epi 8 & 9
Adaobi had stayed for two weeks in Edochie's house. One evening, she was discussing with Edochie in his living room when all of a sudden the urge to vomit came upon her. She rushed to the bathroom and vomited. When she came back, Edochie asked,
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, I am fine. It is just that I have been having this feeling. It is like I am about to have malaria," answered Adaobi.
"That means that we should visit a doctor tomorrow" Edochie suggested.
At the hospital the next day, the medical doctor, Dr Kelue, carried out some diagnosis and tests on Adaobi.
Dr Kelue was one of those Igbos that went to Britain in the eighties in search of golden fleece. He finished his studies and graduated as a gynaecologist and obstetrician. He then got married to a white Briton and naturalised. He was tall and fat. He had a narrow face and a flat nose. His eyes were small with luxurious eyebrows. In contrast to his height, he had stubby but active fingers. He moved swiftly and talked very fast. He could be described as a successful doctor who owned a private clinic known as Kelux Specialist Hospital. He had initially refused to come back to Nigeria because of insecurity. According to him, "if you are not killed by armed robbers, hired killers will not spare you. if you escape these categories of people, you may not escape road accidents or religious riots". It took concerted efforts of his colleagues who assured him that the new dispensation in government had brought many positive changes in the country to convince him return to Nigeria. So since he returned, patients especially women had besieged his hospital. So Edochie took Adaobi to this specialist.
Few hours later, Edochie and Adaobi were ushered into the doctors office.
"Good day, doctor", they greeted in unison.
"Good day. Please sit down. Madam when was the last time you saw your period?" Dr.Kelue asked Adaobi.
Adaobi behaved as if she didn't understand what the doctor meant by his question.
"Anyway", began Dr.Kelue. "I am happy to announce to you that you are two months pregnant."
"WHAT!" shouted Edochie.
"Please doctor, are you sure of what you have just said?" Edochie asked the doctor while his eyes were fixed on Adaobi.
"Of course,yes," answered Dr Kelue.
"But,but, doctor, that's all right. Thank you. can we go now?"
"Oh,yes, meet that cashier for payment and the pharmacist for her drugs. But I hope that there is no problem." Dr. Kelue asked with concern.
As soon as they got inside the car, Edochie asked Adaobi
"What was that?What the doctor said, what was the meaning of that? Please explain it to me because I did not understand what he said."
"Please Edochie, forgive me," Adaobi began to plead.
"I Love you so much and I have been planning to tell you that I am pregnant. The pregnancy does not belong to you. please do not send me away. Please see what you can....
"Please,please Adaobi, Edochie cuts in sharply. I cant believe this! And to think that I am beginning to consider proposing marriage to you? Oh, my God. You disgust me. Come to think of it, you are not ashamed that you practically forced yourself on me. As if that was not bad enough, you also wanted to force another mans pregnancy on me. When you vomited yesterday, I was happy thinking that you have become pregnant for me. I made up my mind to propose formally to you this night, to marry you but thank God for His intervention. So my dear, I will drive you to the house to pack all your things and leave the way you came. Edochie finished and started the car engine. All the pleadings by Adaobi on their way home fell on deaf ears. Edochie's mind was made up.
Adaobi was, undoubtedly, devastated by her situation. Because of shame, she could not go back to her father in the village, so she opted to register herself in a Sisters' Home. Divine Sisters' Home was a place where pregnant teenagers were catered for. The Reverend Sisters in the Home helped these teenagers to put to bed, then later these teenage mothers could join their families or put up their children for adoption. Seven months later,Adaobi was delivered of a bouncing baby boy.
After the delivery of her baby, Adaobi thought of what next to do with her life. She couldn't go back to her father in the village because her father was the architect of her problems. Maybe, if she had told Ikenna that she was pregnant for him, she would have been happily married to him but it was too late to cry over spilt milk. She did not want to give consent for her son to be adopted as she did not want him to trace her in future. She made up her mind close that chapter of pregnancy, Ikenna and Edochie in her life and moved on with her life. She later came to a decision to run away from the Home.
Adaobi stayed in the Home for eight months after giving birth to her son. Normally, the girls were not allowed to move out from the Home unless their parents came to take them. But Adaobi had gained the confidence of the Mother General. So the day Ada told Mother General that she wanted to go and collect her money from her friend, she didn't suspect Adaobi was about running away from the Home. Adaobi left every of her belonging but took the money Edochie gave to her and left. Immediately she stepped outside the compound, she took a long gaze at the compound knowing that, that would be the last time she would see that compound and she silently prayed to God to take care of her son, then she headed towards the next street not knowing exactly where she was going.
Mother General waited for three days for Adaobi to come back and when she didn't see her on the fourth day, she knew that Adaobi had run away. She decided to personally take care of the baby for he was such an adorable and lovely baby. She named the baby Echidime meaning: "Tomorrow is pregnant."
