READ: Amara Episode 4: Wahala
She hadn’t let his threat get to her. She would never subject her body to be mutilated in the name of abortion. If Ayo would not help her, she had reasoned, she would do it herself.
But with no qualifications and certificates, getting a job proved very difficult. Even odd jobs were hard to find. Her pregnancy proved to be a curse. The few jobs available were not enough to reach pregnant women. The woman at the domestic help agency took one knowing look at her and told her sympathetically that the demand for housemaids had dropped and no employer would want a pregnant maid. In the construction site where she worked as a laborer, she had a dizzy spell one day and fell, spilling the mixed cement on her head. The foreman fired her immediately.
And now, she has nothing but her small kiosk to depend on. Meanwhile, her husband has stopped coming home. Ayo, who before now couldn’t wait to see her, couldn’t wait to touch her, to smell her, couldn’t seem to have enough of her, now avoids her like Ebola. He refuses to touch her food. The rare nights he comes home, he goes straight to bed reeking of ogogoro.
As dusk approaches, Amara closes her kiosk and begins to trek home, lost in dark thoughts. Today she has only made three hundred naira. Who takes care of a baby with three hundred naira? That is drop in the ocean. God knows she has tried her best and she will keep trying. For now, she will do what she has to do.
Resolved, she gets home and spends the evening taking care of the children and preparing dinner. Ayo returns reeking of alcohol as usual and she calmly informs him of her decision to abort the baby. His alcoholic haze disappears instantly.
“Are you sure?” he asks softly.
“Do I have a choice?” she replies curtly.
He winces. “Don’t worry. It will be fine. Iya Agbomola is very good at this” he assures her.
The next day, they make their arrangements. As predicted, Iya Ibeji agrees to care for the children and they set off for Ijebu.