To Reveal the Truth (Contd) - by Abdulsamad Jimoh

2. They rushed me to the hospital.After long hours of efforts, the doctors resuscitated me. ‘I can’t just stop giving thanks to God right now,’ Soji rejoiced after I finally woke up. ‘I’m so happy that I didn’t lose you.’ ‘Febi, you scared us. We almost lost you,’ Sarah said. ‘What happened to me?’ I asked briskly, yet I didn't understand the situation. But when I saw that I was lying in a hospital bed with the administration of intravenous on my body, I quickly pieced together everything that happened before I blacked out. ‘I was bleeding, then I passed out…’ ‘Yes. We’re glad you are back,’ Soji said and gently rubbed my hand. ‘Don’t worry, dear. I’m here with you.’ ‘Hope you are okay now?’ Sarah asked as she lowered herself to sit on the chair beside my bed. ‘I’m fine, Sarah. Thank you.’ ‘I’m happy to hear that.’ Before anybody uttered anything else, I quickly asked, ‘Hope my mother is not aware of this?’ ‘Not yet,’ Sarah replied sharply. ‘I dialled her number several times but it wasn’t reachable.’ ‘Oh, good,’ I sighed. ‘What did you even intend to tell her?’ ‘That you fainted and—’ ‘Oh my God, you want her to know that I—'‘Trust me, I won’t tell her that one.’ ‘Well, I’m relieved her number didn’t go through. She mustn’t know I’m here, and my aunt too...’ I was discharged the following day. Soji and I went to the doctor’s office to receive my medical reports. ‘The person who performed the abortion on you is a quack,’ the doctor explained. ‘Your womb has been severely damaged and that might preclude you from getting pregnant in future.’ ‘Doctor!’ I bawled and then lost words. Soji was astonished too. He began to ask the doctor questions on any possible solution, but the doctor’s explanation sounded complicated. When we got home, I wailed and wailed until my eyes turned red. Soji didn’t stop begging, and that infuriated me more; I wasn’t pleased with him. ‘You’ve spoilt my life!’ I bawled. ‘Why are you begging me?’ ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t expect this either.'‘You said everything would be fine.’ ‘You just have to calm down.’ ‘Don’t tell me to calm down. I cannot get pregnant again; you know what that means?’ Soji looked away and said: ‘We shall look for solution.’ ‘Good! What’s the solution?’ ‘Febisara,’ Soji called my name fully for the first time before reaching for my hands. ‘I’ve concluded that I’ll never leave you. I shall stay with you. I’ll marry you no matter the situation and we shall find solution to this problem together.’ I was stunned; I stopped weeping immediately and maintained a straight look at his face. ‘Are you for real?’ ‘Yes. And I cross my heart,’ he said, and then hugged me so tight that I started to feel his heartbeat. ‘Thank you,’ I said, then tears began to gather in my eyes again. I struggled to use my head. Should I be happy or be sad? Well, I concluded that it would be better to marry Soji than to marry another man who might not understand my condition. He substantiated his promise by giving me a ring and continued to prove to me that he adored me every day. Some weeks later, he received an admission letter from the University of Ibadan. We were really happy and celebrated the achievement together. I accompanied Soji to Ibadan on the day he finally resumed, and I visited him every weekend until I received my admission letter by mail from the University of London. Soji was glad to hear the news. He came to Lagos a few days later to assist me with the preparation of my journey. I was glad he came, but a sick feeling that he might change towards me after I left Nigeria floated into my mind, and it gave me cause for melancholy. ‘Soji,’ I called. ‘Yes, Febi,’ he responded and glanced at me. ‘What happened? Your face is—’ ‘Are you sure you won’t break your promise?’ I asked him straight away and focused on his eyes as though the answer to my question was written there. ‘Febi, I’ve promised you, and I will never break my promise,’ Soji said, stretching his hand forward to touch my shoulder. I kept mute and still focused on his eyes, perhaps to see something there that would tell me that he was either truthful or lying. As though he could read my mind, he said, ‘Believe me, I’m not lying to you.’ ‘Okay. I’ve heard you. Please don’t disappoint me.’ ‘I promise I won’t disappoint you.’ ‘I will miss you.’ ‘I will miss you too.’ I travelled to London three days later, and I must say that I missed Soji very much. He lingered incessantly in my thoughts, and everything we’d done together stood in my view every time. I didn’t tell my mother about Soji, but she sensed something was going on. One evening, while I was at my reading cubicle in my apartment, my phone rang; it was her. ‘My lovely daughter,’ she said. ‘Good evening, Mum. How are you?’ ‘Fine, my dear. Hope you’re enjoying your time in London?’ ‘Of course, I am.’ ‘That’s good.’ ‘What of your husband and Idera?’ ‘They’re fine,’ she said, then paused for a minute before she began, ‘What’s between you and that guy who came to the airport with us the day you were travelling?’ ‘Mum, he’s just my friend.’ ‘You must not hide anything from me. What’s between both of you?’ ‘Well, Mum, he’s my lover, someone I planned to marry.’ ‘What! You mean you are in relationship and you are even planning to…eh…and you cannot tell me!’ ‘Mum, it’s not like that. I’m sorry. You know I’ll still tell you—’ ‘It’s not proper at all. When did my gentle daughter start hiding things from me?’ ‘I’m sorry, Mum. I—I,’ I didn’t know the next thing to say. ‘What’s happening with kids of nowadays? So, if I didn’t ask, you wouldn’t tell me?’ ‘Mum, let me explain.’ ‘Okay then, explain...’ I explained it to my mother. I told her that Soji was the guy who rescued me the day I fainted at Immaculate College. She remembered, but she’d forgotten his face, for she only saw him once. ‘Well, it’s good you are in love with your benefactor,’ she said. ‘I want to believe he’s a nice young man.’ ‘Yes, Mum. I’m sure you’ll like him.’ She was glad about many things I told her about our relationship. I kept the abortion incident from her. Sarah didn’t keep in touch with me again when I got to London; I didn’t know why. I tried her phone number several times, but she didn’t answer my calls. She didn’t even reply to my e-mail and texts. I asked Soji if he had heard from her lately, but he said he hadn’t. After sometimes, I gave up on her. I focused on my studies throughout my stay in London. Although I made friends, I didn’t get myself into any serious relationship. My bosom friends in the university were Josephine and Helen. Josephine was the daughter of the then Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet of the British Royal Navy. Helen was a British Nigerian. Her parents were originally from Ibadan in the southwestern part of Nigeria. Her Yoruba name was Àbíké. Both of them were from well-off homes, and I was able to visit many places in the UK because of them. I also had a male friend called Robert. He was very handsome. He wanted something to happen between us, but I refused. I didn’t want to engage in anything that would ruin my relationship with Soji. Nevertheless, we went out together for fun. He was a die-hard fan of Chelsea Football Club. I could recall May 2008 when Manchester United defeated Chelsea on penalty shoot-outs to lift the UEFA Champions League Trophy. Robert fell sick after watching the match live on the television and didn’t recover until the third day. I was floored because I didn’t expect someone to love a football club to that extent. There was a time he even forced me to follow him to watch a Chelsea match at Stamford Bridge. I actually enjoyed the view that day.

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