A Hazel Haven

Chapter 46

"It's just a minor injury," Rita assured Lawrence who was studying her leg intently which dangled from the hospital bed. She smiled wanly. "Calm down."

Lawrence squeezed her shoulder then looked to the doorway where Uche stared back blankly, leaned against the frame. Someone huge passed by her, and he stepped aside as Anthony came to replace him.

"You promised you wouldn't tell him," Rita scowled.

"He called and asked." Lawrence said, " I couldn't lie to the man,"

"What happened?" Anthony asked Rita, not interested in their banter.

"An accident," Rita withdrew from his scrutiny when he made to check other parts of her body. "It's just my leg, okay? See, it's not serious. I'll live."

Uche left the room as the conversation dragged on. Hospitals were far from her favorite places. They brought back unsavoury memories; every door, the white walls, the stringent smell, the white coats. She sat down on one of the benches along the corridor, contemplating how late it was and the safest way back to her apartment.

Someone sat beside her. By the cologne, she knew who without looking.

"You should be more considerate about others around you," Lawrence said. His tone of voice denoted suppressed annoyance.

"I didn't tell her to follow me,"

"No. You're tired of her. She's like a fly buzzing in your ears. I heard you. So, what are you doing here, Uche? Last I checked no one cares about buzzing flies."

She didn't have an answer to that question. Her reasons were obscured in confusion, and discomforted by it, she got up, ready to leave.

"Running away. That's all you ever do, isn't it? When you just can't deal with, you get scared and you run. You're just so used to running that you don't know when to stop."

Uche halted. Slowly, she turned. Looking at him as he stood tall, she realized that she should have kept walking. Anger hardened his face and his eyes burned with it over what had happened to his friend. Obviously, he blamed her for the accident- she might as well have been the one driving. She'd been so blinded by her own distress that nothing else mattered. Deep down, Uche resented herself for it and - for reasons unknown to her- she felt hurt that he also thought that way.

Then she remembered the other night. And his inexplicable rejection. The memory gave fueled the anger she needed and distracted her from unfamiliar emotions underneath.

Scoffing, Uche smirked mirthlessly. Nurses passed by and she waited until they were out of sight. "Takes one to know one. I run away and you pretend to be what you're not." She saw uncertainty set in, smiled and took two steps forward. "You can fool yourself and fool others but you can't fool me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you?" She folded her arms, keeping her distance, " Now that your little spy is gone, what are you going to do?"

Lawrence's face became inscrutable." The girl meant you no harm, Uche. She was only trying to protect you."

"I have no doubt that she thought she was," Uche said, " but you lied to her, didn't you? She's as gullible as they come and you thought you could use her."

He came closer. Glancing behind them, he lowered his voice. " This isn't the right place to have this conversation." He sighed at her bleak stare. "It's way more complicated than you think. You come for the trip and I'll explain everything. "

"You misunderstand me. I'm not interested in what you have to say,"

"You should be, if you value the life of that girl. I know that you don't value yours." He studied her a moment, said. "I'll drop you off. Let me get my keys."