Chapter 7

For every fall, make sure you raise ten times better.

" I will not abort this child" Deborah declared to the dismay of her family, especially her mother. The look they had was that of shock.

"What a stupid girl" the kinsmen murmured.

Deborah had made her decision not because she wanted to rebel against the customs but because her family has rejected her. All she had left was her baby, the little human growing inside her. Even if she should give in to the first offer of aborting her baby, her relationship with her loved ones will never be the same. So why would she want to stay with them? The hatred burning in her heart will never allow her to forgive them. She decided to choose the child that has not offended her. It was not his fault that his father raped her and left him inside her. Moreover, like her, the child has no one else to protect him. And yes, she wanted a baby boy so that she could teach him to value women. If the movement against female discrimination is led by a man then its pillars will be stronger.

Just as the elders were about to make their final verdict, Emily fell on her kneel and bow to the ground.

"Please my fathers, pardon my daughter. I plead on her behalf. She is only a child. Please temper justices with mercy." Emily pleaded.

" Woman! Your daughter has a mouth and a mind of her own. If she wishes for mercy then she should be the one begging, not you" one of the kinsmen said.

Emily was lost for words. She turned to her daughter.

" Naymi please my child, plead for mercy. Please apologize to the kinsmen" Emily begged.

" Mami, I will never beg for what to me is injustice. I have decided to have this child and I am willing to leave this outdated community that is partial toward women. I am going to find liberation and when I do, I will come back for you mami" Deborah stood her ground.

Adam was stunned. This was not the daughter he knew. Has pregnancy possessed here with some kind of boldness?

" Well, Adam, you heard your daughter. She chose her fate and made it clear she has no regret over it. She is henceforth banished from our community and never returned. She has 24 hours to leave unless she will bear the wrath of the community. Now you can denounce her to avoid the penalty of suffering from her ill luck." the kinsman said.

There was silence everywhere. Adam was the first to stand up

" I, Adam Nnajuga Black, reject you as my daughter and I hereby serve all ties with you," Adam said and gave way for his sons who did the same as their father. Deborah stood without any tears or any sense of emotion. But deep down it was so painful. But she still didn't regret choosing her child over her family and community. In the future, she will tell him the story and he will be proud of her. This alone made her strong and a little bit happy.

Emily was reluctant to denounce her child but Deborah urged her to do it.

With a heart filled with pain, Emily walked toward her daughter. The pain of a mother rejecting the child she bore for Nine months is equal to seeing her child die.

"I, Emily Black denounce you as my daughter," Emily said and quickly left the arena with her head bowed in tears.

" That being done. Naymi, you are to take every single thing you have in your father's house and anyone you can't take with you must be burnt. No trace of her should remain before dawn tomorrow." This is the verdict of the kinsmen.

Deborah left the place without any regard for her kinsmen or her family.

From today, she doesn't know any of them nor do they know her.

In a room well decorated sat Dave with a glass of whiskey in his hands. He knew today was the day Deborah will be sent away unless she chose to abort the baby. He couldn't even attend the event that might be the last time he will set his eyes on her. A part of him prayed she chose the other option but he feared she will choose the child over her family, over their love.

He laughed at his thoughts. What was he expecting? He already told her they were done.

He smashed the glass in his hands on the floor.

" Damn you, Deborah, why can't you get out of my head" he shouted at no one in particular.

His father knew he might have a change of heart and pursue Deborah, so to prevent that he threatened to seize his inheritance if he involves in her affairs. What he didn't know was that Dave would not have interfaced with Deborah's predicament. Not because he now hates her but because he was ashamed he join the crowd and rejected her. Her voice kept resurfacing in his head.

Tears streamed down his face. Now he knew how much pain she must have felt. He was scared of how much she now hated him. He tries to remember her smiling face but all he saw were her haunted looks, staring daggers at him.

To love someone is a pain but to hate that same person is a double pain. But he was handicapped. If he had chosen to stand by her and lose all his inheritance. What life will he be able to give her without wealth