Love By Deception

Chapter 4: The Kind stranger

*MARIA'S POV*

I woke up with a heavy headache and I stared at the strange environment, wondering where I was. The last thing I remembered was that I was hit by a car so how did I end up here? I survived??

I saw a cannula fixed to my left hand and a oxygen mask was fixed to my nose.

I'm at the hospital? How long have I been here and how did I get here? An oxygen mask? Wait, I needed support to breathe? It was that bad? But they could have at least taken it off, does that mean I needed it until now?

Oh God, who would answer these questions now?

I removed the oxygen mask from my face for it was making me uncomfortable and just then, a nurse walked inside carrying a file.

"You are awake! That's amazing! How are you feeling?" She walked closer to me.

"How did I get here? How long have I been here? The baby? Where is she ? Please tell me what's going on?!" I screamed running my hand through my hair.

"Please calm down ma'am. You have been in coma for over six months now. A man brought you here claming to have hit you by accident. Your child was unhurt and has been in the infant ward. The man had been giving her the care she needs so you don't have to worry . She can even sit now." The nurse concluded with a smile.

"Did you just say six months??" I asked in disbelief. I have been half dead for six months?

"Yes ma'am."

"The baby is sitting now??"

"Yes ma'am. She was very small when you guys came in here but she is sitting now..." The nurse smiled. What on earth is making her smile? Does she think this is funny? "Your baby should be around seven to eight months right?"

Well sorry to disappoint you but I don't even know when she was born. I can't believe Akeyla has been with a complete stranger for good six months??

"Who is this man that have been taking care of her? How old is he? What does he look like?" I asked curiously. Could he be the figure I saw before passing out that day? Oh God! I don't have a good feeling about this at all.

"Well, he should be in his 30s. He is light skinned and tall. He has a piercings on his ears and nose, long legs..."

I stared at the nurse and shook my head. How can this nurse describe someone like that and expect one to understand.

"Fine fine. Thank you. Please bring the baby to me." I cut her off.

"Well she is sleeping now ma'am ."

"Well bring her on a cradle or something, I have to see her." I groaned getting annoyed.

"Okay ma'am." I watched the nurse exit the room and I rested my head on the pillow.

Who could this man be? Why was he looking after me and the baby?

I understand he has to take responsibility for hitting me but I don't expect anyone to be this considerate and kind. And not even everyone would take responsibility, they could have easily abandoned us there.

Six months! I have missed a lot in this past few month. What about Aniyah? And Mrs Sarah? How do I get to them? How are they? They should be fine, right? They have to be.

Some minutes later, the nurse brought Akeyla inside in a cradle. She has indeed grown so much but I could still recognize her anywhere. She still has her mother's eyes and dimples. So beautiful.

I watched her sleeping peacefully in the cradle.

"Thank you." I said to the nurse.

"I will inform the doctor that you're awake." She said turning to leave but I stopped her.

"The man? Where is he?" I asked.

"He went home, he would be back soon, according to him." The nurse replied before leaving.

I watched her as she left and rested my head on the pillow and turned my head to sleeping Akeyla.

"Who is this new friend of yours Akeyla? He won't take you away from me right? He should be good person since he stuck around." I held my hands together tightly as they trembled in fear and worry.

After some time, I saw Akeyla open her eyes widely and stared at the ceiling.

I smiled and reached for her but this damn cannula wouldn't let me move freely.

"Nurse!" I called angrily and a different nurse came running.

"What's the problem ma'am? Are you feeling any pain?" She asked worried.

"I want to carry my baby but this cannula is obstructing me, could you take it off please?" I asked feeling irritated.

The nurse sighed and shook her head, "No ma'am, I can't remove it just yet but I will bring your baby to you." The nurse reached for Akeyla and gave her to me.

"Thank you." I said to her.

She nodded and left the room.

"Da da da da" I hear Akeyla baby talk and I smiled.

"Do you still recognize me Akeyla? You still remember me right?" I played with her.

Akeyla giggled at me as she suckled on her thumb.

"You are awake!! Finally." I heard a deep masculine voice said behind me and I turned to the direction of the voice quickly.

My eyes met a tall and well built light skinned man standing beside me. His low cut hair was neatly trimmed and the white Tshirt he was wearing matched with the white trousers. Was this him? He really had piercings like the nurse said but only two at one side of his ears. He looked young but could be older than me though. He should be in his early or mid 30s.

What on earth did that nurse see? Piercings on the nose and ears? Really? And long legs? Couldn't she have just said he was tall?

If I wasn't in this situation, I would be drooling over his good looks though. He......he was really good looking.

"My name is Henry, how are you?" He asked walking close to my bed.

"I'm Maria and I'm fine." I answered in a low voice.

"That's a beautiful name. And your baby's name?" He asked smiling at Akeyla.

"It's Akeyla."

"Akeyla....." He repeated. "That's a very nice name. She is really a great baby you know. I'm glad you are awake, I was so scared you wouldn't wake up." He said and I could see the guilt in his eyes.

I stared at him as I didn't know what to say. Akeyla giggled happily as she stared at him and he beamed at her. I see they have really bonded.

"Thank you for not abandoning us." I said.

He smiled and nodded, "Of course I wouldn't abandon you after what I did. That would be too wrong of me."

"The nurse said you have been looking after my baby for the last few months, thank you."

He nodded and sighed, "If I may ask, where were you headed the day I hit you?" He asked me and I suddenly felt uncomfortable.

"Erm...I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, I'm.... I'm sorry." He turned to the ground and I could see that he felt bad for asking.

"It's fine. I need to go back as soon as I get discharged, there is someone I need to find."

"I can take you back whenever you want." He said looking directly at me.

