EPISODE THREE

The heat of embarrassment should have washed over Khalid, but Ekaette’s reluctance to let go was making him relieve the situation. She kept checking on him every morning after breakfast. Khalid had stopped going for the buffet to avoid running into her, he didn’t want any awkward moment with her. He had simply ordered in, but like a wound that refused to heal, she kept on visiting him. One minute he was accusing her of a possible crime, the next, he was inviting her into his room for medical intervention.

Fate always made the impossible possible, so she had happened to be a nurse. Of all the people he could have met on the trip, how was it that he bumped into a nurse?

When she brought him into the room, she looked for his inhaler and assisted him in using it. She had also noticed blood seeping into his shorts, a wound that must have opened when he fell off the treadmill. She had insisted on alerting the receptionists and connecting him to a hospital, but he harshly told her to leave him alone.

“What is wrong with you? Why are you being difficult? I am only trying to help here”, she had screamed at him in frustration and rose up to leave. The look on her face had been too much for Khalid to bear.

“I am sorry,” he called out, hoping she would just nod and go. Apparently, it was like an invitation, as she came back to his side.

“What is wrong with you?” Ekaette had asked.

The question had too many answers, because so many things were wrong with him at the same time. He used his inhaler some more to steady his breathing, then responded, “I don’t want to be in a hospital for the rest of the year, I have spent too much time there for a lifetime.”

“It is dangerous to leave that wound unattended to, and your breathing…”

Khalid didn’t let her finish. “Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself,” he assured her, and from the genuine look of concern she gave him, he knew that except she was an award winning actress, he had misjudged her. “I am also very sorry about my attitude today, a lot is going on with me and you were simply in the line of fire.” Khalid said, but she only nodded in response.

“Are you asthmatic?” Ekaette asked, and Khalid shook his head, hoping that response would be enough. The doctors have not been able to come up with a name for his nasal situation, and Khalid was not willing to go into details about the bomb that detonated in Iraq. How it knocked him off his feet, and threw him into a desert, leaving him breathless.

Without seeking permission, Ekaette moved closer to him and touched his thighs, pulling up his shorts to examine the open wound. Khalid shook, her touch made him fully aware of her as a woman, and they were alone in the room – two total strangers.

Ekaette had smiled as though to allay his fears.

“It’s fine, let me check your wound. I am a nurse.”

Khalid smiled, and Ekaette raised a confused brow, wondering what was amusing. Khalid was certain that this was the hand of God.

The Lord kept sending clues to show him that His love was undying. Although he was going through hell with the unfolding pains in his life, yet, God was giving him slices of heaven to remind him that He would always come through for him.

The first person he met in Dubai was a nurse, and though he hadn’t expected any treatment or attention from Ekaette, she had poured it on him for absolutely free.

She had dressed the wound, bought him food, and replaced his inhaler that day. This lady would visit him everyday without fail at 9:30 am, yet they didn’t even know each other’s names.

He would be a gentleman today, and find a way to replicate the kindness. The clock kept ticking, yet she had not shown up. For someone who didn’t seem to want the attention, he realised that he missed her.

One hour later, she had still not shown up, so he stopped anticipating, and went out to get brunch since he missed breakfast. Suddenly, he felt an impulse to go to the pool.

“Why the pool? I don’t swim”

Khalid, I want to open your eyes.

He laughed, the music he’s been listening to was messing with his mind.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord

Open the eyes of my heart

I want to see You

I want to see You

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord

Open the eyes of my heart

I want to see You

I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up

Shining in the light of Your glory

Pour out Your power and love

As we sing holy, holy, holy

“Are you by the poolside, Lord?”  Khalid questioned. He finally decided to stop by the pool, take in the scenery, and grab a drink before heading out for food.

The reason he was inspired to go was apparent as soon as he got there. In the far corner of the pool, standing against the railing was his nurse. Not knowing her name was embarrassing.

“She is not my nurse”, he chided himself. He was about leaving until she saw him. It was probably best to end their friendship before it began, and he didn’t need her to pay him anymore visit, his wound was healing. She did a perfect job in the last two days.

