@ least my ploy worked. It got u 2 continue d story. Oya com and continue it. Shey her mama beat am 2 death!

“What?” Mrs. Linda Akpan was shocked.
“You can’t be serious, Kate.”

“I’m dead serious. As you know, I am a mid-wife so I have seen so many pregnant women in my time. Your daughter is pregnant. It should be roughly four months.” she said as a matter of fact.

“Jesus! I’m dead. This girl has killed me.” She put her hands on her head.

“Find out from her how far gone she is and who’s responsible.”

“I think I know who is responsible. I warned her. I told her not to bring that boy to this house again.” she was in rage now.

“It might not have been here. Afterall, there are so many places where it could have been done.”

“My God!” she was actually shaking.

“I’ll take my leave now,” The nosy woman said getting up. “Just take it easy. These things happen. Just find out things from her and see how you can get rid of it before it starts showing or ruin her future. If you like, I know a good doctor who can help you remove it without complications.” she advised.

Her friend could only nod her head. Oleng, pregnant! It was unbelievable. She didn’t even know when her friend left as she just sat there thinking and shaking her head. Then she suddenly got up in anger.

Oleng was very surprised to see her mum in her room. Her mum never entered her room. She looked at Eric’s huge portrait on the wall and hissed.

“Get dressed,” Her mum told her without preamble. “We’re going to see Doctor Stanley.” she declared and was about walking out of the room when Oleng said,

“What for? I’m not sick.”

“I know you’re not sick. You’re going for an examination.”

“Examination for what when I’m not sick?” she fearfully enquired.

“Don’t try to be smart with me young lady! Or maybe you want to tell me the truth to save me the trouble of dragging you to the hospital.” She walked into the room and folded her arms looking piercingly at her daughter on the bed.

“What truth?” she asked in almost a whisper as she swung her legs from the bed to the floor.

“Are you pregnant?”

Oleng held her mouth on impulse. Her heart beat became faster. That nosy woman had somehow found out and told her mother. What was she going to do now?

“No.” she said and shook her head at the same time.

“Then get dressed, we’re going to the doctor to make sure you’re not.” Her mother pronounced and started walking to the door again.

“But I don’t want to see the doctor. I’m not pregnant.” she protested.

“Oleng! If you don’t get dressed right now, I’ll beat you up and drag you to the hospital.” Her mum fiercely told her which made her shiver.

Her mum was rarely in a fit and whenever she was, heaven help her! She slowly put on her clothes again as tears streamed down her eyes. She knew the cat would be let out of the bag now. Her mum would discover that she was pregnant for Ricky.

“Oleng!” Her mother yelled from the sitting room and poor Oleng in fear ran out.

They were both quiet as her mum drove to the private hospital. Unfortunately for her, the doctor was not busy so they were ushered into his office. Oleng looked at their elderly family doctor and tears rolled down her eyes anew. He would be disappointed in her. Her mum found it hard to explain why they were there. The doctor was surprised when she was able to say something.

Oleng looked at the floor when he looked at her with disbelief. When he asked her the last time she had seen her period and she kept quiet, her mum barked at her. Doctor Stanley told her to take it easy. Oleng told him. He made her lie on the bed and examined her. Her mum insisted on watching. She shook her head when she saw the tell tale bulge that had been her daughter’s flat tummy.

They drove home quietly again with her mum shaking her head and continuously asking how could she have done this after the doctor had pronounced her at least four months pregnant and the result of the test they had waited for had read positive.

When they got home, Oleng rushed to her room but her mum followed her to torment her.

“How could you Oleng? How could you? Didn’t I warn you? Didn’t I tell you not to bring that boy here again? Just look at yourself now. Where’s the boy now? He’s in the states enjoying himself while you’re here carrying his bastard. I never knew you were so stupid. Stupid enough to get yourself pregnant at such a tender age. You’re just fifteen for crying out loud!” Mrs. Akpan ranted and raved while Oleng just used her hands to cover her ears as she wept loudly.

“I don’t mind the fact that you had sex,” she continued “Because you kids of nowadays are very experimental but for you to be so stupid to get yourself pregnant is what’s driving me mad. Where did contraceptives and condoms go?”

After she said that, something snapped inside Oleng. She suddenly stopped crying and got up from the bed to face her mother.

“How could I have known about contraceptives and condoms?” she yelled, “Did you for once tell me about them? The day I came to you to explain, adolescence, puberty and pregnancy to me, didn’t you send me out of your room with the excuse that you were tired and some other time? But you never found time for me. You were either in Dubai today or China tomorrow. Even when you were at home, you didn’t give a damn about me. And now you stand there blaming me for everything and calling me stupid.

Eric taught me everything I know today. It was his mum who told me about menstruation. She bought me my first pad. And maybe I got pregnant on purpose because you told me sometime ago that if I got pregnant, I’d go and live with them and I know for sure that life there will be better where I can get attention no matter how little than here where I’m not noticed.” she spat out angrily.

For an answer to her outburst, her mum gave her a sound slap. She fell on the bed and held her cheek. “How dare you talk to me like that? I’m still your mother!”

“No!” Oleng yelled, “You’re not my mother. You’re a stranger. I hate you!” she yelled and ran out of the room. She ran out of the house also.

