SAVING THE DEVILISHLY HANDSOME DOCTOR

CHAPTER 3

My books were clenched to my chest as I walked out of the staff room, three minutes late to my economics class and just hoping the deputy was not anywhere near my class to see the kids all alone. I could hear their noise from where I was with the corridors empty, everyone being in class. My heels clicked on the concrete ground seeing the students sitting near the windows watch me as I passed through. I wore my black stiletto pumps with a black long work skirt and a white shirt tucked in. I looked good and I knew it, having bought a new wardrobe before schools opened. It was now two weeks later and I was still killing it. Being a teacher for me was super great, I got free school holidays plus public holidays, I worked eight to five everyday with no exceptions and all I had to do was talk and get my fifteen thousand Emalangeni cheque at the end of the month like clockwork. It did not matter if my students failed, did not matter if government was broke or a pandemic broke through but I had a permanent post with a cheque clicking on the twentieth no matter what. How cool was that? And not to mention the free housing, imminent access to loans and more.

I walked into my new class, everyone going quiet from my sight even with the noise they were making. I had four classes this year, economics form four and five then form two and three with accounts. Life was peachy really and I could not be happier. My books were set on the desk as I turned to the board which had been wiped. I took out my marker, writing the topic we would be learning before turning.

“Morning everyone.” I said, this being my first and last class for the day which was brutal since I was not to supposed to leave to my house until school ended or lunch, I would just be sitting in the staff room doing nothing.

“I hope you are all doing fine guys, vacation is over, second week of school and we should be ready to kick Economics out of the park.” I said with much enthusiasm.

“We did not have enough holidays ma`am.” One said and I knew who it was, most of my form three accounts class from last year picked economics as one of their electives when they got into secondary high school.

“Buhle, you just like being at home and sleeping, there is no amount of holidays that can have you sated.” I said back with the whole class laughing including Buhle himself.

“Okay guys, today we will be talking about factors of production. If Thandi wanted to start a business what would she need?” I asked, walking around the class with my heels clicking. This was where I was happy, these were my children and I loved them dearly.

“Money Miss.”Thandi replied.

“Great, anyone else?” I asked.

“Workers,” John replied.

“Excellent, another thing?” I asked with the class moving on and in no time the bell was ringing having everyone complain, me included, we had been having so much fun. I took my books, saying my goodbye and just thinking of how it would be another twelve hours before I saw them.

I walked out, the students running out after me to their next class. Once again the corridors were busy with students changing classrooms and teachers too.

“Hi Mbali,” a voice came as I turned to see Amanda who was one of the teachers I had arrived with just a year ago.

“Hi Amanda,” I said back walking slowly so she would catch up. She walked faster in her black flat pumps.

“Did you hear that the deputy now wants us to write lesson plans?” She asked having me nearly laugh, I had not written a lesson plan since my third year in varsity, did not even know where I would start.

“Wow, what happened?” I asked rhetorically but of course I should have known that Amanda would answer, she was like a journalist or something, and there was nothing she did not know.

“Her husband left her for an eighteen year old and she is taking out all her anger on us.” Amanda said having my eyes scan around. I still liked my job and did not want to be fired as of yet.

“I know right, they say the girl is pregnant.” She continued as I sighed, taking in the news and that was how I spent my morning, it seemed Amanda was also free for the rest of the morning and it was torture to me. I liked her but she could not stop talking and talking about people who I did not want to have beef with. You never spoke anything to Amanda, she had this skill to twist words and tell on you, her being one of the other reasons Setsabile and I were not on speaking terms.

I was saved by the bell, lunch having me go to my house to eat my chicken roast from the previous night with the TV on. I heard the door open and close meaning Setsabile was in, I waited, hearing her cause some clutter in the kitchen, her dishes were full in the sink since the previous week and I swear I would soon be using the toilet sink to wash my own. I finished my plate, placing it down as I indulged myself in one episode of New Amsterdam which was just my favourite series ever. My eyes trailed to the time and I had ten minutes leaving me no option than to switch it off and slip from the couch. I pulled my heels on, picked up my dish to the kitchen to find that this time the sink was super full with dishes so I ran to the bathroom washing my plate then running back to the kitchen to pack it. I walked back to my room nearly falling, my ankle twisting just as Setsabile walked out of her room, not a coincidence. I rolled my eyes thinking of my craziness then went grabbing my laptop and charger then walked out of the house.

