ERUKA (episode 12)

© Oby Chinyere

The fever continued to the following morning, before I left the house to the market I vomited everything I ate but I needed to go to the shop because Dave has said he was coming to check me, I wanted to be in the shop when he comes

So I left and went to the market, i checked up on my girls in their different slot, the teenage girl I just recently employed in the nearest slot close to my shop was doing so well far more than the other slot, there was a big difference in the daily sales from both side, the first slot is turning up gradually but the second slot is doing better, far better than when Kuma was there.

After checking them and restocking their slots, I gave them lunch money and also tip them just to put a smile on their faces and they were so happy and thanked me before I went back to mine, by this time I was already having headache, my mouth was bitter, I was still feeling feverish, I was even scared to eat anything so that I don’t throw up.

If not that I was expecting Dave I would have lock up my shop and go home to sleep because that’s all I felt like doing, I wish I can sleep all day.

At some point i started having a mind battle, what if I’m pregnant, because I don’t understand the sudden vomiting and the way I was feeling, I just pray is not what I’m thinking, I can’t be pregnant, not now and not to irresponsible man like Bazil, I silently prayed that is not true, but no matter how I want to wave it off the thought kept on coming back, I felt so cold as I thought of that again,

I don’t want to loose Dave, not again, and if I happen to be pregnant for Bazil it will be a real turn off. I will never go close to him ever again.

I sat outside my shop and as my mind wonder I start feeling sleepy, and that’s how I slept off on my chair, I was awaken by a customer after attending to her I called the girl in the nearest slot, Tara to come down to my shop while I sleep a little in,side, I told her that I wasn’t feeling too well and I need to lie down, she suggest that I go home but I told her I will be fine, even though on a normal day I would have gone home but today I need to wait for Dave, my girl who I call Tara wanted to help me and get drugs but I told her I have drugs at home I will be fine, she quickly sat outside attending to people so i went in,side, spread cloths on the floor, I used one of my cloth sack to form pillow and slept off.

I was awaken by a man voice talking to Tara

“Is she alright…what is wrong with her..

“she isn’t feeling well, I have asked her to go home but she said she will be fine…she has being sleeping…I don’t know if you can take her to the hospital…or get drugs for her…she hærdly fall sick…

Immediately I hærd hospital I swallowed hærd, i know the voice is that of Dave, I just hope Dave will not suggest I go to the hospital, I feel scared all over, what if I’m pregnant what I’m I going to do, if Dave takes me to the hospital and they run a test and it came out positive, which means I’m pregnant what will I do, no…no I can’t hurt him, and I can’t be pregnant, not now and never for Bazil.

I pretend to be sleeping as I hærd Dave’s foot sound, he came in,side and stood close to me, he bent down and use his hand to feel my body temperature, he called my name twice and stroke back my hair gently, I stretched my body as if I was just waking up, I sat up and smile, he came to sit beside me

“What is the problem, you are running temperature…your girl said you are not feeling well…you looked so healthy yesterday, when did this start

“I’m fine…I was just tired, I have not gotten enough rest because I needed to meet up with sales, so that I can be able to pay suppliers whenever they supply, I’m just stressed out…that’s all, is not serious

“Are you sure…or we should go to the hospital, I have a doctor friend that we can go to, or we go to a pharmacy so that they can prescribe drugs for you…

“No…no I’m fine Dave, there’s nothing to worry about…like i said is just stress that’s all…I’m happy to see you…I almost thought you are not coming again…

“Why won’t i…when the person’s name is Ruka, I just have to try and come to see her. I have always tried not to disappoint you, if I can’t make it I would have called to let you know…so Can we go over to my place, I will make something for you to eat and after that you can rest as you want…

It sound so inviting but what if I eat again and vomit all the food and he will force me to go to the hospital or to run a test. So I told him not today.

He didn’t argue he just nodded and became quiet, he looked at me like he use to do before and frown, he straightened before saying