Linda walked slowly to the living room and collapsed on a chair. Thoughts flooded her. She sighed when she remembered sixteen years ago in Calabar.

She had been head over heels in love with Umoh then. They had planned on getting married. The day Umoh gave her an engagement ring was her happiest. Everything had been going smoothly until that fateful night. She and her boss, Efiok had gone for a business night party. The alcohol had been very strong and before she knew what was happening, she found herself in bed with him the following morning. He had apologized profusely for what had been a drunken one night stand.
She had wanted to resign her job as his secretary but she had needed the money for her wedding so she had stayed but their relationship became strained because of that night.

She was almost suicidal when she discovered a month later that she was pregnant. She couldn’t pass off the child as Umoh’s which she would have done not to lose him but she and Umoh had never gone to bed together. They had been waiting for their wedding night and now her boss had ruined it. She went for a D and C but almost lost her life in the process yet they had not removed the baby because doing so would cost her her womb. She kept everything to herself until Umoh discovered she was pregnant. She tried explaining things to him but he wouldn’t listen. He called off the engagement. She wept herself almost to death.

It was her younger sister whom she had confided in, who had gone to tell her boss that she was pregnant. He was sorry Umoh had broken up with her and wanted to marry her but she refused. He had continued pleading and with her sister’s intervention, they had gone to get married in the registry. Efiok had wanted a white wedding but she would hear nothing of it. Efiok had been a perfect husband. Even though they had not planned the pregnancy or marriage, he fell into the role of husband and expectant father very well while she was always moody at losing Umoh.

As fate would have it, he died in a plane crash on his way to Port Harcourt to return back to Calabar the same day. When the news had been broken to her, she had gone into forced labor and had given birth to Oleng a month before she was due. She hadn’t breastfed her baby. Her sister, Vien who had been nursing a baby then had been the one to breastfeed and wean Oleng because she, Linda had been very sick after the birth, for over a month.
Vien had been the one to give Oleng her name.

She had decided to change location then to forget everything and she had chosen Port Harcourt. It was when Oleng was two years old that she had gone to bring her to live with her in Port Harcourt. To worsen matters when she had met two other men who wanted to marry her, they had deserted her when they discovered she had a child. So Oleng was indirectly responsible for her loneliness though she had not killed her father who would have been a companion to her. It had caused her great pain when she had gone to Calabar once and saw Umoh with his wife and kids. What she had lost because of Oleng made her more bitter. That had brought a greater gap between them because she couldn’t forgive Oleng however childish it seemed for taking her happiness away even though it wasn’t her fault. All these had made her cold, bitter and authoritative. It had made her swear off men because they were all bastards!

As her heart turned colder, she knew the saying was true that if a female got pregnant out of wedlock and gave birth to a female child, the girl would follow her foot steps. She had gotten pregnant out of wedlock and now Oleng had done the same at an even younger age.
Hell no! She wasn’t going to allow history repeat itself. She had been secretly molding Oleng to become like her. She had withdrawn emotion from her because emotion didn’t get one anywhere in this world. She had left her alone for her to endure hard times and become mature without motherly love. To help her cope in this wicked world yet she had disappointed her by getting pregnant for that bastard! Such foolishness she couldn’t fathom. Had Oleng ever seen her with a man? Why hadn’t she taken cue from her? Couldn’t she have used a contraceptive? It made her very angry. She knew what she was going to do. She sat there just staring into space until late evening when Oleng came back.

Oleng ignored her mother and went to her room. She had made up her mind to tell Ricky. At least to get away from this house before her mother poisoned her. She had no idea if Ricky’s mum would accept her but she had to try. Anything was better than staying here where she knew surely her mum would make her life a living hell.

Eric was offline but she still typed the message. She told him she was sorry but she was pregnant and needed help. She asked if she should go to his mother. She pleaded with him to reply and she was sorry for shutting him out all this while. She waited and waited but he didn’t come online. She slept off still waiting. She woke up the following morning yet Eric had not replied. She became sort of scared. Her mum didn’t go out much to her annoyance. She went to the kitchen to get herself breakfast thanking God that her morning sickness had let down. She ignored her mum.

By afternoon, Eric had still not replied. She became worried. She picked up her phone and sent him a message to call her as soon as he got the message. She waited and waited, yet nothing.
What’s going on? She wondered.

[color=#006600][/color]I think I like this. Pls when would you continue[b]I think I like this. Pls when would you continue[/b]I think I like this. Pls when would you continue

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morsadh: [color=#006600][/color]I think I like this. Pls when would you continue[b]I think I like this. Pls when would you continue[/b]I think I like this. Pls when would you continue

. Tanx 4 liking it. I'm abt 2 continue

Incredibleme: Following like seriously. Am realy geting hot stuff her, more power man.

. Tanx so much 4 following. Dts d encouragement I nid 2 write on!

#############################
Zinny and Marvy were amazed when Oleng‘s mum opened the door when they came to visit her after school as they had promised.

“Yes?” she asked harshly, “What are you prostitutes doing here?”

They were shocked but she continued, “Isn’t the fact that you have ruined her life enough?”

“Ma, we don’t know what you’re talking about.” Marvy managed to say.

