CHAPTER NINE
He was reclined in his chair, eyes closed, massaging his temple with both hands. He looked really stressed out and exhausted. He had eye bags, has he been sleeping at all? She didn't think so.
''Well don't just stand there, do come in and let's start immediately''
'I'm sorry, it's just that you don't look too….''
''Handsome?''
''No, that's not it, I meant you don't look too well''.
''I take it I still look handsome to you then, can I still charm you?''
He was really trying hard not to fall flat on his face. She was right, he wasn't feeling too well, but he wasn't about to admit that to her. Hopefully the meeting won't take too long, all he has to do is sign the documents and he would go home and rest. He has really been getting short hours of sleep these days and it was beginning to affect him.
''You are sure you are okay?"
''Yes I am fine, now let's get down to business.''
He was on the final page of the documents and everything seemed to be going well until he wanted to sign the documents. He picked up his pen but it seemed too heavy to hold. So he decided to use another pen and that too was heavy.
''Jane do you mind passing me your pen?''
''Sure''
She took out her pen from her handbag and handed it to him. He tried to take it from her but he was missing her hand. At first she taught he was playing some sort of game with her, his third attempt to take the pen and he was still missing her hand. Then she knew something was wrong, Was he having issues with his sight?
Then he slumped and fell off his chair. Jane quickly stood up from her chair and ran to his side, his face was so pale and his skin temperature was burning high, she had to scream for help.
His secretary and some of his staff rushed into his office. At the sight of their boss on the floor they panicked.
''What happened?'' one of the staff who looked more matured and calmer than the others asked.
''I don't know he just slumped''.
''Someone call an ambulance''
Sandra quickly rushed off to call an ambulance. Jane tried to see if he was still conscious, so she knelt close to his ear and whispered his name.
''Mr Jeffery can you hear me?''
In response he held her hand, this calmed Jane at least he wasn't totally unconscious.
Few minutes later Sandra rushed back into the office.
''The ambulance is here'' she announced.
The paramedics trooped into the office to carry him into the ambulance. Jane tried removing her hand from his grasp but he held on even tighter. One of the paramedics noticed this and asked her to come with him to the hospital.
''It's obvious he wants you to come with him''.
Jane sat beside him in the ambulance, watching the paramedics take his vitals. She felt so scared and confused. What if he dies, would she be blamed for his death? After-all she was the last person to be seen with him. She can't even bring herself to think of him dying. She has come to really like him a lot; if she would be honest with herself she was falling for him already. Tears started to run down her eyes, if only she had her sister here with her then she would have told her what to do. Her elder sister always has the tendency of remaining calm in the face of storm. Unlike Jane who always cried whenever she was confronted with difficult situations.
She decided to do what her sister always taught her to do. She prayed.
Jeffery tried to figure-out where he was, he tried to move his hands but it seemed to be held down by something he couldn't really figure out. He tried raising his head, the whole room started to spin. He heard someone calling for the doctor. So he was in a hospital, how did he get here? The last thing he remembered was him trying to sign documents Jane presented to him. Where was she, is she safe?
''Please stay calm sir''
Who the hell is this trying to tell him what to do, and why was he finding it difficult to stand up, could it be that he was paralyzed?
A man in white walked in, this must be the doctor he thought, finally someone who could answer his questions. He tried to open his mouth but no words came out. The room and everyone in it was spinning. He sensed confusion in the room, was that his mother crying? He tried to keep his eyes open, but then he slipped into darkness.
Jane alongside Jeffery's parents were ushered out of the room into the hospital's hallway while the doctors and nurses attended to him.
His parents arrived hospital the moment they were told what happened to their son. When his mother saw Jane after speaking with the doctors she bombarded her with questions.
"They say you were with him in his office when he fainted?"
"Yes ma"
"Did he complain of anything, like headache or something?"
Jane could sense fear in the woman's voice, so she tried her best to answer all her questions even if it's the same questions the doctors asked her when they first arrived the hospital.
"No ma he didn't, though I noticed he was looking stressed but he assured me he was fine when I pointed it out".
"Are you sure?"
"Yes ma"
"What of..."
"Runke that's enough question already, you are scaring her.The doctors will be out soon to let us know what is wrong with our son".
His mother resumed pacing the hallway silently praying for her son. His father just remained calm while he sat on one of the chairs in the hallway looking at nothing in particular.
Thirty minutes later the doctor came out Jeffery's ward with a gloomy look on his face.
''I'm afraid we have bad news''.