Episode 15
**Contd.**
I was still sleeping when I heard my phone ringing. I checked and saw it was MA. I looked around and saw I was alone in the room…
**Ah an, which time dis woman comot for here :-\**
Me: Hello…
MA: Dioxidane, good morning…
Me: Good morning…
MA: Did I wake you?
Me: Yeah, you did… Hope your night was fine…
MA: **Smiles** It was fine…
Me: I didn’t see you when I woke up…
MA: I got up early to prepare… We would soon be leaving for the airport…
Me: Oh, yeah that’s true…
MA: Dioxidane, thanks for yesterday…
Me: Oh, It was nothing…
MA: And hope you understand that no one can find out about what happened…
Me: Nothing happened…
MA: Good… I’ll be waiting for you at the car park…
Me: Ok, I’ll be there soon…
We got to the airport and waited for more than two hours before her cousin finally came out.
Damn! MA was a learner where her cousin was, in terms of beauty. She had a tall slim frame and was light in complexion. Her skin glittered like gold.
I just stood there staring in awe at her beauty while both of them were hugging and exchanging pleasantries. MA suddenly drew her cousin towards me and I heard her say, ‘I want you to meet someone’.
MA: Dioxidane, meet Summaya… Summaya, Dioxidane…
Me:**Stretching my hands towards her** It’s a pleasure to finally meet you… I’ve heard so much about you…
Summaya: **Smiles** Same here mister… Hope the things you heard about me were not horrible…
Me: Naa, trust me, they were lovely…
We all laughed and walked to the car park. I was still feeling the smoothness and softness of her palms on my hands. Her palms felt like that of a baby……
Summaya sat behind me in the car while MA sat beside her. They were so engrossed in their in discussion. It was obvious that the two were very close. I adjusted the rear view mirror to catch glimpses of Summaya.
I tried engaging her in a conversation, but from her replies, it was obvious she was either too tired to talk or simply not interested. I got bored and just concentrated on driving till we got to Katsina.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Over the next few days, I was so busy with activities that I rarely had time for myself. Prince and I were working on a CD project so we were together most times.
It’s was one of those times I received a call from Zainab. She said she needed to see me. I told her I would see her later in the evening before lessons with her brother, but she said she needed to see me immediately. She told me she was at Crispy (a fast food joint). I left Prince and went to meet her there.
Of course I couldn’t be seen hugging or touching her in public so I just sat at the table where she sat. I could tell from her facial expression that she wasn’t happy.
**Wetin I do???**
I was wondering what I’ve done or said to make her feel that way. Everything had been smooth so far and I didn’t see any reason for her being downcast.
I asked her what was wrong, but she didn’t reply.
Me: Talk to me naw… I was busy and you asked to see me, now I’m here… What’s wrong?
Zee: **Tears slowly dropping down her eyes** Dioxidane, I’m pregnant……
Me: Huh??? Pregnant??? How naa???
Zee: I don’t know o… I was supposed to see my period 2 days ago, but I’ve not seen it till now…
** ๐ฎ Chisos!!! I don enter am…**
I looked around to observe if anyone was paying attention to us, but everyone was engrossed in their own discussions.
Me: But we usually use protection naw, how is this possible?
Zee: **With tears filled eyes** I should be asking you… Ah, my father will kill me…
She was sobbing now…
Me: Calm down, don’t draw attention to yourself…
Zee: **In between sobs** What would I do now?
** ๐ฎ Jeez!! I don enter am!**
I thought I was smart. I thought I was careful. I never straffed without a CD for crying out loudd!! How the hell did this happen? How the hell am I going to face her family?
**Dem go just kill me!!!**
Or should I run away? Haba, that would be childish and wicked! Ok, what do I do na???
Numerous thoughts ran through my head. In all my years of straffing, no girl, not even one, had told me she was pregnant. Why now? I just had few months to complete my service and leave the north.
**Who send me message??? Father, please, I know you still love me, please let this cup pass away!**
I was lost in thought that I didn’t know she was talking to me till she tapped me on my hands…
Me: Huh??? You were saying???
Zee: Dioxidane, what do I do? I’m scared!
I was no more thinking straight anymore. ‘Wait lemme make a call’, I said to her.
I called Micheal, he didn’t pick. I called Prince….
Prince: You dey mad o, you just leave for here, shey? Woman no go kill you o…
Me: Bros, gbege dey o…
Prince: Wetin happen?
Me: Na Zee o…
Prince: Wetin do am?
Me: She say she get belle…
Prince: Ukandu!!!
Me: Bros, na die I dey so o…
Prince: Oga, calm down… When she suppose see her period?
Me: She say 2days ago…
Prince: You straff am anytime without CD?
Me: No na…
Prince: You sure?
Me: How I go straff without CD before???
Prince: She don do test?
Me: I no sure…
Prince: Na to do test confirm am first na…
Me: If she really get belle nko…
Prince: Oga relax, no problem wey no get solution… Take am go Mohammed lab now, make him run test for am… Anyhow e be, make I know, we go come know the next step to take…
Me: Prince, dem go kill me for this Katsina o…
Prince: Oga, na wa for you o… So you dey fear like this?
Me: You dey mad? Na my life we dey talk about so o…
Prince: Ok, just relax… Take am go do the test then call me…
Me: Ok boss, tanks… I go call you later…
I’ve never felt so scared in my life. I thought I was invincible. Now I’m definitely doomed!
