thin the second or third month but something else came up in her mind at this point. Eric was not aware of her pregnancy. She had missed him even before now but his absence from her life was becomin

s quiet but she was certain that her father had not left for work. She knocked on the door

” she

ceive the news. Oghale left the house while she was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. He did not return home until 7:00pm that day. That day was the beginning of a week of silence that drove Kome’s patience to it

ll loved Eric. She couldn’t imagine a situation where they would go their separate ways. Benin was just some hours away but she was broke. She decided to approach her father. It was going on to the se

e he had eaten and he was out in the verandah e

an. “I want to

ained

Benin and I need so

ant to do in B

d check my resul

give you the money

riumph. She already had everything planned ou

******

ely laid on her bed. A sense of relief filled her mind especially after leaving her father’s presence. Sh

in the euphoria for a while before it occurred to her that she would not be able to go for service in her present condition. She remembered Eric at that moment and decided to go and see him. She had written his home address down in he

rnoon,” sh

on, who are y

Eric, and I have come

re while I go

ing across the compound and also took the time to look around. Suddenly the door f

asked after they

ne,” she

-room to his room upstairs. The room was carefully arranged and had a nice smell. She sat on a chai

you,’’ he said placin

lied wit

e you been?

I have missed school and yo

ood to hea

ide her and held h

ked your resul

ssed all m

ecked mine and it wa

celebrating,” h

on to the news she was about to reveal made her uneasy. Despite the

omething import

it?” he

le mustering enough cour

egnant,”

t Eric’s face and wa

s is not good

ars, she was taken aback by his reaction. The lines across hi

far g

lready

do something about it then,

ou mean?”

have to

o such,” s

filled the air. Two months ago, she wouldn’t have imagined that she would be having th

going to do th

nother sinful act because o

o is not a big deal. You obviously know that if we

ing me to do. I can’t imagine k

t afford to have a

k there is ano

How do you intend to cater

involved. It is for us

bed and went to stand

to terminate this pregnancy. I can give

ly grown distant and this made her uncomfortable. She stood up slowly

ult. Don’t you understand the implica

rent after all,” s

prepared to assume parental responsibility. He already knew the consequence of his rejection of the baby especially as K

th the seeming lack of support around her. She got to Rachael’s apartment and found the door locked. She checked under the mat in front of the door and fetched a key. She felt some relief safe in the knowledge that she would be alone for some time. She was too distra

roaching feet. Amid the blurry state of her

rnoon,” sh

el la

ou must have slept for a

but there was none. She knew no feelings towards the fetus growing in her womb and had not considered it until that moment in Eric’s house. She felt indifferent realizing the fact that she had stood for the right of an unborn baby against the menacing plan of Eric. She felt this might be God’s will for her life as she had often heard that childr

crying?” Ra

s she cleaned the

fail an

ailing a course. After all, he

de all my

r. She could easily tell her about the pregnancy but th

ther would have loved to see me become

ttle about her friend’s mother but death cou

your day?”

ine,” she

er future. She tried to discourage her fears. She slept little that night especially with her struggle to define what step to take next. She thought about her aunt