Jasmine - Episode 6

 

Two days later, I went home to spend the three weeks break with my family and everyone was
excited to have me back, especially my younger brother. He just finished his final secondary
school examinations and was waiting to apply for admission into the University; being all alone
in the house had made him miss me more.
The three weeks passed quickly and I was left wishing break could be extended. Though my
school had resumed, I stayed back home for a while since I would be going for the mandatory
six-month internship for Engineering students . I had applied to many companies especially in
Lagos and Port-Harcourt but I hadn’t gotten any positive response from any of them.
Having felt weak and feverish for more than twenty four hours, I prescribed Paracetamol for
myself but it only got worse the next day. I was in my room, lying on my bed when my mum
came in, she had just returned from work.
“Don’t tell me you have been on this bed all day, Jasmine!” She spoke immediately she walked
in and saw me ruffled, with clothes still unchanged.
“I am just feeling weaker and tired every minute, mum” I replied.
She went to the First Aid Box in the bathroom and returned with the thermometer.
“Your temperature is 39°c. You need to see a doctor.” She said, a troubled look quickly creeping
onto her gentle face.
“All the symptoms you have complained about all point to Malaria, but let’s not do a guess
work, you need to go to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning; I will drop you off myself,”
she instructed as she packed the thermometer back into its case.
“Plus, you need to treat yourself properly before you go for your internship or SIWES, as you
guys call it” she added.
“Okay mum, your wish is my command” I agreed and managed a smile.
When my dad returned from work, he repeated my mother’s instruction, so I had no choice.
I had always hated hospitals, so I hated being sick

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/jasmine

. Before I slept, I prayed to get better before
the next morning so there would be no need for hospital visit. When I woke up the next morning,
it seemed my prayers had been bounced backed; the fever became much worse and I started
vomiting too.
My mum dropped me off at the Hospital and when I got to the reception, I requested to see our
family doctor, Dr. Fayemi. I was informed he was on a short leave and I was assigned to a new
and much younger Doctor.
When I went in to see him, I was instantly relaxed. He was only a few years older than I was,
dark and tall, and his smile was contagious too. With assurances and comforting words, he
attended to me and asked me to go for some Lab tests and bring the results back to him.
I had to wait for over one hour before I was able to do the tests and I was instructed to return for
the results after four hours. I left the hospital and took a bike to my mum’s office a few blocks
away from the hospital. I returned to the Lab after four hours with my mum and we were able to
collect the results without much delay. We also went to see the Doctor together and he collected
the paper from my hands before he asked us to have our seats.
“The result shows that your sugar level is okay, you have enough blood, and you also have
malaria parasite in your blood.” He looked over the paper and shifted his gaze from me to my
mother, and then back to me.
“It also shows here that you are pregnant…” he spoke the words slowly, as if uncertain. “…six
weeks pregnant”, he added.
His words sounded in my ears like a damning judgment. Just when I thought I was finally free,
just when I thought I could still be restored and made brand new, just when I thought my sun
would shine again, the Doctor’s pronouncement brought my faith crashing down.
“Preg…what?” My mum was confused, “I…I…I don’t…I don’t understand”
She stood up and continued, “Doctor, what did you just say? I think I didn’t hear you well; or
there is a mistake with the result. Are you sure it is her name written on that result slip, because
my baby girl cannot be pregnant.”
“Yes ma, this result slip is for Adeleke Jasmine, and I believe that is your daughter’s name,
right?” the doctor replied calmly and looked to me for confirmation. But I just stood there and
looked back blankly.
“No, No, No! There must be a mistake somewhere, my daughter doesn’t even have a boyfriend
yet, she has never had one. I trust her, but I don’t trust this result. You need to conduct another
one quickly.” My mother assured the Doctor.
“My Jasmine is not pregnant” she reiterated.
“Why don’t you ask your daughter madam, I believe she is in the best position to confirm this
result” The young Doctor said, looking me straight in the eyes. The gaze and question I saw in
my mother’s eyes made my heart break as I realized my words would crumble her trust in me. I
couldn’t control the tears as they slowly flowed like streams. I felt so hopeless and helpless.
My mother drew nearer when she saw the tears and forced herself to ask the question, “Jasmine!
Is it true? Are you really pregnant?” I could not speak past the lump that had quickly formed in
my throat, so I nodded in affirmation. Mum couldn’t believe it. She held me by the shoulders and
asked again,
“No, that is not possible, say something. Don’t just nod your head! You are not pregnant.”
“Answer me!” she shouted when I didn’t answer her, sobbing.
“I was raped” I said, still sobbing.
“Raped?! When? Who? How?” the questions came all at once.
“In school, by someone I thought was a friend” I replied reluctantly.
My mum was silent for few minutes, then she picked her phone and dialled a number; it was my
dad’s. As soon as he picked, she told him to come straight to the hospital.
“Don’t panic dear, nothing serious but your attention is needed in the hospital” she said on the
phone.
