And it did work. I felt much better. I needed to garner as much strength as I could because I still had cooking to do. I was almost done with the4 cooking much later when Aunty Florence arrived. She was home a little early. I immediately knew I had to pull myself together, she was a super sensitive lady and could sense something was wrong with me.
“How far with dinner, almost ready?” she asked shortly after she arrived.
“Yes, ma,” I nodded. And I returned quietly to my room. I was lying down on my bed when she came in minutes later without knocking. I sat up on the bed.
“Yes, ma?” I said as I sat up on the bed. “You need me?’
“No, not really. Just wanted to talk to you,” she said, joining me on the bed as she sat down beside me.
“You don’t seem happy with me after I spoke with you the last time,” she began. I was not expecting that line of conversation.
“No, Aunty, it’s nothing like that….”
“Listen, Rosemary, I know you’re not happy with me, I can tell from your mood lately,” she cut in before I was done talking.
“But, honestly, Aunty, I am not angry or anything, I totally understand where you’re coming from, “I tried to explain, but she was barely listening to me. I sensed there was something heavy on her mind that she wanted to let out and there was nothing I could say to discourage until she said what was on her mind.
She shook her head sIowly. “No, Rosie, darling, you can’t understand, you are too young to, and besides, you’re not the one that’s childless, “she began, looking deep into my eyes. “But I realized I was a little harsh with my words, I shouldn’t have spoken the way I did,” she spoke with a voice laden with emotion. “You may think I am being insensitive to your plight or that I’m trying to use you to selfishly solve my own problem, but you see, I do not pray that when you get married you experience what is called childlessness for even a year not to talk of several years like I have. That is why I am so desperate to have a child. Hope you understand my plight. So, please, I beg you in the name of God, don’t let anything happen to that baby you’re carrying, and I promise you that I will do for you anything that you ask of me, so long as it is within my power! Can you promise me that, Rosemary?”
For a fleeting moment, I shut my eyes and tried to process all that was unfolding before me. Is this really Aunty Florence, speaking to me in a way I could scarcely believe? Is this same woman who, just a few days ago, threatened to make life difficult for me if I dared to do anything funny to my own pregnancy, the same pregnancy I wanted her to help me evacuate? And now she was even begging me to give her my word that nothing would happen to the pregnancy and is even promising me heaven and earth? So, what brought about the change of heart? Why did she suddenly go soft and emotional? Why wasn’t she sounding brash and threatening me like she had been doing all along? But whatever it is, she sadly left it a little too late. There was nothing I could do now, the deed had already been done. Her promise to do anything I wanted had come too, too late….
“Come on, Rosemary, you’re not saying anything, or are you still angry with me?” Aunty Florence asked me, her voice barging into my thoughts. Truth is, I honestly didn’t know what to say to her. “Listen, I am truly very sorry, okay? I know I must’ve hurt your feelings but I hope you understand my predicament. I need to have a baby and right now, you are the only solution to my problem, that is why I have been so hard on you. But I have now realized that that is not the best approach to the situation, which is why I am now asking you for your forgiveness. And like I said moments ago, I will do anything you ask me to do for you so long as it is in my power.”
I shook m y head slowly. If only this woman knew she was merely wasting her time. There was no need for the promises she was making, there was no pregnancy to keep for her anymore.
“I understand what you….what you are saying, Aunty, and I promise to do my best,” I answered, trying to meet her gaze as she stared deep into my eyes, searching for answers. “All you want is for me to make sure the pregnancy grows and I keep the baby alive, right, Aunty?” I tried to smile.
She nodded excitedly. “Yes, yes, Rosie, that’s all!” she quickly returned, happy I was responding the way she wanted.
“It’s no problem, Aunty, I will do my best. I will make sure nothing happens to the baby or the pregnancy, I promise,” I assured her. And I was impressed with myself the way that came out so smoothly.
She hugged me tightly for some seconds before squeezing some money into my hand. “Here, take this and use it to buy anything you want, maybe a nice shoe or a nice dress or something, anything you like. I will also get you some more nice stuffs, okay?”
I nodded, wondering how she would react if she heard I had already terminated the pregnancy she so badly wanted.
“Listen, Rosie, I want you to trust me, you have nothing to worry about,” she assured me for the umpteenth time. “In fact, let me tell you what I have been thinking, its something that has been on my mind for a while now but I don’t know if it will sit well with you,” she suddenly sounded very serious.
“What is it, Aunty, what do you have in mind?” I urged her to speak on.
“I have been 5thinking, dear, I know that you don’t want this pregnancy, you have made that very clear to me. Even your father is not in support of you having a babe when you should be in school along with your mates. It’s only your mum, my sister, who wants a grand-child. So, I was thinking I should tell you that I will like to take the baby off you once you put to bed and go back to the village to continue with your education, that way, you will not have to carry any shame or stigma with you back to the village and nobody, not even your mother will know what transpired between us and everybody is happy at the end of the day. And trust me, my husband and I will reward you handsomely if you do this for us…..”
For story submissions and inquiries, please email us at citypeopleonline96@gmail.com