Recovery!

We both questioned in unison and expressed our perplexity at the sight of the missing underwear. The situation seemed peculiar and left us with a sense of unease. We were at a loss for how to process and comprehend what had happened to Saintilia. Despite our concern and frustration, we realized that there was nothing we could do to change that. A wave of relief washed over me knowing that she was still alive. The sounds of her moaning in pain reassured Adeline and I that she was conscious. We carefully examined her, trying our best to assess her condition and offer any immediate aid that was within our capability.

"How did she get so close to home and you noticed nothing." Blurted Adeline. I was not happy with her tone. I felt somehow I was being accused as if implying that I did not care enough about my niece to know she was in trouble. I understood she was familiar with Saintilia longer than I was, and they were friends, but she had no right to imply that I did not care.

"We need to clean her." I said, ignoring her comment.

I accepted the fact that she was more knowledgeable than I was in this situation. There was no way of knowing what the outcome would have been, was she not around. For the first time I was grateful for her curiosity. And always prying into one's business. I was also grateful for the way she took over in caring for Saintilia.

She offered to boil some water. I looked at her wanting to know why, must she be the one to do so. She reminded me that I did not have a fire ready so she would go home and prepare everything since she had started cooking. I agreed and told her that while waiting, I would have everything else ready including clean clothes for Saintilia.

I draped a sheet over Saintilia, ensuring she remained warm until Adeline's return. Anticipating the medicinal bath, I gathered all the necessary supplies, preparing for the treatment. It didn't take long before Adeline reappeared, holding two buckets filled with leaves and hot water. I trusted Adeline's expertise, so I didn't inquire about the specific purpose of the leaves as I was already aware of their intended use. Adeline poured the hot water into the basin, which already contained cold water, creating the perfect temperature for the medicinal bath.

Adeline went to the kitchen, she was not a stranger to where things were kept. She grabbed a few sour oranges that were covered in a small bucket, she then cut each in half. I took some of the oranges from her to help, I understood Adeline's intentions.

First we squeezed them in the water, then dumped the skin in the basin. The sour juice would help alleviate her pain, as well as keeping down the inflammation. Once everything was mixed we were ready to give Saintilia an herbal bath treatment. We both lifted her and slowly placed her in the basin.

*******************

I stayed by Saintilia's side throughout the night, as she battled a high fever and showed signs of immense pain. Despite my concern for her, I couldn't help but dwell on something Jonas had shared with me. With this sudden turn of events, I began to question if it would still be possible for her to marry. Jonas had mentioned a man named Emilio that would come for her when she turned 16, but now that she was no longer a virgin, I wondered if Emilio would still agree to the marriage. From our conversation, I gathered that Jonas had no intention of handing his only daughter to this Emilio. He wanted desperately to send her away before she turned that age, but the situation had changed. And sending her away was no longer possible. If Emilio came for her, I definitely would not stand in the way.

Adeline went back to her house to finish her cooking. She later returned with food for me and some porridge for Saintilia which she never got to taste.

"It's late, you should get some rest." Encouraged Adeline.

How shocking and distressing it must have been for Saintilia to go through something like that. Such unexpected events can be deeply unsettling, especially when it happened to someone like Jonas's daughter. Surely, Adeline would have said something if she knew something like that had happened before. There was nothing happening in this village that Adeline didn't know about. It was a long night. I took her advice and went to sleep.

Saintilia POV

I rummaged through my mind trying to recall what I did wrong and how I could have avoided what happened to me. I resisted the best I could. Though I could not see his face, but the stench of his body will forever etched in my memory. He kept my arm pinned to my forehead almost the entire time. Perhaps that was his tactic to keep me from recognizing him. Therefore could never accuse him or any other man in the village. The emotional scars ran deep within. Nightmares and flashbacks haunted my sleep, and every little noise in my surroundings now triggered anxiety and fear. My spirit was wounded, and the process of healing seemed like an insurmountable mountain to climb.

I found myself on the arduous journey of recovery after enduring a brutal and traumatic attack that left me physically and emotionally scarred. I felt embarrassed realizing that Tina must have suffered waiting for me to wake up. Of course I was shocked to learn that I woke up later than I thought. The peaceful haven I once knew was shattered in an instant, leaving me broken and vulnerable.

According to both Tina and Adeline, cleaning me up was not an easy task. I moaned through the entire process. Tina held me upward while Adeline gently tapped the leaves on my wounds. Then she washed my entire body, careful not to cause me more pain. I was surprised to learn that my underwear was missing but that was something I really could not explain. The only thing I remembered about this process was when I tried drinking some bitter tea that Adeline had concocted for Me. The tea caused a sharp sting on my lips due to the cut, prompting me to make a noise in discomfort. Even though I declined the tea, Adeline insisted it would be beneficial for me. Eventually, Tina took charge and spoon-fed the tea to me.

“I am truly sorry Tina.” I mumbled. When I came to my senses.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.

I couldn't respond. I was overwhelmed with anger and I wanted to scream. I shook my head instead. At that moment I couldn't control the tears from coming. I needed to calm down and gather my thoughts.

" Don't waste your time crying." She said,

"I am very angry and when I am angry, I can't stop the tears."

"Whatever happened was not your fault." She said,

"I know that. And I don't care how long it takes, I will make him pay for it."

"Do you know who did this to you then?"

"Nup but soon or later I will find out. Nothing stays hidden for long in this Village."

"From now on, you are never to stay at the river so late no matter how much work you have to do. You hear me."

"Yes ma'am".

I confronted myself with determination to erase everything from my mind in order to survive. I was in a lot of pain around my groin area, making my steps slow and heavy. Even sitting was difficult but I couldn't stay in bed. I needed to walk around to relax my muscles. I managed to walk over and slowly sat down at the small wooden table. In the right corner where we ate our meals. Tina placed a bowl of Bouyon with very soft vegetables in front of me.

Despite the fear that had crept into my heart, I gradually returned to doing some activities, using them as a canvas for my recovery. I walked through the field of the small farm that I took over after Jonas, taking solace in the familiar sights and sounds, gradually reclaiming my sense of peace. I couldn't do much physical work because my body was still sore.

As time passed, my wounds began to heal, both physically and emotionally. Though the scars remained as a reminder of my past, they no longer held her captive. Instead, she wore them as badges of courage, evidence of her resilience and determination to overcome the darkest of moments

Tina, though not a caring person, seemed very concerned about me. She was afraid that I might be pregnant but to her relief that was not the case. Tina was becoming increasingly paranoid when I stayed out for a little too long. She was adamant about me not going to the river by myself no matter the time. So I could only go in the morning with a couple of other kids from the neighborhood.

Instantly I recognized Adeline's cooking upon smelling it. Only she would care enough to keep in mind that I was still healing and unable to shew anything heavy. I smiled and was grateful to have a person like her in my life.

"So you know I did not make this food."

"Cooking is not your strong suit. And I know Adeline's cooking very well."

"She's been here everyday and once you fully recover, you need to do something for her to show your gratitude." I shook my head in agreement while slowly bringing a spoonful to my mouth.

It was weeks before I felt strong enough to return to the river for my daily chores. The day I woke up, I had decided that I would never be vulnerable again. After giving that night more thought, I decided that the man that kept watching me at the river could not have been the one who violated me that night. The pressure I felt from the body pushing down on me, told me that he had a belly. Nevertheless, I needed to be e

xtra careful and hoped to never cross path with either of them again.