Vagrants

Chapter 29

Aunty Kemi and Abisola stopped talking to me in the house. If at all they did, it was when my mother and uncle were around them and that too with harsh tones. Mother observed a slight change in the way we interacted with eachother and the way I was always uninterested in spending time with the family so she approached me. I found a strong excuse that was enough to hold her up for a while.

Mrs. Bakare observed too and approached me. I couldn't tell her even when I felt very comfortable with her. She liked me as her daughter's friend and I wanted to keep it that way, if not she'd tell Bimbo to stay away from me and might give me a bad name.

One day, when Mother, Uncle Jide and Aunty Kemi had gone out, Mrs. Bakare came to me and asked me a question that made me want the floor to open up and swallow me.

"You're no longer a virgin shebi?"

"Ma?"

"I heard your conversation that night."

I swallowed hard. "I-I'm sorry ma."

Her response took me by surprise. "There's no need for that. You're just a naïve girl who's been given false hope."

I looked away.

"What do you intend to do?"

"Ma?"

"What would you do about this? You know they're soon to find out."

"I...Aunty Kemi said I should lie about it and if I get pregnant I should abort the child."

"Okay." She sighed.

"I'm very sorry ma. I promise I won't influence Bimbo. Please don't tell her to cut ties with..." My hands were trembling so she held them.

"Calm down. Breathe. Good girl, take a deep breath. Breathe in and out." She handed me a glass of water. "Have this."

"Thank you ma."

"All these are piled up in your head and are not real." She smiled. "I already told you I liked you and that's not changing."

I couldn't believe my ears. So she isn't angry that her daughter's friend isn't pure? "Thank you ma."

*

Folake called few days later. I felt relief, hearing her voice. All these while, I've been weak and felt like a lackadaisical person. Things seemed off with my family. Mother was busy with business and I was glad or else she'd have noticed and I'd be in trouble.

"Girlfriend of life!" Her voice was so full of spirit that it could wake a dead person.

"Don't call me that." I hissed.

"Ahh! Sorry, I forgot."

"It's okay. How are you?" I asked.

"I'm fine. What about you?"

"Just lonely. How is Tayo?"

"He is here." Folake was making movements from her end and I heard Tayo's voice.

"Deola. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you. How are you?"

"Fine too." He said and then Folake's voice came on. They already put it on speaker.

"So what's good?" She asked.

"They found out!" I cried.

"Calm down. Who found out and what did they find out?" Tayo asked.

"My Aunt and sister." I said.

"You have a sister? I'd love to..." Folake giggled.

"Folake?!" Tayo hissed. "What did they find out jare?"

"That I lost my virginity to Damba."

"Ye! How did they find out?" Folake asked.

I explained everything to them and their end was dead silent. "Hello?"

"Sorry, sorry." Tayo sighed. "What will you now do?"

"I'll have to hide it from my mother and if I get pregnant I'll abort it." I said.

"Ahh! Okay." Folake said. "Sorry dear. Things must be very hard for you."

"Yes, it is." I said and Abisola walked into the room just then.

I saw her roll her eyes at me before she went to her own bed.

"Just take heart my dear. Things will be fine don't worry." Tayo said.

"Okay, thank you." I sighed.

"If you need anything just call us, okay?" Folake was so kind and I really loved her for that.

"Yes, thank you so much."

"I just decided to check on you and see if you're good." Folake said.

"Thank you so much! I really appreciate." With that, we hung up.

My mother entered the room just about the same time.

"Who was that?"

"One girl like that." I smiled.

"So you want to keep things from me now?"

"No ma." I don't know why, but I said. "Damba's sister."

I could feel Abisola's angry face gazing at me.

"What did she say?" Mother asked.

"She just wanted to greet me."

"Okay. How are you?"

"Fine ma."

"Are you sure? I've noticed you're not fine." Mother said.

"I'm fine ma."

"If you're not, tell me oh."

"Yes ma."

Mother glanced around the room for a while before she left.

"So you have his sister's number?" Abisola hissed.

"I don't jare." I sighed. "I lied to mummy."

"Ahh! Better."