Chapter 7: This is good news

drug given to me was like adding fuel to already burning fire" she took a deep sign and continued "I was eventually admitted in a private clinic, they did the entire required test and discovered that I was twelve weeks pregnant. When interrogated, I narrated how everything happened but to my disappointment, my madam said that I was lying. I tried my best to convince her but instead she was about to beat me up if not for the timely intervention of one of the nurses. I discovered I was only wasting my time and energy. She went home without me since I was still very sick. I was well taken care of by the nurses one elderly nurse was very nice to me she was on evening duty she checked my file. When we were alone she asked me who was responsible for my pregnancy, when I told her , she was not surprised she only said "all this stupid men in Edo will go for anything under skirt not thinking about the implications" . She comforted me and allowed me to take some rest. When I woke up in the morning, she was gone but I saw my madam and a doctor discussing. I didn't hear what they were saying but I knew they were discussing about me. I stood up and went to the rest room to clean myself up. I returned and found my food on my table, after eating a nurse brought a new set of drug and said that the doctor is changing my drugs so that I could heal faster. I was so naïve, I took the drug immediately not knowing the name or function of the drug. Few hours later the doctor came to my bed and asked me how I was feeling, and I told him I was getting better. instead of being happy I could sense sadness on his face, I felt he must had queried with someone before coming to my bed "I will send a nurse to you later" the doctor said and left almost immediately. I was given another drug and immediately I took the drugs I became dizzy and slept off .I only woke up to see myself in a pool of blood. I was having aches around my lower abdomen only one thought came across my mind which was: my pregnancy had been aborted. I felt my heart tightened, I cried till my eye balls became big that I found it difficult to close my eyes" I was not even asked what I wanted, if am willing to keep the baby or not, I felt I was useless not being able to protect my unborn baby"Itoya cuts in "you should be happy that that bastard's seed was aborted, even if you have more than enough water in your eyes must you cry?" "Even if the pregnancy was not intentional, still I wasn't ready to abort it because firstly the child was innocent, secondly because of the risk involve. I felt so empty I had not only lost my virginity but also lost the pregnancy. A nurse was cleaning me up when the elderly nurse came in; she was holding a food flask bag. She was shocked to see me in a pool of blood. She was speechless; the bag fell off from her hand. Well to cut the long story short, I tried to escape from the hospital when I was a little bit better because I didn't want to return to my madam but I was knocked down by a fast moving vehicle. I was taken to another hospital where they were told my womb was damaged and only by miracle will I ever be able to conceive again. On the day I was to be discharged I begged the couple to take me home but they told me that am too big to stay with them I was afraid they will send me back to the street and my life will be ruined. I had no choice but to go back to the private hospital that I was admitted before , I stayed at the back of a flower so that no one could see me; waiting for the elderly nurse . After waiting for hours she eventfully arrived. She took me home and took care of me, one day when I told her that I want to go back to my village and that I will need transport fare. She asked me what I will doing when I get back home , I told her that I will be farming but Aunt Lizzy; for that is her name, told me that she will establish me. She built this place in my name and handed it over to me to compensate and encourage me, I refuse to hook up with any guy because apart from sex and warmth I have no other thing to offer and you know in this part of our country female children means nothing to the family not to talk of a barren woman like me ,this is the ugly situation behind my smiles" she said smiling like a carefree little girl "don't pity me because am over it, this all happened two years ago and ever since my business had being growing fast Aunt Lizzy is so proud of me am happy because am responsible for my own happiness""You are so strong, I don't think I can go through this and come back alive" Itoya said putting her face down sadly"Why were you sad when I met you an hour ago" Amen asked remembering the reason they entered the canteen"Am pregnant" Itoya answered "That is good news, we should be celebrating" Amen said

"I don't want the baby because am going back to school" she said Amen was shocked upon hearing her friend's statement; she looked at her stunted, short of words

"What do you know, even after hearing my experience, you still want to abort it?"She asked in shock