HER WEDDING NIGHT

CHAPTER 50

Jamal left for work without waiting for the rain to stop. He was in a hurry to go to his station FM radio to get the supplementary information he would be needing for his advocacy case. It was a rape issue and there was no evidence forthcoming. The radio FM dealt with a similar case the previous year and Jamal felt the tactics they used will help to provide clues.

He was supposed to have an appointment with the broadcaster by 8 am and the rain started at 7 am when he was in the bathroom.

Akeela was still sleeping on the bed with the comforter raised to her chin and he wondered if she was pretending to be asleep. He noticed she was always sleeping whenever he was around. Sometimes, whenever he arrived home late, he would meet his food on the dining table already and Akeela on the bed sleeping soundly.

He watched her face and sighed heavily before leaving the house.
The rain stopped the moment he got to the FM station in time for the appointment with Mr. Femi. He came out of the car without the umbrella he intended to use to walk to the office since the rain had stopped. It was still drizzling so he ran to take cover in the manicured lawn leading to the station.

He took long strides towards the door and entered, heaving a sigh of relief that he was just 5 minutes late. He went straight to Mr. Femi's office but the place was closed. Mr. Femi specifically told him to come by 8 since he would be having a broadcast by 7 and then 9.

Is he not done with the 7'0 clock broadcast yet? Jamal asks within him.

He stood there with furrowed brows and in impatience. He needed to be at his work by 9 am too. Someone strolled past him and he turned to call the person back.

"Sorry, do you know where Mr. Femi is?" He asked the young man who was dressed in a khaki uniform.

"Oh, yes! He is in the broadcast room", he answered politely with a smile.

"He isn't done yet?" Jamal questioned with a frown. He loved punctuality and sticking to time.

"I believe he will soon be done. You should go to the room so he can see you and round up if it's important", the young man suggested and walked around leaving Jamal confused on what to do.

He tapped his feet on the marble floor for a while before walking out towards the broadcast room. It was unlike the media to extend their time on a broadcast. The broadcast was supposed to end by 8 am and he wondered what was happening.

He got to the place and from the transparent door, he saw Mr. Femi sitting with a smile on his face and interviewing the middle-aged man.

Jamal asked a man entering the room to whisper into his ears about his arrival. The guy did as instructed and Mr. Femi's face lit up as he glance at Jamal. He waved at him and beckoned to him to come inside. Jamal shook his head and demonstrated to him that he should round up so they could talk but the man insisted.

Jamal sighed deeply. He knew what that meant. It means he won't round up anytime soon. He was going to extend the program till 9. Jamal was tempted to go to work and come back the next day but something in him held in back when he heard the man talking about virginity.

He walked in and sit at the back on a spring chair listening with rapt attention. Mr. Femi turned to him and demonstrated that he should listen carefully. Jamal nodded, thinking it has to do with the case they were handling.

Mr. Femi questioned the man. "As a medical practitioner, are you saying not all women are born with a hymen?"

"Yes, not all women. Besides, the hymen is of different types. The type of hymen the woman has will determine whether she will bleed during her first sexual intercourse or not." The man paused and continued after a gulp.