Smiles of the heart( Obianuju II)

Friendship bond

My spirit was literally flying high, my heart bursting with excitement.

Landon invited me to his concert; he gave me two free tickets.

I stared down at the tickets and giggled inwardly. I really can't wait to tell Shakirat.

"We are here." Landon's voice manages to interrupt me and bring me back to reality.

Oops! I completely forgot about my morning class.

Looking out of the window, what I saw made my Jaw drop.

A crowd of girls in front of the Faculty, pushing and struggling just to get to Landon's car.

"Jeez! Is this what a celebrity have to put up with every day?" I thought and said aloud.

"Yes." Landon chuckled. "And that is more reason why you need to get going, or else they will devour you" He coaxed a hint of laughter in his voice.

I smiled nervously and opened the car door.

"Thanks for the ride." I nodded at him and, with that, stepped out and closed the door behind me, then began pushing my way through the crowd.

"Who is she?"

"Isn't she the Media vice- president, Demi's girlfriend?"

"What is she doing with Landon?" I overheard snatches of their whisperings and mutterings.

Oh God, please save me!

I finally got out of the crowd and hurried to the entrance, making to climb the stairs, when a hand pulled me back.

Startled, I spun around and saw Shakirat.

"Good Lord!"I touched my chest in relief. "Were you sneaking behind me?"

"What is happening?" She asked instead, ignoring my question.

"Happening?"I muttered, clearly confused.

"Yes. why were you with Landon?"

I scoffed silently. Is this what this is all about?

"That is because he dropped me off, "I replied nonchalantly.

"Really?" Her mouth fell open, and disbelief crossed her feature. "You mean he drove you to school?"

"Hum hum." I nodded. "Why else would I be with ........."my voice trailed off when I saw her accusing look. "Or wait do you think I begged him?"

She merely shrugged, a dazed expression on her face.

"You know I will never do that." I frowned.

"Sure." She nodded slowly, with the same dazed look.

What is wrong with her? I averted my eyes from her and looked down at my hand, at the tickets.

"See." I waved the tickets in front of her. "Landon invited me to his concert."

"You got to be kidding me." her face lit up as she snatched it out of my hand, staring at it with keen eyes.

"But this is the ticket to his concert tomorrow."

"So?" I snickered

"So?" She raised her head and looked at me. "Aren't you traveling to your boyfriend's place again?"

"Wo! that can wait". I brushed it aside. "This is Landon concert we are talking about here . You coming with me right?"

"No." She folded her arms across her chest. "Are you in your right senses? Do you want to disappoint Ademilade because of a mere concert? Are you even thinking at all?"She half yelled.

"It is not like that , I just want to ........."

"Have fun." She cut in, looking daggers at me. "No Juliet, this is not right . You and your fiancé made an agreement which is meant to be kept."

"Oh please, spare me the sermon." I rolled my eyes. "A fiancé that doesn't even have my time."

"Ha Ha Juliet! don't say that, you should know he is busy". She defended him. "Ademilade loves you and you know it."

"Fine." I exhaled deeply. "I will go see him, but that will be next weekend." I quickly added

"And do you think he will be happy with that?" her gaze ran over my face.

I shrugged lightly. " I will come up with a good excuse."

"You want to lie to him?" She looked at me with an expression of disgust. "Count me out of it."

With that, she walked past me to the stairs.

"Please, Shakirat, you need to help me," I begged, following closely behind her.

"Help you with what?" She retorted, her hand on the railings as she climbed up the stairs.

"To find an excuse."

"No way"

"Just this once pleaaase." I stretched the Please.

"Fine," she spun around to face me . "you want to lie to him? then tell him you have got a weekend class".

"Weekend class. " I nodded slowly in agreement. Why didn't I think of that? "Thanks so much, bestie." I grinned up at her.

"Whatever," she scoffed. "I pray he doesn't find out about this someday," she mumbled, but I heard her clearly.

Find out! No way! It is just for one night, right?

Ademilade

The clock ticking sound was all that could be heard in the large spacious room as I tried to compile many files.

Beads of sweat trickled down my face, making me all hot and uncomfortable.

I had been working all night and was so damn tired. I really needed to have a long cool bath.

I lazily reached for my phone to check out the time and noticed the missed calls from Kewe.

Jeez! I didn't even hear it ring!

Dialing his number, he picked up halfway through the second ring.

"Hey bro." his baritone voice rang out through the phone. "I have been calling since, where did you keep your phone?"

"I am so sorry." I apologized. "I was so busy that I didn't hear it ring."

"Alright, ooooo." he brushed it aside. "I hope you are home sha cos I am almost at your place."