“Doctor what do you think we can do, is there any medical advice you can give to us, because I
am so confused right now” she asked when she was done with the phone call.
“She should have come to the hospital right away when she was raped, there is little or nothing
we can do at this stage; she can either keep the baby or abort it.” he answered.
“Why did you keep it to yourself, you didn’t even dim it fit to tell me, your own mother? I would
have helped you, things wouldn’t have turned out this way” she said with tears settling in her
eyes.
“I am so sorry mum, I was too ashamed of myself, I thought everything would be fine by
keeping quiet, I never knew things would turn out this way” I replied, crying.
“Your dad will soon be here, because I have no idea what to do next,” she said as she sighed
heavily.
My dad came in about 45 minutes later and looked curious and worried.
He couldn’t believe his ears when my mum told him everything that had happened. He staggered
to an empty seat near him and I had never seen him look so pale. It took him few minutes to
process the whole story.
“So what you are trying to tell me is that Jasmine, my beautiful precious flower was raped and
now she is carrying a bastard in her tummy? Tell me I didn’t get you right…please” he was
finally able to speak.
“I couldn’t believe it myself” my mum responded.
“Who is the bastard that did this to you?” he asked, facing me.
“Someone in my school” I replied.
“What is his damn name?!”
“Samuel sir”
“That stupid boy is going to rot in jail for the rest of his life” my dad was visibly angry.
We left the hospital after collecting the drug that was prescribed for Malaria. I sat quietly at the
backseat of the car, thinking about my life. I remembered Kemi’s warning and assumptions, and
I realized she was unfortunately right.
I could feel my mum and dad’s pain, they must had been so shocked and disappointed in me, and
that was exactly what I tried to avoid. Everyone was quiet throughout the entire journey back
home.
We got home an hour later and all sat in the sitting room.
“Jasmine, tell me exactly what happened without mincing words, we need to know everything
that happened” my dad instructed.
I narrated my story starting from how Samuel proposed marriage and how I promised to pray
about it, how he invited me to go out with him on his birthday and how I went to his room and
woke up only to discover he had drugged me and raped me. I also narrated the way he had been
blackmailing me with the nude pictures that he took, and how Kemi saved me from his shackles.
When I was done, my mom’s head was hung downwards as she tried to keep herself from crying.
“So you kept all this to yourself for this long. I am so disappointed in you, why couldn’t you tell
us, we are supposed to be your family, your first stop when you are in trouble. That is why we
are here, to guide and be with you in dark moments” my dad finally spoke, with great
disappointment.
“I am sorry dad, I was just not in my right mind” I replied, crying.
“Why did you go to his room in the first place? I thought it is the guy that usually comes to pick
up the lady when they are going for a date or something” my mum asked.
“How was I supposed to know he was a rapist?” I answered angrily.
“I have always told you not to trust people, not everyone has the kind heart that you have” she
added.
“I thought he was a brother in Christ, I also wished I never trusted him” I said and broke down in
tears.
“Let her go inside, the deed is already done, putting blame on her would not change what has
already happened”, my dad told my mom.
When I went upstairs to my room, I saw my younger brother, Joel eavesdropping on our
conversation.
”What is happening?” he asked. I didn’t even bother to answer; I walked past him to my room
and locked myself in.
I sat on the floor and continued weeping, I cried so hard I wished the tears could wipe away my
pains and anguish.
”I wish I could go back in time to six weeks ago, I said over and over again amidst.
“I would do things right then: I wouldn’t go alone to his room, I wouldn’t drink anything he
offers. I wished again and again that I could get a second chance. But the deed was done.”
While deep in thoughts with face moist from tears, I heard the voice of my mum and dad arguing
downstairs. It was the first time they would argue that much, and to think it was because of me
made my heart ache even more.
“What could they be arguing about, are they putting blames on each other?” I went out to
eavesdrop on their conversation.
“The best thing is for her to abort that bastard of a baby. It would end up resembling the father. I
can’t have that bastard child in my home!” my dad shouted.
“Abortion is dangerous and it is murder in disguise, it may even cause a worse situation than the
one we have at hand” my mum responded in kind.
“We will go to the best hospital, get the best doctor in town or Nigeria as the case may be,
nothing will happen to her, and this type of abortion is not murder, it is rather saving a life”
“Saving a life? Whose life?” My mum asked.
“Our daughter’s life, of course; she is my priority right now. I don’t care about that thing
growing inside of her. That baby should have never been conceived. God should have prevented
it, and since God didn’t do that, we will send that child back to him”, my dad explained.
“Don’t talk like that dear, we shouldn’t question God, and there is no justifiable excuse for
abortion.” My mum disagreed.
“There is an excuse for abortion, and that is the situation we are in right now. How do you want
her to continue her life with that baby, do you want her to become a single mother at the age of
20 or what?” My dad returned.
My mum kept quiet when she heard that statement. After a moment of thought, she spoke, “What
if she leaves Nigeria and starts over in Canada with my parents, I could even go with her until
she delivers the baby.”
