It was a night to remember in the home of Jane. Jane a tall dark in complexion teenage girl of about sixteen has been in labour for five hours. She was drunk in tiredness as she screamed for help but her voice was too weak it could not wake the sleeping neighbours. Her hubby John,a lanky young man of about twenty two years of age, about 5.9 feet tall was out working late as the security job he had kept him out late that night. Jane pushed with the hope of delivering in the room but the baby so weak did not move a muscle. With life fading out of her tired body,she picked her phone,dialled the only number her tired brain could remember.
'Hello,mum please come over to my place am dying in labour'
Mrs David, Jane's mum was already on bed as it was 9:45pm already. She jumped up the bed preparing to run out to save her dying daughter but the loud voice that called from the burning soul behind her kept her frozen. ' Is that not Jane? Came the ugly loud voice. ' How many times have i warned you that anything concerning that girl must not involve you? I have warned you tirelessly but it seems your stubborn skull is suffering from acute amnesia'
Jane's father Mr David a man in his late 50s ,short, with a big stomach like a giant dwarf and a very bold voice,so loud it can break through the ears of a deaf man is a religious man from one of the conservative pentecostal churches around. He was without sleep for two weeks after the shocking news of Jane's pregnancy broke to him. 'How could Jane who was brought up in a good christian home like mine do this to me,how am i going to face my congregation,a deacon that can't bring up his child in the ways of the lord' were the rhythms that played in his head. Jane's mum, Mrs David tried consoling him. ' Dear, you don't have to be so mad at yourself,it may be the will of the lord'. Mrs David consoled him.
'Don't tell me such nonsense. Instead of you to watch your daughter,monitor her,guide her like other responsible mothers do,you simply guide her to pregnancy. Look, i don't want to see that girl again in this house. She is living this house tonight' Mr David replied. It was hell unleashed on Jane that night as she was thrown out with her little bags. Her Mum and neighbours pleaded but it all fell on deaf ears.
Jane moved in with her hubby John. John, who was in his third year in the University was jobless. His mum a petty widow has been the only one taking care of John and his siblings since the sudden demise of his father. John's mum was so infuriated and disappointed at John when she heard he had impregnated a girl in school that she stopped taking care of him ' you are a man now,you can take care of yourself and your wife,since you can't control that little thing between your thighs' were the words of Johns mum to him. John could not continue in school. The weight of taking care of a pregnant woman and his education was too heavy on him. He had to quit and look for a job.
Mrs David finally got to Jane's room. Jane was lying almost dead on the soft mattress that look like it had lived forever. The kind of mattress used by the Igbos during the civil war for migration. She quickly rushed her to the nearest hospital. 'Madam,i believe you to be the mum of this young girl. I must confess, we need hurry with a Caesarian Session immediately. Otherwise we will loose her and the baby for they are both very weak' said doctor Chuks. 'Do whatever you can to save the both of them. Am going to deposit the sum of hundred thousand naira immediately'. Replied Jane's mum. It was a very long surgery as they had to struggle to save the lives of Jane and her baby for the both of them were already too weak. 'Congratulations madam,its baby girl' said Mr Chuks,the doctor. Mrs David in joy sang happily. ' and what about my daughter,how is she?' ' she is fine but very tired now' the doctor replied her.
Mrs David continued in her happy mood singing different songs of praise to the lord for the joy of seeing her grandchild. She taught of differnt names to call the new baby ' I will call her Joy,Victory,Favour,Ibukun,Olamiposi,Ayomide,Aramid,Ifeoluwa'. Different names broke into her head.
The taught of the child's father John finally came into her mind. She have not broke the news to him. ' let me call that stupid boy, he left my daughter alone to die in that rubbish house, what if she doesn't have a mother' Mrs david murmured. ' Hello John. Hurry to lilly's hospital close to your house. Jane has given birth'. She did not wait for a word from him. Her words sounding more of a command than persuasion. In happiness she paused for a second. ' How am i going to tell Jane's father the news,how am i going to tell him i had to transfer money from our account for her surgery? He should be happy for her save delivery. Oh God!'.
TO BE CONTINUED