Amina adjusted the wrapper around her waist and stared at her reflection in the small, cracked mirror. Her eyes were puffy from nights of crying, and her hands trembled as they rested on her still-flat stomach.
The reality of her situation pressed down on her like the Lagos heat—inescapable, suffocating. Six months ago, Emeka had whispered sweet promises into her ears under the dim glow of her room’s kerosene lamp. “Amina, you’re the only one for me,” he had said, his fingers tracing circles on her palm. “When I finish my youth service, we’ll get married.
I’ll take care of you forever.” She had believed him. Why wouldn’t she? He was handsome, ambitious, and spoke with the confidence of a man who knew what he wanted. But now, the same man who had vowed to love her had vanished like smoke in the wind. The first sign had been his sudden busyness. “Work is stressing me, Amina,” he would say whenever she called. Then the calls became shorter, his voice colder.
One evening, she had gone to his apartment in Surulere, only to find it locked, his belongings gone. A neighbor told her Emeka had moved, transferred to Abuja for a “better job opportunity.” He hadn’t even said goodbye.
Amina’s hands shook as she dialed his number for the hundredth time. As usual, it went straight to voicemail. She sank onto her bed, the weight of her foolishness crushing her.
How could she have been so blind? Her mother had warned her about men like Emeka, smooth talkers with empty hearts. But Amina had been so sure she was different, that their love was special. Now, she was alone, pregnant, and terrified. Her phone buzzed, a message from her best friend, Chioma.
“Have you told your parents yet?”Amina swallowed hard. How could she? Her father, a strict school principal, would disown her. Her mother would weep, asking where she had gone wrong in raising her.
The shame would follow her forever in their small, close-knit community in Agege. She typed back: “Not yet.”Chioma replied immediately: “You can’t hide it forever. Soon, people will notice.”Amina knew she was right. But fear paralyzed her. What would she do? She had just finished her diploma program and had no job.
The little money she saved from her part-time work at a cybercafé wouldn’t last long. That night, she dreamed of Emeka.
In the dream, he was laughing at her, his voice echoing, “Did you really think I’d stay?”She woke up sweating, her pillow damp with tears.
The next morning, she made a decision. She would go to Abuja. She would find Emeka and make him face what he had done. With the last of her savings, she boarded a bus to Abuja, her heart pounding with every mile. The city was vast, intimidating, but she refused to turn back.
She called every contact she had, old friends, distant relatives, until someone finally gave her an address. When she arrived at the sleek apartment complex, her legs nearly gave way.
What if he denied her? What if he had a new girlfriend? She knocked. The door opened, and there he was , Emeka, in a crisp white shirt, his eyes widening in shock. “Amina?” Her voice was steady, though her hands trembled.
“You left me. Pregnant. Without a word.” For a moment, he said nothing. Then his shoulders slumped. “I… I was scared.” “Scared?” Her voice cracked.
“You think I’m not?” He looked away, shame flickering across his face. “I didn’t know what to do.” Amina took a deep breath. “You don’t get to run away from this.
That baby is yours, whether you like it or not.” Silence stretched between them. Then, finally, Emeka exhaled.
“Come inside. Let’s talk.” As she stepped into his apartment, Amina knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy. But for the first time in months, she didn’t feel alone.
Whether he would step up or disappoint her again, only time would tell. But one thing was certain, she would face this, with or without him.