Where It Leads

Chapter Twelve

PHILIP'S POV

I stop In my tracks when the questions fills my ears

"tell me how you feel about him" the voice belongs to Judith. I couldn't bring myself to move. Even though I am aware that she has feelings for me but she has never voiced it out at least not to me. I hear her sniffle.
I spent few hours with Judith yesterday,

A day Before

"she has never been lucky when it comes to men, she has gone from her first love who cheated on her within two weeks of deflowering her, to a long distance relationship that is filled with lies, to the one who left her to marry another. However, there is one that broke her. All these men present themselves in a good way to her, I even vouched for some, but they all proved to have ulterior motive. When The handsome fella came around, Peace said she wasn't ready for the relationship, so the young man tried his best. I and a few of our friends tried convincing her to give him a chance but she was adamant. After two months of youth service, the young man was able to warm his way into her heart.
She has gone to meet his family. However, few months ago, Peace was in panic, sweating and crying" she paused and the silence was making me impatient
"what happened?"
"S- Shee" what could be hard for Judith to tell.

"go on" I try urging her to continue

"she got pregnant" looking me straight in the eye
I was stunned to say the least. She doesn't look like a nursing mother to me or is it that she's still pregnant? Jesus.... This is confusing me more. Judith doesn't look like she wants to continue with this conversation. But she would have to, I can't leave with half the details. I can't believe my girl has passed through all this. I have to satisfy my curiosity.

"how many months ago?" I ask

"Eleven" That's where I zoned out, she held my face so I can look at her. And I can see her eyes turn dead serious as she spoke again

"Phil, I've known you for a long time as well as your reputation with women, if you don't mean well for her, leave when it is... "
I had to cut her off right there by placing my fore finger on her lip

"stop it jules, I have fallen jules, I have fallen for her without knowing it, now I have realised that her being a mother to another man's kid wouldn't keep me away. But I am more curious. If she was pregnant few months ago, wh- em" I was thinking the worst and my mind was all over the place and am glad when she completes it for me

"what happened to the baby? "
I nodded
"she couldn't have the baby"

"how?"

All these were now going in slow motion as if we were in a movie and you keep saying to hurry up so you know what happens next

"the guy didn't even blink before telling her to terminate it. I mean how could he gain her trust to let her down" she is getting angry now and raising her voice with every word. Even I am getting worked up, but I have to keep my cool if I want to hear the whole story

"He was stupid, to think that she gave him a pack of condoms to use on her and for whatever reason, he chose not to use it. She actually came home and told me she was worried. But we were calm because she had taken contraceptives. Little did we know she didn't take the full dosage of the morning after pill. Withing ten days, she said she ought to have had her period as at then. And being the overly observant person she is, she talked about tender breasts and sore nipples and a few other signs. I didn't make much of it but with her insistence, took a test, both urine and blood on the thirteenth day and broke down.

I encouraged her to tell Him about it and when she phoned him to tell him about it, the first sentence he uttered was a question 'what do you want to do about it? I held her hand through it all, she replied that she wants to hear from him first since he has a right to know. All that Bastard could say was that she shouldn't panic that he would send prescription to rid her of it as if he was a fucking doctor. He didn't want the child, why lead her on? Why all the promises? Why take her home? Why? Everything has to have a why attached to it at that point"

she paused to catch her breath since she was practically screaming at that point. I can tell she cares a lot about Peace. However, more questions arise

"and her, did she keep the baby?" my heart was hammering, I don't know which answer I would like best 'yes or no?' but it still wouldn't change a thing.

"No!" her voice was soft now. Barely above whisper, yet loud enough for me to hear

"why, was it because the guy doesn't want it?"

"that was not her only reason, she said and I quote 'my parents have given a lot to get me and my siblings to where we are now, me especially, after this service, I should find a job and give back to them in love. They can't send me to school and support me till now and I come back with pregnancy for thanksgiving and the baby as the offering. I am not ready and capable to bring a baby only to let it suffer, if I have to bring a baby onto this world, it would have the best that I can give, I hardly have enough to take good care of myself now and I won't give it up. Moreover, I don't wish to bring on a child without the father's love' and with that came her decision. She got misoprotol to rid her of the particles of conception, that same day. She has to go for series of tests to make sure she was OK and she is. Since then, no matter how hard you push her, she doesn't look twice in the direction of any man. She only wants to earn money, live a better life and take care of her family."

Silence follows as we both seems to be in thought. The guy was stupid.
"I got a few things about her from our conversation." that got Judith's attention

"yes? "

"peace didn't lose her sense of humour even in difficult situation, 'thanksgiving really. "

She chuckles "is that the only thing you got out of this story phils? Cos I would love to label you as a fool"

"even your friend doesn't hesitate to call me that even after a memorable love making session." that got her laughing

"so you love her ehn"

I looked at her at that moment and smile

"yes- I couldn't help but love her jules."

"am glad,"

"so her family is important to her"

"a lot"

"Good. Guess am lucky"

"even she is lucky. So I don't need to threaten you of what would happen if you hurt her." then she continues after hitting me on the shoulder "you Know, I was surprised when she told me about a mysterious guy she met at the bar. I thought that she wouldn't open up to anyone again. Many has tried after then but to no avail. I even encouraged her to move on "

"what can I say, am handsome. But now I can understand why she was that way first night she spent with me. She was bent on me driving her to a pharmacy to get a pill. And she kept confirming from her of the correct dosage. Even I was surprised. But, the guy lost. If a woman like that, she in particular were to conceive my child, I won't let her out of my sight, I made the decision when I decided to take her raw"

"she asked for the dosage? She didn't tell me that part" she kept tapping a finger on her cheek as if in thought. Oh, raw! " then she started grinning seriously

"jules, you know, sometimes, telling you something can be frustrating"

"I guess she wasn't prepared for sex that night. That's why she became paranoid afterwards."

She looked cute nevertheless.