Sharon frantically twisted the blue cap as they approached an empty green and yellow cement public bench on Aga Khan Walk. She gulped down the milk without bothering to wipe off the white streaks that rolled from the edges of her white dry lips.
"How long will it take for them to wear off?" She gasped.
“Half an hour," Chris nodded.
"What if I'm still high? I'm supposed to be in a board meeting by three!"
Chris urged her to drink more milk. The truth was he had never seen someone eat five weed cookies all at once, as she did. To make matters worse, it was the first time she had marijuana.
The stoned and paranoid Cooperative Bank's marketing executive unzipped her black handbag, took out her iPhone and her head instantly jerked like she had seen a snake.
“Look! I only have fourty minutes and I'm still high. What I'm I going to do? I can't loose my job!" She vigorously shook her head as if trying to shake off the potent THC and suddenly burst into tears.
“Why did you do this to me Chris? Why...why? You've messed up my life!" She heaped more blame amidst her loud sobbing. A conspicuous green vein appeared on her right temple as hot tears rolled down her pink cheeks and left a bluish trail of eye pencil.
Sharon's cries drew unwanted attention from men and women resting on adjacent public benches, directly opposite the Uchumi supermarket. A bunch of four campus lasses sneered and cast negative looks at Chris while he attempted to calm down Sharon with a reassuring hand across her shoulders. Other passersby even slowed down out of curiosity as they neared the odd couple. All those judgmental looks sent chills of nervousness down his spine. He even felt unusually hot sweat trickle down his left arm.
“Relax. The sooner you calm down the better for you," he soothed her while nervously patting her shoulder for reassurance.
“Shut up!" She lashed out and angrily shook off his trembling hand. "I'm going to see a doctor right now!"
She reached into her handbag and took out her ringing iPhone. Her squinty red half open eyes suddenly widened as she gawked at the screen with fear written all over her round face. Sharon inhaled deeply to gain some composure then swiped the green button.
“Catherine...."
"Sharon, where the hell are you?"
“I’m at...Aga Khan walk. I'm not feeling well so I'm going to see a doctor."
“Oh my god! I'm so sorry. Do you think you'll make it to the meeting?"
" I guess. I'll call you as soon as I leave the hospital."
Chris offered her more milk but she thwarted off the plastic bottle causing it to spill as it fell and bounced near his shoes. He scratched his head in confusion and faced away from her. She suddenly rose and grabbed his right arm then walked down the wide concrete path. They turned left just a couple of meters from the white eight storey Kenya Power Company's headquarters. Sharon patted her hair constantly as they walked down the alley.
“What’s wrong?" Chris asked.
“I feel like I'm wearing a hat. There's a weird feeling in my head thanks to your laced cookies."
Sharon turned right and walked past Florida 2000 nightclub where the cool teenagers from different parts of Nairobi converged for a good time each and every Sunday afternoon.
"This way," she gestured at a flight of steps at the entrance of a blue building.
They left their I.D's at the security desk then entered an elevator that would take them to the 4th floor. Sharon had been there frequently to visit Dr. William Obado, her family's doctor. The doctor worked at Kenyatta National Hospital but he ran a private clinic where he spent most of his time. The confused and paranoid banker gawked at her reflection on the elevator's mirror as she tried to get rid of the imaginary hat on her head.
Her ringing iPhone disrupted her attention just as the elevator doors opened.
“Sharon! I'm at Aga Khan walk. Where are you?"
“I’m at Dr. Obado's clinic. I've just arrived Catherine."
“Don’t worry. I'm coming there right now."
Sharon shoved her iPhone back into her handbag then suddenly grabbed Chris by his collar.
“You are going to tell the doctor exactly what you gave me, understand?" She ordered him. Despite her widened eyes and harsh tone, he found her scare tactics comical.
" I'm not playing around Chris, or whatever your name is. You are going to tell the doctor you intentionally gave me weed without telling me what was in those cookies!"
Fortunately, the light green coloured corridors were empty. They walked straight for about three meters and saw a bronze sign on their right that read ' Obado Medicare Clinic'. Unlike the corridor, the reception was white while the floor was covered with a red thick wall to wall carpet. A calm looking dark skinned lady poised behind a desktop computer pointed them towards a row of four seats behind a small glass table neatly stacked with newspapers and magazines. A 21 inch LCD flat screen T.V was mounted on the opposite facing wall and below it was a white water dispenser.
A white door behind the receptionist's desk swung open and a plump 5ft 6 lady seemingly in her late twenties walked out with a smile on her face, another healed and satisfied patient.
“Please walk into the doctor's office," the receptionist said to her.
Immediately, Sharon's phone rang and startled her. She fumbled with her handbag while walking towards the doctor's office.
“Yes Catherine. Just take the elevator to the fourth floor then walk straight down the corridor..."
Without warning, Chris grabbed her iPhone and said, “It’s better if I meet her in the corridor then bring her here."
She agreed and disappeared behind the white door as Chris rushed out of the reception. As soon as he out of sight, he ended the call and hurried down the corridor. A tall, medium complexion, curvy lady with glossy dreadlocks held back in a pony tail and a smartphone in her right hand walked past him towards Obado Medicare Clinic. The weed dealer then found an elevator waiting for him and hopped inside.
Chris took out his Samsung S2 and switched it on. To his pleasant surprise, the smartphone responded and without wasting time, he thumbed up his call log and quickly copied Faith's number to Sharon's iPhone. He switched off his Samsung with his left hand and rang Faith. The elevator opened at the ground floor then he took his I.D at the security desk and bolted out of the building.
“Hello," Faith answered.
“Faith, it’s Chris. Where are you?"
" School. I'm here with Sharon and she's mad at you because she waited for you the whole afternoon because your phone was off. What's wrong with you?" There was disappointment in her tone.
“Calm down Faith. Is she still there?"
“Let me put her on the line," Faith handed her phone to Sharon.
“Hi Chris, you really let me down. I waited for you for almost two hours!" An unfamiliar feminine voice said.
“I am very sorry Sharon. It's my fault but I'll make it up to you by adding two free cookies. How about that?"
“Sounds fair. Can we meet tomorrow morning near Jeevanjee?" She asked.
"Yes we can."