"My place.”I muttered, and only then did I remember the conversation we had last week.

He complained about the unfair treatment in internship programs at Edo —his state and wanted to give it a shot here in Lagos state.

But today is not a Thursday, right? I took a quick glimpse at the calendar. Oh yeah! It is. I must be getting old.

"Don't tell me you have forgotten?" he huffed.

"Of course not." I chuckled lightly. "How could I have forgotten. The key to the apartment is underneath the foot mat. Please do make yourself comfortable". I spoke in a rush.

"And how will I know the apartment?" he retorted. "you only told me the house number,remember?"

"Oh." I suddenly realized my mistake. "It is the first building by the right," I told him.

"Alright," he smacked his lips. "Is there food at home??"

"Tsk.... Tsk... Tsk...."I clicked my tongue. Kewe and food! "Of course there is , but you need to microwave it and ..........."I stopped mid-sentence when the call bell sounded.

Sh*t! The new Chief Medical Director has arrived!!

"I need to go now." I ended the phone call before he could respond.

I stood up then and pulled off my white coat, throwing it over my shoulder; then, I reached for my car key on the table and walked out of the office through the long passage to the large meeting room.

I got there just in time to see the Department Director——Mr. Peters usher a slim white woman to the high seat sofa.

Could she be the new Chief Medical Director?

And as if she heard my thought, Antonia, a short black lady standing beside me, whispered.

"That is the Chief Medical Director."

I simply nodded as I was trying to avoid her at all costs.

She has been a pain in my a*s ever since I began my internship here, constantly bugging me with endless questions, hovering over me, sending me those stupid signals, and once attempting to seduce me.

Telling her I wasn't interested did nothing to stop it, so I bluntly told her that I had a fiancée who was more beautiful and classier than her.

Too harsh right? I know. But that was the only way to bring her out of her delusion.

"So......"Mr peters began. "This is the hospital Chief Medical Director, Miss Hampton." he bowed his head slightly to the woman.

The staff broke into rapturous applause, and the chantings of "you are welcome, ma" filled the air.

Mr. Peters continued. "And these gentlemen here are senior doctors." he pointed to the men seated at the front row, but the woman seemed not to be listening, as she had a fixed gaze on the three interns who were standing close to the window, me included.

"And who are those?" She nodded towards us.

"Oh." Mr. Peters looked in our direction. "They are interns, the top best in their respective college. Chike, Antonia, and Ademilade.

The woman face lit up as her gaze landed on me, then she looked away

"That will be enough for today. You can all return to your duty post." She dismissed us with the wave of her hand.

So fast! I began walking to the entrance when her voice rang out

"Except you, Ademilade." She pronounced my name so well that I was left wondering if a Yoruba demon was living inside her.

"Me." I stopped in my steps, facing her.

"Yes you." she smiled lightly.

I bowed my head slightly to avoid the curious gaze of the other staff as they walked past me and moved closer to her.

What does she want with me???

"I can see you are all grown."She stated.

Is she talking to me? I raised my head and looked at her, meeting her intense gaze.

Yes, she is talking to me!!

"Do I know you ma?" I asked politely.

"Troy," she smiled lightly.

I froze for a moment, staring hard at her.

How the hell did she know that name? Only my mum calls me that.

"It is me Lily." she finally answered.

Lily! my gaze softened as I vaguely remembered the woman who used to visit my late mum back in Canada, bringing a little girl of my age along with her.

She continued. "Do you remember me?"

I nodded slowly, not entirely sure of myself.

If she was truly Lily, what then is she doing here??

"Why are you here?" I found myself asking.

"To work." she chuckled lightly. "Isn't it obvious?"

"I know that." I retorted. "What I meant to ask is why you are here in Nigeria?"

"To watch over you." She simply replied. "It was your mum wish."

I scoffed. "What rubbish is this one saying?"I said and thought aloud.

"Rubbish," she snickered. "Why do you think I agreed to work here? Do you think this is the only hospital giving me this offer? No child. I was formerly the head Doctor of MacAdam hospital, one of the biggest hospital in Canada, but I gave it all up to be close to you.

"Why?"My voice sank into whispers.

"You see, child," she exhaled deeply. "When we were younger, your mum and I made a promise to always watch each other's back, and now that she is gone ..........."

"She had been gone for eight years."I cut her off. "Where then were you?" I questioned.

"I was busy fixing up my daughter, she suffered a major depression when her father left us , and I couldn't possibly add to her burden."

"Oh, I see". I nodded slowly.

So she sees me as a burden!!!!

"You need to believe me, Troy." she implored. "You need me, I need you. The MacAdam needs you."