“Oh! You want to tell me you don’t know she’s pregnant? You want to tell me you all haven’t been sleeping around but are wiser. Why didn’t you tell her what you normally do to avoid pregnancy? Or is it that you girls have done so many abortions you want her to join your club?” she lashed at the bamboozled girls.

“Now before I lose my temper, you harlots better get out of my compound.” she furiously told them.

“Let’s go, Zinny.” Marvy told her friend who stood looking at Mrs. Akpan in anger.

“No Marvy,” she shook her friend off. “She’s going to tell me when she saw us standing on the streets looking for men and if it is her hospital that we did the many abortions.”

“Zinny, please let’s go.” Marvy tried dragging her but she stood rigid.

“Oh! So you want to know?” Mrs. Akpan smiled bitterly.

“You’re only looking for who to blame when the person to blame is you. Have you ever been there for your daughter? Have you ever discussed sex with her before? Is it not a mother’s place to teach her daughter the dangers of premarital sex? Now you’re blaming us. We did our best. I think its God that is punishing you for your wickedness but it’s a pity He’s using poor Oleng.” she continued yelling as Marvy dragged her towards the gate where the gate man stood staring.

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

Oleng who had been asleep all this while suddenly 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, its four months old.”

“Oh 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 gate man 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 began walking out of the room.

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

“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.

How could he do this to her? Abandon her at a time like this. She knew it was scary being told that you were going to be a father at sixteen but he would have thought of her also and what she would be going through. After two weeks and there was still no message from him, she had to agree with her mother, Eric had abandoned her.

Joy was hers when she finally got a message from his line. She was however shocked beyond words when she read the message. It read,

“Oleng, I got your message. So you actually want me to believe the pregnancy is mine? I’m too young to be saddled with an unwanted baby even if it were mine. I have a bright future ahead of me. So terminate the pregnancy and forget about me. Eric.”

Oleng became numb. So Eric had gotten her message all this while and ignored it. He had deliberately switched off his phone and abandoned her and now he wants her to not only terminate the pregnancy but forget about him also.

That she would surely do! She tore his portrait from the wall and burnt it. She smashed the laptop and phone against the wall in anger.

Emptiness took over her. Her mum had to force her to eat for the baby’s sake since she was bent on keeping it. She seriously began contemplating having an abortion after all, there was no need keeping the baby now that the father didn’t want it.
She just lazed and dazed around all day.

She heard commotion in the living room one afternoon and strained her ears to hear what was being said. Tessy had finally come back home.

“Go inside right now and pack your things. You were supposed to be here with my daughter not gallivanting around Nigeria. If you had stayed with her instead of abandoning her to juvenile delinquency, she wouldn’t be pregnant now.” Her mum yelled.

“Don’t blame me. If you had been here like a mum should, no stupid boy would have come near her. What am I? Her body guard? So I won’t go to school again and live a normal life because you have a foolish nymphomaniac for a daughter.” Tessy threw back at her which earned her a hot slap.

“Shut your foul mouth! How dare you call her that? Are you not supposed to be like an elder sister to her, to talk to her about such things and advise her? You think I don’t know you don’t even talk to her.”

“And what did you do about it? Nothing! Did you correct me? No! Don’t lay the blame on someone else’s door. You’re to blame for everything. I’ll leave. It’s not as if my parents can’t educate me. You just offered to do so.” she spat out and walked away.

Tessy packed her things in tears. She was going to miss her freedom here and her expensive way of life. Bitterness took her to Oleng’s room before she left. She felt little pity for the dejected figure lying helplessly on the bed.

“So you’re pregnant, hmm? You really are very foolish. You should have come to me instead of telling your mum. I know a good place where they would have removed it for you without any qualms. So that handsome half caste is responsible? I knew you were more than friends. Well, this is goodbye since your mum has asked me to leave all because of you. Good luck in being a mother.” she hurtfully said and banged the door behind her leaving Oleng to start crying again.

A week later, towards Christmas, her mum forcefully came to take away her damaged laptop and her phone.

“Stop fooling yourself. Just accept the fact that he has abandoned you. Let this be a lesson to you. Take cue from me. Now you know why I call all men bastards! It’s a pity you are learning this at a very young age.

Why do you think I didn’t want him here? To spite you? I knew this would happen. I thought you respected and feared me enough to heed my words but your foolishness prevailed. Now you are facing the consequences alone. If I were you, I won’t allow a man come within five feet of me because they are all heartless bastards!

Get ready. Next tomorrow, you'll leave for Calabar. You’re going to stay with my sister, your aunt, Vien. I can’t bear to see you like this. Besides, you need antenatal care.” With that, she took away her daughter's only means of communicating with her remaining two friends.

Oleng felt it was a good idea to leave because Port Harcourt didn’t appeal to her anymore. She felt it would be better to stay where at least she would be shown some love. The few times she had seen Aunt Vien had been joyous ones. She was very nice and caring. So she packed a few things leaving behind everything that reminded her of Eric. They got to Calabar quite late that day.

Thus her life in Calabar began.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Happy new year Oleng!” Aunty Vien joyfully told her as she entered her room.

Oleng just looked at her and looked away again as she sat up on the bed.
“Happy new year to you too.” she said without enthusiasm.

Her aunt ignored it and continued, “Your mum called. She said to wish you a happy new year.”

“I don’t have a mother.” Oleng countered.

