For the first time in a long while, May actually went down on her knees and pleaded with Edric to let Iby go but he refused. He was bent on making Iby see the four walls of prison, forgetting that he was a dough bag himself, a scum but May had only divorced him instead of taking him to court for domestic abuse.
Not like she couldn't arrest him or make him suffer for what he did to her. Been the governor's daughter would've paid off and make it a lot easier of course. But she didn't want to be seen as using her Fathers influence, wealth and authority to her advantage or gossipped to have arrested Edric only because he arrested Iby. There was still something she needed to shape in her life and that was, to stop listening to what the world had to say about her.
It was because of Iby's arrest, she found herself standing in fro
"What would happen now?" Iby asked May who visited him in prison with food and water."I don't know." She sighed, in a sad mood."Would you get back together with him?" Iby asked."Who?" May asked confused.He motioned his head towards Tega, who had accompanied May to the prison and who was standing at the far end of the hot room, waiting for May."No." She told him, "The only man I want to get back together with is you.""But I'm in prison. I'll be here for two years—""I'm willing to wait for you."Iby placed his hand on hers that were on the table separating them, "You seriously don't have to do this. I've only spent almost two months here and it already feels like years. I don't want you to wait for me. Let yourself to love someone else.. Study hard to get a degree, be a good mother and get married to a good man."
It was obvious May had forgotten. So to remind her, Edric had to start from the beginning because every story had one. Since May wasn't planning on letting him into her house, he stood outside and explained his own reasons to her. As he talked, everything played in May's head, taking her back to seventeen. Way back to the time Edric's father was employed. To the time her Dad had promised Edric that he would sponsor his studies abroad because of how intelligent he was and to that night. That particular night that spoilt everything.May tiptoed down the stairs quietly as she could, looking her left and right side to be sure no one saw her sneaking out of the main building and heading towards the Gateman's house that was located just few inches close to the black giant gate.The Gateman's house had two rooms, a portable kitchen and bathroom. Papa Edri
"When i found out about your pregnancy, i told you to abort the child because I wasn't ready to become a father," Edric continued, "But you refused.""But.. But I remember telling you that i was scared." May reminded him, "I couldn't abort the child. By the way, you recommended a quack doctor and I couldn't risk my life. What if something had gone wrong? Like my womb got damaged and I couldn't get pregnant again, would you have accepted and married me?""May, you could've just swallowed the contraceptives I gave to you. It could've prevented you from getting pregnant.."May rolled her eyes at him, "Well, you shouldn't have eat it raw then.""May, I didn't invite you to my room that night.
A new yearNew years eve were always a beehive of activities for May's Household. The night before new year, Iby would clean up the entire house with the little help of twelve year old Maryam. If she wasn't helping her step father out, then she was busy playing with her younger brother, Oyins, who was just two years of age. As for May, she would go to the market and buy the food stuff she needed for cooking.After they were all done with the house activities, they took their baths and went to church for the cross over service. They turned off all the lights in church and lit a candle once the time struck twelve o'clock midnight. Out cry or shouts of joy followed with people gyrating and dancing because they'd live to see a brand new year. Meanwhile, other people didn't get to see the previous year.Before May and her family left the church, they took prayers of prosperity a
May bowed her head down in shame. Her coffee, doe eyes were filled with tears of pain,immeasurable hurting. She was trying hard not to let the tears fall as her dad's words pierced into her heart like a sharp knife."You're a disgrace to this family." he proclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at her. "Just look at yourself. Do you see how much of a mess you are? Your mom and I gave you everything you ever wanted!"She fiddled with her wrist band. Her grandmother, Ese, had given it to her as a present. She couldn't look at her dad's face nor could she talk back. She wouldn't dare."We've only wanted the best for you, your mom and I. We gave you everything you needed and you pay us back is by getting pregnant from an ordinary gatekeeper's son?! At this age..?"A
"Do you think daddy will come home today?"May looked up from the Daily Times newspaper she was holding her lips curled into a thin smile. "He will," she stated softly, but her voice didn't hold enough certainty to assure her
The doorbell rang, waking her up from sleep. May, already knowing who her visitor was, scrambled out of bed to get the door."Efua!" May exclaimed after she had opened the door, pulling her friend into a bone-cracking hug.
Pacing back and forth in the kitchen, May felt restless. She was debating on how to start the clean-up. Efua had left after encouraging her and making her promise that she was going to do better. She said yes because it looked easy to do. Now, looking at how unkempt the house was, she didn't know where to start and this worried her.