I went back in and told her we had to go for a test. She told me it wasn’t possible because she didn’t want anyone she knew to see her. I told her not to worry that Mohammed was a friend. After much persuasion, she finally agreed and we went to the lab…….
**Contd.**
We went outside to get a bike to go to the lab. To avoid suspicious stares, she asked me to take the first bike that came while she was going to take the next one that came. I asked her to go first with me coming behind, but she refused.
I took the bike and about 10minutes later, I got to the lab. Then my waiting began. I waited for about 15minutes, factoring in the time taken to get a bike and the time taken to get to the lab. She was still not at the lab yet.
I gave her 10 more minutes, ‘Perhaps she didn’t get bike on time’, I thought. She still wasn’t there. ‘What’s happening?’, I asked myself. I then decided to call her.
I called her about 5 times. The phone rang all through, she didn’t pick.
**Can you imagine!???**
So many thoughts began running through my head. ‘Wait o, was she really pregnant?’ ‘Did she decide to avoid the test since she knew she wasn’t pregnant?’ ‘Why didn’t she take the first bike when I asked her to?’ ‘What kinda stunt is this?’ ‘What was she hoping to achieve?’
I was still thinking about how the whole scenario was going to play out when I called her again. Still no response. Then I decided to go to Prince’s lodge.
Prince: Papa Junior, how far na…
Me: You dey mad o..
Prince: **Laughs** Na me give woman belle?
Me: Stop jor…
Prince: Ehen how far na, positive or negative?
Me: The babe no show the lab na…
Prince: As how na???
Me: I say she no show, you dey ask me as how?
Prince: I don’t understand… I thought both of you were to go to the lab together…
I explained everything to him…
Prince: Mehn, that babe don jonz you o… It’s just obvious she wasn’t pregnant that’s why she avoided the test…
Me: But why would she try such rubbish on me na…
Prince: Oboy, na you know agreement wey una two sign o…
To say I was angry was an understatement. I was relieved/infuriated. Relieved that she wasn’t pregnant and infuriated that she could try such pranks on me. I was fUuucking scared! ‘What was she hoping to achieve by telling me she was pregnant???’
I decided I was going to give her space, before she tried another expensive stunt on me.
I went home to prepare for tutorials with her brother. I tried taking a nap, but I couldn’t. My mind was just concentrated on the kind of tongue-lashing I was going to give her when I saw her.
When I got to their gate, I knocked several times before the gate man finally opened…
Abdullai: Se oga! (‘Hailings’)
Me: Abu, yaya ne… (What’s up)
Abdullai: Alhamdullai oga… (Thank God)
Me: Ina Salim? (Where is Salim)
Abdullai: Walahi oga, ba kowa a gidan… (They are not at home)
Me: Ahi na za su je? (Where did they go to?)
Abdullai: Sun je asibiti… Zainabu ta kai yi accidenti (They went to the hospital… Zainab had an accident…)
Me: ๐ฎ ๐ฎ ๐ฎ Weni yo she (When?)
Abdullai: Yau (Today)
Me: Weni hospital? (Which hospital?)
Abdullai: Epemsi… (F.M.C Federal Medical Centre)
Me: Tor, bari mu je… (Ok, let me go there)…
:'( :'( :'(
Now, here was the real issue. She obviously had an accident that was why she couldn’t make it to the lab. Damn, why didn’t I think of this. And here I was blaming her! This was my fault. I hoped she was fine. But they would definitely run tests on her and …
** ๐ฎ Oh shiiit, her mum would find out… Then I’m screwed!!!*
I left their house still contemplating whether to go to the hospital or not? ‘If I didn’t go, what would that say about the kind of person I am?’ Wicked and uncaring! ‘If I did go, how was I going to face her mother?’ Scary!
I decided to face her mother anyways. ‘They could not kill me; they are too civilized for that…’ I thought.
When I got to the hospital, I called her brother and he told me they were outside the emergency ward. I got there and noticed the way Zainab’s mum looked at me as I approached them.
**:o Oh shiiit, she knows already!! It’s done!**
I braced myself and walked up to them…
Me: Good evening ma…
ZM: Dioxidane how are you?
Me: I’m fine ma… I got to the house and Abu told me Zainab had an accident… How is she?
ZM: **Tears gathering in her eyes**She is still unconscious…
Me: ๐ฎ ๐ฎ How come? How did this happen?
Salim: They said she was on a bike and as the bikeman was about negotiating a bend, a car came and hit them…
Me: Jeez!!! Are there injuries on her?
Salim: Just some bruises…
After several minutes, a doctor came and signaled Zainab’s mum to come with him. Salim was obviously angry/sad…
Salim: I don’t even know what she was doing on a bike. The driver was supposed to take her to school and back…
Me: Erhm, maybe she went to see a friend…
Salim: The driver should have taken her…
Me: Maybe the driver was not around…
Salim: She should have called him… She’s always proving that she knows everything…
Me: Erhm…
As we were still talking, Zainab’s mum came out and signaled us to come with a slight smile on her face.
ZM: She’s awake now…
We went in to see her and as soon as our eyes met, I mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’ to her. She just gave a slight smile. Salim began asking her questions about where she went to and how it happened. I just stood there watching them. She was alive and fine, but the ‘issue’ was still not resolved. It was a time bomb waiting to explode.
I waited for about 20 gruesome minutes before Zainab’s mum came back from the doctor’s office. It felt like 20 hours. I was no more paying attention to what Zainab was saying anymore. I was concerned about how Zainab’s mum was going to come screaming at Zainab, ‘Who is responsible for your pregnancy????’
