Her Baby’s Secret

Arike’s POV

I settled in my bed after taking a hot shower. I grabbed my phone from the drawer next to my bed.

(Hi. I have been trying to reach you but you didn’t pick my calls. I was hoping that you could help me check out my suit. They delivered it today)

Dayo’s message popped up as soon as I switched on my data.

(I was busy) I replied

(Okay, Leo already helped me and it looked good on me)

He texted back and before I could type, pictures of himself on suit together with his best man Leo came in.

(Wow! The suit looks nice on you, Bes.)

(Thanks. I am a bit nervous about the wedding.)

(You need to calm down. Let your mind be at peace and prepare for the big day.)

(Okay. So what about your dress? Is it ready?)

The moment Dayo sent I and Busayomi Aso Ebi, I didn’t waste time dropping it off at the Tailor’s place.

(The tailor promised to deliver lastest by Thursday)

(Good… so what’s your plan? Should I send someone to come pick you up? He would bring you to the hotel where my sisters would be spending the night.)

(There’s no need for that. Bamidele would drive I and Busayomi to the party.)

I told him our plan.

(Well I can see you’ve planned everything with Bamidele.)

(Yes)

(Did Shalewa invited you to her bridal shower?)

(Yes, but I am not attending it.)

He was still typing when I sent my last message to him.

(I am tired, need to rest. Good night.)

I sent it and switched off my data before his next message came in.

It has been two weeks since Adedayo got married to Shalewa. The wedding wasn’t a low-key one. Different Media houses stomped the wedding capturing the whole event. The bride was beautiful and the groom wasn’t bad himself. And for a moment I had wished I was

the one in that gown saying “I DO” taking the vows and kissing the groom. Lol! But it was all in my imagination. A wish that will never come true. The new couple are out of the country, in Australia precisely, enjoying their honeymoon.

It was on a Saturday morning! I got out of bed feeling nauseous and tired and weak. I didn’t know why my body was acting up.

I went into the kitchen to prepare tea for myself. I needed to put something in my stomach so I could use drugs. But bile rised in my throat at the second gulp of the tea. I found myself throwing up all the food from last night into the sink.

My head was spinning, I felt dizzy at the same time. I had to grab the counter top to steady myself. I have never felt this way before… like it’s strange. The fact that I have been feeling this way for days now and I didn’t know what to do! Perhaps I was coming down with malaria? I should see the doctor or better still let me call Busayomi.

I went back into the room, lay back in bed and took out my phone from underneath the pillow. I dialed Busayomi’s number and she picked on the second ring.

“The law! The law!” She hyped the usual way but I wasn’t in the mood.

“Good morning.” I greeted in a low tone.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I think.. I am sick.”

“Sick?”

“I have been feeling somehow lately.. like -”

“That must be your period. Try and get some painkiller.”

“No…” I paused.

Oh my God! My period! Realization hit me.

“Arike?”

“Oh.. no.. no.. no… it can’t be.. my period.”

“Ehn your period? What happened to your period?”

I wasn’t myself anymore. I grabbed the small calendar on my dressing table and began to count.

“Arike, talk to me.” Busayomi was still on speaker.

I was weeks late! Damn it! Why didn’t I pay attention to it before now?!

“Oh.. no.. God! This can’t happen!” Tears formed in my eyes.

“Please can you tell me what’s going on, Arike!”

“Listen.. I have been throwing up every morning for days now plus I feel weak and tired and -”

“You can’t be serious… that’s malaria… or no.. typhoid.” She stuttered.

“No.. no.. I don’t think so… I missed my period. I am four weeks late!” I blurted out

“What?! Arike! Have you been sleeping with Bamidele?! Why didn’t you tell me?! Maybe you are pregnant.” She sounded shocked but excited.

She got it all wrong!

“I can’t be pregnant.”

“Okay.. I will be there soon.” She hang up the call.

I fell to the ground slowly, my kneels curled up as I rested my head on the bed. Lately I have been eating and sleeping too much. Wait.. please that doesn’t explain anything right? Oh God! Don’t let me be pregnant! I began to pray.

My body shook vehemently but I tried to calm myself. The thought of being pregnant scared me, I don’t even want to think about it. I remember that night… and I began to cry.

About an hour later, I heard the door bell. I rushed out of the room to get the door. Busayomi was there.

“Jesus! What Happened to you?!” She gasped.

I wasn’t myself anymore. I have been crying since I dropped the call, silently praying that I wasn’t pregnant. Right now! At this point I don’t need to hide anything from Busayomi anymore.

“So you said something about not seeing your period.”

I nodded. “So before discussing anything… let me ask you one question.”

I shook my head again.

“Did you give up your V-card?”

I nodded. Yes.

“Wow! Whoah!! And you didn’t tell me! When was it?! When did you do it?”

“I.. think four weeks ago.”

“I can easily tell who took your V-card! It’s Bamidele!” She winked and smiled but it soon faded when I cried out.

I haven’t hid anything from her but this aspect of my life wasn’t known to her. I know she would be disappointed in me when I tell her everything.

“Okay.. okay.. I know you’re afraid of being pregnant. You don’t need to worry… we can’t be sure about anything until we take the test.” She searched her bag for something.

“Here this is a pregnancy test strip. I just felt we might need it. Do you want to take the test?”

I don’t want to because I am scared. I was afraid it would turn out positive but at the same time I needed to be sure.

“You’re taking the test.” She grabbed my hand and dragged me into the bathroom.

She left me there and rushed out of the bathroom only to come back with water after some seconds.

“Drink up, you need to pee.”

I drank from the glass before giving it back to her.

What would I do if the test comes out positive? I asked within. I began to think of how my life would change.

“I want to pee.” I announced after some minutes.

“Good.” She handed me a plastic to pee in it.

I watched her as she placed the contained in the sink and dipped the strip into the urine.

“We have to wait.” She said.

Busayomi emptied the urine into the toilet and rinsed the plastic before looking at me. But I avoided making an eye contact with her.

Minutes went by, that was the longest minutes of my life. My heart was beating hard against my chest. I felt like it was going to burst anytime soon. The result and how I would break it down to Busayomi without her getting mad stirred panic within me. I was scared.

I closed my eyes as she picked the strip. I could feel her eyes on me.

“I.. think.. this is good news.”

My heart broke at her words. It’s really bad news if it’s positive.

“You’re pregnant.” She spat.

No.. no.. no.. my heart beat skipped two beats at a time. Suddenly I went into hyperventilating mode! And I couldn’t control it.