That was the last thing I heard before I lost consciousness and slumped to the floor. By the time I opened my eyes few moments after, I was inside the apartment, lying on a couch in the living room. Bobby’s uncle was standing beside me, fanning me frantically. He must’ve carried me inside the house when I slumped.
“Young lady, are you okay now? Are you much better?” he asked me the moment I opened my eyes and realized I was not dream, it was all for real.
“What exactly is going on? Who are you and why did you pass out when I told you Bobby had gone back to Lagos?” the man was asking me a barrage of questions. He was clearly puzzled and had no idea what was happing.
“Sir, I am in a big trouble! I’m in a big mess,” I said to him as I got up from the couch and rose frantically to my feet. I was starting to sweat all over.
“Calm down and tell me what’s going on because you’re practically getting me scared here!” he said to me.
“Sir, Bobby has killed me! I’m in trouble!” I was jumping up and down the room. It was as though my entire body was on fire.
The uncle reached out to me, grabbed me by the hand and sat me down. He, too, was sweating all over now.
“Now, calm down and tell me exactly what the problem is,” he said after he’d put me in a chair. “First, what is your name?”
I sighed heavily as I sank into the chair. “My name is Rosemary, sir,” I answered.
“Okay, Rosemary, now calm down and tell me what the problem is, please…” the man tried to calm me down.
“Sir, Bobby has finished me!” I began, the tears coursing slowly down my face.”I am pregnant, sir….I am pregnant for Bobby!”
Bobby’s uncle’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He opened his mouth wide as his jaw hung open. He looked me up and down, his gaze settling on my mid region. He was simply speechless. He could not believe he actually heard what he had heard.
“Young lady, are you…are you serious?” the man, in absolute shock, asked me. “Do you know what you’re saying at all?”
Slowly, shamefully, I nodded. “Yes, sir, I am,” I answered as the tears started to course down my face.
The man stared silently at me. It was a big struggle for him, trying to process what he’d just heard. And then I saw the look in his eyes change from that of someone who had a bit of respect for moments ago to that of someone who suddenly looked at me like I were some street tramp who lured his nephew to bed. And I could not blame him for whatever he thought of me. I brought this upon myself. I had no business visiting a boy I knew little or nothing about.
“When did this happen? I mean, how old is this pregnancy you’re talking about?” the man finally found his voice.
“It’s just a couple of weeks old, sir.” I answered, looking away from him.
“And who confirmed to you that you’re pregnant?” he quizzed me further.
“The doctor,” I replied, still unable to meet his gaze.
“You have been to a doctor?”
“Yes, sir,” I told him. He took another long puzzled look at me and then asked, “Who took you to the doctor?”
“My mother and I went together,” I returned. He became more alarmed.
“So, your mother already knows you’re pregnant?” he had the look of a frightened man on his face. He knew that could only mean big trouble.
“No, she didn’t go with me the following day when I went to pick up the result of the test I did. I haven’t told her anything yet.”
The man shook his head, stared up into space and then returned his gaze to me. “Does Bobby know about this?”
“Yes, sir, he does. I was here two days ago to tell him,” I answered.
“And what did he say?”
“He said he would look for money so we could do…we could do…..” I could utter the words.
“An abortion?” the uncle asked. I could not respond. He sighed in exasperation.
“How did you let yourself get into this mess when you should be concentrating on your studies? How could you be going about having sex with boys when your mates are busy trying to get into the university and…..” the man was blabbing, running me down without waiting to hear the whole story.
“He raped me! Bobby raped me!” I yelled at him, telling him the bitter truth he would not like to hear. He could not complete his sentence. And the man froze.
