Investigation

It was one thrilling and crazy race against time as Lola, Jamal and Maureen visited four different hospitals and redid the HIV test.

They were unperturbed by the gradually darkening sky and the distant rumbling thunder.

Like a super detective trying to unravel the mysteries behind a brutal crime, all three friends passionately sought the authentic HIV result.

Surprisingly, all four test results were the same as the first hospital Lola had visited earlier.

This left Lola in complete shock. She felt utterly betrayed by whoever was behind the falsified result responsible for her public disgrace and broken home.

Nonetheless, Lola was grateful for the new result. All her initial fear of having to give birth to a child as a HIV-positive mother was now a thing of the past.

"I can't believe that I'm not just pregnant for my husband but I'm also HIV negative." Tears of victory and joy welled up in Lola's eyes.

"Yeah... I'm so happy for you, sweetie. After all, you've been through, It is such a relief to know that you are not pregnant for that sick prick you call a boss."

"Exactly!" Jamal interjected. "That bastard should consider himself lucky because he's rich. If he wasn't, I would have given him the beating of a lifetime."

"Hmm... I trust what my baby can do." Maureen smiled.

"I can't believe I almost terminated this precious seed growing inside of me." Lola stroked her stomach lovingly while beaming.

"You know, if I weren't an advocate against abortion, I would have recommended termination of your pregnancy. From the way that man humiliated and disgraced you publicly, he does not deserve to be called a father. It's just hurt me so much that he got away with the whole crime."

"Don't worry, honey." Maureen patted her fiance on the shoulder. "The fool will get what coming to him in due time."

"Wait until I tell my Ellen the good news," Jamal said excitedly.

"Yeah... She will be over the moon with joy." Maureen chirped happily.

"Guys... Please..., I will like this truth about my pregnancy to remain a secret between the three of us present here, until I'm ready to make it public knowledge." Lola pleaded.

"Umm...okay. But what about Chelsea?" Jamal asked. "You know you two are inseparable besties."

"Yeah...but I don't want to burden her with such truth. You know how much she wants Brian and I to settle our differences. I don't want her to use such information as a bargaining chip on my behalf. If Brian must know that I'm carrying his child, I want to be the only one telling him that."

"My lips are sealed." Jamal gestured zipping his lips shut, locking it and throwing away the invisible keys.

"Oh, Jamal!" Lola chuckled.

"You can also count on me. I promise, I won't tell my mum." Maureen swore.

"Thanks guys." Lola motioned for a group hug.

"Aww...you ladies are going to make a gentleman cry." Jamal dabbed at his dry eyes, striking a chord of laughter amongst them.

"You know, I can't stop wondering how a licensed hospital or clinic could do something outrageous as giving falsified results."

Maureen pondered out loud as the trio walked out of the last hospital towards the car park.

"Didn't I say that there was something fishy about this whole HIV scandal when it first came up?" Jamal asked his fiancee.

"Yeah, you did." Maureen nodded her head slowly.

"I also felt that way too when I first saw the result." Lola concurred. "Even though my boss is one disgusting bastard, he is not the type to joke about his health. However, when I got in touch with the clinic and got a confirmation of the result from them, I was forced to accept the bitter truth."

"Such heartless humans." Maureen sighed.

"It's just a pity that we were all deceived by that retarded clinic."Jamal gritted his teeth in rage. "But don't worry, ladies, somebody is going to thirst the wrath of my vengeance today."

Jamal folded the sleeves of his shirt in readiness for a fistfight as he got behind the steering wheel.

"Calm down baby. There is no need to act aggressively for now. We have to use our brains first before our fist." Maureen cautioned. "There is no smoke without a fire. I don't think anyone in that hospital knows Lola or has a personal vendetta with her."

"I don't think so either." Lola concurred. She was still lost in thoughts on who and why someone was bent on destroying her marriage.

"Here is what I think," Maureen said after a brief moment of silence. "Someone in that clinic was paid to falsify Lola's test result. The question is who and what does that person stand to gain."

"Let's go find." Jamal started the ignition and drove off in the direction of the Glove clinic.

Some minutes later Jamal, Maureen and Lola arrived at Glove clinic.

They first visited the clinic's laboratory where Lola deposited a fresh blood sample and another HIV test was conducted on the blood specimen.

Under Maureen's hawkish gaze, the analysis of the blood samples was computed and handed over to Lola.

"Interesting!" Lola chuckled grimly. "See guys, it's s now negative and no longer positive."

Lola handed over the test result to Jamal.

"Someone has got an explaining to do." Jamal clenched his jaws.

"Who is in charge of this goddam facility." Jamal thundered angrily, causing some of the laboratory scientists to shudder in fear.

"Is there a problem, sir?" The head laboratory scientist came out of his office to address the aggrieved patient.

"Problem!" Jamal chuckled bitterly. "You have no idea. Gross negligence, falsification of results, unscrupulous staff members...should I continue?

"No, sir."

"Good! It's either I see the hospital executive officer now or we discuss it in court."

"There won't be any need for that, sir."

A grey-haired dainty woman in her mid-fifties, walked up to Jamal, wearing a polite smile on her face. She was just on her way out of the clinic when she heard the angry man yelling.