The whole of my head was spinning so fast I could barely think. What did this man just say? Did I hear him right or am I imagining what I just heard? No, I was certain he didn’t say what I thought I heard him say.
“Sir, I didn’t quite hear you well, sir….” I was trying to carefully put the words together. “What did you say I will have to do if you’re going to help me?” I asked him, my voice low and unsteady.
“Listen, young lady, you don’t need to make me repeat myself, alright?” he’d thrown at me, his voice no longer cool and compassionate like it was before. “The choice is all yours, okay? Have sex with me and I will give you the help you’re looking for. We make love before the D&C and after. But if you’re not interested, let me know, I have better things to do with my time.”
I almost couldn’t believe my ears. “But, sir, I’m young enough to be your daughter, please…”
“Will you stop that nonsense!” he snapped at me, stopping me from speaking further. “I don’t have a daughter, I do not even have a child yet, so don’t start telling me you’re young enough to be my daughter!”
“Sir, I’m sorry, I was just trying to…..”
“Trying to do what?” he’d cut in again before I was done talking. “Wait, how could you have thought I would simply volunteer to help you, spend my own money to get you an abortion and I won’t even get anything in return for my efforts and investment, you think that’s how things work? After all, you’re obviously no longer a virgin. From what I see, you’re very mature and you know how to p[lay the ‘game,’ is that not so?”
For several seconds, my mouth just hung open. I couldn’t believe the nonsense that this man was spewing out of his mouth. “But, sir, I don’t understand what you mean by playing the game, I have explained to you that it was Bobby who raped me right here in this apartment, and now you’re making me look like the bad person…” And the tears began to flow freely from my eyes. It was all too much for me to take.
“And the boy said he never had anything to do with you. He couldn’t even remember your name. Now, am I supposed to believe you over my own nephew who is like a son to me? Please, make up your mind and let me know what the next line of action is” he said with finality.
I was distraught. I had no idea how to wriggle out of the shit I’d found myself.
“Listen, you’re seriously wasting my time. Shedding tears won’t solve your problem, it’s money that will solve the problem for you, so, I won’t ask you again, are you taking the deal or not?”
I have heard people describe the world as wicked, but I never quite understood what they meant by that. I have often heard people say there are some beasts in human skin, the import of what they were talking about never quite dawned on me. But now, my predicament has opened my eyes to the real world. A world where men do nothing but oppress women and take undue advantage of them. And I have been brought to some of the beasts in human clothing. First was the doctor whom I thought could show me mercy and help me. But the old man said no. Rather, he prefers to have sex with me if I do not have any money to pay him for a D&C. This is somebody that’s clearly old enough to be my father.
The second beast in human skin is the one standing before me – Bobby’s uncle! His nephew drugged me, raped me and put me in the mess I have found myself. I thought he could be of help. I have begged him ceaselessly to do all he can to get me out of my misery, but he too, like the doctor, is asking for my body. He wants sex. He has no sympathy for me considering what I have been through. It does not even matter to him that it was his own nephew that brought this upon me. All he wants is my body and nothing more. What choice do I have? Do I go to the police and make a mockery of myself and then go to my parents to face the shame and wrath of my father? God! What choice do I have? And, for the second time, the tears pushed open the flood gates of my eyes and started to flow freely down my face.
“Is it going to take you the whole of eternity to make up your mind, young lady?” the bastard’s voice barged into my thoughts. “Listen, if you annoy me, I won’t even ask you for anything, I will simply terminate the deal and…”
What guarantee do I have that if I give you sex you will fulfill your own part of the deal?” I asked him while he was still talking, trying to pressure me into giving him an answer.
“Oh, finally, you’ve made up your mind, that’s good,” the man said. He was obviously excited. “Now you’re showing that you are a mature girl who understands….”
“What guarantee do I have?” I interjected. I wasn’t interested in his stories that touch. If only he knew how much I hated him and the sound of his voice.
“Look, I don’t know what guarantee you’re looking for, but I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about.” He brought out his wallet and opened it to show me what’s inside – crispy-looking wads of naira notes. “This, my dear, is more than enough money to do what you’re asking me to do for you. So, the money is not the problem as far as I’m concerned. In fact, if you will let me, my plan is to make you my secret girlfriend even after you have done the D&C and I promise you I will take very good care of you.”
I sighed heavily and began to wipe the tears from my eyes with the back of my hand. Truly, for me, I have come to the end of the road and there’s absolutely no way I can get out of this nightmare.
“So, what am I supposed to do now? When am I expected to come back to see you so you can do whatever it is you want to do?” I asked him as I rose to my feet, my voice trembling slightly.
“Come back to see me?” he’d thrown back at me. “That won’t be necessary. If you have agreed to my deal, then there’s no point wasting time. Let’s do whatever we need to do and start planning to take you to the doctor.”
And, swiftly, he moved closer to me and held me by the waist. He looked into my eyes with a sadistic smile on his face and I promptly looked away. If he thought his stupid smile would have any kind of effect on me, he was wrong. That moment, he was the man I hated the most in the world. If I had my way, I could very easily have strangled him. But I couldn’t do that. I lacked the willpower to do so. He was the one in whose hands my destiny laid. My life, my soul, was in his hands.
Then, one after the other, he began to unbutton my blouse. Gently, he took off my blouse and dropped it on the chair behind me. He started at my full breasts inside the bra and I could see his eyes popping out of their sockets. Then, when he was done staring at my boobs, he reached for the hook of my bra and let out my breasts from their enclave. He held them in his hands and kissed them like they were the two most important things in his life. He licked them, sucked them and caressed them. I just stood there like a statue, unmoved, emotionless. I felt nothing. There was no desire for him in me. The only thing I felt inside for him is hatred- deep and unbridled hatred.
Soon after, he moved to my waist and then wrapped his hands around my buttocks. He held my bum firmly and pressed it hard as though it was his property. Then, lifted up my skirt and he started to remove my pant…
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