Chapter 14: The 99th call

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

AT FLAMING LILY ESTATE

Long after the surgery was over, Sinikiwe lay unconscious on the hospital bed. George sat by her side, his eyes never leaving her face. He held her hand in his; it was cold to the touch.

He frowned, then tucked her other hand inside the blanket and began rubbing the cold one, trying to share his warmth.

If Sinikiwe had been conscious in this moment, her soul wouldn’t just leap; it would be frantically calling a Yango straight to heaven.

Behind him stood Mrs. Mulenga and her husband.

“Boss,”Mrs. Mulenga called out timidly to George. “You have had a long day. Maybe you should go home and rest? I will look after her.”

“There’s no need to. You can go on home.”

“Oh, okay.”But she did not move, shifting anxiously on her feet.

”Anything else?”he asked, noting her hesitation.

“Well,”she finally began, just as the phone on the side table vibrated. “It’s just that her phone has been ringing non-stop. Her family might be worried about her. What should I tell them?”

Mrs. Mulenga placed the phone next to him on the bed.

He frowned when his eyes fell on the screen: Honey.

Again.

If his calculations were correct, this was Honey’s ninety-ninth call. He felt a twinge of irritation and an intuition he couldn’t quite place-a bitter green thread of jealousy unwinding in his gut.

“It might be her kids,” Mrs. Mulenga suggested.

George cast a sideward glance at her. “Kids?”

“Yes,” she replied, holding up three fingers. “She’s got three adorable kids. They are so cute.”

George chuckled inwardly, heaving a sigh of relief. The tension between his brows eased as the uneasy knot in his heart lifted.

How could I have forgotten that? It doesn’t necessarily mean it could be her man.

The elderly couple behind him exchanged amused glances, their eyes gleaming with the sweet spice of fresh gossip. Mrs. Mulenga gave a knowing little cough into her hand

Their young boss wasn’t just concerned; he was jealous!

“Answer it.”

Mrs. Mulenga reached for the phone. “What should I say?”

“Tell them she volunteered to help the victims of the landslide,” he said without hesitation. The lie was smooth, pragmatic.

Mrs. Mulenga nodded and pressed answer.

“Agh! Finally, Sinikiwe! Why the hell have you not been picking up your calls? Do you know how worried we were? Where are you?” a woman’s voice on the other side shot out as soon as she answered, filled with panic and relief. “I was about to file a missing person’s report.”

“Oh, hi…”

“You are not Sinikiwe,” the woman said, alarm sharpening her voice.

“No, I am Mrs. Mulenga. Her supervisor at Flaming Lily Estate.”

“Where’s Sinikiwe?” she asked sharply.

Mrs. Mulenga shot a look at the unconscious woman on the bed. “Sinikiwe volunteered to go help the victims of the landslide… she left her phone charging. I just came across it now.”

A beat of silence hung heavy in the air.

“You must have seen the news earlier.
Flaming Lily Estate experienced a landslide; the villagers downstream were affected. Sinikiwe was among the selfless volunteers.”

“Oh, I see.”

“You must be Saboi, her next of kin?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Look, as soon as they are back, I will let her know.”

“Okay, thanks,”Saboi replied. “So she got the job?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Oh, that’s great,” she said, heaving a sigh of relief.

Mrs. Mulenga sighed after hanging up, worry etched on her face. “Sir, is it okay to lie to them like this?”

“She can explain the situation later herself when she wakes up.’

“We will go ahead, then. Remember to eat something,” Mr. Mulenga added, nodding towards the food warmer on the table.

Despite his nod to the elderly man’s reminder, George didn’t touch the food container. How could he be in the mood for food? The events of the day and his stark new reality had stolen his appetite entirely.

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

When Sinikiwe’s eyes fluttered open, she was met with an elaborate ceiling and a crystal chandelier.

The walls of the large room were painted in soft silver and taupe tones. As her eyes roved around the space, she noted a plush grey sofa and two matching armchairs arranged around a coffee table on a round rug.

Behind it were floor-to-ceiling windows, where the early morning rays of light dappled through the delicate lace curtains.

On the far left was a closed door, and another just before the sitting area.

The insistent, steady beeping of a machine reached her ears.

Hospital.

She was in the hospital, she realized, as the faint scent of antiseptic hit her nose, though the luxurious room said otherwise.

Disoriented, it took her a good minute to piece everything together: Coming to the Lily Estates. Securing the job. Running into George. Her adrenaline-fueled flight from the farm. Getting lost in the forest, and finally, her near-drowning experience in the cave and the hand that miraculously pulled her up in her moment of despair.

That moment was forever etched in her mind.

Grateful to the good Samaritan who had saved her, she vowed to owe them this life-saving grace forever.

She tried to sit up, and blinding pain shot through her body, making her gasp. Cold sweat brokeout on her body.

The door near the seating area opened, and an elderly woman in a nurse’s uniform walked in carrying a thermos flask.

“Oh my, Ms. Sinikiwe, you are awake! Let me help you sit up.” She hurried over and adjusted the high-end stainless steel hospital bed.

“What happened? Where am I?”

“You nearly drowned in a cave. Thank God rescue got to you in time. By the way, I’m Anita, your caregiver.”

“Who saved me?”she asked in-between labored breaths. Breathing hurt like hell.

Damn you, George. This is all your fault.

As the woman busied herself around her, she chatted away.“Heard from the nurses at the nurses’ station that your husband did.”

Sinikiwe’s eyes nearly popped out. “What did you say?”

“Oh, he’s such a man of valor. Rumor says it was straight out of an action movie scene.”

“Husband?” she murmured, utterly confused.

When the hell did that happen? Okay, how long have I been out?

“He’s a sweet man. He hasn’t left your side since I came on duty. He has the doctors checking on you every other minute.”The elderly woman chuckled.

Sinikiwe closed her eyes, shaking her head. Nothing was making sense.

“I swear, if you had not woken up in the next hour, heads would be rolling,” she chuckled, amused.

Sinikiwe looked around.

“Oh, the young man just stepped out to answer a phone call. He’s right outside. He didn’t want to disturb your recovery. Isn’t that sweet? I will let him know you are awake.”

Before she could take a step, the door opened. A tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome man clad in casual jeans and a white T-shirt walked in. For a moment, Sinikiwe forgot how to breathe.

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