“Please don’t start today of all days.” she said in a sad tone.

“Sorry.” Oleng apologized.

“Now, what will you eat? The girls and I prepared fried rice, salad and fried chicken but we also have afang soup in case you prefer to eat pounded yam or fufu.” she jovially told her niece.

Tears welled up in Oleng’s eyes. How could two sisters be so different? Her mum and Aunty Vien were sisters alright though they didn’t look alike. Aunty Vien was a very sweet person. She was nice and friendly. She was tall and chocolate skinned. Though she was plump, she was beautiful, even with a gap tooth. Ever since her mum had brought her there the previous month, Aunt Vien had never for once blamed her for being foolish enough to get pregnant. She had accepted her as if it were a normal thing that she was pregnant.

Aunty Vien and her husband from Akwa Ibom no longer lived together. Due to her inability of giving birth to a male child after four girls, her husband had opted to marry another wife after complications of giving birth to her last girl had made her incapable of conceiving again. She had not been able to withstand seeing another woman in her matrimonial home so she had left their house in Uyo and had come back to Calabar, her place of birth.

The funny thing was that her husband had two girls and no boy from his second marriage. He regretted his hasty decision of going to marry a second wife but Aunty Vien refused to go back as long as the other woman was still there. Her daughters had not agreed to follow her to Calabar having lived in Uyo all their lives and were schooling there. They came to visit her occasionally and spent Easter, Christmas and New Year breaks with her.

Three of her children were nice to Oleng, Anietie, the eldest, Edidiong, the nicest, Mfon, the introvert. Emem, her age mate hated her and didn’t speak to her. The first and only time she had spoken to her was when they had first met when the latter had come to her room.

“So you’re the Oleng, my cousin. The one wey carry belle? Do you know that I wonder that with so much publicity on condoms and contraceptives, people are still foolish enough to get pregnant? You were greedy, weren’t you? You wanted it whole. See where it has gotten you now. And that your mum had to bring you here to be a burden to my mum. To all of us in short because now you have my room to yourself because there is no way I am going to share this room with you. I no want make you vomit for my body. Mama Baby!” she had jeered wickedly at her and left the room leaving Oleng to cry her eyes out.

Emem usually made nasty statements around her about spoilt people who engaged in sex at an early age which really hurt Oleng as she intended. Oleng tried not to mind her because her elder sisters were nice to her. They accepted her the way she was. Edidiong had been the one to comfort her the day she had caught her crying over Eric.

“I’ve tried to forget him,” she had sobbed. “I’ve blocked my mind from thinking about him but he keeps coming. How could he betray me like that? We were best friends. We planned on getting married in future yet he abandoned me when he knew I was pregnant. His own child for that matter. We made so many promises to each other.” she had bitterly wept.

“It’s okay, Oleng,” Edidiong had consoled. “Guys are like that. It’s a pity you fell for him. They promise you the whole world but run away at the slightest sign of trouble. Don’t worry, you’ll get over him. Just give it time. Time changes all things.”

Oleng had been very grateful to her ever since for understanding. Life wasn’t so unbearable there because Aunty Vien and her children with an exception of Emem were nice to her.

wow am intrigued by dis piece. It wonder full. I wish it wouldnt end soon

Incredibleme: wow am intrigued by dis piece. It wonder full. I wish it wouldnt end soon

. Tanx. I dnt tink its gonna end soon. A lot of twists and turns coming up!

She came back to the present and remembered her mother. Not once had her mum called her to talk to her. She sent messages through her sister. She had taken her phone so she could not communicate with her friends Zinny and Marvy whom she missed so much. Eddy and Dave were out of the question. She missed her friends so much she wished they were there with her. Zinny would have made mince meat of Emem and Marvy would have made good friends with Mfon since they were so alike.

Her aunt had registered her in antenatal classes but she had refused to go there again after her first visit. The women and the doctors had embarrassed her with stares. They had wondered almost loudly what such a young girl was doing there. She had heard whispers from some pregnant women that she had probably been raped. She had wept all the way home despite how her aunt had consoled her.

Her aunt had called her mum who had sent down money for a private doctor to come and see her regularly since she refused to go back to the hospital. She had also sent money for new clothes since the bulge had grown bigger as she was five months gone and baby things. That was all her mum was good for; sending money since Aunt Vien was just a teacher.

She followed her aunt to the living room after much persuasion where the girls were making noise about the movie they were watching. Emem burst into rude laughter when she saw her in front of her mum. Mfon nudged her to be quiet.

“Edi love, please can you get Oleng her breakfast?” her aunt asked.

“Sure.” She got up from her chair.

“Please I can get it myself.” she protested.

“Don’t worry, Oleng. I’ll get it for you. Just sit down.” she advised going to the kitchen. “By the way, what do you want to eat?” she called from the kitchen.

“Bring rice for her.” Her mum called out to her as she made Oleng sit carefully on a chair.

Mfon and Anietie tried not to look at her for her not to be embarrassed but Emem looked at her mockingly. Oleng lowered her eyes. She felt ashamed indeed.

“Please Edidiong. This is too much. I can’t finish it.” she complained.

“As usual, the queen of the house dey complain.” Emem taunted.

“Shut up, Emem.” her mother chided.

