Monday, August 10, 2015

I Should Have Spoken Up (Part 6)

It was as if the earth should open up and swallow Bose, she was sweating profusely and didn’t know what to do. She tried to run but ‘something’ must have glued her feet to the ground. Uncle BJ was equally confused and out of ideas…he was visibly shaking. He tried to concoct a story with Bose so they could have the same version but he was just mumbling and was totally incoherent.
Countless thoughts flooded Bose’s mind all at the same time...
What would her aunt do to her?
What would her siblings think of her?
Would her aunt throw her out?
She thought of how she didn’t want to be part of this right from the start
Would her aunt understand?
Would her aunt believe the story that it was rape that birthed this illicit affair?
Would her aunt believe that she fought hard for this not to happen?
Would her aunt believe that she wanted to tell, but was threatened?

She had all these running in her mind as Aunty Mary drove past them

How could she not see them?
Or was she trying to pull over somewhere further?
Agreed that Uncle BJ didn’t bring his car but still, they were out there in the open and Aunt Mary was just a few meters away. Bose thought it could have something to do with her not having her School Uniform on. She had changed into something else, on her way to the motel so as not arouse suspicion. But that notwithstanding, it was really close…Bose took to her heels the moment her aunt’s car disappeared at the corner. Uncle BJ also went the other way, he was definitely not himself…he wasn’t sure if his wife saw him but pretended not to, or if he was that lucky.

Bose was afraid to enter the house when she got back from school. The guilt was eating her up…she wanted to do everything possible to avoid her aunt. She tried going in through the backdoor that led to the kitchen but it was locked. The other kids had gone inside but she stayed in the compound, pretending to clean it. She wasn’t sure if Uncle BJ was home or not.

After about thirty minutes of loitering in the compound, she heard her aunt scream her name. Aunty Mary sounded really upset and one could sense the anger in the tone of her voice…Bose wasn’t sure whether to run or respond.

Then her aunt came out through the front door and was yelling
How could you? You of all people.
You thought you could hide it?
You thought I wouldn’t find out?
Come inside right now”.
Bose just stood there…as far as she was concerned; it was the end of the world. Her aunt charged at her, held her by her skirt and dragged her inside…

© 2015 Lanre Olagbaju All Rights Reserved

PART 5                                                                                          PART 7

Picture Credit (c) spinklymagazine.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental

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