By the time I got to the staffroom most teachers were off to classes with Setsabile walking past me to her own class. She was a beauty, her body thin and curvy having every male teacher at her feet. We had been friends since second year of Varsity after sharing a common room with all the others yet some things are just not meant to last. I walked in the staff room finding it empty so I sat behind my desk and opened the laptop to watch a movie since New Amsterdam was so good it was meant to be watched on TV only with my sound system.

It was an hour later before anyone walked back in and they all soon left for their other classes except for Mrs Gwebu who taught French and Mr Sibandze who taught Literature. There was no chatter, we were not all that close so I just went back to my movie until I heard commotion from outside. Someone was shouting and screaming. Mr Sibandze jolted up and ran out. I paused my movie, walked slowly after Mrs Gwebu to peep out only to find a couple of students with teachers surrounding someone.

“Get back to class!” Mr Sibandze shouted with all the students in uniform dispersing with some looking from the windows in their classes. I stood back, watching not knowing what was happening but letting them work or do whatever they were doing. The sounds of sirens were soon heard with my heart drumming. I stared down at the boy who was paler by the second. His eyes were rolled back looking like death was just there seeping his soul away. The teachers tried to give him water but they never went down. We were all out of our depths here, watching as the boy lost his life. Boots were heard colliding with concrete, voices heard yet the words did not register in my mind. I stepped back letting the paramedics do their job. They hooked their machines and I had watched too much of Chicago med, Nurses and New Amsterdam to know that his heart was beating so slow and getting even slower. Everything seemed to be going down having the paramedics throw him in a stretcher and run.

“We need a teacher who will go with him, who doesn’t have a class?” The deputy who had suddenly gotten there asked with my eyes moving with my heart drumming.

“Me, I don’t have a class for the rest of the day.” I spoke up not even sure how my mind was functioning for I was dazed, not in a good way.

“Okay, run and stay with him, we will call his next of kin to meet you at the hospital.” The deputy said with the teacher that had been teaching the boy coming with his school bag. I nodded, taking the bag and running to the staff room to grab my phone and purse leaving everything else as it was.

I ran for my life, scared the paramedics had took off, imagine running in my killer heels carrying a bloody heavy bag in hand. I don t know how but I made it, the doors closing behind me. I sat next to the lady who was a paramedic, hearing as the machines beeped with them injecting this and that.

“He cannot breathe, lets bag him.” One of the two paramedics said with the lady jumping up with a metallic tool I had seen too many times on Chicago med. She opened the boy’s mouth, inserting the object before taking a tube given by the male paramedic and pushing it down the boy’s throat. When it was in they pulled the metal tool and a wire from the tube before clipping an air bag which they began pressing to help the boy breathe. Watching it on TV was cool but watching it in real life was traumatizing. The sirens themselves were just having my brain hazy with everything going fast.

The car came to a halt, the male paramedic opening the door and ushering out. I did the same, watching as they pulled the stretcher down, walking away into the emergency entrance of the large government hospital. A bed was found, the boy pushed to a ward where a nurse saw us and came.

“13 year old boy, crushed, low blood pressure, heart rate at a forty, passed out and unresponsive with his skin turning white from loss of blood.” The paramedic said and like that they were gone leaving me standing there as the nurse wrote something down. The bed was pushed in a ward which was so full with patients and visitors. There were more than thirty beds, it smelling so bad I nearly gagged. There was no privacy at all, all those beautiful rooms you see in all the medical shows, well that was not here, there were no hot doctors that made you want to quit your job and be a permanent resident in the hospital. This was government hospital for you in a developing country.

