are trying to play and frankly am not interested in playing it.’ She quickly left before she pulled him back for another kiss. When she got to the sitting room, she discovered she had not brought Ayomide a glass of water, she

went back for it and was almost disappointed not to find Jacob there.

Two weeks later, Ayomide and Lola called it quit. Ayomide wasn’t really mad about the split but a little surprised. He remained a very loyal friend and was very much consumed with his medical program.

Lola shook her head and was back to the present day, she boarded a cab going to the area where Titi's office was located. She needed to catch up with her friend, she was a little surprised that Titi was still strong with her boyfriend considering the fact that he has zero sense of humour and comes off to her as a pretender or maybe she was mistaken, she was sure Titi knew was she was doing. Lola felt terrible about her phone discussion with Titi, she didn’t have to create drama in Titi’s relationship, not everyone is as drama prone as she is. As a matter of fact, she needed to tell Titi what was going on with her health, Lola felt telling her would be easier than breaking the news to her father who had already lost so much to the big C. The only way she had been able to keep it a secret was due to the fund her mother had left her after her death, she didn’t have to ask her father for money when she was in London, although he often sent money for her upkeeps if he only knew. In a way, she was glad he remarried, if things didn’t go well with her, at least he has Jacob’s mom to be with him and make him happy. He loves Jacob as though he was his own son, he will have a family but telling him that her cells were failing her was very difficult, soon she would fall apart and even though she claimed that

she has accepted it she was still very scared. During one of the many meetings she attended, they said it was okay to be afraid and she was very afraid to lose everything.

She came down from the cab and walked into Titi's building, a lot have changed since she last came here and she was happy it was a change for good. Titi was a guru when it comes to interior decorating and she was doing well for herself. She saw Edna who quickly came to hug her.

‘It has been a while.’ Lola greeted.

‘We have missed you so much, you always make us laugh.’ Edna said.

‘So you guys kept me around for laughs abi.’ Lola joked. She soon find herself in Titi's office who wasted no time jumping on her.

‘My prodigal friend, how was your first day at work?’ She asked.

‘Surprisingly great, although Jacob almost ruined it with his obnoxious behaviour.’ Lola complained. Titi laughed and said ‘I swear you both are made for each other.’ Umm, if she only knew how that hit close to home, another secret she had kept from her friend. If Titi ever finds out she was going to be super pissed that Lola kept it from her, she might even blame Lola for everything because her darling Jay was just too good looking and perfect to be blamed.