PRAY FOR ME - Part 6

Titi was restless, her babies were being referred from pediatric ward to the ICU. She thought about her life and everything it...
Her kids added so much honor to her life. Her parents had begun to love and respect her since she gave birth to them. Akanbi was also more committed to her she wasn't ready to loose them not by any chance.

"Hello dear, they just referred Taye and Kehinde to the ICU now..." she was on the phone with Bayo

"ah ah! whats wrong, i thought you said they were getting better"

"yes they were... but errmmm... i don't know..." she broke down crying.

"I'll take a break from work and come over to Ibadan..." he said

"okay.. we will be expecting you" the line went off

"Madam... please come with me," the nurse beckoned on her... "please wear that gown, and those shoes with the face mask on the table."

"okay..." she replied the nurse

"i need you to express some breast milk so we can feed your babies via the tube"

"i... haven't been breast feeding them..." she stammered

"May i know the reason please?"  the nurse was surprised

"errrmmm.... nothing in particular, i....." she coughed... "i didn't want to have flat breasts..." she stammered.

"Madam this is shameful to even say... these kids are sicklers and they need all the care in the world"

"I didn't know they were at birth".. she sobbed

"You also didn't know it was important to breast feed them? they are about 5 months old and you have been giving them formula feed all their life? the rate of contamination for formula feed is quite high and am sure this is where they got infected from. Your kids are battling with chronic sepsis and it's your fault. I hope that sinks deep..." the nurse walked away

Titi started crying she didn't know it would lead to this. If only she was still lactating, she would have started all over again

"don't shed crocodile tears another nurse told her" she looked older and obviously the younger nurse had gone to report her

"why would you take such a decision, people pray to God for this bundle of joy you have. God gave them to you and you had to be ungrateful. what a pity" the matron shook her head as she walked away

Titi was still crying when the doctor told her the babies needed more blood "you should go to the blood bank to apply for more pints of blood, your children would be needing more. It also appears the heart of one of the girls is failing already"

Titi knew this was her doing and only God could save her.

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Rey and Akanbi were playing the  game of chess he had stopped in between to take a call from Titi.

"what's wrong again...?" she asked

"The kids aren't doing so well they keep getting worse by each passing day"

"wow! maybe you should go see them you know" she packed the chess board

"i thought in that direction too but, it's barely 2 months i started working here am really scared."

"you said you worked on contract basis for Julius Berger right? looks like my mum knows you she asked me about someone i was seeing  a few weeks ago and i was surprised. She  told me one of her staff told her that i stopped by the site to see you"

"That must have been Bayo, i wonder why he did that though. Am sorry who's your mum?"

"miss Joyce"

"oh really? i thought she wasn't married because of her title"

"yea.... she had me when she was quite young my dad left her"

"wow am so sorry... your mother is a strong woman i admire her"

"oh you do? so someone has got a crush on my mother" she teased

"noo not really, i just admire her doggedness..." he smiled

"okay you can approach her make her see reasons why you need to leave"

"okay i'll try..."

"let me know how it goes, I'll also talk to her from my end" Reya stood up to take her leave

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"Mr  Akanbi this one you are asking for a leave of absence barely 2 months into your job, i hope i don't get to see this all this time"

"no ma, i just want to get back home and see how the kids are faring"

"it's okay, Reya spoke to me about your condition... by the way, what do you two have with each other? i won't have you play on my daughter's intelligence" she adjusted her glass frames

"no ma, i totally respect Reya as my friend; she knows about me and she has really been a good friend with  no strings attached, I don't intend hurting her... i intend keeping this friendship with my integrity intact"

"I admire you. I have seen a couple of young men over the years, walk through this door  all hungry for success and they go about it the wrong way. Reya is smart and she told me a lot about you. You can take 2 weeks off...sprinkle some healing dust from me to your kids"

"thanks ma" he walked out.

"Rey you are just God sent, your mum approved my leave you know..." he chuckled on the phone

"well, i didn't do much persuasion she said a lot of good things about you when i brought up the topic"

"you and your mother have been passing good stuffs about me around lately" he teased

"you are a good man Akay and your kind is rare"

"thank you... I'll keep that in mind" he laughed

"okay..." safe trip call me when you arrive i need to get back to work.

"I'll even call you tonight madam.. the trip is tomorrow" he laughed as he dropped the call

Akanbi realized he had not spoken to his cousin Rafiu in a while... he had begged Rafiu to accompany him to the house given to him by the office  he refused saying he just renewed his rent at the new place and the official apartment was far away from his workshop.

"Raf how are you...?"

"Egbon am fine oo... you abandoned me"

"you know i can't. Work has been a bit demanding and you refused to accompany me to my place"

"Egbon i was just about calling you i got a new workshop in town the pay is better so i may be moving to yours. Your place is quite closer"

"oh that's okay you'll have to come around today then because am travelling to IB tomorrow."

"Ahh! whats happening in IB?"

"the kids are sick. They've been sick for  a few days now and i just heard they were transferred to ICU today"

"ahhh! na wa ooo!! I'll see you this evening Then, i need to meet with someone who is willing to rent my house and give me a refund"

"okay bro... later"

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"Bayo the accounts are too irregular you need to explain a thing or two to me please i don't understand what is happening here" Joyce queried

"what else do you want explained? its all in the book..." he was avoiding eye contact

"you said we employed 3 supervisors am seeing just Akanbi or rather you only introduced that young man to me where are the other two?"

"Akanbi should be in charge of the employment of the other two if you haven't seen them, that's his fault besides, the report i submitted to you is what he gave me"

"then, i need you two to explain this gibberish in form of misappropriation to me"

"I'll call him and have him come meet with you"

"there's no need for that he's not even in town. But if i find out that the both of you are in on some fraudulent business, then, be ready for the consequences"

he was mute...

"you can leave now" she said as she prepared to step out.

Bayo watched Joyce leave the office building he knew she would dig deeper and he wasn't ready to be buried over this. Akanbi should take the fall not him.

to be continued.......