STIGMA

CHAPTER 38

Ayoade came out of the Amala joint, fully contented. He was with a toothpick as he sauntered home. The ogunfe (goat meat) and ponmo ( goatskin) were so sweet and there were patches of the meat in between his tiny teeth.

He felt exhausted all of a sudden as he strolled and he stopped a bike to take him home.

He alighted from the bike and felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. He tried to withhold the urge to voice out his pain by groaning. He paid the bike man who was looking at him strangely and turned into the compound.

He didn't bother to look in the direction of Raliat's apartment because he knew she won't be back till the next day. He inserted his key into the keyhole, opened the door with his left hand on his abdomen and, went in. He quickly locked the door from inside and flopped heavily to the bed.

The pain he was feeling wasn't new to him. He knew what it signifies. It was overwhelming.

His stomach aches and urges were back and stronger. It was 2 years already since he last felt this way. He groaned again and laid on his stomach. The only solution to the pain was to make sure he discharges. It will help relieve him of his pain and there were two ways to doing that; having intercourse or masturbating.

He already made a vow never to do any of these again, until it becomes legal and halal. He felt he needed to get married to Raliat as early as possible to avoid fate repeating itself.

Now that the pain was back, he knew it will become frequent. Coping with it will take the grace of God for someone like him who already knows and had experienced the pleasure derived from sleeping with a woman.

He needed to call his parents and let them know the situations of things. But first, he needed to call Raliat, his love. Maybe hearing her sweet voice will soothe him and calm his nerves.

He brought out his phone from his back pocket and dialed her number which he saved as "Soulmate".

It rang continuously. She didn't pick. Then, he sent her a message, dropped the phone and, relaxed his whole body on the bed. Before he knew it, he slept off.

*****
Ayoade woke up 2 hours later to the loud bang of the toilet door. He could feel the presence of someone. He rolled onto his back and opened his eyes, slowly. His eyes roamed the entire room but there was no one in the room.

He closed his eyes and was about to slip back into dreamland when the ringing sound of his phone jerked him back to life. He felt a sharp pain as he sat upright.

The ache was gone now but the effect of it was still lingering and he felt horny.

The caller was his mother.

"Ayomi (My Joy)", she said.

"Yes, mummy", he replied with a smile.

He was closer to his mother than his father. He considers his father too strict. But he couldn't help but admit that his mother was his father's accomplice and partner-in-crime. He knew the disappearance of Chidinma was the work of his parent.

"How have you been?"

"I've been good."

"You did not even bother to call me."

"I'm sorry mum."

"Eh..eh", his mother stammered.

"When are you coming home?", she said after a minute of silence. That was evident enough that something was on his mother's mind. He knew her in and out.

"Is anything the matter?", he inquired.

"No...nothing", she stuttered again. " I just want to know when you are coming back home."