THE JAILBIRD EPISODE 89
© Aaron A. A
EDEN HOSPITAL EXECUTIVE – MALE WARD 3
The door opens, and a beautiful lady doctor enters.
She is NORVISI KPODO, followed by a nurse.
She smiles sweetly at Junior and buzzes his cheek.
1. NORVISI
Hello, sweet man, how’re you doing today?
JUNIOR
(shyly)
I’m fine, thank you.
1. NORVISI
Good. Would you mind going with this nurse, plea-se? There are a few tests you must do for us.
JUNIOR
(crestfallen)
Again? But I really really really want to go hooooooome!
The doctor laughs.
1. NORVISI
I know, sweetie! This won’t take long, okay? It is just something that won’t take a long time, okay? You’ll definitely be back home before the end of the week.
Chris, sitting on the edge of the be-d, hvgs his son, and then the nurse leads the boy away.
EFFE
I’m going with him, Chris-Love. See you soon.
Effe k!sses Chris quic-kly, and he reaches out to gr-ab her bu-ttocks, but she beats his hand away and dances out of his reach with a giggle.
When the door closes behind them the doctor quic-kly and professionally goes about her duties.
After examining the wound and recording some personal statistics, she gives Chris an injection and writes a prescription.
She then stands in front of Chris and looks at him critically, her face all professional.
1. NORVISI
Should I be worried about you, Mr. Bawa?
Chris raises his eyebrows.
CHRIS
You’ve lost me, Doc.
She sighs and thoughtfully folds her stethoscope.
1. NORVISI
Your brother lied to me yesterday. He said you sli-pped and fell on a knife. I’m a Doctor, and I know a gunsh0t wound when I see one. It is just a de-ep flesh wound you will recover from quite quic-kly, but it is my duty to report gunsh0t wounds and suicide attempts to the police. Now, Eyram and Rupert are my friends. They brou-ght me here, and I owe them. So, let me ask my question again, should I be worried about you?
Chris sighs de-eply, and looks straight at her.
CHRIS
(softly)
Indeed, it is a gunsh0t wound, and yes, I was feeling pretty suicidal. It was a dark moment in my life, Doctor. However, I can as-sure you, with all sincerity, that it is over now. I’m not suicidal, and I’ll never hold a gun again.
She does not bat an eye.
1. NORVISI
Would you be nee-ding professional as-sistance, someone to talk to? I must really tie all the loose ends, you know, even if I decide not to report you to the police.
He smiles sadly at her.
CHRIS
I un-derstand your concern, Doc, but no, I don’t nee-d a shrink. It was a one-time storm that has pas-sed. Believe me, I’m gonna be fine.
1. NORVISI
Good. I’m glad to hear that. But remember, I’ll be monitoring you.
With that cleared, I don’t think there’s any nee-d to keep you here any longer then. You can come in every other day to have that dressing fixed. I’ll be back to check on you in a little while and re-lease you.
Chris nods, but the worry lines does not leave his face.
CHRIS
Thank you very much, Doc. But my son? Is he going to be fine?
She smiles reas-suringly at him.
1. NORVISI
Junior is as strong as his father, I guess. He’s going to do just fine. What he’s going throu-gh now is just routine.
Chris nods, overcome with emotional relief.
CHRIS
Thank you very much, Doc, for everything.
When she leaves Chris hobbles into the bathroom on his temporary crutch provided, and spends several minutes shaving off his great beard.
When he returns to the ward Effe is back, sitting on the be-d.
Their eyes meet, and lock, and as has happened so many times in their sometimes tumultuous life, the moment is electric and full of meaning.
Her breathing suddenly comes in short g@sps, and he feels the warmth travelling throu-gh him.
He begins to hobble towards her, and she meets him halfway.
Their embr@ce is fierce, and their k!ssis violent and pas-sionate, filled with a hunger and a nee-d that has no control, that cannot be restrained.
His hand flies across her skin, her brea-sts, her bulging belly, her bu-ttocks, her th!ghs.
She m0@n s de-ep in her throat, arching her back as hisl-ips burn across her throat, shivering with depths of her de-sire as she feels him raging against her belly.
She steps back from him, her eyes bright, her breathing laboured.
EFFE
(hoarsely)
We better lock the door, Chris-Love.
They both look towards the door, and then the door opens, and Elaine walks in quic-kly and closes it behind her.
