Unfulfilled promises 36

Unfulfilled Promises

Written by Audrey Timms 

Episode 36

“Get out of my house and stay out!” Oleng’s mum yelled.

Oleng who had been asleep all this while came out and ran to her friends.

“What’s happening?”

Zinny who was breathing heavily said, “We came to see you but your mother started calling us names. She called us harlots and accused us of carrying out abortions. I’m sorry Oleng but I had to tell her my mind. She is to blame for everything.” She was crying now.

“I understand. I told her my mind too yesterday when she found out.”

“How did she find out anyway?” Marvy asked.

“A nosy friend of hers told her. Then we went to see our family doctor and he confirmed it. Like I said, it’s four months old.”

“O Oleng!” Zinny hugged her and Marvy hugged her too. They were all crying.

“You girls shouldn’t come here again. I’ll come to your respective houses tomorrow.”

“Okay. Take it easy. Everything will be fine” Marvy hugged her again.

“I hope so.” Oleng replied with doubt.

“Take care.” Zinny said and hugged her too. They said goodbye to her not knowing they were seeing the last of her.

Oleng walked quietly to the house ignoring the gateman who was looking at her strangely. She didn’t care if she knew she was pregnant. He had probably guessed who was responsible, after all he had played a part in the whole ordeal. She walked dejectedly into her room. Ricky had still not replied.

Her mum who was still fuming went to her room.

“So those are the kind of friends you keep who don’t have respect for their elders?” she furiously told her daughter who went to lie on the bed.

“So now you know. You didn’t care to know before.” she said in a bored manner.

“Well, you weren’t stupid enough to get pregnant before.” she threw back.

“Just leave me alone. I’m tired.” she snuggled into her sheets.

“You should be. Afterall, you’re carrying what’s bigger than you.” she lashed out again but Oleng just ignored her. She stood there and thought for a while.

“Get ready. Tomorrow, we’re going to see a doctor. Try not to eat anything because you’re going to have an abortion.” she declared and made for the door.

“What?” Oleng jumped up in bed, “You really want me dead, don’t you?”

She turned around with fiery eyes. “How dare you say a thing like that? Are you not happy that I’m taking you to a qualified and competent doctor to remove that thing instead of the quack your friends would have taken you to?”

“I don’t want an abortion!” Oleng yelled.

Her mum was shocked. “What?”

“I don’t want an abortion. What if this is the only child in my womb? What if something happens? Human beings make mistakes even the best of them.” she threw at the woman she called her mother who was looking at her in disbelief.

“I can’t believe this. Have you thought of the fact that you can’t deliver safely? Have you thought about the fact that you can very well die during labor?”

“Yes. I might not know much about such things but I know there is something like cesarean section,” she boldly told her. “I’ve always hated the thought of abortion. I was among those who campaigned against abortion in school and now that I’m in a fix, I won’t go back on my word. I won’t lie, the thought of labor scares me but I would rather die during labor than live the rest of my life knowing I killed my child, Eric’s child.”

Mrs. Akpan smiled. “So this is about him. Well, for your information, he doesn’t love you. He doesn’t care about you. He just used you to satisfy his youthful lust.”

“That’s not true. You don’t know anything about him so don’t say anything.”

Mrs. Akpan pointed at her laptop for an answer. “If I had known that thing was for you guys to continue communicating, I wouldn’t have bought it for you. Have you told him?”

“Yes.” she replied looking down.

“What did he say?”

“He hasn’t replied.”

“And he never will. He has abandoned you.”

“No!” she vehemently denied.

“Stop deceiving yourself. He isn’t worth it. Men are not worth it,” she retorted. “Well, you can keep the baby but don’t come and meet me for anything.” With that, she left the room and banged the door.

Oleng wept bitterly on her bed. Then she suddenly got up from the bed and picked up her phone. She kept trying to call Eric but it refused to go through. Had he switched off his phone also? She thought in despair. When she finally got the number, it said it was off service area. She continued trying but there was no reply. What happened to his promise of always communicating no matter what? In desperation, she sent him a text to call her immediately he got the message. Yet nothing.

It was like that for a whole week. He didn’t reply her text nor call back and he was still offline. What her mum had said finally seemed true. Eric had deserted her when she needed him most. She would have gone to his house to enquire about him from his parents but her mum refused her going out. She was surprised that her mum hadn’t gone out in a week. That was very strange and unusual though she talked for hours on the phone. Zinny and Marvy were the only ones Oleng communicated with over the phone. Her life felt worthless without Eric.

To be continued