MR SENSUAL, MISS SASSY

OH SHIT!

The pregnancy was the first thing that crossed my mind when I woke up this morning. The strips could be incorrect, I needed to visit the hospital. It was possible that I was among the few females the strips didn't work for. After all, I wasn't having morning sickness or mood swings, I felt like a normal person that wasn't pregnant.

I left the bed and went to the bathroom. I took my toothbrush and cleaned my teeth. When I saw the unused strips on the water closet tank, I decided to do another test. It said morning test was the most accurate so I tried again. The two tests I did read positive. I dumped the used strips in the trash and washed my hands. I needed to go to the hospital, that was the only way to actually be a hundred percent certain.

I went to the kitchen and saw the wine from the previous day. What if I'd drank a glass? I was always around alcohol. I didn't know how it was possible that there could be a baby inside me. I hadn't drank at the fashion show because I'd been upset over Chike. Also, that night I was meant to go to the bar but went to see Chike instead, then the dinner with Yah, the wine had repulsed me. I had thought it was because the wine smelt different. Those little coincidences had been my baby's saving grace... if there was indeed a baby.

If the hospital did a test and there was a baby, I'd keep him or her. I didn't care what Chike decided, I was keeping my baby. It was that simple.

I took the peanut butter and chips Amaka brought and went to the living room. I found it interesting to pile peanut butter on the chips before eating them and I thoroughly enjoyed the outcome.

I chickened out and didn't go to the hospital that afternoon when I could. I decided to give Chike a call. His number was switched off, he wasn't making telling him easy. I changed into a black Jalabiya and nude mules then grabbed my car keys. I drove to Chike's house and went to his apartment, his door was wild open and the apartment was empty, there was no single trace of Chike left in the room.

I walked out of the door and looked around. It felt like I was hallucinating so I went back into his apartment and it remained empty. I took my phone from my bag and dialed his number again, it was still off. I looked around the empty room, I went close to the window and stared at the activity going on outside.

My life was officially a nightmare, when I thought it couldn't get any worse it did. I tried not to cry, I was tired of crying. I needed to find Chike. I left the window and noticed a red sim card abandoned at the corner of the room. No wonder his phone was off, he'd changed his number. I picked it from the floor and placed it inside one of the tiny pockets in my bag. I took one last look at the room where so many things had happened and left the apartment. My car was still in the same position I left it when I got outside and I drove home.

I couldn't sleep that night because I kept thinking of how I was going to find Chike. Where could he possibly have gone? I knew it wasn't back to his parents', it had to be somewhere else. I needed to find him and tell him that I could be pregnant with our baby. I rubbed my tummy and turned to my side.

Immediately I got to the office the following day, I sent Agnes a mail. I wrote that I needed her family friend's new contact and address for a business proposal. I warned her not to tell him because it had to be a surprise. I'd thought all through the night and that was the only way I could get Chike's new number or address.

I was restless all through the day and was checking my mail to see if there was a reply from Agnes. When I didn't hear from her, I went to my car and retrieved the business card of the mechanic shop Chike's said he sometimes worked at. Even if he wasn't at work or quitted, they should have his forwarding address.

I dialed the number on the card when I got back to my office and waited as it rang. Someone with a croaky voice picked, and I told him I was looking for one of his workers after I introduced myself. I got no help from him because he said Chike quitted a long time ago and gave me the same number I had that was switched off. I thanked him and got off the phone.