Never have I fathomed in the four corners of my little mind that I would be derailed from my goals. My eyes have always been fixed on that glorious spot. I always spied my neighbor’s television just to be able to listen the news, see beautiful people and aspire to be like them, but everything changed all of a sudden. My focus was diverted, my brain was hacked by a stronger device and I was left with only one thing to drive my every action – my emotions. Corper Benson appeared and he became the driver of my every action because he held the key to my heart………
My legs dragged sluggishly on the fanciful Abuja road as I forced myself to keep the pace my parents were setting. We have spent three days here in Abuja, doing only one thing – searching for Corper Alfred Benson.
I cant believe all that is happening and waking up from this nightmare seems practically impossible. My legs throbbed and my waist seemed strained from excessive walking. Every pedestrian I saw was gaily dressed, looking like the ones I saw on television. Even though this was my confines of my little village, I was not enjoying myself, simply because there is nothing to enjoy.
“Move faster pregnant woman and stop dragging your foot on the floor. ” Dad snapped. People walking past turned round to stare at me but I kept my head bowed as shame overtook me again. Yes, I am pregnant for Corper Benson. Dad never stopped reminding me, like I ever forgot.
How can I forget the news that truncated my dreams and brought shame to my face?
“You this useless thing, when you knew you could not handle the rigors of pregnancy, why did you spread your legs wide like a satellite dish?”
Stung, I blinked back tears and walked on with my head bowed. Thoughts vacated my head as I walked lifelessly behind my parents.
”Ahn Ahn, Nnayi” my mum murmured defensively.
“You better shut up woman” Dad countered. “Look at you, like mother like daughter. “He hissed. “You better pray we find the useless guy that impregnated your daughter today, if not, you both will leave my house.” He hissed again facing me. “I wonder where you got your waywardness; it is definitely from your mother’s family because we don’t have sluts in my family. “he said emphatically.
Pain sliced through me like a million times knives.
I had gone from being the pride of my family to being a shameful example in every family in the village just by one single act. I had cried a lot during the past few weeks but now, now all I have is hope that this momentary pain I am feeling is worth it.
Tears burn in my eyes as I remember my dreams, the dreams I have always had of becoming a high class medical doctor. All these dreams are not destroyed, I tell myself. I am confident, without a doubt that Corper Alfred would accept me and my unborn child. I placed my hand on my tummy protectively, trying to close my baby’s ears against the harsh words of its grandfather, as my dad continue to rain curses. My anxiety lifts a little as I remember the words of love that came out of Corper Alfred’s mouth, saying words that brought tears to my eyes. It had been the most exhilarating experience of my life. Corper Benson loves me and would definitely accept this child, I told myself again. We just need to find his father’s house, which we have been searching for, for the past three days. We discovered that his father is the famous Senator Benson, and that discovery seemed to reduce my daddy’s wrath.
We arrived at a massive gate and paused. I checked the address again, very sure that there must be a mistake. This can’t be Corper Alfred’s father’s house, can it? From the gate alone, I could tell the inside would be bigger than my entire village.
“Is this the place?” My dad asked, also awed as we all stared at the massive gate.
I checked the address again and mum also checked the paper with me. “I think it is the place Papa” I said hesitantly.
He turned and knocked the gate. I adjusted my small wrapper and waited patiently. The small pedestrian squeaked and opened and a guy came out. He sized us up, looking at us from head to toe and his eyes returned with a frown. “Yes, what do you want?” he growled.
Dad glared at him. “Where is your oga? We are here to see Senator Benson”
The guy looked at us again and laughed. “People like you can’t see the honourable Senator. Are you sure you know who you are looking for?” he asked incredulously.
“Ogini” mum intervened. “What is your job? Is it not to attend to visitors? C’mon open the gate”
“You can’t come in, the Senator is in a meeting”
Dad hissed and pushed the gate-man out of the way forcefully. The struggled, and during the struggle, mum pulled me inside with her. The gate-man’s noise rang in my ears as mum dragged me along. I was faced with a massive house and I wondered where the entrance was located. Dad joined us almost immediately and the gate-man raced into the house, wanting to alert them, I guess. Before we got to the entrance, the gate-man appeared with a woman who was artfully dressed from her head to her feet. She looked exceedingly stunning. Immediately she saw us, she stared at us like little insects.
“What may I do for you please?” she asked, more out of courtesy.
Dad hissed. “Get out of my face woman. I am here to see that Senator Benson and his son, I don’t need a woman running her mouth in front of me”, he grated out.
The woman gasped angrily. “What do you want with my husband? He does not mingle with your kind” she said in disgust.
“Hey, you better shut up your mouth there or else I would shout and the whole world would know just how irresponsible you are. Shameless people” he hissed. “I am here to see the Senator and his good for nothing son, and the earlier you take us to him, the better.”
The silence in the massive sitting room was worse than a graveyard. The only sounds were the occasional clicking of the Senator’s shoes, as he paced the sitting room in nervous anticipation. The news of my pregnancy has been delivered and after various bouts of arguments, the Senator had called his son on phone. I glanced at the door endlessly in anticipation, wanting to see Corper Benson and have him reassure me that everything would be fine. I have really missed him, I want to see his tall, handsome features again; those dark eyes, that curled hair which never failed to gain my attention, those perfectly formed full lips which could awaken all the nerves in my body with just one kiss; yes, I have really missed him.
The door swung open and the person I saw was definitely Corper Benson but he looked totally different. He was obviously not in his uniform since he had already finished service. Even though it was only two months ago that he left, he seemed to have changed completely. Maybe because I never saw him in anything but his Corper’s uniform. Corper Benson stood at the entrance, staring at me in complete surprise. I squirmed a little from the intensity of his intimidating gaze. He looked completely handsome and all I wanted to do was fling myself into his arms.
“Alfred, what are you doing there? Come inside” the Senator’s wife said softly.
Corper Benson turned to gaze at his mum before silently proceeding into the sitting room fully. The atmosphere in the large room seemed to change as his presence seemed to dominate the entire place. He always had this effect everywhere he got to, I acknowledged and my heart skipped with love and pride. He kissed his mum’s cheeks and she pinkened. He merely greeted his father before turning to stare at us where we were seated.
“Son” his dad began. “Do you know that girl over there?”
His eyes held no expression at all. I swallowed hard as he stared impassively at me.
“Corper Benson” I breathed. Why is he looking at me like that, I wondered. He merely glanced at my parents before turning back to face his dad.
“She was one of the students I met during service” he stated calmly. Despite his calm appearance, his jaw seemed really tense. “What is going on dad?”
“What is going on?” my dad interrupted. “So you are the shameless boy that had the audacity to break my daughter’s virginity and leave her pregnant right?” he roared.
The shock that Corper Benson experienced was palpable. His eyes flew to me instantly and I suddenly wished I could vanish. As his eyes darted to my stomach, I had the incredible urge to protect my unborn child.
“Why blame my son” the Senator’s wife interjected. “Why not blame the slut of a daughter that you have. Did my son rape her? She willingly gave herself to him, right?”
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