MARRIED💞
Episode 8.
©Miriam Edem
“Mommy what is it na? I asked because I didn’t like the way she dragged me inside.
“I thought you told me you saw your menses? My mother asked.
“Is Menses not blood again? I saw it na, I replied.
“Is that so? And you’re throwing up in the morning? She asked.
“Ahh mommy I don’t understand o, its just normal throwing up na, I replied with a frown.
“Hmmm i see, Take this, she said going to her purse and brought out something and gave it to me.
“What’s this? I asked.
“Go and urinate in a bowl and insert it this way, she said tearing it off and showed me how to insert it.
“Then you bring it to me, she continued.
“Hiann what for? What’s this sef? I asked.
“I got that at the pharmacy to give it to you but since you told me you’ve seen your menses I decided to keep it, this will tell us whether you’re pregnant or not, my mother replied.
“Ahhhh mommy please stop this na, I have moved on with this stage and i know……. “That’s why you shouldn’t be scared since you know you’re not pregnant. In fact you’ll do it here, wait for me, my mother said and left the room while I looked at the strip in my hand with my heart beating.
“What is this again na? I thought I’ve passed this level but its still lingering, I wondered and my mother returned with a used big tomato paste tin.
“Its clean, oya pee, my mother said keeping it down for me and I didn’t know when I started crying as if someone just landed me a dirty slap. As I squatted over that tin that was when the faces of my sisters appeared with the look on their faces when they saw me throwing up, there I knew that our fear is not necessarily the rape but being pregnant.
“Why are you crying now? My mother asked when I stood up from the tin.
“Check it na, I replied so scared as my mom breathed in and dipped the strip into my urine and I closed my eyes tight with my heart pounding hard.
“Sharon, Sharon! My mother called shaking me as I closed my eyes so tight and flew to the other realm instantly.
“What does it say? I shakily asked.
“Sharon, its positive, I don’t think the blood you saw was your menses, my mother weakly replied and my eyes bulged out.
“Its a lie! I can’t believe it, no! Its a lie, I know I saw my menses I won’t believe this! I cried out bitterly as my mom held me and my sisters ran in hearing my voice..
“What happened? My sisters asked but the strip answered them as my mom kept hugging me.
“I said it! My sisters muttered sadly…………
My mom encouraged me to go to school because of the test i sat up all night to read, but I wasn’t myself after knowing after all I did to run away from such tragedy it still happened. I remembered Chinenye mother words yesterday where she said the more we try to run away it hits us hard in a tragic way, maybe she was right after all and whatever is hunting us is just like our shadow and we can’t runaway from it.
I sat in the class staring into my blank paper with my tears dropping on it,
“Sharon what’s wrong? Mary asked hitting me but I ignored.
“Sharon! A strong voice called out this time and it was my teacher. Very wicked human being with no human heart at all,
“Are you ready for the test or not? If you’re not just get out of my class and stop occupying space! He shouted as if I was his family problems. I just took my bag and left very happy I was asked to go out sef, I just wanted to cry and make my body very uncomfortable for the bastard growing in me. I hated the being inside of me, he or she wasn’t welcomed and I swore to do all I can to take it out by fire and storm.
The test was over and Mary looked for me, she saw me sitting down at a corner with my eyes swelled up,
“God the father! What has happened again? Why were you crying that way in class? Mary asked and I sniffed.
“Nothing, I was only washing my eyes, I replied.
“As in you were washing your eyes meaning what? Why don’t you go to the stream and dip it there? Mary asked.
“Please just leave me alone, am going home, I said getting up.
“Wait wait wait, you know you can tell me anything right? Look at you na you can’t go home like this? Mary asked stopping me and I slowly sat down back and didn’t know where to start, I just began to cry again while she confusedly looked at me.
“Mary I’m pregnant, I dropped and her big lips widened the more.
“No talk am again, who has it? She whispered.
“I don’t even know, I replied.
“You don’t know how which kind talk be that? I don’t know you to be sleeping around or were you pretending? She asked and I looked at her.
“I can slap you now, I angrily replied her.
“Then tell me who has it, or were you drugged? Mary asked.
“No, I was raped by four men and that’s where there is confusion, I replied her.
“Ewo! And you didn’t die? Mary asked.
“Thank you Mary, it was a waste of time talking with you, I said getting up.
“Sharon wait na abi you no want solution? Mary asked.
“You’ve given me the solution na, let me go and die, I replied her.
“God forbid I never said such a thing o please, but sit first let’s talk things out, when did you find out? She asked.
“Today, I replied.
“Your mother knows right? She asked and I nodded.
“Its still very young abi? She asked again.
“It should be a month, I replied and sniffed.
“Very good, just leave that to me, I’ll go to my sister room and ransack it very well, some of their abortion pills are still there and I’ll help you don’t worry, Mary said.
“Are you sure about that? I asked.
“Just cheer up, nothing will happen and no one will even notice, Mary replied and I breathed out then she laughed.
“I see why you were always very scared, you should have told me this na, she said.
“When you have a big mouth, please don’t let the town crier hear about this I beg you, I said and she laughed hitting me.
“Shey I promised you that I won’t do it again didn’t I? She asked.
“You better do because I’ll kill you myself, I replied cleaning my eyes.
“Wait let me get you water to wash your ugly face, Mary said and I picked a small stone and threw it on her smiling having a small pinch of hope.
TBC
#milove
