Adaobi Episode 13

Adaobi Episode 13
We were alone in our house, me and Ada. She had cried herself to fever, talking about her father’s carnal knowledge of her had brought up unpleasant memories which caused her nothing more but misery.
 
“Why didn’t you tell me about this at first?” i asked her
“it hurts me to talk about it, i was afraid you may leave if i told you ”
” You know i would never leave you, no matter what, it wasn’t in any way your fault ” i said and held her to me.
 
Her father had first raped her when she was 13, that was her first time so he broke her, as time went on, he blackmailed her into it and had raped her from time to time until she couldn’t take it anymore, she had threatened to expose and report him to her mother if he ever laid hands on her again, that made him stop, the anger she had within her for her father was all she vented on her uncle in the city when she stabbed him. Now she had murderous intents for her father and it scared her, she wasn’t going to let any man alive lay a finger on her and succeed.
 
“Quincy will you ever leave me?”
“I won’t even think of it, ever”
“No matter what?
“No matter what, i promise you..
 
She had fallen asleep on the couch when my father came back, everything had been settled to an extent, her father has been summoned by the king to answer for the accusations. The marriage was put on hold and the governor gone. He felt he was too big to be insulted by a little girl he was trying to help by marrying. “Hmmmm”.
 
My father ensured we all slept in separate rooms that night but then, that didn’t stop me from going into her room and making love to her like it was our last night.
 
We were all at the Palace the next day, my father didn’t find it amusing that i was dragging him around because i had fallen in love with the wrong girl but he had no choice. Her father turned out to be a full fledged irresponsible man, he told lies, lies that ridiculed his daughter before everyone and he didn’t care about it. In the end, the king gave a devastating ruling, Ada had no witness and things would have been easier if she had reported earlier enough and not at that point in time, after so many years.
My heart bled as I watched her cry her eyes out, nothing could console her. We drove home in utter silence only broken at intervals by Ada’s sobs.
 
It started raining as soon as we got home. My father had decided he has had enough of the village and couldn’t wait to get out of it. He had intended we leave for the city immediately we got back from the palace but the rain didn’t allow us.
 
“Quinn, she is going to stay back with her family while we leave after this rain stops”.
My father had called me to tell me.
“Why? ” i asked
” Why what? You can’t take her away without the consent of her family which i’m very sure you won’t get and doing that would amount to kidnap”
“No, she must come with us, if she doesn’t come, then i’m not going back with you ” i said it and i meant it.
” Don’t be silly boy, don’t you think you have caused enough headache for me in one lifetime?”
“I’m sorry but i’m not going if she’s not coming “.
 
My father brought out all the best argument he knew in view of showing me why bringing her along was a bad idea but i had always been stubborn with unnecessary things talk more of when my heart was involved. We were still at it when we heard the back door bang shut, Ada had obviously been eavesdropping and had run out of the house. I went after her while my father relaxed back in his seat, he was probably tired of us.
 
I went out of the house into the rain, i ran blindly to the back and found the gate open, i came out of it, took a look around and couldn’t see her. Looking at the water soaked ground, i made out her footprints, i followed it and it led all the way to their house, from a far distance, i saw her standing at the gate made from rusted aluminum roofing sheets. It all seemed like a deja vu to me, like i had seen it somewhere before, i wiped the water from my face and called out her name, she didn’t answer me but she walked slowly towards me, as we came closer to each other, i saw the blood on her white gown, dripping from her hands. My heart in my mouth, i ran to where she stood, i got to her early enough before she fell into my arms. I looked into her eyes and she looked into mine, the rain was on her face but it was very easy to make out the tears. My eyes soaked as i held Ada in my hands.
“Ada” i called out in a shaky voice which was almost drowned by the falling rain.
“Quincy i’m sorry, I had to do it”
“Do what?” i asked.
She didn’t need to answer me, I heard a loud scre-m from the house, i looked in the direction of the scre-m and saw her father, he covered his stomach with his hands as he came out staggering, his clothes and hand was covered in blood. I stared with my mouth ajar, he walked a few steps and fell on the w-t ground. I turned my gaze towards Ada and her eyes were shutting.
“Quincy i’m sorry, i love you so much and i don’t think i can live a life without you in it” she whispered as i cried. I held her hand and for the first time noticed the blood that spurt out of them, i held it up and took a closer look, it was then that i saw the gashes, the source of the blood.
“Ada why?” i cried out “Why?”
The blood was draining from her face as she shut her eyes and then i remembered the dream.