I was scared that my mother-in-law was going to make my life agonising in her son’s house. But to my surprise, she supported me and also made my burden hers. In fact, we became very close. One day, I summoned courage and asked her why she was so nice to me. According to her, she gave birth to her first child, Samuel, after seven years of marriage. “My dear daughter, Eva, I went through hell in the hands of my mother-in-law just because I couldn’t conceive early. I have been there so I know what it feels like and wouldn’t wish that for even my worst enemy. We will go through this together my dear but one thing for sure is that you will bear my son children. But please do not lose faith,” she comforted me.
She encouraged me from time to time and also took me to see a few pastors who assured that God will dry my tears at the right time. I desperately wanted to have children for my husband because he loves children but since I couldn’t bear him a child, in our fourth year, I begged him to take another wife. He bluntly refused. “My sweetheart, I will forever love you whether you bear me children or not. I will be patient with you for as long as it takes, after all it is God who gives children,” he empathized. He warned me to stop bringing up the idea of taking another wife. I then suggested the option of adopting a child. Samuel wouldn’t want to hear of it. However, to make me feel happy, he promised to think about.
Two months later, he returned from work one evening and informed me that he would be going on an official trip to Abuja the next day. “Sweetheart, you know I don’t like staying in this house alone. Anyway, how many days will you be gone?” I asked. “My love, I will only be away for just a day. I am so sorry, it is an emergency. Please can you help me pack?” he pleaded.
The house was so quiet without my dear husband. It was not as if it was his first time of traveling and leaving me alone at home but I felt a bit strange for the first time being alone in the compound with just the gateman. Anyway, I went to bed immediately after dinner because I was very tired. However, my sweet sleep was cut short when I heard a voice ordering me to wake up at about 2.25 a.m. I opened my eyes and behold three masked men were in my bedroom. I started shivering because it was my first time of such encounter. One of them who I guess was the leader asked, “Where is your husband? Where is the money?” Stuttering, I said, “My husband travelled and please sir, there is no money in this house.” “What do you mean there is no money in this big house?” asked the leader. “Please sir, you can take all my jewellery, that is all I have, sir,” I pleaded. The leader pounced on me. He rȃped me. He threatened to shoot me if I refuse or alert the neighbours, so I had no choice but to obey. It was just like what I have watched in some movies.
Before they left the room, they opened the wardrobe and took my husband’s black briefcase. The leader asked me for the combination but I told him I didn’t know. “Whether you know the combination or not madam, we will break the briefcase, open it and see what is inside,” he shouted. He fiddled with it for some time and when he couldn’t open it, he took it away. It was a horrible experience. I cleaned up but couldn’t sleep again out of fear until about 5:00 a.m. When I opened my eyes, it was 8.00 a.m. I picked up my phone and called Samuel. I didn’t tell him anything as I only asked him what time was his flight. He told me he had just landed in Lagos.
Immediately Samuel entered into the house, I jumped on him and started crying. “What is the matter Eva dear, why are you crying?” he asked. He repeated the same question thrice before I could summon an answer. “I was rȃped,” I quivered. “How did it happen Eva dear?” he queried. I narrated what happened and insisted that we report the matter to the police. Samuel said it was not necessary. He told me it would be embarrassing for people to find out that his wife was rȃped. He convinced me that it would forever be a stigma and that we should keep it to ourselves.
We went to see his doctor to run some tests and we were told, there was no STD or VD but I was asked to come back after two weeks. However, a month later I went for HIV test. Rather, it was discovered that I was pregnant. I was happy but sad at the same time. I was happy because I was pregnant but sad because the pregnancy belongs to a rȃpist. I decided I was going to have an abortion.
When I told Samuel about the pregnancy, he was so excited. I told him there was nothing to be excited about because I was going to have an abortion. He pleaded with me to keep the pregnancy. This indeed was a surprise to me. “My love, this pregnancy belongs to a rȃpist; I can’t have this baby even though we have been hoping on God for a child,” I insisted. However, I later conceded and kept the pregnancy. Samuel pampered me until I gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. Sometimes I wish he was the biological father of my child. His mother too was so excited.
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