Chapter 12: Blood and Thunder

Segun just dey frown, dey listen to doctor.

E stand with hand for pocket, leg dey tap floor. Doctor dey explain, voice low, but Segun eye dey sharp.

"Madam Amina don take too many morning-after pills before, so e hard for belle to stay. If you remove am now, e go hard to get belle again…"

Old doctor dey talk slow, hand dey shake. E dey try beg me with eye. I dey look ground, dey nod small, but my mind dey far.

Old doctor just dey shake head, dey beg me make I keep the pikin.

E dey use soft voice, dey call me "my pikin," dey try remind me say life sweet if you hold am well. My pikin, life get as e be, but no throw am away. I dey feel the weight of everything for my shoulder.

Segun hand dey hover for consent form, no quick sign am.

E dey hesitate, mouth tight. I dey look am, dey hope say e go just do am so I fit rest. But Segun get conscience, e dey think deep.

E carry me comot from chemist.

E hold my hand, drag me outside, sun dey burn my face. E no talk, just dey walk fast. My heart dey jump.

"Wetin you dey do?" I no understand.

E turn, face hard. E dey bite lip, eyes dey red. I dey fear, dey pray make e no shout for me.

"You no wan think am well? Na your own blood and flesh."

E voice low, but heavy. I dey shake, but I gree hold ground. My own pain pass all this.

"I rather die than born Femi pikin."

The words hard, but I talk am straight. I no care who dey look. My mind don reach breaking point.

My eye red as I force the words out.

Tears dey hang for my eye, but I no gree let am fall. My chest dey drum, my body dey weak.

"So whose pikin you wan born? That your old lover?"

Femi cold voice just cut in from back, my heart drop…

Femi shadow cover my sun—wahala just dey start.