“Are you bent on destroying your only daughter’s life? Whether she leaves Nigeria to Canada or
even go to another planet, it would not change the reality”, my dad was livid.
“But she will have a change of environment, that should help her a lot” My mom’s voice
sounded so tired.
“Nothing will help her than for her to take that baby out and start over again; she can just ask
God for forgiveness if you think it is a sin”
“But…” My mum started to speak.
But my dad cut in, “But what, Julie?! What do you want to suggest again, just shut up if you
don’t have any better thing to say”
“Do you realize that your daughter will be a graduate in a year’s time, and you want her to start
all over again, she was the best in her faculty last year and I believe she will graduate as the best
too, are you not thinking about your daughter’s future at all?” my dad added, lowering his voice.
When I thought I had heard enough, I returned to my room and shut the door. Both of my parents
had a point. I couldn’t even imagine what carrying my cross would cost me; my reputation, pride
and dignity.
How many people would I be able to explain to that it wasn’t consensual sex that got me
pregnant but rape? I just lied on the floor and continued weeping. I didn’t know when I slept off
on the floor.
My dad came to my room early the next morning and told me in clear terms that I had only two
options to choose from: either I abort the pregnancy or I get ready to move out and marry the
bastard that raped me.
“I can’t have you in my house, carrying another man’s child, it will be a disgrace to me and the
entire family, I can’t watch you destroy and tarnish the image of this family that I have built for
decades. You are not a small girl anymore, your mates are married with kids in other part of the
world, so pick one of the options or I will pick one for you.” My dad stated.
His words pierced my heart; I couldn’t express my disappointment and surprise. How could my
dad suggest that I marry a rapist, it was unimaginable. I couldn’t believe my dad would give up
my happiness just for his reputations.
“How can you say this, Dad? You are putting me in a tight corner, aren’t you supposed to be on
my side?” I asked.
“It’s not about being on anyone’s side, I’m just telling you what is best for you and everybody,
and this is your fault in the first place, so you need to take responsibilities for visiting a rapist
alone” he said.
The more he talked, the more he made me disappointed in him; his words hurt deeply but I
decided to stay quiet. There was no need arguing with him.
Not that I was ready to keep the baby too, but it is an innocent life. The child had no fault
whatsoever, it just happened to be conceived in a wrong way.
“What am I supposed to do now?” I asked him, helpless.
“If you don’t know what to do, I will help you to make the decision, and I am going to bear the
consequences for you as well” my dad said.
“So dress up and let us go to the hospital, we need to remove that thing in your tummy. Thank
God it is just six weeks old, it will be less complicated to do” He stood up and left my room.
I couldn’t bear the thought that my baby was going to die just like that without any chance to
live, I looked at my belly as if I could see the foetus inside, and I was sorry for the innocent
child.
“Is mum also in support of dad’s decision?” I thought as I was having my bath, “How can
mummy also agree? She is a mother, I expect her to know better. Maybe daddy gave her no
option too”.
“Should I call Kemi and ask for her advice, she always has solution to my problems” I
considered.
I picked my phone to dial her number, and before I could dial her number, I saw her WhatsApp
message. “I am starting my SIWES at Baker Hughes”, the text read.
“Hello babe, did you see my message? God has done it again” she said excitedly when she
picked my phone call.
“Yes I did, congrats” I replied coldly and Kemi noticed straightaway.
“Why is your voice so low, are you okay?” she asked.
“Kemi, I am 6weeks pregnant” I said simply.
“Preg..what? You must be joking right?”
“Do I sound like I am joking right now, I am very serious here and I don’t know what to do.”
“Are your parent aware of this” she asked.
“Of course they are, they just found out yesterday, and this house has been boiling since
yesterday.” “Jasmine, you need to be calm and strong, everything will be alright. It is well” Kemi
said.
“You are asking me to do the impossible Kemi, I can’t be calm or strong, and nothing seems well
too. My dad is asking me to marry Samuel and move out of his house or I should remove the
thing inside my tummy. He doesn’t even refer to it has a baby. This is the first time I will see my
dad so heartless. I am so confused, please help me that is why I called”, I explained and started to
sob.
“I wish I could help you, I wish I could take away your pain and confusion, but I am as confused
as you are right now. I know abortion is murder and it is not biblical, and marrying your rapist is
equally out of it. Keeping the baby is also not easy, I think you need to let God guide you” she
replied.
“God? I don’t think he is interested in my matter at all, if he was he wouldn’t have allowed that
rape to happen in the first place, and if at all he couldn’t prevent that, the least he could do for
me is to never allow this baby to be conceived.“ I never knew anything would happen to me that
could make me question my maker, but I did.
“Jasmine are you ready? Let’s go” my dad called from the corridor.
“Almost ready, just 5 minutes more” I replied.
“I have to go now, I will talk to you later” I said to Kemi.
“Just take care of yourself please” she replied and we said our goodbyes.
I dropped the call and dressed up.