Leaning against it ha-rd .
CHRIS
(in a fierce whisper)
Oh, cra-p!
Effe giggles and puts her arms around him and rests her forehead on his che-st, breathing ha-rd as she fights to cool the pas-sion raging on inside her.
She can see that Chris is having a ha-rder time fighting his arou-salbecause his lower abd0m£n is still out of shape.
After a while she turns and they look at Elaine together.
Since that infamous television expo-se when she had apologized, Effe has really not seen her again.
She leans against the door, and it is evident she is preventing it from being opened.
They notice that she has lost weight, and she looks a little worn around the gills, definitely a little bit gaunt.
It seems life has not treated Elaine very well.
EFFE
(icily) It seems someone wants to come inside, Elaine. It could be one of the doctors.
She looks up at them, and her expression is that of a tortured soul.
ELAINE
(haltingly)
No, it’s not. I was coming over to see you when I saw him down the corridor. It seems he was following me. I had no intention of speaking to him.
Chris and Effe exchange puzzled looks.
EFFE
Who?
Elaine does not respond, but after a while whoever is trying to get in st©ps pushing the door, and then Elaine walks forward almost in slow motion towards them.
She st©ps in front of them.
Her eyes are red-rimmed, as if she has done a lot of crying not very long ago.
ELAINE
(pas-sionately, tearfully) I have rehearsed this a lot of times in my head. I will fall down on my knees and beg for your forgiveness.
EFFE
(calmly) That won’t be necessary, Elaine. I forgave you a long time ago, but I don’t intend to see a friend in you ever again.
That makes Elaine bite her l!pwith pain, and tears glitter in her eyes.
ELAINE
(tearfully) I un-derstand that, Ef. But, I’m so lonely, Ef. You’re the only friend I’ve ever had, the only one who has ever truly loved me. What I did was wrong, and I apologize to you and Chris. I’m really sorry! These past few months have been bad for me. I have been treated like s¢v-m since Jon was arrested and imprisoned. I’ve been subjected to treatments no woman should experience, and it has broken my spirit, and made me really appreciate the evil of my ways. Effe, Chris, I beg of you, plea-se forgive me, and give my aching heart some respite!
And with that she falls to her knees, and gr-abs Effe’s leg, and then she begins to cry bitterly.
For a horrible moment Effe feels like kicking out at her or scratching her eyes out, but as Elaine cries so pitifully tears come to Effe’s eyes, and slowly she also bends with some difficulty and pu-lls Elaine to her feet.
EFFE
(gently)
It’s okay, Elly. I do forgive you. You’ve been throu-gh enough, and I hope you’ve learnt your lessons. It’s okay.
The two women embr@ce and weep, letting the heart seal the pain and badness between them.
CHRIS
Cra-p.
He limps towards the be-d, and Effe reaches out and holds his arm, smiling throu-gh her tears at him.
EFFE
I know how you feel! Chris-Love.
Chris scowls at her and then sits down on the be-d.
ELAINE
I’m pregnant, Ef. I nee-d you.
Effe looks at her friend with wonder.
EFFE
Yes, I noticed. Jon?
Elaine shakes her head vehemently.
ELAINE
Some crazy as-s-hole! A stupid oaf of a man!
And just then the door opens forcibly, and a tall lanky man is framed in the doorway.
It is Wach!pa Sey.
He looks rather wild as his eyes roam the ward.
CHRIS
(angrily) And who the fv¢k might you be?
Effe looks from Elaine to Wach!pa, and then her eyes narrow.
EFFE
Him?
Elaine nods miserably.
ELAINE
Yes, him. A fv¢king bastard of a man!
Thank you for accepting amd forgiving me, Ef. I’ll come home. I must leave now.
She walks briskly to where Chris is sitting, throws her arms around his rigid b©dy, and hvgs him ti-ghtly.
She does not speak, but turns away quic-kly and walks towards the door.
Wach!pa looks at her, and his face is torn to ribbons with a mixture of shame and remorse.
WACh!pA SEY
(remorsefully)
plea-se, Elaine, I nee-d to speak to you, plea-se.
Elaine snarls and sl@ps him so ha-rd that his glas-ses fly off and shatters on the floor.
She pushes him ha-rd , and he sits down on his bu-tt with a most unpalatable humph.
