The night was tense as Lila’s labor pains intensified, and Noah could feel his anxiety rising with each cry of pain. He called out to their neighbors, desperate for help.
“Please, someone find the doctor,the baby is coming!”When they arrived at the hospital, Doctor Okoye, the hospital’s owner, was preparing to head out after a long shift. He overheard the nurse briefing Doctor Roger, the senior physician on duty, about Lila’s condition.
“She needs immediate attention,” she urged.Doctor Okoye gave a firm directive. “See to it that she’s attended to right away, regardless of payment,” he said. Then, glancing at Doctor Roger, he added, “Please make sure she’s looked after. I’ll be back shortly.”But as soon as Doctor Okoye stepped out, Doctor Roger hesitated, mulling over the issue of payment.
It had been a hectic night, and the stress of his personal troubles weighed on him. His father’s health was failing back in their rural village, and the pressures of work were straining his already fragile emotions.He turned to the nurse and said,
“She hasn’t paid, has she?”The nurse looked taken aback, remembering Doctor Okoye’s instructions, but shook her head. “No, sir.”
Doctor Roger waved it off, his fatigue and frustration showing. “Then let’s wait. I need to catch up on my other duties.” With that, he dismissed the nurse and returned to his office, temporarily neglecting Lila’s case.As time passed, Lila’s labor pains grew more intense. The nurse, torn between Doctor Roger’s reluctance and her own conscience, ultimately decided to prepare Lila as best as she could without the doctor’s full supervision.
“Madam, please, push,” she urged gently, offering as much support as she could manage alone.Meanwhile, news of the birth reached the construction site where Noah worked. “Hey, Oga Noah, your wife is about to give birth!” one of his coworkers shouted. Mr. Sharma, the site engineer, overheard and walked over to Noah, offering a congratulatory smile and reaching into his pocket. “Take this money, Noah. You’ll need it for supplies. Go, be with your family.”Grateful, Noah rushed to the hospital, clutching the money as if it were a lifeline. When he arrived, he discovered that Lila had been assisted by a nurse, but Doctor Roger had only now returned to check in on her.“Is everything all right?” Noah asked anxiously.
The nurse gave him a reassuring nod.
“She’s done well, and your baby is healthy. Doctor Okoye’s earlier instruction made it possible for us to help her.”As Doctor Roger returned to the delivery area, he appeared distracted and distressed.
During his break, he had received a call informing him that his father had passed away due to lack of medical attention in their village, a harsh reminder of how he’d been unable to care for his own family while working tirelessly for others in the city.