TRUE COLOURS
She stared at the two red lines in shock while her brain ran around inside her skull very confused.
Two days ago she had said "God forbid" to a coursemate who jokingly told her she looked like a pregnant woman. Now, these two red lines had just changed the course of her life.
She eventually found the nerve that controlled her legs and pushed herself to walk into the room she shared with her friend, Jenny. She picked up her phone that was still plugged to the charger even though there was no power supply at the moment. She had to call someone, she thought to herself.
Minutes later, Jenny walked into the room to find Jemima in a fetal position on the bed chewing on her short nails in the dark room. She even seemed unaware that someone had walked in on her.
Jenny hugged her sideways on the bed and she began to weep. All the tears she had locked away in her dam broke out in huge torrents.
When she was finally able to get a hold of herself, she sat up with a slumped back.
"So what are you going to do now?", Jenny asked her.
"I can’t keep this baby. My mother will kill me. She would be so disappointed and those old church ladies will run their mouths. My father, hmm, he would be so heartbroken. I am just nineteen", she said shakily as she wiped away another fresh set of tears, "I still have a long way to go considering my academics, my career and more".
Jenny sighed as she tried to think.
"Babe, I know the situation is a lot to digest right now. I agree with you though, keeping the baby is not an option to consider", Jenny said as her hands slowly caressed Jemima’s back.
There was a stretch of silence.
"Does he know yet?"
"I have not told him," Jemima sighed, "What is the need to tell him? Be honest. He would not believe or he could end up blaming me. I can’t bring myself to have his baby. I don’t want to be a Baby Mama for that fool."
"If we are going to be honest as you said, you opened your leg to the fool, not once or twice even though you know beyond all reasonable doubts that he is bad news. See ehnn," Jenny said facing Jemima squarely, "Look, I know you just wanted it to be strictly sexual, no strings attached but let’s face it, you didnot protect yourself from catching fertilizing his sperm and catching feels for the FOOL! Regardless, he still has to know."
Jemima stared at Jenny bewildered. She wondered how her friend could sound so mean. Jenny was always one to detach herself from emotions when it was time to face the truth and it could be frustrating to the next person.
"You are just mean this girl. You are supposed to be my friend but you lack emotion. How dare you?", Jenny asked as she withdrew herself from the bed to stand beside the bed.
"You know the truth is bitter and I will never sugarcoat it. You have two options here; you either let him know about it which in my opinion is the right thing to do, or you get rid of the fetus without letting him know and that would lead to you resenting him which will not be fair. With the second option, you will commit two sins; abortion and keeping grudges. Think about it."
"How can you sound so... so inhumane. I am the one suffering here, he wouldn’t care less. Can’t you see?", Jemima sobbed as she sat on the cold tile floor beside the bed.
Jenny held her phone up so the flashlight would help her see the tiny strip with red lines. She sighed as she put her phone down on the bed with the flashlight still on and upturned. The room looked haunted in the dark with it’s black and white paint designs and silvery black curtains.
"I am just being practical babe."
"I will let him know tomorrow morning then", Jemima who was already withdrawn from the conversation said with a sigh.
Jenny picked up Jemima’s phone that was atop the bed and dialed Akbar’s number. It began to ring.
"Here", Jenny passed the phone to Jemima, "you have to tell him this night and hear what he has to say."
A sleepy masculine phone sighed briefly.
"Hello baby girl", Akbar said with a slurr that always made Jem want to wrap herself around him but not tonight.
Jenny rolled her eyes.
"I.. I am pregnant Akbar. I just found out this evening."
There was a deafening silence.
"Akbar, did you hear me?"
Another silence.
Jemima looked at Jenny whose hands were on her chin and her facial expression showed she wasn’t surprised by Akbar’s reaction.
"Akbar, I said I am pre..."
"I heard you the first time madam. I’m thinking."
"You could have at least said something...", Jemima said quite tired.
"What do you expect me to say? You ought to have used protection. Are you a baby? How am I even sure it’s mine? The last time we had sex was four weeks back. I feel you are lying, that pregnancy isn’t mine, cannot be mine self. All these young girls that have four boyfriends, gasala burst you won cor dey blame me??"
Jemima was so exhausted. She couldn’t believe what he was saying.
"Don’t test my patience AKBAR! You are the only one I have sexual relations with and you know more than anyone that I am not that type of girl. Just negodu (just see)!”
"What will you do about your pregnancy?"
"That’s why I called you. What’s the way forward?"
"Get rid of it. I’ll send you an address tomorrow. The guy has helped my previous girlfriends before. He is legit. I don’t want to be a father yet."
"Akbar, can you not just show me that you care? You sound so nonchalant. Even if we weren’t dating, could you not at least show some concern?"
"For all I care, you are trying to pin your bastard on me. Don’t worry, I will pay for the procedure. Go with someone you can trust and don’t eat before going. I believe I have tried."
"Wow!"
"I know you used to be a good girl but since you started living with that ashawo roommate of yours, I don’t trust you. You could have just lived with me and I will be responsible for whatever comes our way. Anyways, get rid of your pregnancy. Good night."
There was a beep and the call ended.
Jemima looked at Jenny trying to make sense of what she had just heard.
"At least you told him, he is aware and he profered a solution. At least, you have seen his true colours. See who you got pregnant for sha!", Jenny said as she began to undress.
"But he was always nice to me and..."
"You were just naive. You have always been. I be ashawo according to that goat so I nor get shame. But you know me and you know my morals, that guy wasn’t worth your while. Just rest and get enough sleep. We will go to his guy tomorrow."
Jenny stepped into the bathroom and immediately NEPA brought the light.
"Madam Jemima, how you go piss you nor go flush toilet?" Jenny shouted playfully from the bathroom.
"Abeg help me flush am eh!"
"Okponku!"
Jemima smiled for the first time that evening.
© IYERE PERPETUAL