The beds were rusty with the wheels barely functioning, the sheets weren’t bad but everything else was horrible. All windows were broken with birds freely flying through and inside the ward. I stood there shocked to no end. I gave the nurse space as she filled a chart, hanging a drip, drawing some blood and that was that.

I stood next to the bed, watching and hopeful each time a nurse walked in yet it was an hour before ours came back and hung a bag of blood then she was gone again. I stood until my feet felt like they would fall off. The sun was setting and the cold wind just having its way through the broken windows. The boy was still out with me placing my cheek over his mouth to make sure he was still breathing, he looked so pale and they had taken the heart monitor some time ago. I shook my head, feeling the pull in my muscles yet the floor looked so dirty and disgusting I would not dare take off my shoes. There was a family of three next to our bed, they talked and talked, with an old man lying on the hospital bed and looking so frail. We had said our hellos some time ago with them getting back to their argument.

I wanted to ask for one chair since they had two which meant one was from this side yet it felt so wrong because all three ladies seemed to be over forty and I would not let them stand so I sucked it in. The bag of the boy lay next to him on the bed. He looked so young, probably a junior yet even in his young age he was cute and surely would break a lot of hearts. I opened my w******p chatting with Snowy who was a teacher at a school which was in the rural areas by her father’s home. She loved it there, they were not as strict as my school with her only going to school when she had class otherwise she stayed in her house and did whatever, no one looked at her dress code which was why she was always in jeans.

Mbali: What are you having for dinner? Girl I am starving.

Snowy: Mac girl, I am so tired, had four classes today, this is not my year, I have so many classes.

Mbali: That is pay back for barely even working last year.

We chat for some time and soon she was not replying meaning she had passed out even though it was eight in the evening. I bit my lower lip wondering where the parents of this boy were so I could leave. The sun had long set with no way I was going to find a bus at this time so I would have to grab a taxi and they were so expensive these days. I sighed, my hand grabbing the boy’s shoulder worried at that he still had not gained consciousness and the nurse had not gotten back with the doctor having never bothered to show his head.

The ward was noisy and cold, so cold I hugged myself thinking of if the school forgot to call the parents or what. I stood, seeming to have no choice but take off my shoes but kept telling myself one more minute. A nurse walked by the door and I was quick to rush to her.

“Hi, how are you, sorry but this boy was admitted around three and we still have not seen the doctor and he is still unconscious.” I said as politely as I could because as always when speaking with overworked civil servants you had to be so nice for they would chew your head off. The nurse continued walking fast as I followed with my feet feeling as if they would break.

“Is he breathing?”

“Yes,”

“Is he in excruciating pain?” The nurse asked again

“I don’t know, he is unconscious.” I said back politely.

“Then please move out of my way, the doctor will see you when he can.” She said and was off walking to the other direction. I stared at her back not sure what to do or even say.

I shot out, full-blown running after her.

“How long do you think he will be?” I asked not thinking this boy would survive the night.

“The sun won’t set.” She said having me too shocked to even do anything as she walked away. It was nine in the evening at that point with the sun having set just a few hours back which meant she meant that the sun was to rise in the morning. I turned, pale myself with my hands shaking from not just the hunger. I walked back to the bed, sitting at the edge feeling the springs underneath the thin mattress. Birds flew in around the ward with people seeming to have gotten used to having them around. I looked up to the beds around and there was a man with his leg seeming to have been amputated, blood covering his bandages. It was bad, government hospitals were bad and I thanked the lord I could afford a medical aid for this was a place I never wanted to find myself dying in. Another man at the far right was vomiting his lungs out and the nurses kept screaming at him from their cubicle where they were drinking coffee. I watched all the faces of people watching their relatives die. I could see the sadness and hopelessness even though they masked it with smiles. One man had sores all over his body which were bleeding, him scratching now and again. I looked away as quickly as I could but it was too late for the picture was stuck in my head.

There was movement around the bed and I quickly looked up to see someone I had never thought I would see again in my whole life. He held a chart, writing something down with his forehead wrinkled. He placed the chart back at the edge of the bed where he left it with the nurse taking it to see what he had prescribed. I did not know what to do or say, stuck really as I watched him move to the next bed without even looking up. He did not greet the family either, writing on the chart and moving on.

