ADUKE…
Chapter 8
……I hated myself for what I did,I had so many regrets in my head,if I had known I wouldn’t have called Sharon,if I had known I wouldn’t have went in with Chief,if I had known I wouldn’t have stolen from chief,so many if I had known..seeing the money was another problem for me cos it was a constant reminder that I had traded myself for it.
I called maami later in the evening of that day,maami,which other person do you owe money,I had asked her,my daughter it’s an organisation for mone lending,I borrowed 300 thousand there,with an interest of 60,000 Naria,but I have paid 120,000 to balance 240,000,maami said.maami,dress and let us go there,I said, but omomi are you telling me your friend’s parents gave you that much? she asked concerned,, actually maami my friend’s parent are Very rich,when I narrated our situation,they had compassion and gave me the sum 2 million Naria cash,I said .
Oluwa ohh,aha,you said 2 what? Maami asked anxious,maami two million Naria,they are very nice,I said.Aduke I can’t wait for you to take me to thier place,this people are angels in human form,put a call across to them let me appreciate thier kindness,she said,my head was spinning round cos there weren’t any parents,,,you see maami,they actually left for America today,both of them are going for vacation,I managed to say,,okay no problem,call your friend so I can appreciate her,maami said.okay ma,let me get my phone Inside..
Getting inside the house, I quickly placed a call across to Sharon to inform her the situation at hand,and that she should play along …
I came out with my phone and dialed Sharon’s number, hello Sharon,my mother wants to talk to you,I said and handed the phone to maami..
Oh my daughter,thank you very much for what you and your parents have down,thank you for helping us so much,I really appreciate,I can’t Thank you enough,you are such a good friend,good bless you and your parents with kindness just as you have done for my daughter and I, God bless you,maami kept praying and thanking Sharon for over 15minutes…,in my heart,I was like,if only she knew what the truth was I said within….
Maami and I went to the place she borrowed money,and we paid completely, getting home we had about #1,556,000 left. I brought out the whole money and handed to maami.
Maami,this is the remaining money, please use it to rent another shop and start up your business again,I had said..
My daughter, God bless you,you have taken pains and shame away from my eyes,may you know no she in Jesus name,she prayed..but omomi,take some of the money,and buy yourself some clothes,shoes and bag,she suggested out of concerned and love,oh maami,don’t worry,I didn’t need any of those for now,just start up your business and make it grow,that’s all maami..
Oh my child,you are a diamond among stones,the brightest of all stars, God in heaven will be the one to reward you,she hugged me passionately,while my tears dropped on her back…
Omomi,are you okay,you don’t look happy at all,maami asked concerned.indeed mothers are supreme,we can never hide our feelings from them…
Oh maami,they are tears of joy,I am just so happy that nobody will come here to embarrass you ever agian,I said..
My child I am happy too, thank you very much my daughter,maami said.
Seeing the joy in maami’s face,it was a food to my weeping soul knowing at least maami is happy…
Maami really opened a new shop,things were back to normal, except I was unable to forgive myself….
Soon school had resumed again,and I went back,maami gave me some foodstuffs and some money.
I was no longer the happy and smart girl I was,I was dying of guilt and self condemnation,I isolated myself from everyone,I just wanted to be alone,it was even affecting my focus in school..
ADUKE,what is it,you have not been yourself since we resumed for 300l, did anything happened at home,?,how is your mother and father,Joyce asked concerned, they are fine.i managed to answer her.
If they are fine ,then why are you like this, what’s going on,she wouldn’t stop asking,but I was done talking with her…
AD,AD, Aduke,wait,a voice called me at the end of one lecture, turning back it was Sharon, of course I should know, she’s the only one that calls me AD.
AD what is it,I noticed you have been avoiding me like a plague since we resumed,is it because of the other day,you know I should be the one angry at how you embarrassed me before chief, but I am not,she said…
Well Sharon I am not avoiding you,I just want to be ony own,I said,,,common AD,was it because it was your first time,come on,you were going to do it one day you know,she said smiling sheepishly,I wondered how she knew cos I didn’t disclose that to her,,,don’t give me that look, chief told me oh,how pleased he was with you for being the first to swim in your pool,he also told me how handsomely he rewarded you,babe 2million Naria for a night is a jackpot,you know chief has not stopped asking about you ohhh,the man seems to want more of you, she said,,
Well tell that your good for nothing chief that he will rot in hell,and as for you,please I beg you,stay away from me,I am trying to get my life back, please I don’t need you around,I said and walked away…
What Is going on between you and Sharon,is she the reason for your change of attitude this semester, Joyce asked,J please I don’t want to talk about it,I said to her,okay if that’s what you want,she replied and dropped the topic….
The academic and non academic staffs went on strike for two months over non payment of salary,I went home and assisted maami at her shop, thankfully the strike was called off and school reopened.
It was almost five months after the incident,I was looking very fat,my cheeks,body and every part of me was looking very big,,,Aduke you are looking so fat ohhhh,what are you eating,Joyce teased one after,fat ke,abeg ohhh which fat?,I replied,I am serious ohhh you are looking like a pregnant woman,she added.J please I don’t have your strength this afternoon I said…
Joyce words started ringing in my head,I look pregnant,how possible,I have been seeing my period since the incident,so how possible is that, but on a second thought my period hadn’t come for almost two months,at that minute my heart skipped…
I went to a nearby laboratory and had a pregnancy test done,and indeed it was confirmed I was pregnant,but how,I had an unprotected s*x about 5mintgs ago,and I have been seeing my period only for a month plus has my period delayed…
Well young lady at times that happens, but to be double sure,let’s have a scan.i did a scan immediately and I was confirmed 18weeks and three days almost five months and about the time I had an encounter with chief.it was as if my whole life was crumbling before me,but how come I didn’t experience the signs of pregnancy like vomiting, weakness,and all that I asked the doctor,well in as much as those are indeed signs of pregnancy,but it varies from woman to woman.some experience those and more,while some like you experience nothing,the doctor explained..
But my tommy is almost thesame way,I asked again like I was still in doubt even after the scan,well been that you are a chubby lady,it may take time before your baby bump can be obvious,but that doesn’t mean you aren’t pregnant or that the baby bump wouldn’t eventually be seen,may be at five,six it will be very obvious,but if you are in doubt you can confirm the result elsewhere,the doctor said and excused me…
His last words were encouraging,indeed maybe they don’t know what they are doing or saying,I decided to have the test else where,the result was out in a matter of minutes,and indeed it was confirmed I was pregnant..
I know I was doomed, pregnant for another woman’s husband,and a man old enough to be my father, pregnant out of wedlock, pregnant while in school,what will I tell maami,how do I explain myself,who will believe my story..
Oh I wept,but unfortunately the cry had no solution,the only idea that came to me was to take my own life….
Written by
Rejoice Igbinovia Aluyi
