Read the first episode of Bro Code
Obi swivelled around in his chair and stared out the window. The sky was gradually getting darker with clear signs of the rain that was itching to come and do major damage to the city without a proper drainage system or even good roads. He swivelled around and around again, sighed out loud and checked his watch. It was 4:15pm, still another forty-five minutes before work officially ended for the day and he was completely bored with nothing to keep him occupied. His last meeting for the day had been cancelled impromptu because his boss, Mr Ajibolaβs boss and the boss of everyone else at Rainmaker Capital could not make it due to the weather conditions preventing visibility for her helicopter and rendering it unable to fly.
Levels pass levels o, imagine say make person problem no be traffic again but na say her pilot no fit see road fly. Ah! Na wa o he laughed to himself. He and everyone else in the seven storey building that housed the company remained in awe of Stella Jide-Coker, CEO of Rainmaker Capital and the baddest bitch alive as far as Obi was concerned. The rest of the office considered her to be the devilβs incarnate, raised from the bowels of hell to torture the living for all eternity, but Obi liked to believe that he understood where she was coming from. You had to be something special to be a divorced, thirty-seven year old woman and be at the head of one of the top twelve financial institutions in the entire country. The Big Twelve as they were fondly called in all the important money circles. With degrees from several of the worldβs top schools and proven experience managing several businesses from bankruptcy to solvency, her father being a former minister of technology and ICT and also one of the countryβs richest men was simply a background to her impressive resume and was not information shared with just anyone. People usually felt that it was her attempt to validate the βself-made womanβ tag that led her into being such an aggressive and mean fighter who showed zero empathy for a multitude of things and situations. They also blamed her attitude for the failure of her marriage and, in typical Nigerian style, gossiped that it was impossible to expect a highflying career woman such as herself to be able to maintain a home and a man. However, numerous rumours were abound about the true state of affairs which led to the split with her husband barely two years into their union.
Obi was still swivelling in his chair and contemplating the enigma that was Stella Jide-Coker when his phone buzzed loudly and the text notification popped up. It was from Pablo:
Ayo just rush go hospital for around your side. Be like say na her brother matter again. She no dey pick her phone but try block am for there abeg. I go reach una as soon as I finish for here. Safe man
Obi cursed loudly and got to his feet. Fucking Damilare. It seemed the boy was determined to be killed by all means necessary despite everything Ayo was doing to prevent it. Obi was certain it was another cultism related incident, he didnβt understand why the boy felt the need to βbelongβ so badly that he continually risked his life for something so meaningless. And Ayo could not cut him off, she had gone through so much just to find him, Obi knew it was impossible to ask her to do away with her last blood relation in the world.
He checked his watch, said βfuck itβ and decided to leave at once despite it still not being 5pm yet. The hospital βaround his sideβ as Pablo put it was a good one hour away from his office and as he hurriedly requested for an Uber, there was a knock on his door. He had a secretary whom he shared with four other people on his floor and usually it was she that screened guests in and informed him via the office telecom if someone needed to see him. She was obviously not at her desk at the moment otherwise whoever was knocking would have been politely informed that he was currently not on seat. The person knocked again and Obi cursed once more, not as loudly this time.
βCome in.β He started to shove documents and other files he needed to review at home into his bag. The door opened and one of Stellaβs many PAβs walked in.
βGood evening Mr Okorafor.β The younger man observed that Obi was preoccupied with filling up his bag with as much as it could contain and added βAre you leaving now?β
Obi rolled his eyes. βGood evening. Yes I am, itβs twenty minutes to five and I have a bit of a family emergency. Is there a problem?β
βWell noβ¦ I mean yes actuallyβ¦β
βAnd?β
βThe boss just emailed me, she asked me to come find you because she would like to see you immediately.β
Obi could not hide his confusion. βWait. What boss?β
βMs Jide-Cokerβ¦β
βSheβs around?
βNot yet, but sheβs on her way in. You see, her helicopter couldnβt fly because of the weather so she drβ¦β Obi cut him off before he could finish.
βSo sheβs not around?β
βNot yet. But like I said sheβsβ¦β
βYeah yeah yeah, I got that part. Sheβs on her way, however, Iβm not here and you did not see meβ Obi walked close to the younger man and stared him down to be sure he got the message.
βSir? I donβt understand. Youβre right hereβ¦β
βNo Iβm not. You didnβt see me. You asked my secretary and she said I left on office business. You did not meet me here. Do you understand now?β
His phone started to ring, the Uber guy was calling him which meant he had arrived at the car park downstairs. He declined the call and looked at Ms Jide-Cokerβs PA. The young man wasnβt convinced, he still didnβt comprehend what Obi was asking of him. Or maybe he did but couldnβt just fathom telling such a bold faced lie to the devil herself. Obi smiled. It would take just a little more convincing.