“The boy has anemia, shortage of blood in his body but he will be fine and will be awake in a few hours” Mr Stranger said, his voice just as I remembered it. He moved on without looking my way. My heart could not handle such as I watched him move on to the next bed not even sparing me a look.

“Excuse me.” The nurse said as I stumbled away, watching her inject something into the drip, hung another pile of blood and followed the doctor to the bed where he was checking on the patient.

Mr Stranger was just as dashing as I remembered, two weeks not enough to wipe the memory of him away. He looked tired and washed out though with his hand seeming to have ran through that hair so many times. He wore scrubs and a white coat having me nearly die, I loved a man in uniform and he was gorgeous if I might say. I swallowed, shaking my head and snapping out of this madness. He was not mine and he never would, he probably had a beautiful wife back home and a child. I sighed, my feet having had too much so I sat back at the edge of the bed with my hands going to my phone. I scrolled through my contacts to find the deputy’s number. I called the number with my heart drumming, lord knows I could not spend the night in this hospital for I would die from pneumonia. It would be better if I had been prepared and I had an early class the next morning. The phone rang for the longest of time before someone picked up.

“Sorry for calling so late Mrs Mthembu, this is Miss Dlamini and I wanted to ask if you called the child’s parents?” I asked.

“Miss Dlamini, we did, you are still at the hospital? The mother said she works three hours away but promised to be on her way.” The deputy said having me sigh with tiredness and hunger taking its toll on me.

“Okay, I guess she is on her way, I will wait and leave when his parent is here. Thank you.” I said with the line cut as I sighed and looked up only to freeze.

My eyes locked with green eyes that were so beautiful they had my breath knocked away. Everything seemed to disappear leaving me falling off a cliff only for no one to catch me. I sucked in a breath wondering if he remembered but of course he did which had a smile spread across my face not being able to hold myself. He frowned, arching a brow before turning and walking on to the next bed leaving my smile to fall. I sighed, my heart feeling as if it had just gone through a car crush or a love crush.

My head hung, hoping someone had graciously taken my laptop to the house but I doubted it, having me even more stressed. I ran a hand through my face thinking of what and how I would teach my first class tomorrow, I had to give them homework with a quiz nearby. My stomach was killing me and surely my ulcers would kill me which was what I got for not going to the hospital for them but after this I was definitely not going.

Sleep soon clouded me, my head dipping only for me to jump up with a bird flapping its wings over my head leaving me shaken and tormented I swear. My eyes went to my phone, switching it on to see that it was fifteen minutes to twelve and I swear I felt like crying. There was no way this boy’s parent was coming over. There lights were on, the nurses in their cubicles sleeping in their chairs with most people out yet many of them snored, some screaming from bad dreams having me scared and wide awake. One of the man was screaming about Satan having me say a prayer over and over again. I was shaken and would never be the same. The cold had my teeth chatter with the winds picking up, whistling and adding to my horror. This was the worst and scariest night of my life. My eyes took every inch of the room, the time seeming to be on stand still as I watched each hand move.

It was pure torture with the man’s screams getting louder. He talked about how he was the devil’s advocate and was here to take souls to hell. Only a few could sleep with his screams thus the ward was soon fully awake by one in the morning. Everyone listened to his babble, most praying with others not believing whatever he was preaching while I on the other hand was ready to run out of there at the first sign of s**t going down. My phone was in hand and this boy would forgive me for I would rather be fired than having my soul taken. They prayed louder with the man’s screams getting lower until he was just quite yet no one could go back to sleep so they stayed up talking about devilish stories they had heard and about how the devil was real. It was all too much for me, my eyes out as if they would fall off, so scared yet I listened even more, getting scared by the second.

The stories got scarier and lord I was going to die with fear. The chatter went on until most were asleep and here I was again, left alone at three in the morning yet I wished they had not woken up for I was even more scared now than I had been before. My whole body was shaking and I did not see myself surviving the morning.