CHAPTER 5

Chioma usually uses warm water for her bath daily. She mixes the hot and cold water together, dipping her hand into the mixture until it is lukewarm but today the water was hot. It was very hot.

The steam from the hot water is now on the glass Bathroom door. As a proper African, she has a bucket filled with hot water and a bowl to help pour the water on her body. Wearing a shower cap on her head and a lathered sponge in hand, Chioma is ready to scrub her body after more than 24hours since the last ordeal.

She let her mind wander into that day’s activities as she poured the first bowl with water on her body. The girl did not feel it burn.

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The clinic’s location is on the Island according to the pamphlet, so Kunle asked his mother for directions to find out what route was best for them from Ikorodu. His mother advised them to take Ikorodu Road after series of questioning. Chioma answered most of the questions instead because she knew Kunle won’t lie to his mother.
She said they were going to her family doctor because she was experiencing severe menstrual pain. She finished off by saying she called the doctor and he advised her to come over to his clinic to administer pain-killing injections.

Chioma told Kunle’s mum that she has never been to the clinic. She told his mother that she has no idea of where the clinic is located and she doesn’t want to go alone because the pain was just too much. Her kind-hearted son- Kunle- offered to be her chaperone. His mother believed every word. Kunle looked at Chioma in complete awe. He thought to himself that she will need to renew her life to Christ; he will make sure it happens to redeem her from her sins because Chioma’s sins were piling.

Minutes later, he leads Chioma to the BRT terminal and bought two tickets to CMS. Afterwards, Kunle joins Chioma on a queue and not long after, they are sitting side by side in a bus headed for the Island. They spend the journey quietly.

Chioma had thoughts in her head enough to blow up a whole continent. Her greatest fear was getting pregnant because Jude had not used a condom. What will she do with the baby? She can’t mother a child now because she still had school. Besides, why will she want to have Jude’s baby? She will opt for abortions if she is pregnant but where will she have the abortion and who will pay for the whole procedure?

Chioma knew dragging Kunle into this was a very selfish move and asking him to pay for an abortion will be completely irresponsible of her. The facilitators had advised the victim to confide in a friend but they had said tell a stranger; a pastor, Iman or lawyer. Those people are restricted from judgements because of their faith and profession but she told Kunle instead and he remembered the part of telling a stranger. Thank God she convinced him he was the best person to tell.

Pastors or lawyers won’t follow you to a clinic and they were no guarantee that your secret won’t come out. She trusted Kunle with her life. Over the years, he had proven himself worthy. She nicknamed him “Mr Goody-Goody-two-shoes”. Honest, humble and always never in trouble. Kunle feared God so much that in his defence he always says he wasn’t good, he is just fearful of God’s wrath.

She always rolled her eyes in return and wondered why God’s wrath had not gotten to her because she was always in trouble and lied so easily.

Is God now punishing her? If God punished her with this, then He is so mean. Rape isn’t the justified punishment for her sins! Why will God let such an awful thing happen to her? She will never sing in church again or volunteer in an outreach. If she had her way and her mother minds her business, she will never step into a church again.

The bus stops at CMS and Kunle signals her they should alight at the stop. Chioma snaps back to reality.
In less than 30 minutes, they arrive at the clinic. With the pamphlet in hand, Kunle leads Chioma to the reception. Chioma takes a sit while Kunle talks to the receptionist.

A moment later, he walks towards Chioma and tells her they will have to wait a while. He sits beside Chioma and holds on tight to her shaky hands.