…Continued from Chapter Fourteen.
“What did the test kit say?” I asked, picking up the phone.
“It’s positive Ebun. I’m pregnant!” She exclaimed between sobs.
“Stop crying, please. Just stay put, I’m coming over to your house now.”
On my way, I kept thinking about Lekan and the number of times I got an abortion. The pain I had to endure and the scars they left still haunt me till this day.
Tola was most likely to do the same, but I wasn’t sure about her courage. I walked into her room and she was crawled up in the corner of her bed soaked in tears.
“My life is over!” she said as she looked up at me.
“Babe, how can your life be over? There’s no need to cry like this.” I walked over to her to give her a reassuring hug.
From the way she cried, I could tell this was her first pregnancy. My poor friend. I was as messed up as she is the first time I found out I was pregnant.
“I don’t know what to do,” She sobbed even more.
“Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out but first tell me about the father. Do you think he would be willing to accept this baby and start a family?”
“I don’t know, Ebun. I just started seeing him recently before I came back to Nigeria. He lives in the UK”
“Okay. Can you remember the exact day you guys had sex?”
“Yes, a month and a week ago precisely”
“Okay. That’s good”
“How can anything about this be good Ebun?” she said, surprised at my response.
“This means it’s still well under six weeks if indeed you are pregnant, trust me you’ll see,” I said confidently.
“If indeed I’m pregnant?! I just told you its positive and you’re saying if indeed…”
“Yes!” I interjected, “Those test kits can be misleading at times, so until we do a proper blood test we can’t conclude.”
Experience taught me firsthand that kits can be inaccurate. I knew exactly what to do in situations like this.
“But I missed my period.” She said in protest
“We need to do a blood confirmation test, so we’ll be sure.”
“Ebun, my mother will kill me if she finds out about this.” More tears.
I hug her tighter, “so, we have to keep her from finding out.”
“I’m not ready to have a baby.”
We were both in our mid-twenties and ripe for motherhood but I know to have a baby outside wedlock is too much shame for her to bear.
“Just in case, I know a doctor who carries out the procedure and he is quite affordable.”
“I can’t believe I’m having this discussion. What procedure?”
“Abortion and I suggest you call him whoever this guy is and let him know the situation,” I suggested
“I already did and I don’t think he is taking the news lightly.”
At this time Tola had sobered up but her eyes were swollen from all the crying. The reality of the situation was beginning to sink in.
“Ebun, no one must hear about this. You know how word gets around.”
“We’ll get through this without anyone finding out, I promise.”
I know I have to be here for Tola but the thought of Collins’ visit lingered in my mind. Why did he come? Maybe to find out if I spoke to the cops I thought to myself?
“Ebun!”
Tola’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
“Are you okay?”
“Hey,” I wave my hand in disbelief, “I am supposed to be asking you that madam.”
“I know, but you were almost talking to yourself there.”
“It’s nothing; it’s irrelevant.”
“Can we go for the test today? I really want to get this over with.”
“Sure, I’ll take you to a place I know.”
We proceeded to the medical laboratory that I suggested. On arrival, her blood sample was taken, while we waited at the reception for the result. Thirty minutes later a door opened and a young lady came out.
“Your result is ready,” she said as she handed us a white envelope.
Too terrified to open it herself, she handed the result to me and I obliged.
“It says positive right?” she said with a depressed look.
“Tee you’re not pregnant!” I said in excitement. “It is negative!”
To be continued next week.