CHAPTER FOUR

Getting to room 102 she saw Kate staring at the patient with so much pity as doctor Shamen examined the patient. "Kate are you okay?" Nicole asked.

"Yes I am.........were you also assigned to this room?" Kate asked.

"Yes I was, by your boyfriend actually " Nicole replied with a little smile on her face.

"Boyfriend?". Nicole looked at doctor Shamen who was attending to the patient. "Eww!! Nicole you play too much" Kate told Nicole who covered her face with the patient's file trying so hard not to laugh while the doctor examined the patient.

Doctor Shamen turned to them and said "This young man may lose his life and you think laughter is the best thing right now?". They were both quiet for a while then Nicole apologized for their behavior. "Please be quiet while I work". As Doctor Shamen resumed his examination, Kate mimicked him silently and said "Oh I'm Doctor Shamen Please be quiet while I work". She stared at Doctor Shamen as he examined the patient and said "He's so full of himself".

"Shhh I'm working please be quiet" said Doctor Shamen who was getting annoyed by Kate who had proven to be a chatter box for the last couple of minutes.

"Kate be quiet please, let the man work" Nicole said quietly because she could see how annoyed Doctor Shamen was.

"Thank you Nicole but I need total silence" he said while he examined the injury on the patient's head.

Nicole looked at him and was a little bit surprised because she was only trying to make him less annoyed but he obviously didn't appreciate her effort.

Kate looked at her and said "You see what I mean".

"This man needs surgery immediately" doctor Shamen said after much examination on the patient.

"Why what's wrong with him?" Kate asked.

"This young man fell off the cliff because he was trying to be romantic to his girlfriend and in course of that his head hit one of the rocks beneath the cliff just before he fell into the shallow part of the ocean. And why in God's name would you propose on a cliff?

"Damn but would he survive?" Kate asked.

"That I do not know. I'm not a religious person but he needs a miracle to survive this"

"What happened exactly?" Nicole asked doctor Shamen. She walked closer to the patient and saw him in his wet black T-shirt and black shorts with blue sneakers.

Doctor Shamen watched Nicole closely as she stood before the patient. "What's his name" she asked. "Why do you want to know his name?" Doctor Shamen asked. Nicole sat on the bed and placed her hands on the patient's face. "I feel like I know him. Please tell me his name". Kate walked up to Nicole and asked her if she knew the patient. "I think so" Nicole replied while caressing his hair gently. Doctor Shamen called Kate to himself as Nicole seemed to be very interested in the patient. "What's wrong with Nicole?" He asked.

"Honestly I don't know, Nicole hasn't been herself lately"

"I've been observing her for a while now and I think she needs help"

"Help?" Kate asked .

"Yes, she needs professional help. She doesn't let anyone know when she's heartbroken or depressed, even when she's angry no one knows and that's not good for her mental health".

"So what are you suggesting ?".

Doctor Shamen walked to the telephone on the wall and said to Kate "We have to report to the Doctor Richard". Kate turned to Doctor Shamen and said "Wait what?!! You don't expect me to support you on that, do you?..... Nicole is my friend and I won't snitch on her" Doctor Shamen was about to make the call when he turned to her and asked if she knew the implications of working with a nurse who's concentration isn't on her work.

"Look Kate I know you don't like me but trust me when I say this Nicole needs to get professional help, she can't work with any doctor because she's not thinking straight. I know she's your friend but please don't let your friendship ruin the image of this hospital."

Kate placed her face on her hands and thought about what Doctor Shamen had said. Though she didn't want to betray her friend by snitching on her, she had no choice but to go along with Doctor Shamen's plan "Okay let's do it, make the call" She said.

Doctor Shamen dialed the number to Doctor Richard's office but before he could make the call Nicole had gotten herself. After some minutes of caressing the hair of someone whom she thought she knew, she withdrew her hand and realized she had been caressing the head of a stranger. "I'm so sorry about that, I really don't know what came over me". Kate turned to Doctor Shamen and gave him that "what do we do "stare. "Are you calling to arrange the surgery room?" Nicole asked doctor Shamen who stood still holding the phone close to his ear. "Yes I was Nicole, you're such a clever girl. Isn't she Kate?" Kate turned to him and replied "Yes she is Nicole has always been the smart one". Nicole became suspicious because she had known Kate for some years and they knew each other very well but Kate admitting to Nicole being more clever than she was had never happened because Kate had a little bit of pride. Nicole stared at them for some seconds trying to figure out what was going on but then she smiled and said

"oh okay, I know what's going on"

"You do?" Kate asked.

"Yes I do Kate". She replied as her smile got bigger.

"Nicole there's no time for this. This young man might lose his life soon if we keep on wasting time so go prepare the surgery room and get the other doctors there" Shamen said.