However, something about the way she stood, pulled at him, and he realised that he couldn’t just leave.

Besides, God led him here. He had to find out why.

He moved closer to where she stood, taking in the scenery of the city. Only that, all that wasn’t what she was doing. She sobbed quietly, mopping up the tears with the sleeves of her blouse to hopefully avoid being spotted.

But Khalid had spotted her, and was determined to know why she was distressed.

As soon as he got to her side, she lifted her eyes and would have looked away, but her gaze caught his. Embarrassment was mixed with the sorrow that was already in her eyes, and Khalid couldn’t resist. He didn’t let her walk away, but simply pulled her into his arms. His action was like a key that unlocked the gate of tears, because she was no longer sobbing softly, the tears came rushing down in loud wails.

Khalid was grateful no other person was on the rooftop due to the very hot air. The attention would have been weird, but even if they had an audience, it wouldn’t have mattered. He wanted to be there for this woman.

“What is wrong with you?” He was finally able to ask when her sobbing reduced.

“I am sorry. I am so sorry,” she said, pulling out of his arms and trying to wipe her tears from his shirt. It was such a feminine reaction, he almost smiled.

“I am the one who is sorry,” Khalid said.

“Why?” She asked, her eyes red from crying.

“I don’t even know your name, but whatever is wrong with you, I want you to trust me to go through it with you.” 

They were both taken aback by his kind declaration, but Khalid’s words were not his own. He had found inspiration to speak when he couldn’t even think of the perfect words.

“My name is Ekaette.”

“E-kathy” Khalid said, and Ekaette smiled through her tears.

“I guess you can call me that too.”

“You can call me Khalid. Nice to meet you” Khalid said, and without giving her room to respond, he pulled her with him and got them a seat under the shade.

Ekaette tried to stay calm, but she was embarrassed, to say the least. This was worse than ‘stealing’ his toast. Why were weird coincidences bringing them together? 

This man was her nemesis, for biting more than she could chew by thinking she too could join the gone abroad and come back gang, she thought.

Thankfully, he was kinder than his usual cold self, but it also made it difficult to take an excuse to leave, and it was obvious he wouldn’t let her go easily because he had just gone to the bar to order drinks for them.

Ekaette wiped the tears off her face before he got back. He didn’t give her enough time, she looked up to see him approaching as though he was worried that she would start crying again if he went away for too long.

“Now E-kathy, will you tell me what is wrong with you?” Khalid asked cheerfully. A pleasant side of him that she didn’t know existed was rearing its head and Ekaette didn’t know how to handle that. She smiled at the way he pronounced her name.

“Do you want a quick answer?” Ekaette teased, knowing he wouldn’t settle for less and she was right because Khalid nodded in the negative.

“This will take too long!” Ekaette protested, but Khalid simply smiled and held her hand briefly before dropping it. 

“I have all day.” Khalid said, and meant it, their conversation together has to be the most valuable thing he had committed to do since his accident. 

“I shouldn’t have been on this trip.” Ekaette said honestly, deciding that opening up to a white stranger may be the catharsis she needed. It was much better than confiding in her roommate who would probably look down on her if she heard the story.

“Why aren’t you enjoying the vacation?” Khalid asked.

“I don’t have any money, being here is too ambitious. I left Nigeria knowing that I could not afford the expenses here. I came here anyway, because to cancel the trip was to rein on my boss’ goodwill. He paid for the trip, and I couldn’t afford to waste his money. Now, being here is stressing me out. I can barely eat. I can’t go on tours, and I just feel stupid.”

Khalid didn’t know why he did, but he laughed, and she raised her brows. He controlled himself and halted to a smile. Still, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was telling an incredible tale. He wondered briefly if he had been right, and she was truly an African fraudster who was pretending to get into his purse.

A waiter came with their drinks and at the same time, Ekaette realised why he had the look of amusement; a fresh wave of shame washed over her. It was a mistake to have confided in him. 

“What was I thinking?” She said and rose, but Khalid pulled her hand.

“Sit, you have a drink to finish,” he said.

