“I’m sorry but none of you meet the requirements for the blood transfusion. The patient is O positive. You’re all A and B groups. Is there no other person? You may have to buy if you can’t find. The patient can’t be made to wait any longer.”
Silence rang in the waiting hall in the midst of the family. The first to speak was Chekwube.
“What is he talking about? Doctor, what do you mean? His mother is an A, his father, my brother is an A. I am A. My wife is the only B. How is he an O?”
The doctor looked perplexed for a moment but then he glanced at the patient’s mother before saying,
“That’s what the tests say. I’m sorry but we can’t waste more time. If you give the go ahead, we can take from the blood bank. He needs at least 3 pints of blood.”
“Ugochi” Amara, Chekwube’s wife, spoke expecting the woman who sat silently to say something. She kept mute but Emeka, gave the doctor his permission being the father.
“Ugochi. What is the doctor talking about? How can he be an O? Mama and Papa before they died were not O.”
With her head bowed, no one could see the lips of the woman trembling, her husband, Emeka, sensed his wife’s unease and quickly stood at her side, a hand on her back he replied to Amara.
“Sister. It could have been a mistake. The most important thing is his life first. Let us wait for the results.”
“Ha! Ugo!” Amara lamented sharply, throwing her sister a look of suspicion.
Weeks passed and their son was finally out of danger. Ugochi was on her way to the hospital in her car with food and fruits and fresh change of clothes for her boy when she saw a familiar face. She froze, her leg on the brakes bringing her to an abrupt stop, jerking forward a little when another car collided from behind.
The world went silent, clouded by the ringing in her ears as she saw the man who was her misfortune all those years ago. The man that she trusted. The man who taught her how dangerous it was to trust too easily…
The crunch from the collision of fist to nose filled the living room, followed by a grunt and the sound of someone toppling over. Amara was first to yell and then blindly threw herself in front of the large man who didn’t seem satisfied by the blood pouring from the other man’s face.
“Di’m! Biko! You’ll kill him. He’s your brother.”
“I have had enough of this crab. Let me kill him. Let me kill the oke’mkpi!”
Ugochi watched wide eyed as her brother in-law lost all semblance of self-control. The man was always quiet, reserved, mature. Ugochi never thought she would ever see this side of her sister’s husband. Unhinged and angry. His face looked nothing like the man who was laughing thirty minutes ago at having clinched a new business deal.
Her heart sank to her stomach when he turned to her, his Igbo accent more prominent in the heat of his anger.
“And you! Under my roof? You let him touch you under my roof?”
Before she could speak, the man who had previously been on the floor dashed in front of her protectively shielding her with his large frame. Despite his height and build, he looked dainty compared to the angry giant in the room.
“Brother. I understand you’re angry. But we are both adults and I’m willing to marry her.”
“Why did you not marry her before defiling her in my house? She’s barely an adult. This girl just turned twenty. E wekwa lu uche, eh Emeka? Just what has come over you? I let you misbehave outside but then you brought it to my house. My sister-in-law no less. Are you mad?”
The man roared. His eyes blazing with unbridled rage. Ugo hid behind Emeka. She was at a loss for words, hot tears ran down her face.
“Why are you crying?” Amara finally asked, “What are you crying for? What’s the use? Shey you have gotten that thing you’re looking for? Okwaya? E mego nu ya now! Ogini ki ne belekwa?”
“Sister…” Ugochi called out, her voice uneven.
“Don’t sister me! This girl! What is your problem? You just got into University and you’re pregnant? If you couldn’t respect yourself as a lady, you could have at least respected me or my husband who is not only paying your fees but also feeding you. Mba! Instead, you decided to bring shame on our dead parents.”
Each word felt like a dagger to her heart. With tears running down her face, she turned and ran upstairs, locking herself in the room, ignoring their calls. She wasn’t stupid. She obviously knew what this meant for her future. If her brother-in-law was kind enough to see her through, she would give birth with no obstacles but what about school? She had to forfeit it for at least a year. Her sobs filled the room. Her heart ached as this isn’t what she wanted. It was never what she planned. If she had her way, she would not be in this situation today. But it already happened.
