Shadows Of The Past

Such a shame!

      
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       We arrived home with grave hearts. Father tried to be a man and told us not to worry and that he was going to do everything to get justice for me. I knew better than to place faith in such words because I saw through the facade he was trying to put up. The Obis' were more wealthy and influential and it was no news that the rich could buy justice and place it carefully, far away from scrutinization.

      Weeks rolled into weeks and the bump had already started being visible. Father did not relent in his pursual of justice and each time he came home, the gloomy face told the same story over and over.

"They said we have no evidence to prosecute them"

Mum's response to such was a long sigh

"It is all Martha's fault. If she had told us the instant this happened, we would have done something immediately and would have gotten enough evidence to use to prosecute them", she would say exasperatedly.

Another sigh from father and then grave silence.

     Rumors began after weeks rolled into months. The safety that a home could give became insignificant. My age mates would come to our home to greet me condolences. Why condolences?, you might ask. That was the gravity of their gross ignorance.

" We heard that Martha is pregnant so we came to confirm if it is true",

        With me staring at them from across the room, the baby bump obviously visible. They would then scratch their heads knowing that they had been caught in the act

"We are sorry oo. It's just that a young girl like this already opening her legs for every random man that walks on the street is a bit absurd. We are sorry oo", they would say, looking from their left to the right while scratching their hair like a child that has been caught stealing.

A grave silence would ensue after as I would keep staring at them demeaningly.

" If anything, we are the ones supposed to give you that look. Anyways, we would like to take our leave now"

I would sigh and see them off to the door

"See to it that you girls mind your business. It's unhealthy to start poke nosing at this stage of your lives"

"At least,we are not the ones carrying bastards in our wombs", they would reply sarcastically and burst into sadistic laughter.

Not to talk of the meddlesome neighbours that would keep pointing fingers at me, whisper things into their ears and then, burst into laughter. Sometimes, they would go ahead to greet me afterwards.

Usually, I refused to reply and they would have another dose of laughter before I finally left. Even the sound of their reverberating laughter haunted me as I went further down the road.

Well, not that I wasn't expecting anything less, but I couldn't but feel bad for my parents who have suffered disrepute as a result of the pregnancy.

******

"There is news", father said one day as we ate dinner

"Good?", mother asked,dropping the morsel of amala, her attention now fully on her.

" Depends", father shrugged as he continued eating. There was something about his eyes this time, hope flashed through it despite how much he was trying to subdue

"One if the officers I met today told me that if I could get a witness, that is, someone that was around that un- fateful day, it will help them carry out their investigations.", he continued, fixing his gaze on me.

My head had begun to whirl with thoughts.

" So the question is, could there be anyone who heard you scream? Who else was at home?",

I scratched my head with so much vigour as if it was the only way to get me to think. The hopes in my parents' eyes glimmered even through the dark as they stared intently at me

"The gateman", I finally spoke up with relief

Amala- Food made mainly with yam flour. Usually relished among the Yorubas'.