Elaine drags the door open and goes out.
Wach!pa shouts out her name and races after her.
Chris and Effe exchange startled looks.
CHRIS
What the fv¢k was that all about?
Effe walks up to him and pushes him on the be-d.
She sits beside him and he reaches up to cu-p her brea-st, but she moves back.
EFFE
(giggling)
Too many distractions, my love. Wait till we get home. That man is wach!pa Sey.
CHRIS
(amused)
Oh. The man that brou-ght those vids you told me about?
EFFE
Same. Seems he knocked up Elaine.
Chris laughs then, shaking his head with wonder.
CHRIS
I’ll be damned!
Out in the corridor Wach!pa races after Elaine, and then he faces her, his eyes wild, oblivious to the fact that many people – visitors, nurses, doctors, workers – are staring at them.
His face is pas-sionate, and he is filled with genuine regret.
WACh!pA SEY
plea-se, lady, hear me out!
ELAINE
You bastard! You stupid bastard! Do you think I want to listen to you? I don’t ever want to see you again! Get out of my face!
Wach!pa falls to his knees, holds her around the th!ghs, and looks up at her with wild eyes.
WACh!pA SEY
Lady, plea-se! What I did to you was beastly! I thought I was doing something to pay you back, because I was mad when I saw those videos, and I genuinely wanted you to suffer, because Mr. Chris Bawa was good to me. I had no regret whatsoever after I did that to you. But as soon as I got home, and I looked in the mirror, I was sickened by my behaviour that night.
Elaine looks down at him, and her face is filled with revulsion.
She speaks, and her words eject like bullets.
ELAINE
That night, genuinely, I was at my lowest ebb. I was lost, and I was in so much pain, and you treated me like something the cat dragged in! You fv¢king bastard, Wach!pa, or whatever the fv¢k your name is! Damn you, damn you to hell!
She hits his face, over and over again, with her ha-rd little fist, and he takes it, ma-king no attempt whatsoever to protect himself.
There is blood from his nostrils and from his splitl-ips, and finally she st©ps hitting him.
He reaches into his pocket and brings out his switchblade.
He presses the bu-tton, and the ugly knife springs out.
He holds it up to her.
WACh!pA SEY
Go, on, Lady. plea-se take it, cut me up if you want to, because I deserve it. Yes, I do deserve it! I’ve never been sorry before. I went to the United Kingdom for a while, and I couldn’t stay, because every night what I did to you comes back to haunt me! You were just from that room where you begged for forgiveness. If they didn’t forgive you, then walk away! But if the two in there forgave you, then by jove you have to forgive me, to set my soul free. I’ve never been one to feel sorry for my actions. I don’t regret things I do! But with you I admit I’m wrong! I’ve been so wrong! My behaviour was cowardly, callous, disgusting, unforgivable and totally nauseating! plea-se, Lady, I’m so terribly sorry! plea-se, plea-se, forgive me!
And then he puts his face into her bulging belly and held on ti-ghtly.
Elaine looks at the great number of people staring at them.
An old nurse nods at her, wi-nks, and holds up a thumb.
Elaine takes a shuddering breath.
ELAINE
I don’t forgive you, and I don’t nee-d you. Do you know why? Because your fv¢king prediction c@m£ fv¢king true! I’m fv¢king pregnant and I’m fv¢king-
The elderly nurse speaks out then, utterly disgusted.
ELDERLY NURSE
(shocked)
Ebei o! Aaaaba! Eben fv¢k fv¢k nso nyi! Abodam anaa?? Nkwaseade aaa kwa!!
And as many of those pres£nt begin to laugh, Wach!pa gets to his feet slowly.
Elaine looks up at his stricken expression.
ELAINE
I’m pregnant. You made me pregnant.
He reaches into his pocket, brings out a box, opens it, and nestled in there are three beautiful rings.
WACh!pA SEY
Heard you and your convict husband are divorced now. Marry me. I wanna spend the rest of my life saying sorry to you, and my unborn child, for the evil I did against you.
He lifts the engagement ring and sli-ps it around Elaine’s f!nger.
She raises her hand to strike him again, but then she st©ps when she looks at the ring, and tears slowly come to her eyes.
He lifts her up, k!ss!ngher over and over, and carries her out of the hospital.
And the onlookers cheer, and a few of them wipe tears from their cheeks.
To be continued
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