“Try to finish it. Remember you're eating for two. Do you want your baby to be as small as an ant?” Edidiong teased.

“Actually, I don’t care.” Those very sadly spoken words touched everyone in the room except Emem of course!

Oleng continued to live with her aunt in peace except when Emem visited. Time flew and her pregnancy was now nine months old. Her mum for once didn’t talk to her all the months she was in her aunt’s place. She didn’t mind since she was used to such treatment. The doctor examined her and said she would be able to put to bed naturally and if she couldn’t she would undergo a cesarean section.

She woke up early on the thirtieth day of April feeling pains. She ignored them and didn’t tell her aunt until late evening when the pain became worse. Her back felt as if there was a heavy wood on it. Her waist was killing her. Her aunt rushed her to the hospital when she told her it was as if she had urinated on her body which meant her water had broken. She kept lamenting that she didn’t know that labor pains was like that. After hours of tough labor, she finally gave birth to a healthy baby boy in the early hours of the first day of May. She cried tears of joy when she heard her baby crying.

Aunt Vien was very happy. She kept saying that Oleng had finally broken the girl jinx by giving birth to a boy. Her parents had given birth to two girls; her sister had given birth to her, Oleng while she had given birth to four girls. So it seemed there was no male child in their family but Oleng had proven them wrong. Oleng felt it was Eric’s gene since his parents had given birth to two boys also.

After Oleng’s sleep, she was made to breast feed the baby. She cried tears of joy while doing so. The baby looked so much like Eric. He had his family trait of very fair coloring. Though the baby still looked red, Aunt Vien told her the baby would be fairer than normal. Oleng knew he would look like a half caste like his dad. Aunt Vien noticed that the baby had her nose. She asked her what she would call him.

“Eric, after his father even if he abandoned us,” she replied weakly and sadly. “If he had been a girl, I would have named her Erica.”

Aunt Vien smiled. She told her she had called her mum but Oleng had closed her eyes after the baby finished nursing hungrily and was taken to his cot.

Oleng woke up to find her aunt crying profusely. She grew alarmed.

“Aunty Vien, what is it? What’s wrong?” she fearfully asked but she just continued crying. She looked into the baby’s cot but her baby wasn’t there.

“Where’s Eric? Where’s my baby?” she clutched her aunt’s hand who shook her head vigorously and continued crying.

“Where is my baby?”

“He’s dead.” Aunt Vien finally said in between sobs.

“What?” she screamed. “No! What have you done with my baby? I want to see my baby. Eric! Where’s my Eric?” Oleng yelled hysterically upsetting the drip on her hand.

Aunt Vien ran to call the doctor while Oleng continued yelling. The doctor and some nurses came in then.

“Calm down please.” The doctor advised.

“Doctor, where’s my baby?” Oleng yelled with tears rolling down her eyes.

With great sorrow and shaking his head, he replied, “There was a sudden complication with your baby. He couldn’t breathe. His umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck when you gave birth to him but we managed to remove it but it had already affected him.”

“But he was okay when I held him.” she reasoned still in tears.

“Yes. It was a delayed effect. He suddenly had trouble breathing and finally died. I’m sorry.”

“No! No! No! Where’s my baby? I don’t believe you. You’ve killed my baby. Eric, where are you? They have killed my baby.” she wept hysterically and had to be injected before she calmed down and slept but before she slept she muttered, “I’ll never forgive you. You’ve taken my baby away from me. Eric, they’ve killed our baby.”

Weldone d story is superb,it actually kept me on ma toes

Rhyno02: Weldone d story is superb,it actually kept me on ma toes

. Tanx dear

acome and update o,dis ur story make sense die

Costlybabe: acome and update o,dis ur story make sense die

. Tanx dear. Ur wish is my command!

If Oleng had been considered moody before she gave birth, well, after the death of her baby, she became worse. She became withdrawn. When she was discharged from the hospital, she wanted to go back to Port Harcourt so she would stop being a burden but her Aunt would hear nothing of it.

So she continued to stay with her though she spoke no word. She would stare into space as if she were in a trance. Nothing Aunt Vien did or said could get to her. She had to complain though that her breast felt heavy because of the unsuckled milk. Aunt Vien helped her out.

In desperation at all her failed attempts at bringing her out of her shell, her aunt told her mum to come over. The latter didn’t mince words in telling her to snap out of it when she came.

“You should be happy that you are not saddled with an unwanted baby. Now you can go back to school and get on with your life. Don’t you know you would have found it difficult to get married? No man would want to be saddled with a child that is not his. A male child for that matter! So you should be grateful to God for saving you from such an incongruous situation. Instead of mopping around, get a grip on your life and start preparing to write your G.C.E. exams by September and since it is too late to enroll WAEC exams for you, you’ll take that next year. You must gain admission into the university next year. Have I made myself clear?” she asked the still figure on the bed.

“Oleng! I’m talking to you. Have I made myself clear?” she asked her daughter who just ignored her. She walked to the bed and roughly shook her daughter who leapt up in anger.

“What is it? Why can’t you just leave me alone the way you did when I was pregnant? I know you’re happy that my baby died so that you can continue to control my life the way you want. Well, I’m not in your house anymore and I’m not going back so please just leave me alone. I’ll resume school whenever I dim fit and not at your own command. So just go back to Port Harcourt and continue to live your life without me as you’ve always done.” she threw at her mother and laid down on the bed again not facing her.