Three minutes later, Obi was flying from the office and into the open backseat of the Toyota Camry 2013 edition as the driver floored the gas pedal per already received instructions and they made their way to the hospital at a furious pace. He was going to be there for his best friend when she needed him most regardless of the consequences, the bro code dictated nothing less.
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Ayo realised that she had zoned out for a while although the doctor was still talking and she mentally struggled to bring herself back to earth.
ββ¦ Weβre lucky that he was brought here on time. Heβs lost a lot of blood and we had to do a transfusion during surgery. Thankfully, heβs a general receiver so finding a match wasnβt a problem. However, his injuries are a bit severe so I would estimate his recovery time to be anywhere between three to six months.β
Ayo blinked twice to clear her head and shifted from one part of her aching behind to the other on the incredibly uncomfortable hospital sofa. She had been sitting, pacing and worrying for three hours before the doctor finally brought news to her.
βRecovery? Soβ¦ so heβs going to be alright?β
βYes he is. Heβs asleep right now and I wouldnβt encourage any excitement or anything else once he wakes up. But yes, heβll be alright. Heβll be good as new once his injuries completely heal in a couple of months.β
Ayo began to cry afresh. Quiet, painful sobs choked her as they forced their way out while the new tears in her eyes prevented her from seeing anything of the stylishly decorated hospital waiting area with its pale blue walls designed to put even the most compulsive of worriers to sleep. The doctor stood and shuffled from one foot to the other, seemingly uncomfortable and at a loss for what to do. Then he sat down beside Ayo and placed a hand gently on her shoulder in comfort.
βHis injuries are consistent with the reports of cultism related clashes we received from around the area he was rushed in from so I understand your fears, believe me I do. There is no one way to handle this sort of thing. If he is really involved with a cult group then I would suggest removing him from the school and the entire environment in general.β
Ayo continued to sob and shake but seemed to be nodding along to what he was saying so he continued.
βAlso, you might consider counselling,β he reached into his pocket and pulled out a green card with tiny text inscribed on it. βTake my card. I usually donβt do this for walk-ins butβ¦ I think Iβll make an exception for your brother. I can recommend several top notch therapists, all you have to do is call.β
Ayo gratefully collected the outstretched card and thanked him quietly, only then noticing that his nametag read βF. Odoh M.Dβ. Acting simply out of impulse and against all his professional ethics, Dr Odoh reached out and hugged her and was surprised by how easily she melted in his embrace, clinging to him for comfort. The hug lasted a few more seconds and then he reluctantly pulled away and stood up from beside her, reaching down again to shake her hand just as the door from the hallway leading to the waiting room burst open and a young man dressed in a blue suit and tugging at his tie raced into the room at top speed and began to look around the small space with a crazed look in his eyes. Those eyes finally fell on Ayo and he made his way to her just as she looked up, jumped out of the chair, pushed past Dr Odoh and ran into the young manβs arms.
βOh Obiβ¦Obi, Oh Obiβ¦β she cried over and over again, unable to say anything else.
Obi said nothing and simply hugged her tighter as she dampened his new suit with all of her unshed tears. Dr Odoh slinked away and disappeared into the shadows, completely unnoticed by either of them. He walked back to his office and stopped to use the bathroom on the way. As he washed his hands in the sink, he stared at his reflection in the mirror and his thoughts turned firmly to Ayo. He truly hoped her brother would be alright. He dried his hand with a towel and tossed it into the bin. Then he hoped that Ayo would use the card he had given to her. He left the bathroom and made his way into his office and there he expressed his final wishes out loud to himself.
βGod I hope that Obi boy is not her boyfriend.β
I feel like I should tell Dr. Oboh that Ago may not be really interested in him.
me too
Hmmmnn, should will tell our doctor to not wish for Ayo yet. Thanks Opara
Funny doctor
Eh Doctor is loving Ayo already o
I love it, the doc don dey catch feelings. Once thanks for today’s Episode.
This doctor like better thing but he doesn’t know what he is wishing for o.
It was an interesting story, thanks for sharing Sally.
All these troublesome ones that will be putting people who can’t ignore them in difficult situations though…
That short convo between Obi and The P.A got me giggling. Like shey the P.A truly doesn’t get what Obi was saying ni or he dey fear to tell Madam what Ibi said.
I enjoyed this episode like the first. Lively progression from the 1st.
Well done Opara, and big thanks to Sally for sharing.
Doctor be catching feelings
Doctor is falling for Ayo already.
This Dr sef, better face your work….bosses & their wahala.
Doc. Doc. Sharp guy!π€ Should we tell him?
Thank you Great, this is really interesting. πBring it on.
Dr. Dey catch feelings for Ayo. Eyaaa, you don’t know what is going on
P.A was just wondering where Obi got his guts from…. Dear Doc, please donβt catch feelings.