Preordained #ProjectNigeria

50- A Call

She starts to sob.

I take in a deep breath and close my eyes. Tasha does not deserve to suffer like this, pregnant and unwanted.

"Tasha, have you told your parents? Your sister?"

"They will kill me. They warned me about Seun. But I didn't listen, I thought I loved him."

"Listen to me. Pack your things and move back to your parents. You need them. You shouldn't be suffering like this."

"I've booked an appointment with a nurse for next week. I'm getting the abortion, Madi. I can't go on living in this trap!"

"You'd be killing another human being."

"It's not a human being- at least not with a father such as this."

"Tasha, think this through."

"Why aren't you here, Maduka? Why aren't you in Lagos?"

"I had matters outside Lagos to attend to. Plus, you don't need me."

She scoffs. "I hate myself."

I hear the regret in that statement, but I can say nothing to console her. Nwanyieze cones to mind, a child probably conceived out of wedlock. If her mother had aborted her, would she be here with me? "Everything happens for a reason. Think this through. I have to go now."

At that moment, Nwanyieze walks into the room, holding her sneakers, now clean but wet.

"How is she?"

"She's alright."

"Okay."

Silence hangs between us, and I watch her carefully prop her sneakers against the wall, change from her jeans, shirt and sneakers to her blue chiffon buba, and spread them on the chair in the room. With nothing else to do, Nwanyieze sits on the edge of the bed- the the opposite end from me and looks straight outside the window. I watch her profile for a few moments and sigh. I don't understand what is annoying her today.

"Come here."

"Pardon?"

"Baby girl, come here."

"I like where I'm sitting."

"What exactly is it, Nwanyieze?"

"Premenstrual syndrome."

I chuckle at her excuse. "If you say so, but I'd like to hold you, regardless. A few cuddles could help you feel better. Do you need anything?"

"No."

I decide to try tact. "Okay."

I lean back against the wall, pick up my book, Chimamanda's Americanah, and continue from where I left off.

Nwanyieze sighs, turns to face me, and quietly crawls up to rest her head on my chest. That's the thing about her. When she's angry, I show here that I care about her feelings and sit back. She comes to me at her own time.

"I'm sorry about last night," she whispers.

I close my book and put an arm around her, pulling her closer so she drapes a leg over my thigh.

"I don't know what Saheed is going through, but I also don't like that you made such a show of answering his calls in secret. It bothers me."

"Saheed..." she trails off.

I wait patiently.

"Saheed is still...after me. I didn't want you to get upset, I thought I could handle it alone."