Monday morning was always a busy, bustling day in Noble Medical Center, with the premises packed with patients looking to meet the doctors for treatment.
Jeremy anxiously shifted in his seat as he awaited the arrival of his friend from secondary school, Obed-Edom Akenteng, who was one of the many doctors that worked there. Having spoken to him already, he had directed one of the nurses to let Jeremy wait for him in his office.
It had been on his mind all weekend to get the test done, and he knew that was the most important thing to do. He had already made the biggest error of his life in sleeping with whoever that girl was, and the last thing he wanted was for that mistake to destroy Aurelia’s health in any way. That would be something he would never, in this lifetime or the next, be able to forgive himself for. So he had sought permission from his boss to visit the hospital that morning. Being one of the managers of Gratis Confectionary, his boss had no problem with that.
When the door swung open, Obed-Edom, clad in his white coat, entered with a warm smile. “My guy! Long time no see!”
Jeremy nodded silently. “Chale, good morning, OB,” he replied quietly.
The smile on the doctor’s face faded as he took note of Jeremy’s troubled expression.
“Chale, Jeremy, what dey go on? You seemed really worried on the phone,” Obed-Edom said, closing the door behind him and taking a seat.
Jeremy took a deep breath before meeting Obed-Edom’s gaze. “Obed, I really fuck up last week. Like, major one. I’ve messed up big time and chale, I need to do something about it.”
Obed-Edom nodded, concern on his face. “Talk to me. What happened?”
Jeremy sighed, then started. “So, me then my two guys bi go some special men’s program for Ada. Some program bi about building capacity and bla bla bla, them nibbies some. From Thursday to Sunday. Friday evening, as we dey the room inside, them say make we go club. I tell them sey I no want go, but them do aaa make I join them. As we catch there, we drink some one or two bottles, wey suddenly, them say make I try some hard liquor shots. I tell them no, but once again, them push me make I do.
“So as I make fine at a point, them spot some girl bi she dey sit by herself. Them say make I move to am. At that point, na I make fine, so no argument. I go vibe the girl… one thing led to another…”
Obed-Edom nodded, knowing how it ended.
“I… I cheated on Aurelia,” Jeremy uttered, his voice filled with regret. “Chale, the pain e dey my chest inside, eh. I really fuck up. I mean, yeah, ibi those stupid friends wey them drag me go and all, but at the end of the day, them no tell me sey make I eat. Ibi me naa my stupidity.”
Obed-Edom’s expression shifted to one of understanding, and he reached over and placed a comforting hand on Jeremy’s shoulder. “I dey for you, Jeremy. Inobi easy sey you go open up, so chale, you force. So what you dey search at the moment?”
“STD test.”
Obed-Edom winced. “You hit am raw?”
Jeremy nodded, his head down. “That be why I dey here, coz chale, I no know what that girl dey carry wey I go enter. I really make scared. Not even for myself, but for Aurelia. Bro, the last thing I dey want be sey I go give am some nasty STD. I dey hear them stories for social media wey them dey bore me pass. I no want do that thing kraaa, coz I never go fit forgive myself if something like that happen. Honestly.”
Obed-Edom nodded, maintaining a supportive demeanor. “I understand, Jeremy. But relax. Hopefully, the girl you go eat no get any STD. Hopefully. Make I get you the forms for the STD test, and we’ll go from there.”
Jeremy nodded. “Thanks so much, bro.”
“Always a pleasure. And I hope sey you then those friends no go galley anymore.”
“Never. I’m done with those fools. Can you imagine sey, as I lef the girl ein there come the room wey I make basaa no, one dey there dey give me fans?”
“Ah! For real?”
“Serious ooo. Very foolish guy…”
***
Jeremy nodded to the sounds of Tori Kelly as he made his way to the office, having completed his mission at the hospital.
He had taken the test for six STD’s: gonorrhoea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis. It had been pricier than he expected, but it was worth paying that money to be thorough. Now all he could do was wait for the results to come within the next seventy-two hours.
And pray that that strange girl had not infected him with any of those diseases.
“God, I pray this result comes out negative. Please let the results be negative,” he whispered to himself. “Please. Coz there’s no way I’d be able to sleep with Aurelia if I was carrying any of them. I’d rather die than give that queen any illness…”
The buzzing of his phone cut him short. He quickly glanced at the screen and saw an unfamiliar number. As it was connected to the car’s Bluetooth, he pressed the answer button on the steering wheel. “Hello?”
“Jeremy! Jeremy, I dey beg, make you no hang up.”
He sighed in irritation. It was Kenzy.
If only he had remembered that the dullard would try to call with a different number after getting blocked on all platforms.
“Massa, what is it? What do you want from me?” he demanded.
“Bro, bro, I beg, just listen to me. See, the thing e happen last Saturday, na ibi someway. Me then Enoch just want make we settle the matter amicably. But the way you just block we di33, ibi someway. I just dey beg you, come make we settle the matter. I dey beg you waaa.”
Jeremy shook his head and snorted. No chance in hell was that happening.
“Gentleman, you and Enoch have done enough. There’s nothing to talk about,” he stated coldly. “You’ve done enough to make me realize that I do not need you around me. The events of Friday evening and Saturday morning were eye-openers, and chale, I realize I have other friends who are worth keeping around. Friends who respect my marriage and will not do anything to put it in jeopardy. Friends who will call me out if I do anything to put it in jeopardy. It’s very clear Enoch, and especially you, are not those guys. So please, leave me alone. Have a nice life, and grow up sometime.”
“Bro, please! I beg, we be broth-“
Jeremy ended the call. “Suck on your dirty brotherhood. Rubbish!” he scoffed, continuing his journey.
***
She entered the apartment, slamming the door behind her unhappily. Dropping onto the couch, she placed her head in her hands in utter frustration. “Where is he?” she cried out. “I can’t seem to find him anywhere. Where the hell is he?”
A few days had passed since her moment of bliss with that sexy stranger, and since he unceremoniously left, she just could not figure out where he was. And it was frustrating.
She had tried tracing her steps back to the club where they first met. But that was an exercise in futility because they didn’t keep records of those who walked in. Anyone could enter at any time and have a good time.
And even if they did, the major issue was that she didn’t know his name. She could only describe him as a ‘light-skinned, sexy macho man’, which earned her a few raised eyebrows, scornful looks and shrugged shoulders.
She had thought of tracking down the taxi driver who brought them home that night but quickly discarded the thought. He was just doing his job; there was no way he’d be able to figure out who he was.
Sighing and rubbing her face, she gritted her teeth. “Damnit! I had so many plans for you, Daddy!” she spoke out to the empty room. “This was supposed to be the start of heavenly bliss. Why did you run away? Whyyyy?”
Springing to her feet and pacing up and down the room, she thought long and hard. “Do I go ahead with it?” she wondered, as an idea had come to mind. On one hand, it seemed a little too extreme, but on the other, it seemed like the perfect way to solve this mystery.
She closed her eyes, inhaling and exhaling as she deliberated on the idea.
Thoughts of that night came to the forefront.
The heated passion… the moans and gasps of ecstasy… all those delicious things he did to her body…
Her eyes popped open. “Let’s do it!” she decided. “That dick was too amazing to just forget about. Let’s do this.”
Moving to the couch, she picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts. Finding the number she wanted, she dialled.
“Hello, Sister Akos… oh, I’m fine, and how are you too?… Ermm, please, there’s something I want to talk to you about… I think it’s time to get one…”
Umm, what is this thing she’s looking to get? Whatever it is, it’s clearly to get Jeremy back. That can’t be good…