Ekaette struggled to pull her hand off his as though he wasn’t making sense, and made to walk away.

Khalid rose, still holding her hand. Even now that he didn’t know if she could be trusted, he didn’t feel right about letting her go.

“I am sorry!”

Ekaette looked into his face. He was a bit taller, so she actually had to look up, and it made the tears that were already building up easily drop. Her face was distorted, as she attempted holding back the tears.

It was not the second round of tears that did it but the raw look of pain he saw in her eyes; Khalid felt low. She had treated his physical wounds, yet he had poured raw pepper on her emotional one. He tried to draw her in his arms again, but she held him at arm’s length, snatching her hands from his and pushing him back.

“I am sorry!” Khalid said again, and meant it this time.

‘What was it about her that made him want to hold her in his arms’, Khalid thought as they both sat down. Even when he had been angry that she took his food on Monday, he had still noticed that she was absolutely gorgeous, but it didn’t matter then.

Now, it did.

He couldn’t stop looking at her body. It had started yesterday morning when she came to change the dressing on his leg, and even now that he just misjudged her, when he had realised that she was a baggage of need and lack, he still couldn’t help admiring her. But he wouldn’t focus on that; rather, he had to find a way to help her, somehow.

“Please go on, continue your story.” Khalid encouraged her, but she shook her head and looked away from him.

“There is no story, I have told you as it is. I shouldn’t have been on this trip. I am suffering in Dubai, and it makes no sense, when I could have been drinking my garri and fish peacefully in Lagos.”

“What is garri?” Khalid asked very curiously, and Ekaette smiled a bit.

“Out of everything I said, that was all you heard?”

“I love food, and that garri sounded like a real treat.”

“Well, I guess some consider it that! They now serve it with ice blocks at some weddings now. However, if that is your default daily meal like me, a real treat isn’t what you would associate garri with,” Ekaette said, and picked up the chapman. She looked into the cup and then at Khalid as though she would rather not take it since he was paying. However, she shrugged and took some.

“What will you consider a treat?” Khalid asked, suddenly wanting to give her whatever she wanted, but her answer made him spill his drink, because he couldn’t help laughing.

“Say that again?” Khalid said, wondering how something so common and unspecial could be considered a treat by her.

“Chicken and chips!” Ekaette said again, smiling. She knew what he was thinking, but she couldn’t be bothered. How often could she go to KFC to pay four thousand naira for a box of that finger licking goodness?

“Can we go out? Let me take you out today, and buy you some!” Khalid said.

Ekaette raised her brows, then nodded in the negative.

“Thanks for offering, but I do not want or need your charity, so I decline.”

Khalid laughed, he was doing a lot of that today. His therapist would be happy.

“It’s just chicken and chips, trust me. It means nothing. We can even order it from the hotel restaurant, but let’s go out and get it from Mcdonalds or somewhere a bit far. It will help us see the city more. We are tourists after all.”

He had said it casually, but the thought of going to Mcdonalds, a place she had only read about in novels and watched in films, excited Ekaette, and though she wanted to decline, but the thought of staying in the hotel till her roommate returned with beautiful tales from the water park wasn’t appealing either.

Khalid saw that he was winning her over, and didn’t give her time to change her mind. He pulled her up, and waved to the waiter to bring the bill, but he had already taken out a twenty dollar bill for the payment.

Suddenly, taking Ekaette out felt like a mission! And he missed missions! This may not be a military assignment, but the mission would be fulfilled and he was determined to thoroughly enjoy himself and live a little today.

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Seven Hours Later

The smile on Ekaette’s face when she got back to the room couldn’t be missed. If she knew that her roommate, Debola would be there when she arrived, she would have found a way to hide the glow, but it would have been such a herculean task.

“Someone seems to be in better spirits than she was this morning.” Debola said, rising to a sitting position on her bed, waiting to hear the gist about where Ekaette had finally gone to today.

Ekaette didn’t know where to start, but she was so excited about the day she had, she really wanted to tell someone about it.

