Unfulfilled promises 43

Unfulfilled Promises

Written by Audrey Timms

Episode 43

Oleng continued to evade guys and men alike. She stuck to the only advice her mother had ever given her. She kept men at bay. Even in her third year when her friends Jenny and Debbie had boyfriends, she still refused to have anything to do with guys.

Her beauty made her an easy prey for guys yet she refused to give in. She earned herself the nick names of ‘cast iron virgin’ and ‘miss iron pants’. She didn’t mind because she knew she was not a virgin. If only they knew her life history, they would leave her alone but as it was, they didn’t know. She didn’t even tell her friends about her ordeal. She just kept everything to herself and concentrated on her studies. She was grateful to God that she didn’t fall into the hands of cultists.

She still lived in her aunt’s place much to the latter’s joy because she kept her company when she came back from school. Aunt Vien gave her her space and freedom which she liked. She hadn’t seen her mum since the day she had come to warn her about going back to school. She didn’t care though as long as the woman kept her bank account stuffed with money which she did. She still didn’t fail to send clothes and jewellery also.

Oleng got home one day and met her aunt crying. Fear gripped her. She quickly dropped her hand bag.

“Aunty, what is it?” she fearfully enquired.

Her aunt shook her head and continued crying. Olneg consoled her for a while before she the middle-aged lady could talk.

“Are you not in your third year in the university?” she asked, sniffing.

“Yes, aunty.”

“Emem has still not gained admission into the university because she has not made her papers.”

“Oh! Aunty, is that why you’re crying? Don’t worry. She’ll make them na! Is it not only Maths she’s looking for? She will get it. Please stop crying. We just need to encourage her. Please stop crying.” she comforted.

“That’s not why I’m crying. Instead of her to be thinking of the fact that she’s not yet in the university, she went and got herself pregnant.”

“What?” Oleng was shocked. The worldly wise Emem, pregnant? Unbelievabl!

“Her dad sent her to me today. Her sisters caught her trying to arrange for an abortion. They are all disappointed in her…I’ve always known that that stupid girl will be the death of me. She nearly killed me when she was coming to this world but she only succeeded in rendering me incapable of having more children. I’ve always known that she’s a hopeless child. I feel like killing her so that I can finally have peace.” she wailed.

“Aunty, please don’t talk like that,” she comforted, putting her hands around her dear aunt. She hated seeing such a nice lady crying over a worthless daughter.

“Aunty, don’t worry. Everything will be alright. Remember I was once in such a situation even at a younger age. After everything, she’ll realize her mistake and become a better person. Just stand by her and pray for her because that is all she needs right now.”

“Thank you so much for understanding, my dear, even after all she did to you.” she sniffed, smiling a little.

“It’s okay. Afterall, we all make mistakes.”

Oleng went in then to talk to her pregnant cousin. The latter who was on the bed saw her and sighed.

“I suppose you’re here to gloat.” she threw at her. “Oya, dey laf!”

“No.” Oleng replied and sat on a chair facing her. “You’re causing your mum a lot of distress.”

“So? It’s not as if I got pregnant intentionally. Na mistake.”

“Oh! So you think I actually got pregnant on purpose. For what? To spite my mum? Mine was out of sheer ignorance but you didn’t want to listen to me then. You called me a fool and all sort of names. Well, I’m not about to tell you all you told me. All I can say is remember the bible says judge not so that ye might not be judged. It was said not only for you to be judged in heaven but also for you not to find yourself in the same situation you were judging someone. I feel sorry for your mum because she’s the one who will bear the brunt of everything.”

“It was a mistake! A mistake!” she yelled.

“D--n that particular condom! God punish that girl wey go tell my sisters about the abortion. God punish Udeme too. Where’s he now? He’s in school probably with another girl. E no go better for am.” she wept bitterly.

Oleng felt sorry for her. Despite the fact that she had been a pain in the neck to her, she couldn’t help getting up to go and hold her age mate who was weeping bitterly. She comforted her.

Oleng and Emem became good friends there and then. Oleng explained the different changes that she was undergoing in her body. Emem felt bad at having treated her badly in the past and apologized profusely but Oleng shrugged it off saying they were all humans; liable to mistakes.

To be continued