“Ruka, please don’t hurt me again…if you want me to kneel and plead to you I will…please do not even think of ever doing that…I don’t give room for third chance…back in school, when I was still schooling, I dated a girl who was also in business admin department, her parents has money and she was very bossy and full of herself, she was very beautiful, I loved her and because of that I over look certain things she does, but she was so violent and always tries to create trouble when there is none, she hate to see any lady close to me, and insults me anytime she see’s me with anyone, the person maybe a course mate, an ordinary friend or even a relatives, she doesn’t care whoever the person is, as far as is a female she will insult and even push the lady away fro me, she some times slaps me in the presence of my friends, it was that bad yet I was hoping the tigress in her will calm down some day, I did not have any female friend again, they even refuse to come close to me because of this girl, despite no lady was coming around me she still find reason to fight me, I couldn’t even concentrate in my studies anymore, my mark began to drop, I was not happy, you know that feeling of loving a wrong person…you try to get away but is as if you are stuck. The violence continued, even my friends thought I wasn’t man enough, some wanted me to end things with her, others said she was beautiful and has money that I should be patient with her and just with time she will behave well. I caught her with one of my friend, I fought this my guy and all my girl
friend said was that this was a pay back for all the ladies I use to play and laugh with, that she warned me never to keep a lady friend and that my friend told her I was still keeping them, so she decided to spite me, she said if she ever see me with any other lady that she will make out with all my friends and they won’t be able to resist her because she is beautiful enough to make all the men in school fall, that I should be grateful that she chose me over so many men that was asking her out. To tell you the truth I was already tired of her trouble, so I told her she can continue with my friend I was done, few days later she came begging and I have to forgive her and she promise to be better but she was never better, she even became worst, I accommodated her rubbish for sometime But it got to a time i couldn’t continue, I was fully fed up from all the bushit, so I told her it was over, I can’t continue with the relationsh¡p, she refused and said I can’t break up with her, but I was done that’s it, when she came back, I was seriously done with her, she tried to get back to me even feigning pregnancy, I told her to take the pregnancy to those men she has being sleeping with I wasn’t going to fall for that trick, she was actually pregnant for one of my guy because she quickly started dating him after our break up, I finished from school and traveled out of the country, I was out for more than six years before coming back to start up my own empire here, I have never hærd from her, life goes on. so why I am telling you all this is because there maybe a second chance but there will never be third, when I’m done I am done and I will never go back to my past…please do not hurt me again…Ruka, I really do not want you get confuse when I am with you, if this won’t work…say it now…I want you and I still love you all I am pleading seriously is for you not to play smart game with me, don’t try it…I hate it so much for the person I call mine to play a smart game on me, is better to tell me you are done with me than for me to find out you have being cheating or doing somethings that are not right behind my back…don’t ever hurt me again like you did before…

i was speechless, all I did was to nod my head, I breathed deeply before placing my head on his shoulder and he held me to himself.

He later drove me home that evening and left immediately, he said he wanted to visit his sister, Madam Kate, so he left.

The following day, Mara called me that she was coming and I told her I was home, she came and started telling me how everything was going with her and Bazil, she told me the amount of money she has collected from him so far, and said she wanted to collect more and bring it for me, I warned her not to play smart with me and she said she doesn’t need anything from me that she came from a rich family and doesn’t need my money, she was only helping me because most guys are meant to be dealt with, she told me a little story of how a guy cheated on her with other ladies and later broke up with her, ever since then she has formed the habit of hurting guys, she said she was a jealous lover and hate to see her man with other girls.

I asked her what she studied in school she mention business admin just like Dave.

It was a little similar to the story Dave told me, I felt for her and told her that her own man will soon locate her, she smile, I even told her about the way I felt, and I was so scared if it could be pregnancy because I just got back with a good man who I hurt in the past, I can’t hurt him again, she said I should go for a test or she should buy a PT for me to check, Mara said I must be pregnant because those are part of the symptoms, I became more scared and started shivering, I told her not to bother buying a PT that I will go for a test tomorrow, we talked for sometime before she left.

Dave called me that day to check up, he even asked me to take some days off and rest at home and I promised to do that.

I later called Julio and told her I was in deep mess, I told her I was pregnant, she asked if I have gone for a test I told her I haven’t, she asked if I missed my monthly flow and I said no, I didn’t, then she said I should calm down that she was coming back.

Few days later, Julio came home, she bought PT pack and other drugs, I told her all that has being happening, she was so happy that I left Bazil and I am back to Dave, she checked my eyes ball, with the way she was constantly doing it I got irritated

“Stop checking my eyes as if the pregnancy is written in them, just tell me if I am truly pregnant or not.

She burst out laughing, she took my palm and check before saying

“I’m not sure is pregnancy Ruka, I think you have typhoid, I am not sure yet, but go and do the PT first so that we can know where to go from here, that Bazil is a dead man if you happen to be pregnant, I will personally deal with him…

So I took the test, the first came out negative, I tried again until the pack of PT finished, it was all negative, which means I wasn’t pregnant, it was a big relief but I was still not feeling well, the fever comes up more during the night, throwing up has reduced since Julio came home and gave me some drugs, Julio said I had typhoid and malaria, that she will treat me, she put me on drip for days and asked me to relax, Dave called that he was coming to see me.

I guess Julio added sleeping tablet to the drugs she gave, because all I was doing is wake up and sleep back, I was so happy that I wasn’t pregnant, and Dave was coming to see me

Mara and her story that look a little similar to the one Dave told me. Bazil has not called me and I know is because he caught a new fish, he has being busy with Mara, his new girl, not knowing is all a set up.

I’m happy that Julio is back home and attending to me like I will die the next second, I am blessed to have a strong and supportive sister, who cares for me deeply.

I smile as I thought of everything before falling back asleep.

To be continued… 

NEXT (episode 13)                                                                              PREVIOUS (episode 11)