CHAPTER 11
Emeka didn’t mind colliding into anything or anybody as he ran, all his thoughts were concentrated on how to stop the impending disaster. He used the speed dial feature on his phone once again, putting the phone in a speaker mode as it rang; the result was always the same- no answer!
“No!” He shouted as he made efforts to run faster. “God, you need to help me,” he prayed and kept the cruise like a bull, avoiding obstacles in swiftness, and overcoming hurdles like a skilled athlete. He should have boarded a cab, but this is the time when bus-stops were stuffed up like a stadium hosting a derby, and a tortoise is faster than the traffic. Besides, his destination is just some few streets ahead.
“Yes, thank God,” he said within himself as Bukky’s hostel became visible. For the last time, he speed-dialed her number again and it was a dead end. He went right in and straight to Bukky’s door. He dashed at the door latch- it was firmly shut. He shook it two more times before he flung it open with his foot. He slapped the wall for the switch and the horror of the darkness came into light as he saw two people fumbling for the duvet to cover their nakedness, but the surprise on their face was laid bared.
“No wonder she wasn’t picking up,” he told himself as he went closer to the bed.
“What is the meaning of this?” The female’s voice tried to bark. The male didn’t even talk; he concentrated on covering his nakedness with the bed sheet.
“Oh, I am so sorry.” Emeka shielded his eyes with his hands and quickly moved back, realizing his mistake. “I thought this was Bukky’s room.” He said.
“Get out of my room!” Michelle shouted at him and he quickly fumbled for the door opening to make his way out.
He checked the room number on the door, “God, my mistake.” He said as he looked for the right room number. In a while, he found it and knocked. Bukky opened. She was unmoving and necessarily cold.
“What do you want?” She asked.
“I am sorry to disturb you, Bukky, please, I need to see Blessing.” He said.
Bukky scoffed. “You should be ashamed of yourself, Emeka. Why are you still looking for her after what you asked her to do against her will? Threatening her with text messages and phone calls?”
“I’m sorry,” he tried to explain, but she cut in and said,
“Don’t be; she has been at the hospital down the street since morning, she should be through by now. So, I guess it is too late now, if you are even thinking of …!”
He didn’t bother to listen again; he dashed outside and started running towards the hospital. It was just some few blocks down the street.
He ran and jumped like a rabbit. He was surprisingly agile and not tired as he ran the distance. As he ran inside the hospital gate, ignoring the warning to stop from the security guards, he saw Blessing, accompanied by Kike, Bukky’s Sister- they were just coming out of the hospital. He screeched right in front of her, with a smoke of dust everywhere.
“How is my baby?” He asked her, panting, holding her arms for support.
“What baby?” Blessing, though weak, asked. “I just aborted it just like you instructed. You already said it wasn’t yours and I believed you.” Blessing replied.
His hand slid slowly from her arm as he fell on his knees with both hands clamping his head.
“Nooooooo,” he screamed.
Kike, who already got a call from her sister not to entertain any conversation with Emeka, dragged Blessing along, leaving Emeka right on the spot.
Emeka ran to meet them, but the security guards were already over him to throw him out. He struggled free as they bundled him to be thrown out of the hospital premises.
“You don’t understand,” he screamed. “I need to talk to her! This is my life!”
Blessing heard his last statement as she was about to enter the taxi that brought them to the hospital. She asked the security guards to allow him to talk.
“What is it, Emeka?” Blessing asked. “How does this becomes your life?”
“Listen, Blessing,” he went on his knees. Blessing smiled and shook her head. “I will marry you” Emeka continued. “I am sorry for all I have done. It was a mistake. Please, I know you have a good heart. You have to forgive me.” He sobbed.
“I have forgiven you already, Emeka.” Blessing said. “You were not the one at fault- I was the idiot, the fool, the one who had no vision and no priority. I thank God for the good friends like Bukky. Listen, Emeka, let it go, I want to face my studies now. This is a second chance I will never squander. Not many people had this chance.”
“Please, do not say that.” Emeka pleaded. “Like I said, I promise to marry you.”
“Why are you even make marrying me sound like you were doing me a favour?” Blessing asked angrily.
“I didn’t mean to sound that way, I…”
“Emeka, I can never marry an animal. When the time is come- after I am done with my studies, I want a man and not a kid. I want a human and not a beast who raises his hands at his lady and ….”
Emeka grabbed her skirt and shouted, “Please, don’t do this. Remember how we started and how…”
“Oh, I remember everything and I will love to forget everything!” Blessing scoffed. She was now near tears, “I can never bring myself to remember a thing about you. It was a bitter experience all through!” She finished and yanked her skirt from his hands. She entered into the Taxi with Kike and while on his knees with stretched arms, Emeka watched the taxi exit the premises.
The security guards watched him in pity and let him be. But his mind went back to the shrine and the words of the oracle…
“You need to stop her now before she aborts the pregnancy. If she did, first, no other woman will be able to bear you a child- Not in this world! Even if you found a way to have one, even by adoption, a strange illness will always take it away from you before you ever becomes happy about it! Unless, unless, without force, in her own volition, she agrees to forgive you and marry you!”
THE END OF PART ONE!
