Singles’ Ministry: Day 1
“God, it’s me, Nadia, I need your guidance because I’m attracted to him. I’m not sure what to do. I didn’t plan or expect this…it just…happened. I still remember the first time we met…”
Nadia's mind travels back to two years ago to when she first met her crush.
The doors of University Hospital's ER had barely opened before Nadia Taylor came rushing in to the front desk in a total panic.
A security officer rushed after her, “Excuse me, ma’am!”
Nadia ignored the officer. Her eyes were covered in fear. She swallowed hard in an attempt to catch her breath. “My sister…was in an accident. They…brought her here…in an ambulance.” She managed between gasps.
“Ma'am are you ok? I’m going to need you to calm down.” The officer asked in a firm yet concerned tone.
Again, Nadia ignored the officer and continued to plead with the nurse. “Please, my sister.”
The nurse nodded to the officer, assuring him that everything was fine. “What’s her name?”
Nadia relaxed her shoulders some, relieved to be getting some answers about her little sister’s condition. “Nadira Taylor.”
The nurse typed the name into the computer. Suddenly, her face became unreadable, but there was a noticeable sadness in her eyes. The nurse reached out and placed her hand on top of Nadia trembling hand. “Hun, why don’t you have a seat over in the family waiting area and someone will be in to speak with you shortly.”
Nadia snatched her hand away. “No!” Her voice rose an octave as tears began to fill her eyes. “I don’t want to wait! I don’t want to sit! I want you to tell me what is going on! Where is my little sister?”
Nadia’s theatrics prompted the security officer to stand. He was preparing to escort her to the family waiting room whether she wanted to or not because she was causing a scene and disturbing the other people in the emergency room.
Just then, a young man with a bandage covering the right side of his forehead approached Nadia just as the frustrated security officer was rounding his desk. “Dia?”
The deep, masculine voice caused Nadia to freeze. She cautiously turned to her left to see who this unfamiliar voice belonged to. She also wondered how this stranger knew her and her nickname.
“Nadia?” He pressed again, hoping the sound of her name a second time would prompt a response.
Nadia’s face was painted with confusion. Her heart raced. “Do I know you?”
She took a step back when he attempted to close the space between them.
His demeanor softened. “We’ve never met, but Nadira talks about you all the time…I’m Rob.”
Nadia released the breath she’d been holding. The strange man was her sister’s best friend, Robinson Keyes. Nadia had heard many stories about Rob from Nadira, but she never had the opportunity to meet him. Nadia moved to North Carolina shortly after graduating from college. For the last five years, Durham was home. She’d only returned to Jersey a few times for family functions. Even then, Nadia would pop in on a Friday and be on her way home first thing Sunday morning. That was going to change, Nadia promised herself. She couldn’t imagine life without Nadira.
Nadia shook herself away from her thoughts to focus on the man in front of her. “What happened?” Nadia asked, he voice barely above a whisper.
Rob was about to answer her when he made eye contact with the security officer. Rob nodded to acknowledge his concern for the situation. Rob gently placed one hand on Nadia’s shoulder and the other on her forearm. “Let’s talk in here.”
The security officer reclaimed his seat as Rob escorted Nadia to the family waiting area. Rob waited until they were both seated in one of the plush recliners in the quaint room.
“Rob…what happened?” Nadia asked again.
Rob studied the woman seated next to him. She looked exhausted, stressed, lost…He took a deep breath, “Dira was so excited you were coming up this weekend. She was planning to surprise you with dinner; all of your favorites. She called me to see if I was still going to help her cook. I told her I’d just got in from work. I told her I was going to take a shower, then I’d head over there. Dira said she would pick me up. I told her she didn’t have to, but she insisted since she was going to the store to grab a couple of things. An hour later, we were on our way back to her house. All of a sudden, there was this loud screeching then a crashing sound. Nadira screamed, there was glass everywhere. I hit my head on the passenger window and blacked out. I could feel Dira rubbing my hand when I woke up. I turned to face her. She gave me a weak smile. Sirens were blaring and lights were flashing everywhere. I told her I was there and everything would be okay…” Rob paused as he began to choke on his words. He wiped the fresh set of tears that streamed down his face.
He cleared his throat in an attempt to regain his composure. “The cop said some kids were racing cars and ran the stop light. The one kid tried to avoid a truck and slammed into us…Nadira…”
Nadia’s parents walked into the waiting room before another word could be spoken.
“Dia…” Mrs. Taylor cried as she fell into her daughter’s arms.
Rob stood to shake Mr. Taylor’s hand. Nadia released her mother to hug her father. Rob hugged Mrs. Taylor as new tears fell from his eyes.
“What happened?” Mr. Taylor asked.
A middle aged, African American doctor walked into the room before Rob could tell the story again.
“Mr. and Mrs. Taylor?”
“Yes…” the Taylors responded in unison.
“I’m Dr. Tony Sanders. I was the attending physician when your daughter…” he paused to look at the chart “…Nadira, came in.”
Mr. Taylor nodded. “How is she?”
Dr. Sanders took a deep breath. “Mr. and Mrs. Taylor…” He paused. This time to make direct eye contact with everyone in the room. “I’m sorry…we tried everything medically possible…” He took his voice up a notch to compensate for Mrs. Taylor’s wails. “But Nadira's injuries were too great…I’m sorry, but she did not survive.” He bowed his head slightly as the family reacted to the life-altering statement.
“Satan you are a LIAR!” Nadia screamed at the top of her lungs. She punched the wall with all her strength. Nadia crumpled to the floor in a broken heap. Her heart hurt. It literally felt like a part of her heart was snatched from her body. She was lost. It was at that moment that Nadia felt all alone and unprotected in the world.
Rob sunk down in the recliner. He folded his arms in his lap. Rob quickly dropped his head into his lap as he lost his composure and cried. The full weight of his pain emanated from every part of him. His best friend was gone.
Mr. Taylor held his wife as she screamed over and over “Oh God, my baby, not my baby!”
Dr. Sanders waited patiently for the room to settle. He carefully placed his hand on Mr. Taylor’s shoulder. “Mr. Taylor…Mrs. Taylor…again, I am sorry for your loss. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to your daughter’s room, so you can have some time together…”
The Taylors somberly followed Dr. Sanders out of the waiting room.
Nadia was still curled in a ball on the floor. Rob sniffed as he wiped the tears from his face. He the wiped his hands on his jeans. Rob saw Nadia on the floor in the corner. He took a deep breath, stood, then walked over to her. He watched her for a moment. His heart ached.
“Dia?” He called out softly to her.
Nadia sniffed deeply. She looked up at Rob. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. She could barely see out of the small slits in her eyes.
Rob stretched out a hand to help her up. Nadia reluctantly accepted his outstretched hand and stood. Surprisingly, Rob wrapped Nadia in a bear hug. Nadia knew the hug was meant to be comforting, but there was no denying the unfamiliar spark she felt ignite in the pit of her stomach. Nadia looked at Rob quizzically when he released her. What was that? What happened? Did he feel it too? Rob didn’t say anything.
Fresh, hot tears, ran down Rob's face. His shoulders slumped. Just like that, a brokenhearted Robinson Keyes walked out of the room without another word…
***
That was two years ago. Nadia gave up her place in Durham and moved back to her hometown. Rob became a regular fixture in the Taylor family…
Come back tomorrow to see how Rob and Nadia’s story continues…