“Oh so you feel we are equals now for you to talk to me anyhow because you’ve given birth to a child the way I did even though yours died. So you want to continue to useless your life pinning away over that fool and his bastard child. Let me tell you, you won’t succeed! You’ll write that G.C.E. and WAEC even if I have to drag you to the exam hall myself. I’ll send your books down and everything you need for the exams. I’ll be here by September. Make sure you are ready.” With those sternly spoken words, she walked away leaving her daughter numb.

She didn’t bother to spend the night but took the next flight back to Port Harcourt.

Vien shook her head. Her sister was still as insensitive as ever towards her daughter. If she had known, she would have refused to breast feed Oleng so many years ago and to agree to take care of her till she was two years old. Maybe breast feeding and taking care of her own daughter would have softened Linda's heart towards Oleng. Poor Oleng! Aunt Vien tried talking to her to forgive her mum for her rash behavior but the latter with tears in her eyes told her,

“Like I have told you so many times, Aunty Vien, I don’t have a mother.”

Oleng lightened up a bit but was still a bit moody until Edidiong talked to her.

“See Oleng, it has happened, it has happened. It is time for you to move on. I know it's hard but you just have to try. You can’t continue living in sorrow all your life. You've got to move on. Frankly, I think it was God who actually took the baby back so you could move on with your life.”

“Then why did He allow me to get pregnant in the first place?” she countered in tears.

“Did you do anything to prevent the baby from coming?” she retorted.

Oleng lowered her head and shook it.

“You see?” Edidiong continued, “I’m sorry to say this but the baby would have become a burden to you. You’re just too young to be saddled with a baby and you know my mum is too nice and will shoulder your responsibilities and that of the baby without complaining. So please take your mum’s advice and start all over again.” she wisely advised.

“Thank you very much.” was all Oleng could say.

Great was her aunt’s joy when she told her she could enroll her for the G.C.E. Oleng dived into her studies with great vigor. She had to read extra hard since she did not attend SS3. She studied very hard with all the books and materials her mum had sent her. Her cousins helped her study also. She tried very hard to put away thoughts of Eric and his dead son behind her. It was hard but she focused on her studies.

September came but her mum didn’t show up much to her joy. She wrote the exams and waited to write the WAEC. She had changed from being a science student to a social science student. She felt with so much turmoil in her life she couldn’t read medicine anymore and she secretly hated doctors now. She felt their carelessness had killed her baby so she opted to read banking and finance. It was tough for her because she had been in the science class before she dropped out but she managed to cope. Her aunt, ever encouraging had enrolled her in a lesson.

The results of her G.C.E came out and she made some papers but didn't make some. She wrote the UTME also. She wrote the WAEC to complete her papers.

She wrote the post UTME exam at the University of Calabar and before she knew it, she had gained admission into the university at seventeen. She truly felt grateful to God for helping her out because it was tough business getting into the university these days. She knew some of her then classmates hadn’t gained admission. She was grateful to her aunt too who had pulled some strings because the registrar was related to her husband.

###############################
Oleng found herself attending lectures from her aunt’s place. She was tired of being a burden to her aunt so she volunteered to live alone, closer to the school but Aunt Vien pleaded with her not to go because she would be alone in the house again and would miss her company terribly. She even offered to pay her transport fare to and from school everyday as bribe but Oleng refused. Since her mum was only good at stuffing her account with money, she should continue to do so.

She still wore the best clothes and jewelleries courtesy of her mum. She wore them without passion because she had no choice. If she wanted to buy her own clothes, it would still be with the woman’s money so there was no need cutting off her nose to spite her face. Her new friends Debbie and Jennifer always admired her.

“How I wish God had given me a mum like yours.” Jenny told her one day as they walked to their lecture hall.

“Me too o! “Debbie put in, “Throughout the year, I no go wear the same cloth.”

Oleng smiled sadly, “Be careful what you wish for girls.”

After classes, they went to a restaurant to get some drinks and snacks.

“God! Look at Collins! O God! If only this guy would just smile at me, I swear, I’d just die.” she wailed with wondrous eyes making Oleng and Debbie to burst into laughter.

“God! He‘s so handsome. God must have spent a month making him.” she looked lustfully at the tall, dark and handsome guy in their class.

Oleng wondered what Jenny would say if she got a glimpse of Eric. She would probably say God spent a year making him. She quickly pushed the thought of him from her mind.

“Why don’t you go over and say hello since you like him that much? Abi you dey fear say e no go answer you?” The almost albino looking Debbie advised.

“I can’t do that. It will make me look cheap.” She looked stricken at the thought.

“Then stop drooling over him and wait for him to make the first move,” Oleng put in.

“I'm going to get myself some water. Do you girls want anything?”

“No.” Debbie said.

“Yes. Collins.” Jenny replied making them laugh.

Oleng walked slowly to the counter. She became shy because she knew a lot of guys were looking at her. She ignored them and managed to get to the counter without falling flat on her face with so many eyes on her. She ordered for water.

“Hi.” A deep voice said beside her.

She turned slowly and was surprised to see Collins, the guy Jenny was head over heels for.