"MacAdam?" I arched my eyebrow

"Yes, MacAdam." she looked puzzled for a moment and then began laughing.

"You don't know The famous MacAdam hospital belongs to you?"

"What?"I retorted, disbelief in my voice.

"Yes." she nodded. "You paternal grandparents are the MacAdam . Your grandfather willed the hospital to your mother, that was the only property she hid from your gold- digging father". She mumbled the latter part, but I heard her.

"Be careful with your words ma." I glared at her.

"Oops! Sorry," she apologized. "But I only told the truth."

"Whatever." I muttered, suddenly becoming furious.

What right does she have to insult my dad? "Do as you Please with MacAdam or whatever you call. I ain't interested."

"I know you are confused dear." she smiled lightly. "Don't rush , you have the whole time in the world to think about it."

Dang, it! She was right. I was so damn confused. Who wouldn't be? To be told of a sudden that you had property outside the country, a big and popular one at that.

Without a word, I made for the door but stopped abruptly when something popped into my mind".

"Erm ma." I spun around to face her. "Do you by any chance know if there is a spot here for another intern?"

"Do you have anyone in mind?" She asked calmly.

"Yes," I replied in the same calm manner. "A friend of mine . He is equally a straight A student and is also very unique".

"Alright then." She smiled lightly.

"Is that a Yes?" I stared keenly at her.

She nodded slowly.

My heart leaped up, the joy in me threatening to explode. "Thank you so much ma." I rushed out of the room and bumped into a brown-skinned girl right in the passageway.

"Are you blin......she paused, trailing off when her gaze met mine. "Oh." she giggled. "It is a cute brown-skinned boy."

"I am sorry." I simply told her, walked past her to the reception, and met Antonia seated behind the desk.

Oh no!!! I picked up the pen and sighed out of duty.

"Do you know the director?" She asked.

I completed ignored her and dashed out of the building into the scorching sun, heading to my car.

Opening the door, I slid into the driver seat and started the car, driving out of the bumpy compound, down the busy road to my home.

I wasted no time getting home as I took a short route to beat the afternoon rush hour.

Honking, I drove through the gate, into the compound, and parked out in front of my apartment, right beside a red Benz ——Kewe's car.

My face split into a broad smile, and I stepped out of the car to see him standing on the balcony.

"Demi money." he raised his two hands as he hailed me.

"Kewe." I hailed back and rushed to envelop him in a warm hug.

After three months, it felt so good to see one's best friend.

"How are you?" I pulled out of the hug to stare at his face.

"I am fine oooo." he replied. "It is only hunger that wants to finish me."

"Shut up." I chuckled lightly, holding onto his shoulder as we walked into the sitting room.

"See the way you are living large." he teased. "Two bedroom flat all to yourself."

"Have you eaten?" I asked, ignoring his jokes.

"Sure." he nodded. "I have even settled down in the second room." He said, referring to the room meant for visitors.

"Alright." I collapsed on the sofa and began pulling off my shoes.

"So......" he continued. "Do you think I have a chance in Topmost hospital?"

"Yep." I replied, popping the p. "You have already been accepted."

"Like seriously." His eyes went huge in disbelief.

I nodded slightly. "I talked to the Chief Medical Director and she easily agreed."

His eyes sparkled with excitement. "Thanks so much man , I really appreciate it." he rubbed his hands together, smiling. "This calls for celebration, let's go clubbing. Tobi's club house isn't far from here right?"

"Yes. " I finally kicked out the shoes. "but that will be tomorrow." I quickly added.

"But why?" he frowned.

"My baby will be here for the first time tomorrow , and I want it to be memorable one." I grinned.

Speaking of which, I fished my phone out of my pocket and dialed her number.

She picked halfway through the third ring.

"Finally my boyfriend decided to call me." She huffed.

I laughed lightly. "Is that the way to greet?"

"And is this when you should call?"She snapped at me.

"I am sorry." I exhaled deeply. "The work load on me is much."

"So that is why you have been ignoring me?" She accused. "Why you don't take care of me anymore?"

"But I do take care of you."

"No." She insisted. "You that have refused to change my car.".

Like seriously! Is this her definition of taking care!!!

"Fine." I heaved a sigh. "Let's talk about it when you around tomorrow."

"Erm ..... about ..... that". she picked her words. "I am afraid I won't be able to make it. I have weekend classes to attend.

My heart sank when I heard her response.

"But you should have informed me earlier on." I queried.

" I am sorry babe , but the change happened so fast." she explained. "Please don't be angry my love."

"It is alright." I faked a smile as if she could actually see me.

"I love you Demi."

"I love you too." I said and ended the phone call.

She just ruined my mood!!!

TBC