Way Too Big✔️

24. Way too big;[just when i thought things were going smoothly.]

24.// Way too big;[Just when I thought things were going smoothly.]

This hospital smells like shit. That's the only thing on my mind as I looked around the reception. I felt pity for dad who works here almost every day.
I'd have resigned since.
The smell of injections and medicine made me nauseous. Heaven knows how much I'm resisting the urge to gag. The white walls, curtains, lights made me dizzy.
The sight of sick people, sad people.
Mehnnnnn, depressing as hell.

If you truly want to be depressed or to know what depression is, please go to a hospital. Stay there, just watch sick people go in and come out. People enduring pain. People with broken legs, arms, in wheelchairs. A particular pregnant woman who was walking like the baby would drop any minute, caught my attention. Her left hand is on her waist to support her weight. I felt intense pity for her. I really hope she delivers safely.

People who had either brought their family or friend to the hospital. The hopeless look on their faces as they sit at the reception waiting for the doctor to either announce good or bad news.
Vividly remembering when mom would say I'd either become a doctor like dad or a lawyer like herself.
I just knew she's bluffing.
Because a career in medicine is a no-no.
Not like my brain can do any medical course before.

"Naomi, go to my office and stay there. Stay there and don't go anywhere. Let me check up on my patient then I'll get you something to eat... okay?" Dad requested.

"Okay, dad." I nodded and walked briskly to his office, while he went the other way.

I brought out my phone from my jogger's pocket and opened my Instagram to check how much more followers I had because of the fame and prestige the competition brought me when I bumped into someone. I was about to say sorry when I saw his face, "sor - arrrghhhhhhh" I screamed and stumbled backward, drawing the attention of everyone in sight.
His face was wrapped with bandages all around, you could only see his eyes clearly. I thought I had just seen a mommy.

After picking up my phone which had fallen when I screamed, I straightened up and apologized, "I'm sorry."

He gave me a thumbs up signaling it was fine, I figured he probably couldn't speak. I mean, look at his face.

Walking briskly, I finally arrived at dad's office without another scenario occurring, thankfully.

I settled on his chair and spun, "woo hoo." I wished schools had this privilege of using chairs that could spin.

Plugging in my earphones, I walked around the office, touching everything and anything that caught my attention. Boredom was calling.

Looking at the time on my phone, it's been fifteen minutes since I left dad. I wondered why he had not come with the food.
As if on cue, my stomach rumbled.
I decided to go out and look for him.
Checking my phone pouch, I found the last one Thousand naira Note I kept there Incase of emergency situations like this.

If I couldn't find dad, I'll just get the food myself. I shut dad's door and locked it, putting the key in my pocket.

I walked down the hall in the opposite direction. Climbing down the flight of stairs, I spotted the LABOR ROOM.
Curiosity got the most of me, there was no one in the hallway, and before I could stop myself I was in the labor room.
Everything here heightened my curiosity and I just wanted to stand and watch doctors and nurses help a woman deliver a baby. I touched the bed, it was a bit hard. Typical.

The bright lights in the room suddenly made me dizzy. I felt sleepy.

Without thinking too much of it, I locked the theatre door. And soon I was sleeping soundly on the bed with my earphones plugged in. My intention was to rest a little bit.

***

The alarming noise of someone trying to break down the door was what jolted me out of my sleep.

The bright blinding light caused me to screw my eyes shut.
Slowly, I peeled my eyes open and rubbed them. I removed the other earphone from my ear as one had already fallen off while I was asleep.

There was another banging on the door. It suddenly occurred to me that it wasn't my room door. I looked around, my brain slowly taking notes and registering the fact that this was the hospital. How on earth did I fall asleep in the labor room?

The ear-splitting scream of a woman startled me as I hurriedly hopped off the bed and ran towards the door.
Turning the lock and doorknob, I opened it in one swift motion.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" A nurse screamed in my face.

"I-" I was short of words as I tried to process the chaotic situation before me.

A pregnant woman, the very pregnant woman whom I had seen upstairs was laying on the floor with her legs spread open as doctors and nurses crouched beside her trying to deliver her off her baby whose head had already popped out. I shuddered at the sight.

"She's doctor Williams's daughter. I don't know how she got in here." One of the nurses said.

"Where is doctor Williams?" The first nurse that screamed in my face asked.

My heart was pounding rapidly.
As if on cue, Dad appeared on the stairway holding a tray of food.
The pregnant woman screamed again, causing me and probably everyone in sight to flinch.

Dad hastened his steps towards us, his eyes darting in panic.
Another doctor appeared, "what's going on here? I thought specific instructions were given for the patient to be in the labor immediately she arrives. How come she's on the floor??" He asked all at once.

The first nurse answered, "is it not Doctor Williams's daughter that locked herself in the labor room doing God knows what." She suddenly turned to me and screamed in my face.
" I said How did you get in here?" The nurse looked like she would slap me if I didn't give her an immediate answer.

I lost my ability to speak. Guilt crept up on me as my body temperature rose. I had stupidly locked the labor room and slept inside and because of me, this woman was giving birth on the floor. Right outside the LABOR ROOM.

Dad dropped the tray of food on the floor and pulled me to the side. "Go to my office and wait for me." Without waiting for my reply, he turned around and took hand gloves from the nurse standing and knelt to join the other doctors to deliver the baby.

Running to the office, I retrieved the keys from my pocket and opened the door with my shaky hands.
I sunk to the floor and covered my face with my sweaty palms.
My whole body began to shake.
What kind of bad luck was affecting me?
If anything happens to that woman and her child, I'd have myself to blame for the rest of my life.
It's completely my fault she's in an uncomfortable position giving birth.

From the office, I heard her scream again. I winced, a throbbing pain coursed through me.

Hot Tears had begun to fall in their own accord.
Dad had specifically told me, Naomi, go to my office and stay there. Stay there and don't go anywhere. Let me check up on my patient and I'll get you something to eat...okay?

He specifically told me to stay there. Stay there and don't go anywhere.
Yet, like the idiot that I am, I left the office. And now, I'm probably going to cost dad his job and the pregnant woman her child.

Negative thoughts invaded my head like warriors that couldn't be stopped. Lots of what if's?.

What if she dies?
What if her child dies?
What if her child is disabled in a way?
What if dad loses his job?

Fear gripped me and For the first time in a long time, I prayed.