“Ugo. Please open the door.” It was Emeka.
“Go away please. I don’t want to talk.” She replied
“Ugo. Either you open the door or I force it open. This is no time to be shutting down or shutting me out.”
Something flashed in Ugochi’s eyes and she bounded to the door, blurting as soon as she pulled it open,
“I want an abortion.”
The man paled, his age of thirty-five slightly apparent on his light skinned face, nose dyed red from the punch he took earlier.
“You can’t be serious,” he hissed as he walked in and shut the door, “Ugo are you mad?”
“I am not mad. I have more clarity than ever. I can’t have this child. I don’t want it.”
“Murder is a sin! You want to kill this child for what? It has done nothing to you.”
“But it will be a constant reminder of that wretched night, Emeka. The night my innocence was stolen from me. I can’t have this child. I can’t lose my future.”
“And what will you tell your sister? We already told them I’d marry you. I’m ready to raise the child. Ugo, stop this madness.”
“Well I’m not ready. I won’t be the victim of rape and have my future stolen from me!” Ugo’s voice cracked, her voice going an octave higher even as tears continued to pour.
How could she forget? How could she live with the constant reminder of the man who stole her innocence? How could she?
“I don’t care anymore. I’m going to tell them the truth.”
She moved to walk past him but he dragged her back, not caring that she fought against him.
“Ugo. I know you’re in pain. I know this must be difficult. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you any other way. But please. You might end up regretting this should the future come. Please. Let me just marry you. We’ll raise the child. I’m not worse off than my brother. I’ll take full responsibility, o?”
Ugochi let him hold her to his chest, crying and heaving. She was tired. She was very tired.
That was twenty years ago. Twenty years later, she narrated all that happened to Amara who was in tears, her hands on her head as she wailed. Chekwube tried to comfort her but he barely succeeded.
“Ugo! Why? Why did you keep this from me? From us? We are your family. Have we ever judged you?”
Ugo kept mum. Deciding in her heart not to repeat those piercing words her sister said to her all those years ago. She had in fact judged her, but now was not the time to point fingers.
“Ugo. You said you saw him.” Chekwube said.
“Yes. I saw him entering Garden Plaza. He looks the same.”
“It’s time he paid for what he did.”
Ugo trembled, turning to look at her husband who nodded in agreement.
“It’s been twenty years. Who would believe me? I will be blamed. Ah! I can’t have my son go through the pain of watching his mother be dragged by the country. No. I choose to let it go.”
“Ugo…”
“Emeka please. Back me up. It’s already been twenty years. We have four children. We are happy. Are you not happy?”
“Of course I am.”
“Then let’s leave it. Please. I’m not strong enough to face the world’s judgement. Not strong enough to face my son’s judgement. None of my children will know. They are happy. Please sister…” Ugo got on her knees.
“Biko, stand up. Don’t kneel.” Emeka lifted her up.
“They can’t know. Let’s forget it. It’s in the past. Biko. I just want to enjoy my family.”
“Brother,” Emeka began, “If this is what my wife wants, I’d like to respect her wish. Ikenna will always be my son. No matter what. So, let’s leave the past behind.”
“Okay. If that’s what you all wish. Also, I’m sorry for how I reacted in the past. I shouldn’t have hit you. You didn’t deserve that.” Chekwube said.
Emeka gave him a resigned smile, “It’s okay. I expected worse. Thank God you didn’t go after something else.”
Despite the heavy atmosphere, light laughter rang amidst the group of four. Unknown to them, a figure stood dumbstruck by the crack of the door listening the whole time to the conversation. His eyes wide with horror.
Nice one!but this is heart breaking :(
It was... thank you for reading.
Don’t tell me that was Ikenna listening the whole time!
What a fantastic story. Except for those part you spoke in the Igbo language, I could literally paint a picture of some of the scenes. Nice one, Deraa.
Thank you very much, Hope! 💐🌹🫰🏾 I'm glad my story painted an image❤️.
You’re welcome!
People forget walls have ears
A very interesting story about terrible pasts and truths that come to light after so much time. A very entertaining read, with a well-developed plot. Very good work.
Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Excellent day.
Thank you very much!