He stared blankly with hands akimbo. A hand touched him from behind. His brain didn't quite interpret it as a touch as he gave no response. He seemed totally disconnected from reality.
She was pregnant for him. She broke the news over the phone. He'd thought he wouldn't be so sad if a thing like this ever happened.
She shook him.
"You look depressed."
"Are we going to abort it?"
"No, no, no, no."
"Are you saying 'no' to what I said or something else?"
"I'm losing my mind", was what left his lips.
" No, we're not, never aborting her."
"Her?
You're scaring me."
"Forget I said that, but no abortion.
No one has to die because we did something terrible. We can do this."
"I have our backs."
The imagery in her head were all tales of doom. His words didn't seem to make it better.
Logically he thought, "how can I add a worse sin to the one I already have?"
A silence ensued...
Then she said, "I can't have this baby."
His brain was scanning through millions of files: helpful words he could say to dissuade her from following through with her decision.
"No one has the right to think you're not a saint. I would consider you one if you don't. I won't judge you if you do.
There is no 'physically' dissuading you..."
Ten years later...
"Do you remember that morning when you talked me out of the abortion?"
"Who can forget that day?"
"Well, I met a doctor who was to help do the abortion."
"What?!"
"He was trying to abort the baby when he said there was a complication. He said some medical terms I can't quite remember, but the long and short of it was that, I would lose my womb if he attempted it."
"Mummy, I'm need one thousand naira."
"For what? Can't you see your dad and I are taking?"
"Oh, which kind wicked excuse be this, mtcheeew!"
He stared at her sternly, and she walked away.
"Joe, joe. You get lectures today?"
"No. Wetin you want again?"
"Hahaha. Abeg my babe get belle and she wan pull am by all means."
"Wait wait wait, guy na wa for you oh. How come na? You dey dull die!"
"Guy, that's by the way sef. She wan abort am and I no want make she abort am?"
"Guy na all this your uptight religious way dey make me taya for you. Na which kind talk be that. Leave am made she abort am na!"
"Guy hear me out na! I want make you act as doctor. I don tell her best friend make she recommend you as the quack doctor.
All you have to do is say the script I'll give you."
"I go pay you."
"No worry I go do am for free."
Later that night
"Guy how the thing go? Hope say you no fall hand? 'Cause I never take eye see her since morning."
"Dude, you need see me where I dey act! Guy I be world class actor. All those my fake lecturers wey no sabi mark script no dey acknowledge my I ingenuity.
" You succeed! "
"Guy, chillax na! I be final year theatre art student oh. Yes e work!"
Waving her hands in front of his face, she quizzed, "what are you thinking?"
"Just thinking of how beautiful she turned out to be."