"Okay I'll do just that". As she walked out of the room Doctor Shamen asked "Daniel, does that ring any bell?" Nicole turned to him and said "I don't think so, am I suppose to know who he is?" Nicole asked. "You were asking for..... you know what never mind just get the surgery room ready and do it quickly". Nicole walked out of the room looking confused but stopped at the door then she turned to Kate and winked at her. "What's wrong with this one" Kate asked. "Wink wink " Nicole goes again. Kate couldn't control herself again so she went all out Nigerian on her "come Nicole wetin dey worry you?". Nicole looked at doctor Shamen and then looked back at her and winked again. "Nicole something is really wrong with you". Doctor Shamen turned around seeing Nicole laughing really hard while she stood at the door "damn it Nicole can you just go! Jeez!". Nicole left in a hurry so she could arrange the surgery room.

Immediately Nicole left Doctor Shamen turned to Kate and said

"Kate this is a prestigious hospital such language is not acceptable"

"Don't start please, I'm a Nigerian and I'd speak like one when I want to. Look I don't think I can go on with this plan, I'm betraying my friend"

"Kate pull yourself together. You're doing this for her and for the reputation of the hospital. Do you know what would happen if the board finds out about Nicole's condition? Or the fact that we're working with a nurse who isn't in her right mind state?" Doctor Shamen stood before Kate and placed his right hand on her arm and said "it's for her own good". Kate who was weirded out by his calm voice and comforting gesture, looked at his hand and said "Okay go ahead but don't ever touch me again" The doctor who was trying to show a little bit of care withdrew his hands quickly

"jeez Kate I was just trying to show compassion".

"Keep your compassion to yourself okay".

He took a deep breath as he wagged his head slowly. He picked up the phone and made the call while Kate stood behind him biting her fingers as she anxiously waited for Doctor Richards to pick up the phone "Hello? Doctor Richards? I would love to report someone, a nurse to be precise".

Meanwhile Nicole was doing all she could to prepare the surgery room, trying to get doctors and nurses who would be part of the surgery. "Doctor Carl, Doctor Miriam, nurse Levi and nurse Sandra you're needed in the surgery room. Nicole did all the necessary preparations for the surgery. She was walking back to room 102 so she could let doctor Shamen know that the surgery room was ready then she heard a female voice calling her from behind

"Nurse Nicole?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Judy, Doctor Richards called and he said you should come to his office immediately after the Surgery"

"Again?" Nicole asked because it was the second time he wanted to see her in his office.

The nurse just shrugged her shoulders and walked away while Nicole stood there in utter confusion. As she stood there, some of the doctors and nurses walked passed her hastily and one of the nurses said "Nicole why are you standing here? The surgery is about to start".

"Is doctor Shamen there?" Nicole asked.

"Yes he is and he was asking of you"

"I was just on my way to tell him that the surgery room was ready"

"Well there's no need for that so let's go there now". They hurriedly walked to the surgery room.

As they both got to the entrance of the surgery room, Nicole paused for a while and silently said to herself "Nicole you can do this, He's gone it's all in your head. Just go in there and concentrate " "Nicole what are you doing let's go" the nurse said.

Getting there, she observed the doctors and nurses who were getting ready for the operation. One of the doctors stood still with his face downwards and his lips were moving continuously so it seemed he was praying, moving forward she saw two doctors holding their hands together as they encouraged each other. "Nicole stop staring at them you're being weird" Nicole was a little bit startled but when she looked to her right she saw Kate washing her hands and getting set for the surgery. Nicole walked to the tap next to Kate's then she said

"Wow I thought I was the only nervous person here"

"Everyone is nervous, just look at Doctor Shamen he's scared as hell" Nicole turned around so she could get a glimpse of Doctor Shamen. "Damn, he's really nervous"

"Look Nicole you probably don't want to me to ask this but are you sure you're ready for this surgery?"

Nicole turned off the tap and asked "what do you mean?". Kate walked closer to her and said to her with a silent tone "Nicole you've not been yourself lately and I don't want these doctors to see you getting lost in your thoughts like you always do".

"Don't worry I'll be fine, the surgery is about to start" that was all Nicole said before she walked away leaving Kate very worried.

Now the hour was set, the room was silent, the doctors were carefully operating on the patient, hoping that they would be able to save his life and bring joy to the sad family who waited for them in the hallway. Nicole and Kate stood next to each other and Kate watched Nicole closely because she feared Nicole would blackout again. Nicole kept staring at the patient just like every other person in the room but as Kate looked at her friend Nicole, she saw the same look Nicole had back in room 102, Nicole's eyes were becoming teary and Kate said to herself silently

"Oh no, Not again".