Chapter 7 : The Sudden Confession.

Meanwhile in Joshua ward. Sarutobi walked in.

 "Wow, you healed fast!!" Sarutobi holding Joshua x-ray scan. "After we scanned you this morning your bones are miraculously and surprisedly healed." 

Joshua smiled. "I saved a life. That must be the reason." Joshua and Sarutobi friendship had gotten so close that everyone in the hospital continued to wonder how was it possible. Sarutobi came to his front. "It is my break. Can we go for a drink." Joshua looked at his dress.

 "Buh Sarutobi am in my hospital wear." He said.

 "Don't worry we will be the only one." Sarutobi answered. 

"Okay. I heard some rumors about you and I, among your nurses." Joshua said rubbing his shoulder, Sarutobi looked at him. "What did they say?" Joshua turned his face to the other side. "I heard we are beginning to behave like....." Sarutobi move her face closer to Joshua face then she said. "Like what?" Joshua cleared his throat, lowered his eyes. "Your face is too close." He thought. "Joshua....look at me...like what." Sarutobi asked again. "Like...." In that moment, immediately Sarutobi phone rang. She brought it out to check who is calling. 

"Excuse me. Joshua I need to pick this call." She went outside. "Hello. This is Sarutobi speaking." Meanwhile Joshua was about to speak, then he stop to see what was going on. 

"Wow! That was a close call, why did I have to her everything I heard to her?" Joshua stood up, he went to the window to stare at the tree in front of the hospital. He said with a smile. "What a lovely afternoon. By this time next tomorrow I will be with them." He placed his hand on his jaw. "Silly me. I don't even know where to take them." He went back to his bed and sat down. "Well before the day come, I will definitely find a place." He laid is upper body on the bed, with both legs on the floor....Some minutes later, he looked at the door while still on the bed. "What is taking her so long." He thought as he sat up. Then Sofia came in. "Good afternoon. Mister Joshua. Doctor Sarutobi said she is sorry, she won't be around for sometime." Joshua was surprised. "Why?!" 

Sofia answered "I don't know sir. She didn't tell." 

"Uhmmmm. Okay. Thanks." Joshua turned his face. Sofia was stood still. For a while then she said. "Sir. Is there anything between you and my doctor?"

  Joshua turned. "What do you mean?" She folded her hands. "Are you guys having an affair?" 

"What a direct question." Joshua thought. 

Sofia asked again. "Are you?"

 Joshua feeling helpless. "Nurse Sofia, we just met.... like two days ago. It is too early for that." 

Sofia looked worried. "You know she is not from here. I don't want you to hurt her or do something bad to her." She said twirling her curly hair.

Joshua seems confused. "No am not like that. But wait we are not dating. She is just a friend I talk to, when ever am alone."

Sofia nodded her head. "Friend?.... Alone?....so it as gotten that far." She thought while she put her hands in her pocket, 

Joshua immediately stood up. "No that's not what I meant." 

"Then what am I to you!!" She cried.

Joshua was shocked after hearing that. "Wait what?!" Joshua said. Sofia realized what she said, she put her hand on her mouth, 

 "Am......sorry." she said with a tiny tone.  Immediately she ran outside. Joshua seems confused. He can't even think straight. He just stood there looking so numb.

It was around six in the evening at Sunday's home. Sunday was in the sitting room watching News on the TV while Chioma was asleep on his lap while Chidi and diamond were sitting beside them. 

"Daddy, daddy how is uncle Joshua?" Chidi asked,  Sunday looked at Chidi. 

"He is getting better." He said. Then he smiled to their direction. Diamond raised her head to check on her mum who was still asleep on Sunday's lap. "Mummy is still sleeping." They all laughed. Diamond continued. "Mummy looked more beautiful even in her sleep." Sunday looked at Chioma. "Am lucky to have her." He thought......."We here by declare that the whole states should be on lockdown starting from next week......In other words, the National Aeronautic and Space Travelers’ Administration; NASTA discovered an unidentified solar flare from the exosphere that can be dangerous to the human skin. It is said to affect the Earth's atmosphere for five days and cause a Jurassic lockdown. We haven't know what the reason might be. But we urge all citizens to be in their respective home! For the whole week." They all looked at the direction the voice was coming from, it came from the news on the TV......

"Mr. President, Mr. President why all these urgent basis."

 "Am sorry to say this. We don't really know why, but the scientist are making progress on what will actually happen and a way to reduce it, if possible to stop it."

 "But Sir, does it have some connections to the meeting, you people observe almost every week." 

"Hmmmm.....yes!" the press all stopped. They looked scared and confused.

 "I will be on my way. Thank you all." 

"Mr. President, Mr. President!!!" Sunday and his kids were still looking at the TV confused......

"Now that the President as spoken. We have so many rumors going through the social media...Some are saying it's all bluff. Some are saying it will be the end of the world. Some are saying world war three......what is this?. This person said Aliens are coming for us."

After hearing all this. Chidi tapped his Dad. "Daddy...I don't really understand." Sunday wanted to talk but a call came in. "Biz.....Biz.....Biz!!!" "Sorry Chidi I have a call." So he stood up and gently placed Chioma head on the sofa, then picked his phone on the dinning table.

"Yes... Ukot any problem!"

 "Yes sir....the President just called, he said we should save up to a Trillion, to be shared among the citizens of our country during the lockdown." Sunday was surprised, he looked at his kids who were also looking at him worried. He covered his mouth, with a gentle and a low tone. "I can't talk now. I will be on my way to the office. Bye." "Sir!... Sir!" Sunday dropped his phone. He went to the kids with a smile. "Chidi, Diamond. Daddy is going to work and it is really important." He went to Chioma. 

