Edegbe was not sure he was seeing what was real or what his subconscious mind wanted him to see, but slowly, as though counting his steps, he walked to Yasmin who stood in the midst of Alhaji and Haruna. His gaze locked hers as hers locked his and as he drew closer to her, his vision floated the more. They stared at each other for some seconds before she finally said, "Your friend is alive, he's receiving treatment."
Edegbe nodded and reached to touch her cheek. Then he let the first drop of tears fall. "He couldn't survive, Victor died." Another drop escaped his eyes and he buried his head in the crook of her neck and wept. "He was running as fast as he could, but—" he choked. Yasmin rubbed a soothing hand on his back as she circled her free hand around him. "He….he died, oh God." His sniffed and tightened his arm around her.
Yasmin listened, her hand on his back not stopping until his sobs died down, replaced by a rhythmic hiccuping. Awkwardly, he pulled away from her and turned around to clean his eyes. He was overwhelmed by emotions, and even as he cleaned his face, his eyes glistened back with tears.
"Come." Yasmin entwined their hands and led him from the hallway. Without protest, he followed her, grateful that the hall was empty and that her earlier company had been wise enough to leave.
She brought him to a room and drew out a chair. "Sit," she ordered and disappeared to fear a glass of water. In silence, she thrusted it into his hands, in silence he drank, and in that same silence he stared at her. He had not let himself remember her until he had actually seen her, like she disappeared from his memory until she appeared before him, and he knew that if she had not, the thudding in his chest would be louder, faster than it had been.
"You look okay," he managed to say, his hiccup gone.
"I was out of the province when it happened."
He nodded. "I'm glad."
"He's an unfortunate man, your employee I mean, to be buried two times in a lifetime, once under a pile of stones, and second six feet under the ground. Don't take his death to heart, people die in things like this."
"He's not just 'people', he's family to somebody."
"And so is everyone who died."
"Your talking that nonsense because none of them is related to you." He was getting riled up, he had always found her lack of sympathy surprising, now it was annoying.
She only stared at him. "Soliat's father died, he took care of me when I was younger." Then she eyed his arm. "Let me see your wound." And pulled his hand away before he could protest. Her face set in a firm scowl when she saw blood around the newly stitched wound. "Weren't they any nurses there when you left the bed? You're not supposed to be up and running."
"I had people to look for, I had to make sure Efe was safe, that Victor was okay, and even if they had died, I didn't want to stay in the ignorance of it." He held her wrist. "But I did not look for you, looking for you meant something had happened, meant that you could either be amongst the people in pain, or amongst those a red tag hanged from, looking for you want possibilities I wasn't willing to accept."
She was quiet for a while, watching where his hand held hers. "When I arrived at the scene, you and your friend had already been taken to the hospital and as we removed the stone from the body of your employee, I imagined that it would be you, I was scared, so scared."
He tried to pull her into his embrace but pain shot from his side and he winced, pulling away.
"You need to rest," she said.
"Take me to Efe first."
"Edegbe, please be reasonable."
"You said he's okay, I want to see him, I'll rest then, I'll—" the door to the room opened, cutting him short.
"Kai, can't the both of you find a more appropriate time to be lovey dovey with each other?" Haruna's voice sounded displeased. "We left for a minute because somebody had to be a baby and the very next minute you've disappeared to do what even Allah forbids in the midst of so much death."
"Allah forbids two people who are happy to see each other?" Alhaji asked.
"Yasmin has people to attend to."
"The last time I checked, she's a paramedic and her work stops when an emergency ends."
"What can I do for you?" Yasmin asked, not interested in their bickering.
"Alhaji wanted to see you," Haruna replied.
"And he begged to tag along just so he can disturb you." Then Abubakar faced Edegbe. "Thank Allah you're safe, and I'm sorry about your employee, I lost some of mine too. It was an unfortunate event, even Ahmed died and someone who is very important to me."
"Ahmed died?"
"Unfortunately, we lost him. But I'm glad you're safe, you and your friend."
"You too, thank you." People had died, it was surreal to think the people he knew were not included.
"You have to excuse us, Yasmin and I are going to have a word."
Yasmin nodded to him. "Haruna will take you to your friend, and you'll rest afterwards, you have to."
He looked from her to Alhaji and backto her, doubtfully before stepping away.
"Haruna will take you to your friend," she repeated.
"Shouldn't you at least ask Haruna if he's okay with that?" The man in question grumbled.
"Haruna is okay with whatever Yasmin says, so please leave."
Alhaji watched as the two men walked out, Edegbe turning back to look. "Told you he'll be alright," he said when they were left alone.
"Is that what you came to remind me?"
"You don't sound as happy as I expected you would be when you saw him, is that because I interrupted your time?" He teased.
"Abubakar, please get straight to the point."
The levity left his voice. "It's Solia, she's not waking up."
Yasmin nearly rolled her eyes. "She's in shock, dan Allah! Do you want her to wake up again and begin another episode of weeping?"
"She's slept for a long time, it's so unlike her. I prefer her awake and crying than sleeping that long."
She exhaled heavily. "See, your sweetheart will be fine, she's not a child that you should worry about how long she's sleeping."
"I know. How about you too, do you feel better after seeing Edegbe?"
"What are you talking about? I feel the same as I feel before seeing him."
Abubakar stared at her quietly. "Are we ever going to pass this, Yasmin? Is there a day you wouldn't have to lie to me about how you truly feel?"