Agony Of Beauty – Episode 7

Since that time, Mr Badmus started being very nice to me. He would shower me with lots of gifts ranging from clothes to shoes, bags, earrings and hair accessories, etc all in a bid to silence me. I always refused the gifts but he would insist and would dump them on my bed. I kept every single item of the gifts in the wardrobe in my room. I know a time would come, that those gifts would serve as an evidence that will make people believe my story.

Three weeks later, I noticed that I didn’t see my menstrual flow . At first, I thought it came a bit late but when it was about eight days after, I was alarmed. Could I be pregnant? I was so scared. I had no one I could confide in so I waited for an opportunity to tell Mr Badmus one on one. My Aunt had bought me a phone already, so that I could use in communicating with them when I resume fully at school but I didn’t want to risk calling or sending Mr Badmus a text so as not to arouse suspicions from Aunty Tope if she ever stumbled on my number on her husband’s phone.

The chance to talk to him finally came two days later. We all just ate dinner and were watching a programme on the T.V in the living room. Aunty Tope said she was tired and would like to go to bed. Her husband told her he would join her in some minutes. I said good night to Aunty Tope as she made her way to the bedroom.

I waited for some minutes to be sure my Aunt was out of ear shot, then I whispered fiercely to Badmus.

‘I missed my period’ ‘What!? He nearly shouted and quickly kept his voice down.

‘How did that happen?’

‘What kind of question is that?’ I snapped.

‘I am 16 years old and I know what it meant to miss one’s period, you see what you have done to my life? I started sobbing.

‘Ssshhhhhhhh! I will take care of that’, he replied.

‘What is your plan?’ I asked. ‘We will get rid of it.’ He announced effortlessly. ‘Get rid of what?’ I nearly screamed. ‘The pregnancy of course’, he affirmed. I looked at him and I felt like tearing him to pieces. ‘I hate you!’ I cried…

And that was it. Badmus succeeded in terminating my pregnancy. He gave me two pills to swallow the next day. Hours later, I had a flow of fresh red blood accompanied with pains. That was how I had an abortion at 16 years.

I gradually lost my self esteem and all the confidence I once had in myself. All my dreams seemed to be fading away. I became a shadow of myself day after day.

I toyed with the idea of running away but to where? I had no clue. I thought about the Pastor of our church, the church which I did attend with Mr and Mrs Badmus. Will the Pastor believe me? Mr Badmus was a fervent Sunday School teacher in the church. I dismissed the idea outrightly and concluded that I would endure till I earn my first degree.

Day after day, I lived with the pain and regret of the abortion I committed. I wet my pillow with tears every single night. I felt my life diminishing before my very eyes.

I thought about my Mum. Poor mother, she would be sure her darling daughter is still a virgin till now. I shivered at the thought of my Mum coming to know the truth. Would she survive it?

About nine days later, I resumed fully at the University. Aunty Tope took me in her car to the motor garage where I boarded a bus. She helped me load my belongings into the back of the bus and waited till the bus was ready to move. I baded her farewell as tears clouded my eyes. I had a mixed feeling of joy and pain. Joy, because I would no longer have to see Badmus day after day, and pain, because I would miss Aunty Tope. How beautiful would it have been if Aunty Tope had married someone else. I would definitely always look forward to coming home from school. We waved to each other continuously till she was out of sight….