Biola Kila (Episode 42): Kenneth Is No Random Guy
“Mr President Sir” she said confused, “just call me Ken” “President Ken” she scanned the room slowly “no…just Ken” he said putting his legs on the coffee table in front of him “tell the doctor she is awake” he ordered a messenger. Biola looked around carefully; she was in a very large gorgeous room that was connected to other rooms, there was a needle in her vein still putting blood in her and a machine taking note of her heart beat; she looked at president Ken in a purple pyjamas and asked “I heard that you hate the colour purple” he smiled at her unusual question
“Yes indeed I do but I like this one. I like the way it feels on my skin” she nodded as if she was done hearing his answer and glanced at the TV screen on the wall “is this a hospital or Aso Villa?” she asked, he looked at her and laughed.
They were in National Hospital in Abuja; the night she tried to take her life Umar’s father came to his rescue and asked that she be transferred to one of the best hospitals in the country. The time she was being admitted was exactly when President Ken was admitted for a very serious malaria infection “bring her here, there are ten rooms here and you people can visit her privately” he said to his friend General Gayesu whose worrying expression was hard to ignore. Biola who was in an induced comma was moved to the presidential ward in the hospital.
“Ms Biola I wouldn’t be completely doing my job if I didn’t tell you that you are one lucky woman, honestly the chances of you being awake with all brain functions is short of a miracle” the doctor said “so when can I get out of this place?” she asked as if she was in prison “we have to watch you for a few days, maybe three or four days” he replied and headed out.
“What’s on your mind” he asked “nothing” she responded “that’s a lie… whenever you are ready to talk” he said and clicked the TV remote. It looked like all his attention was on the documentary that he was watching but most of his focus was on her.
“I was thinking about Umar and where he is” she forced herself to say “he was banned from coming here to see you… by his dad” he clicked the remote to pause the documentary, got up and disappeared into another room then appeared after a minute
“I have called your husband’s father, he is on his way… you can ask him whatever you want when he comes” President Ken sat back down on the chair next to her bed and continued with his documentary. Biola lay back down on the bed and covered her head in the blanket; she was uncomfortable with the president around.
She felt hands slowly pull the blanket away from her face “what are you doing?” he asked and she shrugged then he began to tickle her, he tickled her until she was laughing so hard that her lungs hurt “what was that for?” “To get you out of your funk… you have been looking like a confused goat in the dessert” he replied.
The laughter loosened her up and that was the beginning of something; they had lunch together that afternoon and played a game of whot. Biola was not sure if she was very good at the game or President Ken let her win; after the game, came the binging of TV shows. It was after their last medication that they went to bed. Biola in her room and President Ken in his.
The next morning Biola was awoken by a nurse who came to administer her first medication of the day, President Ken was already in her room on his usual chair watching TV “when did you come here?” she asked, he liked the tone she used whenever she questioned him, it made him feel ordinary as if he wasn’t the President “I just got here actually… good morning to you too” he replied his eyes glued to the TV.
Biola got out of bed “I want to have my bath” she was thinking aloud “I’ll excuse you then” “no… it’s okay, stay” it was like a command and he obeyed silently. She scrolled through clothes in the wardrobe, found a pair of pyjamas and took it along with her to the bathroom. “Why won’t you open your gifts?” she asked as she walked out of the bathroom referring to the several piles of gift boxes and baskets arranged in a corner
“They aren’t mine… they are yours” he replied and Biola assumed they were all from Umar as apology gifts until President Ken ordered a messenger to bring all the gifts to her reach so that she could open them “your birthday was three days ago” President Ken announced as she opened the first present; it was from Efe, who wanted to come for her wedding but heard it was cancelled and sent a gift to her house since she couldn’t find her anywhere.
She also told her that in her last visit to the doctor’s she was told that she was 100% cancer-free and that she received a card from a Convent addressed to Biola. Biola searched the gift box quickly for the card without finishing Efe’s note and when she opened it, it was from Sis Aloysius and it read.
Happy Birthday My dear… May our good lord grant you all your deepest desires and give you strength when you need it the most. I Love you
“I love you too… and I miss you so much” Biola whispered unaware of the tears dropping from her eyes and the puzzled gaze from President Ken. She opened gifts from Bright Chukwuemeka, Emmanuel Alkali the Managing Director of Grande bank, Diana whose card was a plea for complete forgiveness from Biola.
Diana lived in the fear that Biola might set her up again, so she apologized to her with every chance she got. Biola opened more gifts, ten from customers of Grande Bank who she had attended to in the past, five from Umar who was apologizing and two from Seyi who was also apologizing for their last meeting.
Seyi knew where she was and what happened to her but he stayed away since it was what she wanted. After opening Seyi’s present and five more she was exhausted and had never been more tired of gifts, she pushed everything away and laid back on her bed upset that she had missed her birthday, her birthday was on new year’s day and she liked to enter a new year with an introspective time with herself
“Oh wells… it is my fault” she thought and suddenly remembered her wrist then looked at them sharply carefully observing the fading scars on them “are you okay?” the voice of President Ken was garnished with concern; she turned to face him and nodded “whot?” he asked and she nodded.
They played whot silently for an hour and this time President Ken won “last card!” he said victoriously before General Gayesu entered “my friend!” he shouted pleasantly “you came at the right time, I just won a difficult game with Biola” “I see” General Gayesu said as he glanced at Biola, the opened boxes and the cards on her bed
“Good morning sir” Biola greeted a little bit shy that he saw them playing “Biola, how are you today?” General Gayesu was genuinely happy to see that Biola was doing fine; “there are a thousand people in your waiting room waiting to see you” General Gayesu said to President Ken “why do you think I am here, I rather stay here and play whot”
“Okay… but I came with your Chief of staff, you need to see her… there’s a new development and minister of aviation said he has been coming since the day before yesterday but you did not show” “abeg… Adeolu should go and sleep, anyway let me go and see Ibiyemi” President Ken left to his room while General Gayesu sat beside Biola. Both in an awkward silence wondering what to say to each other.