“Hi.” she said and turned back to face the counter.

“My name is Collins. What’s yours?” he drawled.

Oleng had to smile at that. His handsomeness didn’t get to her, after all Eric had been more handsome.

“Oleng.” she replied after a while. She wasn’t into the game of hard to get because she didn’t want to be gotten.

“Nice name. You’re from here, right?”

“Thanks. Yes, northern Cross River.”

“I am from Delta state.” he informed her.

Oleng smiled. Jenny was from there also while Debbie from Akwa Ibom.

“I’ve been seeing you around in class and…..” Collins rattled on but she drifted off in thought.

There were quite a number of people there so it took time before her order was given to her. She remembered asking her friends what they wanted and Jenny saying she wanted Collins. So she decided to give her friend her request.

“Would you like to come over to say hello to my friends?” she asked smiling sweetly.

“Eh….” The handsome Collins was flustered for a second. “Sure.” he replied grinning brightly.

He was indeed handsome but she wasn’t moved. No guy had moved her since she lost the two Erics. Even in her second year in the University, she still told guys who approached her that she wasn’t interested in a relationship. Her beauty made it hard for her to be the ghost she wanted to be. Guys flooded her all the time.

“God! She’s bringing him over. I can’t believe this.” Jenny looked as if she was about to faint

“Abeg calm down jare.” Debbie chided.

“Hey girls. Meet Collins. Collins, these are my friends. Jennifer Nwabilo but we call her Jenny. Deborah Okon but we call her Debbie.”

They all exchanged pleasantries. Collins grabbed a chair that was vacated from a near by table and sat astride it facing the beautiful girls.

“Jenny, you and Collins have something in common. He’s from Delta state.” Oleng commented smiling.

“Really?” she was flushed. “Where exactly in Delta state?”

“Ibuzor.” he replied looking at her and smiling.

“I’m from Asaba.”

“Nice.” he replied.

“Please, you'll have to excuse Debbie and I. We have to see someone.” Oleng informed them, standing up.

“We do?” Debbie was puzzled

“Yes. Remember Mrs. Em… Mrs. Asuquo.” she replied making eyes at her.

“Okay. That Mrs. Asuquo.” she caught on and got up also.

“I’ll walk you down there.” Collins offered standing up also.

“Don’t bother. We’ll be back in a jiffy,” she sweetly smiled. “Just sit and chat with Jenny.” Oleng said and walked away with the smiling Debbie.

“Who be Mrs. Asuquo?” Debbie whispered as they walked away.

“I have no idea.” Oleng replied and they both giggled.

Very interesting. Carry on

haha nice prank

sommyqueen: Very interesting. Carry on

. Tanx dear

Incredibleme: haha nice prank

. Lol! Tanx

Incredibleme: haha nice prank

. Lol! Tanx

They all met for lectures the following day. When they asked Jenny how her impromptu date went with her prince charming, she just shrugged and said,
“It was okay except for the fact that he somehow steered the conversation to the topic of Oleng.” She smiled. “We talked about Delta state, this school, this and that, then all of a sudden he kept asking questions about you. I told him as much as I could but he thought I was hiding things from him. Why didn’t you tell me you knew him all the while I was drooling over him?”

“I don’t know him. Well, until we talked yesterday. He was the one who approached me when I was waiting for my order and as you ordered before I left, I brought him to you.”

Jenny laughed. “So you set me up? I knew there was no Mrs. Asuquo. Well, he walked me to my room when you didn’t show up. He’s a nice guy but now that I've seen him up close and personal, he’s not so much of an enigma to me anymore.”

“Really?” Oleng asked bewildered.

“Alleluia! Alleluia!” Debbie sang.

Jenny hit Debbie playfully.

“I guess he’s okay but he has his eyes on you, Oleng.”

“Well, he’s going to have an eye problem because his eyes on me doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“Give him a chance, Oleng.” Jenny said.

Oleng was flabbergasted. “I can’t believe this. Less than 24 hours ago, you were drooling over the guy. Now you are shoving him at me? Are you alright?”

“Yes, though I think you’re the one not alright to throw away such an opportunity. Granted, I was tripping for the guy but talking to him yesterday just made me realize I was only tripping for his beauty. Up close and personal, he’s not so gorgeous. He likes you like every guy who has approached you and you have shunned.”

“I’m not into guys.” Oleng protested.

Her friends stared at her in shock before she realized what she had said.

“Na the reason why we be your friends? Abeg make we know o!” Debbie asked.

“Stop it! I’m not a lesbian. I was hurt by a boy in the past. So I don’t want to have anything to do with guys for now. Until I start working before I can even manage to look at a guy because I know I’ll have to get married some day.”

“You are joking!” Jenny said amazed.

“No, I’m not.”

“But that’s like three to four years from now.” Debbie was equally surprised.

“So?” she shrugged nonchalantly.

“How will you survive it? How will you stay without a guy? Without a man in your life?”

“If you’re talking about sex, I have done without it before and I will continue to do without it. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a virgin but sex caused a lot of disasters in my life and I’m not about to embark on it any time soon. Been there, done that but not going back.” she said with pain in her eyes and walked out of the almost empty classroom leaving her friends to look at each other. Each guessed that Oleng had probably gotten pregnant and had had to have an abortion. They both felt sorry for her.

