Nelson headed straight to Bruno's from the bar and filled him in completely on the events of the night leaving no detail out. Bruno was positively ecstatic and was even more excited when he learned that no protection was used. Apparently, Bruno had done it only once and had thoroughly enjoyed it. But what truly soothed Nelson was that Bruno's partner had not gotten pregnant. She took some gin immediately after the intercourse too.
Despite his best efforts to discard thoughts of Aisha getting pregnant, the first couple of weeks were filled with paranoia and discomfort for Nelson. Every time his father called his name, he felt like he was going to receive the news of his impending fatherhood, but it never was that. And to make matters worse, Aisha did not speak a word to him neither via phone calls nor in person after the night at the bar. She ignored all of his texts and returned none of
his calls. Every attempt to approach her in school resulted in her changing locations or complete ignorance as he tried getting her attention. This went on for a few weeks and Nelson conceded that perhaps Bruno was the only friend he could keep and things would have to remain that way between him and Aisha. He concluded that she was just experiencing regret that Bruno rightly predicted that she would. Things were working quite fine that way for Nelson till the previous night when he received a text from Aisha. He sat in class still as confused as he was when he had received the text the previous night. The text meant so much and nothing to Nelson at the same time. He had immediately called Bruno and informed him and Bruno had told him it was nothing to worry about, without actually providing any reasons for his conclusion. Nelson tried texting and calling back but her line remained switched off. He pulled out his phone again in class and opened the text for the third time that morning. He stared at it beneath his desk, it simply read, "SORRY". He was snapped out of limbo by his teacher's voice, “Nelson, you're not looking too well, are you OK?"
He knew he wasn't going to make any progress in school in that mental condition, so he replied, "Sir, I think I'm sick. Can I get a permit to go home?"
His maths teacher observed him through horn rimmed glasses a while, and then signed him the permit and wished him good health. He walked home slowly as he needed time to think of why Aisha would send him such a message. His anxiety got the better of him and he picked up his pace, intent on getting home as quickly as possible and going over to Aisha's after changing to find out the reason for the text. However, what he saw on entering his street stopped him cold in his tracks. From where he stood, he saw the gate to the compound of his family's bungalow swing open and a man walked out wearing a pair of trousers that Nelson considered rather short. Closely following him, was a woman whose hijab Nelson considered rather long and as she pulled at something behind the gate, Aisha emerged with her pretty face buried beneath tears, sweat and mucus. They all got into a vehicle in front of the gate and drove off. Immediately they left, Nelson retched. He then slumped to the floor, in complete disdain. He could not bring himself to accept what might have just happened. The apology now made sense to him. He stayed in the dirt as minutes flew by in complete oblivion of anything but the calamity that had befallen him.
Finally, he decided that the best course of action was to be positive. So he unconvincingly assured himself that Aisha's parents had only come to warn his parents about their affair and solicit their support in ending it. With that in mind, he summoned courage and entered the compound. By the time he got to the door, his hands were shaking so badly that he couldn't grip the knob, so he just rammed himself through the door and what he saw was a sorry sight. His father, Pastor Mbaka whom he had never seen shed a tear, was seated on the floor with legs spread wide and hands on his head, weeping uncontrollably. His mother suspended consoling him to see who had entered and cursed in igbo when she saw it was Nelson
"Tufia!", she exclaimed and spat at his feet before he could get his first words out.
Despite his best efforts to discard thoughts of Aisha getting pregnant, the first couple of weeks were filled with paranoia and discomfort for Nelson. Every time his father called his name, he felt like he was going to receive the news of his impending fatherhood, but it never was that. And to make matters worse, Aisha did not speak a word to him neither via phone calls nor in person after the night at the bar. She ignored all of his texts and returned none of
his calls. Every attempt to approach her in school resulted in her changing locations or complete ignorance as he tried getting her attention. This went on for a few weeks and Nelson conceded that perhaps Bruno was the only friend he could keep and things would have to remain that way between him and Aisha. He concluded that she was just experiencing regret that Bruno rightly predicted that she would. Things were working quite fine that way for Nelson till the previous night when he received a text from Aisha. He sat in class still as confused as he was when he had received the text the previous night. The text meant so much and nothing to Nelson at the same time. He had immediately called Bruno and informed him and Bruno had told him it was nothing to worry about, without actually providing any reasons for his conclusion. Nelson tried texting and calling back but her line remained switched off. He pulled out his phone again in class and opened the text for the third time that morning. He stared at it beneath his desk, it simply read, "SORRY". He was snapped out of limbo by his teacher's voice, “Nelson, you're not looking too well, are you OK?"
He knew he wasn't going to make any progress in school in that mental condition, so he replied, "Sir, I think I'm sick. Can I get a permit to go home?"
His maths teacher observed him through horn rimmed glasses a while, and then signed him the permit and wished him good health. He walked home slowly as he needed time to think of why Aisha would send him such a message. His anxiety got the better of him and he picked up his pace, intent on getting home as quickly as possible and going over to Aisha's after changing to find out the reason for the text. However, what he saw on entering his street stopped him cold in his tracks. From where he stood, he saw the gate to the compound of his family's bungalow swing open and a man walked out wearing a pair of trousers that Nelson considered rather short. Closely following him, was a woman whose hijab Nelson considered rather long and as she pulled at something behind the gate, Aisha emerged with her pretty face buried beneath tears, sweat and mucus. They all got into a vehicle in front of the gate and drove off. Immediately they left, Nelson retched. He then slumped to the floor, in complete disdain. He could not bring himself to accept what might have just happened. The apology now made sense to him. He stayed in the dirt as minutes flew by in complete oblivion of anything but the calamity that had befallen him.
Finally, he decided that the best course of action was to be positive. So he unconvincingly assured himself that Aisha's parents had only come to warn his parents about their affair and solicit their support in ending it. With that in mind, he summoned courage and entered the compound. By the time he got to the door, his hands were shaking so badly that he couldn't grip the knob, so he just rammed himself through the door and what he saw was a sorry sight. His father, Pastor Mbaka whom he had never seen shed a tear, was seated on the floor with legs spread wide and hands on his head, weeping uncontrollably. His mother suspended consoling him to see who had entered and cursed in igbo when she saw it was Nelson
"Tufia!", she exclaimed and spat at his feet before he could get his first words out.
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