Innocent-looking me not thinking about the trouble of life was on the bed sleeping like any normal human would when a serious, I mean serious, hot slap landed on my cheek.
That slap could wake up the dead; that slap could detach and attach one's soul if it so pleased.
I woke up, and the next thing I heard was, “Go knee down in the parlor and wait for me.” Me being the confused victim, I had to search my brain for all the wrongs I had done throughout the entire day, but my brain found none.
Reaching our sitting room, I found my cousin, Rebecca, kneeling down; she was already crying—no, not crying, cause that would be an understatement—sobbing bitterly. So she was the one that got us in trouble.
My uncle was already seated on his favorite couch. The man wasn't happy at all. Since I started living with my uncle and aunty, I have observed my uncle. He's a man of few words, and he has a lot of patience; he rarely gets angry, but when he does, that anger is justified. Meaning you have messed up big time, and as for my aunt, she's the kind of mom you don't want to be on her blacklist; she can be a dangerous woman if she wants to, so it's best you stayed out of her bad side and just be a good child, but even with that, they were still the best parents.
And that slap was from my aunt, but when I looked at Rebecca’s face, I had to thank God that I only received one slap.
A deep sigh came out of my uncle. Before he cleared his throat, and knowing African parents, when they wake you up in the middle of the night to have a family meeting, then it's serious as it is.
“Esther, what I'm about to ask you right now, I want nothing but the truth. If you lie to me, tonight I will call my brother to come and pick you out of my house.” My uncle said the atmosphere was more tense than before.
"Okay, sir, I will tell you nothing but the truth.” I said, feeling like I was in court facing a trial of some sort.
“Did you know your cousin was pregnant in my house for two good months?.” My uncle inquired.
The shock of his statement had me dumbfounded; my eyes widened as they went straight to my cousin's direction.
“Rebecca, you don carry belle!!?” I think the way I shouted startled everyone; even my little cousin woke up from the whole commotion. To say I was shocked was an understatement; my mind went blank yet I wanted answers. This was the same girl; we both finished secondary school together, not up to 5 months. Last week we were talking about the university we would like to go to; she wanted to study medicine, and myself, I wanted to study law. So how!? And two whole months!.
“Daddy, I honestly don't have any ideas of what you just asked me; just last week we were talking about which university we would go to, and she wanted to study medicine; daddy, I swear I had no knowledge of this.” I looked at my best friend and cousin as she wept bitterly, and I couldn't help myself, and I started crying. How did this happen?
She never told me about this; my mind was running miles away from the whole conversation, thinking of all the suitors who had asked her for a relationship, which I knew she declined. She only ever had a crush on a boy in her class called Emmanuel because he was intelligent. I was praying with my heart that it wasn't him because that boy doesn't even know a thing or two on how to be a parent, likewise herself.
“So you have the audacity to be seeing a man under my root, not just that you took it a step forward to get pregnant for him, eh Rebecca, would you knee down properly before I slap the demon out of you?” My cousin quickly adjusted herself and kneeed down properly. “Since you are in a hurry to be an adult, you will do what adults do; you will take full responsibility of yourself and your baby; you will get married and you see that medical school you wanted to go to; it ends tonight; since you want to taste what adults use to taste in marriage, it's high time you take full responsibility of yourself.” My aunty finally spoke, and she was serious about every word.
“I support what you mommy has said, since you want to be an adult, you might as well take full charge of your life, and you won't do that under my root, but back to the main point, who got you pregnant, Rebecca.” My uncle looked very pissed at this point, and I was afraid they might kick Rebecca out of the house.
“H-he’s not a-around.” Rebecca stuttered. Goodness, I have never felt more sorry for my cousin like I have at that moment; she had cried out her sockets with a running nose. Her face was so red. You'd think she poured hot water on her face.
She was just 18, she had so many dreams, so how did such misfortune befall her? She was so nice and naive, it made me wonder if she really did consent to the act itself. Rebecca was smart and super intelligent book wise, even more than me so this pregnancy was a big shocker. I just kneeled down there watching my cousin's whole life crumble before my very own eyes, and I was helpless, because what would I have done to help her right now?
“Would you shut it and tell us who the man is? Nobody asked if he was around or not.” My aunty quickly put her in her place.
“His name is Samuel; he's a black American; he only c-came here for work and we met, but he has g-gone back.” Rebecca mumbled. Afraid to look at her parents.
“So you mean another man from another country got you pregnant and left you with an unwanted pregnancy? Rebecca, I thought you were smarter than this.” My uncle said his eyes held disappointment as he looked at his daughter, but I could see the pity and sympathy in his eyes too. Rebecca was a daddy's girl, and my uncle took her everywhere like his personal handbag, so I know how this information was eating him up, but as I said, my uncle wasn't one to get angry easily. He was still very patient.
“Daddy, he said he's coming to see you and pay my bride price; he has already asked for my hands in marriage and I said y-yes” wait at this point I couldn't keep up any more; it was one bomb to another; he has what! I suddenly felt like a stranger in all this. I could have sworn that my cousin wasn't interested in marriage 5 months ago; in fact, the topic of marriage doesn't intrigue her that much.
“And in that head of yours, you think that so-called man would marry you; are you even supposed to be married now? Is it marriage that's in that head of yours; your mates are looking for ways to get into college; you open that stupid mouth of yours and talk about marriage; you think marriage is child play; you think it's boyfriend and girlfriend lovey-dovey? You had a life, Rebecca, and you threw it away. Do you know how many people are praying to be in your position, yet it's man your small eyes were after? Did we not give you everything, Rebecca, food, clothes, the latest everything so you won't look outside, yet you repay us with shame, with disgrace, Rebecca?" I could feel the weight of my aunt's words as her voice cracked at the end of her statement.
“Mommy I'm sorry, I didn't mean—”
“Just, just don't say anything, Rebecca; I don't want to hear it; you and Esther should go to your room. We will talk tomorrow.”
And that's how we went to our room. Rebecca had cried bitterly on my chest; I had to just comfort her. She kept telling me how stupid she was, how she had ruined her family's name, how she was a disgrace. In the midst of everything, we had to call brother Samuel. The guy was apologetic; he comforted her; he was a really nice guy, and he told us he was flying back to Nigeria in the next 3 days to settle everything, including her bride price.
And true to his words, he showed up with his parents, his relatives. I remember in those 3 days Rebecca had locked herself in the room, refusing to let anyone in. It was after the whole discussion of her bride price and everything else included that she was made to come out of her room.
Turns out Samuel wasn't a small man; he understood what they had done, and he was ready to take full responsibility. He said he was already in love with her and that her education wasn't a problem because after she gives birth she would attend any college of her choice in the United States of America.
In less than 2 months, my cousin had gotten married, and it wasn't a small wedding; it was so loud because the man, my cousin was getting married to in question had money and connection. Omo, that is how my aunty and uncle calmed down ooh, they knew she was in safe hands.
It's been 5 years since she moved outside the country. She gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. My uncle and aunty had to fly down to America immediately to go see their grandchildren, of course with their in-laws help. I think I just got my admission when she gave birth, so the news came to me a little too late, but I was so glad she was happy. Who would have thought that the slap they gave me would have led to my cousin's happy ending? Now she's following her dreams to be a doctor, and she's still young, but she's married and settled for life.
I used to imagine myself in her place, and how would my parents react? Knowing my parents fully well, they wouldn't have been so nice even if I married the president. My mom would have beaten some sense into my head.😂