“We went out to get chicken and chips at Mcdonalds, but then decided to go to the love garden because there was time, and Khalid said…”

“Wait, hold on,” Debola jumped up from her bed to join Ekaette on hers, as though sitting together on the same bed would make the story more interesting. “There are some missing points in your story. What do you mean by ‘we’? Who is Khalid that wants to be in the love garden with you?”

Ekaette laughed. The way Debola said it was so suggestive, you would think Khalid was her boyfriend. She waved the thought away, but there had been moments today when out of reflex, he pulled her hands in his as they walked on the street. He was obviously one for physical contacts. Yet he had been so respectful, not crossing any boundaries of decency.

Debola shrugged Ekaette’s shoulders.

“You are blushing, Ekaette. Is it this Khalid?” 

Ekaette touched her face as though to stop the blush, and both ladies laughed.

“Take your mind off the gutter Debola, it’s too soon to have found a boyfriend in Dubai, and I don’t swing that way. I like to take my time, be friends, get to know the man for a very long time, before allowing my heart to play games.”

Debola scoffed cheerfully. “How many men have you dated if you spend so much time choosing one?”

Ekaette made a faux mental calculation, then said, “None, actually.”

“Are you joking? No guy, ever! How old are you?”

“Twenty nine.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Debola said, pulling Ekaette up and scanning her from head to toe.

“You are such a gorgeous, hot, and beautiful woman. How have you been hiding yourself? Have you been living under a rock? How is it that you had to come here before finding a man?”

Ekaette snatched her hands away from Debola’s with a smile.

“I have not found a man. It’s just the guy I have been treating since Monday. We kind of stumbled on each other at the poolside, and decided to grab lunch at Mcdonalds. He then mentioned that he would like to see somewhere special today, since he was with a special lady, and his hotel room was boring.”

“Oh my God, such a marvellous, beautiful cheesy line.” Debola said dancing, then tried to calm down. “Please go on with the story, I am such a romantic, I can’t help getting ahead of myself. What happened next?”

Ekaette raised her brows.

“What is supposed to happen?”

“I don’t know. You tell me what happened.” Debola probed further.

“We took pictures, walked around, but just a bit because he got tired because of his injury, so we left. When we got to the hotel, he said he noticed a street ice cream place yesterday, and thought we could have a scoop before calling it a day. Although, at the end, I was the only one that bought some; he couldn’t get his preferred flavour.”

Debola was literally drooling at the story. “He is the perfect hero in a romantic story, trust me. He took you to the ice cream place so that the date could continue.”

“It was not a date!” Ekaette protested, but even as she said it, she knew she didn’t sound  convincing.

She had such a good day with Khalid. If he wasn’t a white man, she would have been building fantasies in her head right now, but he was. Even if he wasn’t, she knew he was also just here to escape from something that was haunting him.

Ekaette couldn’t have waited this long, to be with a man that had secrets and pain he wasn’t willing to share.

“So where are you people going tomorrow?” Debola brought her back.

“Tomorrow? Are we supposed to have plans?”

“Duh!” Debola exclaimed. “What is the purpose of a sweet date, if not another sweeter date?”

“Well, we didn’t think that far, and please stop calling this a date. He has probably forgotten about me by now.“ Ekaette protested, waving Debola to stand from her bed.

“So what do you call it, if not a date?”

“A nothing.” Ekaette said and they both laughed. Her phone rang and Debola rushed to pick it, she placed the call on ‘hold’ and handed the phone to Ekaette.

“E-kathy, A-nothing wants to speak to you. Apparently, he hasn’t forgotten about you.” Debola said, mimicking the way Khalid had called Ekaette’s name.

Ekaette couldn’t help but blush, it was not only over Debola’s reaction, she had also been hoping that Khalid would make contact.

‘What is wrong with me?’ She chided herself taking the phone from Debola. Ekaette tried to hold herself together, hoping that the ‘hello’ she said would not betray her and the butterflies that were now growing in her belly.

Wow! What a way to end an episode. Did you enjoy “E-kathy” and Khalid story in this episode? Ekaette has just a  few days left in Dubai? Can anything solid form between these two?

Tell us what you think in the comments section.