My legs are spread open towards him and although the room is properly ventilated I could feel sweat dripping from my head. I am exhausted but I have to go on, this cannot be postponed. His voice is soothing, deep and assuring; he smiles briefly at me and continues to work his fingers into my exposed vagina. I could feel it coming and fast. I braced my self, took a deep breath, dug my nails into the mattress and pushed with all my might. He said those three words with a smile on his face “it’s a boy”. In my mind the doctor was mocking me. I looked at the thing that just came out of me, the thing that was the cause of all my life’s problem even in its absent state and wondered how many more horrors it will cause me now that it has manifested , I looked at ‘IT’ with disdain. Devoid of the emotions one is supposed to feel at this point, I met the doctor’s smile with a frown and shut my eyes, wishing everything that had happened and the cause-the intruder-away.
The seventh day was supposed to be the naming ceremony. I still had not touched IT despite my mother’s plea. Father had travelled. Jide the love of my life wanted nothing to do with me; I don’t blame him; who would want to be with a monster like me. Everyone blamed him for my predicament and as if that was not enough he was crucified when he refused to take responsibility for IT. So many catastrophes have happened, so much has been lost and the shame was unbearable. Everyone in school called me a harlot; I had been expelled a few months before graduation. Jide was suspended indefinitely and because of Father’s connections a restraining order was issued against his family.
I don’t know what day it is today, I have lost count. I heard my room door open but I didn’t move, thought it was mother coming to give me one of her speeches again, the woman is just so blind and naïve. Sigh! This person didn’t come straight to my bed like Mother does, but instead opened the curtains and switched on the fan. The footsteps are so light, I could hardly hear them, but from past visits I could tell who they belonged to. Father sat at the edge of my bed and touched my arm. I cringed.
“Tayo, why are you doing this to me?”
You haven’t seen anything yet. I will make sure you suffer.
“You are making your mother and siblings unhappy. I’ve sorted school out for you; they have agreed to release your certificate. I can arrange for any university of your choice in London”.
Bastard! After destroying my life.
“I will do anything to make you happy Tayo, just name it”.
Should I poison his food? No Mother will be devastated. Should I tell Mother the truth? You tried before remember- when it was just touching, before it got worse- but she refused to listen. She brushed it off.
“I can see you’re still in shock, talk to me…okay please think about it. I just want this family to be happy, especially your mother; with her blood pressure and all this is the last thing she needs.”
Oloriburuku how dare you try to use that against me!
“The doctor was suggesting that we take you for therapy for a while…”
Never! You won’t get rid of me that easy. I will make sure you suffer.
“Okay father, I will think about it and get back to you”
The next couple of days were better. I held the baby for a few minutes and when it cried instead of dropping it somewhere like I used to, I called Mother to take him. Maybe with time I’ll begin to feel something for it but now I saw it has a pet I had to take care of. Mother was happy, in her mind I was back to normal. I surprised myself actually. I started smiling, laughing and watching TV even the doctor was amazed at the rate of my recovery. Everything seemed normal. I scheduled a meeting with Father through a text message.
“I’m so glad you are better now Tayo. So what can I do for you?”
“You said you’d do anything to make me happy, I’ve come up with some things”
I detected a hint of nervousness in his voice when he said “anything at all. Just tell me”
“I want to be entitled to half of your properties. I want them to be in my name. I also want to be assured that when I travel to London you and Mother will take care of the child. If anything at all happens to Mother, the child or the properties I will tell the press that the Minister of a prestigious church repeatedly raped his step daughter and with what I know about DNA it won’t be too difficult to prove this. I also want Uncle Lekan to be a witness when you hand over the properties to me” he was about to speak when I held up my hand and said
“…and before you ask, no Father, I didn’t tell uncle anything. I just told him you wanted to see him. That’s all I have to say. If you have any additions or subtractions let me know”.
I don’t know where I had the courage to say all that but I did and I was relieved. I waited for his response…
“Why are you doing this to me Tayo? I made a mistake; please try to forgive me…”
“3times isn’t a mistake Father and if you were really repentant you wouldn’t have made me blame Jide and destroy his education. So please keep the stories to yourself. I am not negotiating. Its either you kill me-and add to your sins- or do what I asked for. And please I don’t want to have to call to ask for my pocket money or living expenses when I get to London. Send any amount you think I’ll need”.
A week later I was at the airport. All my demands had been met. For leverage I gave Father a copy of the DNA results proving that Oluwafemi is his son. Mother was happy, Father had nothing to worry about, the baby- Oluwafemi (my mother had eventually named him) and I was about to begin my life…
Okay that’s it people. Share your ideas via the comment box. Would you have done things differently? Should she have told her mother? Let me know your thoughts…