"Dear!...Dear!" Gently tapping her. 

Chioma groaned while waking up. "Yyyeeeessss." Sunday smirked at her direction. 

"Am going to work. Take care of the kids." She slowly sit up and slowly said. "Huunnnn?..." Checking the wall clock. "By this time. it's late."  She looked at the kids then back to Sunday. 

"Darling what's the problem? When are you going to be back?" Sunday looking for his car keys. 

"I don't really know maybe tomorrow." 

The kids shouted. "Daddy why?!!!" Sunday sees his car keys on the shelf near the table, "Don't worry, I will call." Then he took it, went to Chioma, "Dear, I will call you when I reached there. Goodbye." He went outside closing the door behind him. Chioma still wondering what was going on. She held the kids. "Do you notice any thing?"  She asked

Diamond said. "Yes." After, Chidi said. "We watched the news on the TV, when you were asleep. The President told the country that we should stay home starting from next week." Chioma widen her eyes. "What did the President mean?" Diamond answered. "We don't even know. Ma." Chioma phone suddenly rang. She checked. It was Mr. James calling.

"Hello sir. Good evening." Chioma greeted.

 Mr. James answered through the phone. "How is family?" 

"Family is fine sir." 

"Good to hear!" James continued. "Please make sure you have enough provision and foodstuffs in your house, because of the President order. You know you are with two kids." 

Chioma still confused. "Okay sir. But sir what is actually the problem?"

 "We haven't come to the reason yet, but we need everyone safe in their various home. Don't worry the President will address this same situation this night." She stood up.

 "Sir..... Only our country?"

 "No....the whole world. Please don't panic it is just for a week and all will be back to normal." Chioma  slowly replied. "Okay.....sir." 

"Bye for now. Stay Safe."

 Chioma replied. "Same. Thanks." She dropped her phone and sat down. "Okay next tomorrow I will go to the market." She thought. Chidi and Diamond came to their mother. "Mummy. Is the world going to be alright?" She smiled and brought them closer. "Why not?" 

At the hospital. Joshua was on the bed reading the Bible then looking at the ceiling. 

"I don't understand. Nurse Sofia saying those words. Is she really in that much pain?" He thought. Nurse Mariam came in. "Still awake?" Joshua stared at the direction of her voice. 

"Yeah... what up?" He said, Mariam moved closer and said. "All is well." She looked at the TV in front of Joshua. "You didn't switch on the TV this time." Then Joshua sat up. "Yeah....I don't feel like." She looked at him. "Mister Joshua. you were asleep when the President spoke live on the TV?" 

Joshua looking confused. "No....I was awake. What did he say?"

 "He said starting from next week there will be a total lockdown in the country."

 "Hmmmm....maybe this may be what Baba70 warned me about. Why all these?" He thought. Looking at Nurse Mariam, he noticed she was rubbing her forehead looking kind of sad then he asked. "Any problem? Nurse Mariam." She looked at Joshua.

 "I don't know what is wrong with Sophia? She is looking moody without any reason." Joshua heart skipped a beat. 

"Am I the cause?" He thought. He said to Mariam. "Is there a reason?.....can I talk to her?" 

Mariam replied. "Nooooo....what can you say to her?....this is ladies talk. I don't think you can talk to her." Joshua still pushing. "Just let me see her." Mariam looked at Joshua for moment. She observed him closely but staring at his face knowing he was really serious, she sighed and said. "Okay. I will call her this once and if she doesn't answer you, that's all."

 So she went to call Sophia........ Some minutes later Sophia came in. She couldn't look straight at his eyes, so she looked the other way and said. "You called me." Joshua walked straight to her. "Please can you make me understand what is going on inside you." She looked behind, she saw Mariam looking at Joshua and her from where she was seated. Then she slowly closed the door but before she closed it she looked at Mariam, whispered to her direction. "Thank you." After closing the door. She looked at Joshua and said. "…..….Am a bit different from other ladies, am a kind that couldn't hide my feelings when ever I fall in love." She continued. "The more I fall in love with each people in the past.....the more my feelings get stronger, though I can’t talk to any of them because am shy, but you are the first I confessed it to.....I.....I...." Joshua smiled. Sophia looked at him. "You think am funny?" Joshua nodded. "Yes!" Sophia was stunned. Joshua continued. "You mentioned two things. Feeling and Love.....Nurse Sophia. Who is love." Sophia was lost. "Who?" Joshua was certain. "Yes who." Sophia pursed her lips thinking. "Who?......who?!....who?.....who!!! God. God is love!" She vibrantly answered. Joshua nodded. "You are right. So let get to feeling. What is feeling?" She immediately answered. "An emotional attraction.” 

“So let fix it together. Love and feeling. They are never the same. If you love someone by feeling or attraction that's not love. It is never love, what goes through the internet nowadays gives people to misunderstand what love truly means. Love is patience, love is kind, Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."  He continued. "If you allow feelings to come before your love... It may not last long. But if you put love first before all things you will definitely enjoy what you have." Sophia was pleased and empowered after hearing that. She replied. "Wow! I spent years pondering about what love meant. I don't even know what to say. This is from the Bible." The words Joshua said to her truly change her believe in love. Then she asked a question. "You....then why are you still single? If you know much about love." Joshua smirked. 

He answered. "Love bear all things, Love believe all things, Love endure all things and can never fail." She sighed. "How am I going to know if it's Love not a Feeling." Joshua stared at her eyes seeing his reflection as Sophia stared back, with her mouth slightly opened,

"When you don't fall in love." Joshua replied.