Should Nurses Be Rude?

Lanre woke up the next day feeling thirsty. She made gestures for someone to give her water. But Gozie was asleep. After staying awake all through the night, he fell asleep. And now Lanre was awake. She tried to remove the mask from her face as it now felt suffocating to her, even though it was meant to aid her breathing. She hated being in the hospital.

“You are awake!” Gozie said while yawning. Lanre did not quite grasp what he said to her. She looks at him wondering what he said. He told her he will go check if the doctor was around or there’s a stand by nurse. Lanre mentally sighs. She wanted him to help her take off the oxygen mask and give her water to drink.

Gozie returned back into the ward to see that Lanre already removed mask and the drips that were fixed into her body. He frowned at it. The nurse that had come along with him immediately scolds Lanre for taking off the drip and the mask.

“Should nurses be this rude?” Lanre said directing her question to no one in particular. But it was obvious who she spoke about. She asked Gozie what day it is. Gozie told her she had been unconscious through out Sunday and it was now Monday. Lanre immediately jumped out of the hospital bed.

“My clients will be waiting for me! I need to get to Lagos on time. Shit! There will be too much hold up today! Whatever, I will still go!” Lanre said. She was all over the place. Gozie noticed she was looking for something. He asked her what she was looking for. Lanre told him she’s looking for her bag.

“It’s at your house!” Gozie said to her.

“Oh! Can you lend me some money? I need to go back to Lagos. I will pay you back once I arrive Lagos. You can send your account details to me later”. Lanre said. Gozie frowns.

Is she trying to run away?

“Do not tell me you are leaving without seeing your mother. You should go home first and rest. Forget about work for today”. Gozie said.

“That is what I’m doing! I want to go home in Lagos. This place makes me sick!” Lanre said. Gozie told her that her mother has been worried.

“Are you lending me the money or not?” Lanre asked with her hand stretched out like a beggar. Just then her mother walked in. The woman’s joy knew no bounds when she saw that her daughter is now awake and was even standing. Sge clapped her hand rejoicing and praising God. Then she hugged Lanre. She would hug Lanre and thank Gozie. She did it as though it was a routine she should not stop following.

Lanre stubbornly refused to hug her mother back or even smile at her mother. The mother finally realised her daughter was unhappy.

“My daughter, please forgive your poor mother and your brother. Olamide is just big, he does not have sense yet. Please forgive him ehn”. Mrs. Olayinka pleaded.