I looked back at him and nodded, "Thank you for the offer. I don't have a means of going back so I will accept your offer if it won't trouble you much."

"Where exactly am I?" I asked.

"You're in Ibadan."

Wait, what?? Ibadan!

"Huh? Why? How come?"

"Actually, that day, I rushed you to the nearest hospital but after a day, they asked for you to be transferred to their head quarter here and I had to approve. Besides, it's takes not more than 3hrs from there to get here." He explained and pursed his lips.

I sighed and pat Akeyla's butt as she was about to cry.

"I should go get you food, you must be hungry now." He said standing up.

I grabbed his wrist pulling him back.

"No, do not bother. I'm not hungry at all."

I lied but he has spent enough already, I wonder how much the hospital bill will cost him. He is kind enough to take responsibility, others would have simply abandoned us.

"Okay, but you can eat it whenever you're hungry." He smiled as he gently withdrew his hand from mine and went out anyways. Such a nice man.

As soon as he walked out, the doctor walked in accompanied by two nurses.

"Good day madam, how are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm fine, just headache, I feel like my head is going to burst open soon."

"Okay, are you feeling pain elsewhere?" He asked.

I shook my head slightly, "No not at all."

"Alright, you will be given an injection by the nurse later to stop the throbbing. For now, you will be under observation before we will know what to do."

"Erm......when am I getting discharged doctor?"

"Well, you just woke up from a coma madam, so I can't tell you when yet, we have to keep checking on you and you also need to recover internally."

"I can recover internally at home doctor, I really need to leave as soon as possible."

"I'm sorry madam but please we will need you to cooperate with us."

I sighed and nodded in defeat.

"Okay doctor."

After the doctor left, I rested my head back on the pillow and drew Akeyla closer to my chest.

Minutes later, Henry came in with the food and placed it close to me.

"I have to rush home but I'll be back." He said.

"You don't have to stress yourself coming back, we'll be fine." I said to him.

He only smiled, "I will be back." He nodded before leaving.

I laid back on the bed thinking about what could be going on with Mrs Sarah and Aniyah, I really hope they are alright.

It was already getting dark and Akeyla has already fallen asleep. The nurse had adjusted the cannula so I was able to place her in the cradle myself before closing my eyes to sleep as well.

After some time of trying to sleep, I sat up since I couldn't but then, I saw a figure sitting on a chair opposite my bed.

Who was that?

"Henry?" I said unsure if it was really him.

He rose from where he sat and came closer to me. I relaxed when I saw that it was really him.

"What's the problem? Are you hurt?" He asked and I could sense worry in his voice. When did he come back?

"Why are you here? I thought I told you not to come." I said in a whisper.

"I was worried. I thought of coming tomorrow but I couldn't so I came earlier when you were sleeping. You kept tossing around in the bed so I figured you're disturbed."

I looked at him in surprise. He...... he's so nice.

"Why are you so kind to me? You don't have to feel guilty because you hit me, I hold nothing against you, it was my fault for entering the road like that."

"No no, it's not like that. It's just that....." He trailed off and sighed before asking, "Anyway, why aren't you sleeping?"

"I can't sleep." I said with a sigh.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, not that, I just have a lot of things on my mind."

"Thinking will only give you headache, give yourself a little break."

"I wish I could but it's out of my control."

He smiled and went to bring his chair closer to me.

"What did the grape say when the elephant stepped on it?" He asked suddenly.

I arched my eyebrows in confusion. What does an elephant got to do with this?

"What?" I stared at him blankly.

"Come on, what did it say?" He asked again.

"Well, I don't know, because a grape obviously can't talk." I shrugged giving him an obvious look.

He grinned and shook his head, "Yeah, Nothing. It just let out a little wine." He grins at me but still don't get what he was talking about.

I smiled and shook my head. Why did he ask me that out of the blue? What was he getting at?

"Some nigerians really have the worst pickup lines." He started saying again. " On my way back I heard one telling a girl 'You are the only egg in my roll, without you, I will be a buns', I mean who says that?"

I tried to stop myself from laughing but couldn't, I burst into laughter covering my mouth to subdue my voice.

"Whaaat?" I continued laughing.

"Was he trying to woo her or what?" I asked after recomposing myself.

"I guess so, he seemed so proud of himself after saying that." He chuckled.

I chuckled as well, "Wow, our mother land." I smiled and shook my head.

"Are you feeling better?" I hear him ask me and I turned to face him.

I smiled at him and nodded. So he was only trying to make me laugh. He had definitely succeeded.

"Thank you Henry." I smiled.

"Know this, nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles. When life places stones in your path, be the water. Just a persistent drop of water will wear away even the hardest stone. I don't know what the problem is Maria but a day would come when you're gonna look around and realize happiness is where you are."

I stared into his eyes as he finished.

His words sank into my heart and I felt a ray of hope. He looked right back at me and our eyes locked. His eyes were the color of the last drops of chocolate liqueur dripping out of the upside-down bottle. They seemed to sparkle and were full of light. I guess he's always a cheerful person. They were as deep as ocean, as dreamy as a starry night, as mesmerizing as the sunrise and intriguing. I keep staring at him but as soon as I realize my thoughts, I break away our contact and laid back on the bed turning my head to the other side. I could hear him stand up from the chair but I didn't turn.

"Whenever you feel sad just remember that there are billions of cells in your body and all they care about is you." I could hear him laugh lightly after saying that and I smiled before closing my eyes to sleep.

I don't know if it's because of what I had been through but I'm scared of the thoughts I already had while our eyes locked. I can't possibly be feeling attracted to someone I just met right? Well, I guess it's normal. He's good looking anyways.

Xoxo