"Hello, am I speaking with the Chief Of Forensic Department?"
"Yes, who is this?"
"Its Noni, I'm…" I paused. No, wrong set of words. I tried again.
"I know it's inappro… inconvenient to ask but can you tell officer John to come pick me up at the hospital tomorrow. I'm getting discharged and I need someone to help me go to my grandparents place."
The receiver end was quiet for a while; then he responded.
"I will. You are no longer suspended you know. As your chief, I would like you to start work immediately but given the circumstances, I can grant you a month's leave but that's all. I hope you will spend it wisely."
"I most certainly will, Sir," I replied and dropped the call.
My mind didn't linger on the just past conversation instead it drifted momentarily, to the letter I got today.
'One month. It should be more than enough to deal with those three bastards. I reopened the letter SAFE sent me and read it again.
'Dear New Member, finally you have become one of us. We long awaited you. Your request to start immediately has been approved and honestly, we are really happy to have you. A true realist who understands that the law can never rid the world of outlaws. A believer in the reality that extra judicial methods are the only way to truly save lives. The things you requested will be waiting at the location on the letter along with the phone numbers of our people residing at that location. Good luck'.
I folded the letter and slipped it back into my pocket, then I lay down on the bed. Everything starts tomorrow. I can't wait.
The alarm by my bedside blazed on, trying to inform me that it was past 7am. I stirred but I didn't wake up. It rang for almost an hour. As for me, I was running around in my dream trying to find where the beeping sound was coming from. Someone shook me.
"Wake up… Have you not slept enough." he shook me harder; I opened my eyes, looked at him and with my right hand, pushed him away.
"Leave me alone." I muttered sleepily, turning to the other side of the bed and continued my slumber.
He smacked me on the head.
"Get up!"
"AH!"
I scratched my smacked head and sat up; Half awake. "What's your problem, John? Can you not see I'm trying to sleep."
The chair In front of me rocked noisily, he had sat down.
"John's Wife went into labour this morning so he couldn't come. Instead, he begged me to do so on his behalf. I didn't expect to receive such treatment for my goodwill"
In my ears, his words sounded like "burburbu.. burburbu…"
I scratched my head again.
'What the hell are you talking about?"
I looked up at the man on the chair.
'Pretty Face, Blue shirt, Three open buttons… When did John get so hot?'
'Wait, that doesn't look like John… Big muscles, firm lips, Low cut hair… Oh God no-'
'Mr Chief!'
I scammed off the bed to my feet immediately. Head bowed in repentance;
"I'm very sorry Sir!" I replied like a Soldier.
"Quit wasting time and get dressed."
"Yes Sir." I ran out of the room.
The hospital had a shower and you would get newly washed hospital whites whenever you came to take a bath. So I had no need to pick up anything before going to take a bath. Seniors don't like to be kept waiting, so I rushed the body washing and returned to my ward immediately. He was outside when I arrived, clearly he knew I needed my space. I walked past him into the room and locked the door.
*Huh*
I exhaled, upset.
'How could John do this to me? Sending my chief to pick me up. And to think he saw me with my messy hair and my eye bags and my morning wrinkles… Uh! This is so embarrassing'
I slipped to the floor; 'Who would like an ugly woman'.
'Damn it Noni, What are you thinking?'
I sprang up from the floor and went over to my suitcase. A few days after the D.P.O visited, John came to see me and got me some clothes I could wear incase I felt like taking a walk outside the hospital.
I picked out the ash grey body fitting long gown with a thigh high slit and wore it on top black flats and Knotted hair. I will call the head nurse later and thank her plaiting my hair so nicely
'Okey'. I puffed. 'Lets get out of here '.
I locked the suitcase, pulled it off the floor and carried it up, heading to the door. I squeezed the knob, it opened, I stepped out.
The creek from the door must have drawn his attention because he was looking my way when I walked out. I avoided his gaze so I couldn't tell how long he stared. I guess it must have been more than Three minutes because I felt so hot inside and that's how I feel whenever he looks at me.
I heard him clear his throat and then, he stood up.
"We will go to check out first before we leave"
"Okay." I start for the nurses office, leading the way.
Well more like running. I didn't want to stand next to him anymore; at least not at that moment. He was making me feel sensations, like I had overdosed anAphrodisiac.
I didn't want to keep feeling that way; but honestly, when did I get so erotic?
It didn't take much time and we got to the Admissions and Discharging ward. I filled in the paperwork and was given a discharge permit.
Unlike most hospitals, Petite Hospital gives you a permit which states the circumstances surrounding your discharge. So if ever you have a problem outside, the permit will be their evidence that you; in such a case, demanded to be discharged and that the doctors did not discharge you.
I slipped the permit into my bag, bid the nurses goodbye and left with Mr Chief. No diverting, we went straight for his car which was parked outside.
He got there before me and opened the front seat door. He wanted me to sit next to the driver, him. I was reluctant, I mean having to feel that way for more than Three hours was something I didn't want.
"Are you not getting in?" he took my suitcase from my hand, opened the back door and dropped it. He made to close the door…
I grabbed his hand.
He looked at me. There was this spark in his eyes. I tried not to stare.
'I want to sit at the back," I said.
"There's a couple of things I will pick up along the way, it's going to fill up that back seat that's why I want you to stay in front."
'Oh no, why at this moment'
I was instantly drawn into my thoughts that I didn't notice the discomfort look on my face.
"Is there a problem?" he asked, pulling me back into reality.
"Does the front seat remind you of something?" he asked again.
"No. No." I replied immediately. "There's no problem. I will gladly sit in the front."
I twirled immediately and headed into the car, shutting my door.
'There's no way I can tell him that my reason is because I feel a little high, that's would be so embarrassing and terrible'