THE PHONE CALL FROM THE HOSPITAL

My hands were shaking as I pulled the door open.

A guy from fellowship stood outside, breathing heavily.

It took me a second to remember his name.

Femi.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Daniel…”

He paused, trying to catch his breath.

“He collapsed.”

Everything around me suddenly felt distant.

“What?”

“They’ve taken him to the teaching hospital.”

I didn’t even think.

I grabbed my phone, slipped my feet into sandals and followed him.

“Amara!” Teni shouted behind me.

“I’m coming too.”

The ride to the hospital felt endless.

Nobody spoke.

I kept praying under my breath.

“God… please don’t let anything happen to him.”

When we got there, a few fellowship members were already outside the emergency unit.

Some were praying.

Others looked worried.

I spotted Daniel’s friend, Chike.

“What happened?”

He rubbed his face.

“He fainted at work.”

“Why?”

“The doctor said exhaustion.”

I frowned.

“Just exhaustion?”

He nodded.

“He has been working almost every night.”

“And still attending lectures.”

“And still doing his project.”

My chest tightened.

He never told me it was this bad.

A doctor eventually walked out.

“Who is here for Daniel Adeyemi?”

We all stood.

“He’s stable.”

The tension around us reduced immediately.

“But…”

My heart dropped again.

“He has been severely overworking himself.”

The doctor looked at us.

“If he continues like this, his body will keep shutting down.”

A few minutes later, they allowed one person inside.

I looked at everyone else.

“I’ll go.”

Daniel was lying on the hospital bed with an IV attached to his hand.

He looked pale.

Nothing like the confident young man who always had a smile ready.

When he saw me, he smiled weakly.

“You came.”

I walked closer.

“You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.”

I folded my arms.

“No.”

He looked confused.

“I’m actually angry.”

He laughed softly.

“I expected that.”

“You’ve been carrying everybody’s problems.”

I could feel tears filling my eyes.

“And you forgot your own body has limits.”

He looked away.

“I thought I could manage.”

“You couldn’t.”

Silence filled the room.

After a while, I remembered the letter.

“I didn’t finish reading it.”

His cheeks turned slightly red.

“Good.”

“Why good?”

“Because it was embarrassing.”

I laughed through my tears.

“It wasn’t.”

He smiled.

“I meant every word.”

Before I could answer, his phone started vibrating on the bedside table.

The screen lit up.

MUM

He sighed.

“Please…”

“What?”

“Don’t tell her I collapsed.”

I stared at him.

“Daniel.”

“She’ll worry.”

“She’s supposed to worry.”

“I’ll tell her after I leave here.”

I picked up the phone and handed it to him.

“No.”

He looked confused.

“Answer it.”

He hesitated.

Then he answered.

“Mum.”

Even without hearing her voice, I could tell she’d already sensed something was wrong.

Daniel tried to sound cheerful.

“I’m fine.”

He wasn’t convincing anyone.

After the call ended, he looked at me.

“You know what my biggest problem is?”

“What?”

“I’ve spent so many years trying to be strong that I don’t know how to let people help me.”

I squeezed his hand.

“You can start learning.”

He smiled.

“With you?”

“With me.”

For the first time since we’d met, I felt like we weren’t just dating anymore.

We were becoming partners.

People learning each other’s weaknesses.

People carrying each other’s burdens.

When Daniel was discharged two days later, everyone insisted he rest.

Even his project supervisor gave him a week off.

Life slowed down.

Or so I thought.

Because three days later…

As I returned from a lecture, I saw my mother standing outside my hostel.

She wasn’t smiling.

She hadn’t told me she was coming.

And judging from the look on her face…

She hadn’t come for a surprise visit.

She had come because she knew something.

Something I had never told her.

What do you think Amara’s mother has found out?

To be continued…