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 Aunty 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. She consoled her for a while before she 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 still 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? Unbelievable.

“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 that 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.

“Its 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.
“Damn 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.

Oleng was the one who enabled her elder sisters to make peace with her because they had been very angry and disappointed in her. Aunt Vien finally came to terms with her daughter’s pregnancy and hired a private doctor for her. Emem finally gave birth to a baby boy much to her mother’s joy. Her dad also had to accept her and her pregnancy. He was happy at the male child his two wives had been unable to give him.

Emem finally gained admission into the University of Uyo and of course, left the child with her mother who took care of the baby with the help of Oleng. The baby reminded Oleng of her own loss but she always pushed the sad thoughts aside whenever she carried the baby.

happy sunday audrey,serves emem right,u rite so well

Costlybabe: happy sunday audrey,serves emem right,u rite so well

. Happy sunday 2u 2 dear. Tanx so much. I appreciate d compliment.

Thank you for this. It was surprising that Emem could get pregnant, with all the jabs and back bites she delivered to Oleng during her own trials! LOL!!!

morsadh: Thank you for this. It was surprising that Emem could get pregnant, with all the jabs and back bites she delivered to Oleng during her own trials! LOL!!!

. Hahaha! Abi? I ws surprised also.

#############################
Oleng was now in her final year at the university. She and her friends, Jenny and Debbie and their boyfriends went to a new joint close to their school one afternoon after lectures.

“Oleng, look at how those guys are staring at you.” Francis, Jenny’s new boyfriend observed making the others at the table turn around to look at the guys who were actually staring at her.

Oleng didn’t even bother looking. “Let them stare. Afterall, they’re the owners of their eyes.”

“See Oleng, I must confess that you baffle me. A correct babe like you is still without a boyfriend at this age and time. At first I thought you were into sugar daddies but that’s not correct, then I thought maybe runs girl because of your expensive clothes and jewelleries but that is not true either. Lesbian? No. You’re just a normal girl with no interest in men just because you’ve been hurt once. Na wa for you o!” Mark, Debbie’s boyfriend said staring at her in wonder.

Oleng just shrugged for an answer. “Once bitten, twice shy.”

“This your shyness don pass me o!” he replied laughing.

“We’ve talked our mouths off concerning this topic but she refused to budge. Well, it’s to our favor though. I can’t tell you the amount of money Debbie and I have made from guys who bribe us to talk to her on their behalf.” Jenny put in, laughing with Debbie.

“I’ve warned you girls. By the time they come for their money, I won’t be held responsible. Na una sabi o!” Oleng told them smiling as she took a bite from her burger.

“They no go come for anything. We always tell them that we tried our best but you refused to listen to us. Story don end.” Debbie said and she and Jenny laughed again earning smiles from the others at the table.

“I won’t miss your wedding for anything. Even if I’m in the North Pole, I must come to see and pay homage to the guy who would finally win you.” Francis told her smiling mischievously.

“I’m not a contest to be won and I’d love to have you at my wedding. Hope Jenny will be your wife then?”

“If she’d have me.” he said looking at his girlfriend with love in his eyes.

“Are you proposing to me?” Jenny asked smiling.

Francis raised his hands up in mock surrender. “No, my sweet. When I do, you won’t be expecting it and you’ll have no option but to say yes.” he said arrogantly.
Jenny laughed and threw the serviette at him.

“I want to order for more drinks.” Mark said signaling to a waitress.

When the waitress came, she gave a huge gasp. Oleng who was staring at her plate looked up and was shocked also.

“Tessy!” she exclaimed.

“You!” Tessy exclaimed eyeing her from top to bottom. She took in the expensive looking clothes and jewelleries Oleng had on and how good she looked with bitterness. Oleng in turn couldn’t believe she was looking at Tessy who had always looked good in her mother’s house, looking dark and ugly. It looked as if she had been suffering. Oleng knew she had been bleaching then but she had probably stopped doing that which made her look terrible.

“Tessy. I’m happy to see you.” she got up smiling but Tessy looked at her coldly.
“How are you?”

“How do I look?” Tessy snapped in anger “How do you think I’ve been? Ever since your mum drove me out of her house, I’ve been going through hell. My parents couldn’t afford my school fees so I had to drop out of school and fend for myself.
But look at you, you’re looking good. No one who sees you now will know that you were once pregnant.” Not minding the huge gasps at the table, she continued bitterly,

“By the way, what did you do to the pregnancy? Did you abort it or did you drop it in the toilet after giving birth or in a gutter? Knowing your mum, I know she would have forced you to have an abortion. Hope you didn’t lose your womb in the process. Personally, I don’t care because if you hadn’t foolishly gotten pregnant at the young age of fifteen, your mum would never have thrown me out and I wouldn’t be suffering today. But here you are, looking good as if nothing happened. I’ll never forgive you for the misery I’m facing now.” With a sob, she ran away.

If a pin had been dropped at that particular moment in the restaurant, it would have been heard. While talking, Tessy had unconsciously raised her voice and everyone in the restaurant had listened with rapt attention.

that was very bad of tessy she was the author of her own story and not oleng, she also contributed to oleng's misfortune.

Man! Keep up the gud work nd more grease to your elbow.