Bruised!

I sat down on the floor in front of the house. I was so full of thoughts. They call it 'face-me-I-face you'. I'm here with my friend, Ẹniọlá. We are both learning tailoring as we are awaiting our admission into higher institutions from Àǹtí Àjọkẹ̀. This place is my secret abode. I had to leave comfort just to be healed.

My parents are in my hometown at Ìpétumodù. My parents are farmers. We are not so rich and not poor. An average family. After my secondary school at Ìpétumodù High School, I decided to come and stay with my aunty:My father's younger sister. My aunty is a trader. She has a big shop at Agbeni market here in Ìbàdàn. She has two cars and her children, Tolú, Bólú, and Folú, all boys, go to one of the best private schools here. We were staying at Bódìjà Estate. My aunty promised my parents she will send me to the University. My aim is to study Economics. I want to be like Okonjo-Iweala. She's my role model.

I'm just 18 but I have the body of a 25 year-old. I'm 5 feet 10 inches. My height from my dad's side. My dada stands tall at 6 feet 4 inches, a tall, stout man. My mum isn't so tall, with her 5'3 height. But? She's a very strong woman who commands respect in our community. My aunty herself is 5'8. As light as I am.

My friends used to call me 'ọmọ omi' (that is Mammy water) due to my looks. I have the curves at the right places. I carry myself like a queen. That's how my father taught me to walk. We are from a royal family and my father is likely to be the next king if the present one kicks the bucket.

I was told I look so much like my father's mother who died the day I was born. My father named me Màmádé(mum is here). That's the name he calls me. My grandma was the village Belle at her time. I saw her photos. I have her dimples too and a slight gap in the middle of my teeth.

I lost my comfortability in Aunty Sọlá's house 4 months after I joined her family one year ago immediately after my WAEC exams. She came to pick me herself. She's my favorite aunt anyway so I was elated to be with her. My other aunties aren't so cool like her. They don't visit my dad as she does. Aunty Sọlá tries for us in her own little way and my parents did not doubt her love for me. My three other siblings, two boys and a girl, were so jealous.

If I had known.....

It started the day my aunty travelled to Dubai some weeks after I joined the household. She is a trader but she goes on vacation once in a while. Her husband, I call him Uncle Wale is as tall as my dad. A handsome man in all ramifications. Witty and funny to a fault. Amiable. The problem is he flirts with me at every opportunity.

Uncle Wálé called me into his bedroom to help with the laying of the bed. As I was doing that, he brushed past my buttocks. I flinched but he apologized. I saw something like a smirk on his face but discarded it as my imagination. The second time was in my room. He came into my room without knocking and I was naked. The Lust in his eyes were unmistakable. It was clear he wanted to sleep with me. I began to avoid him at every opportunity.

I do go to my aunty's shop because my JAMB result wasn't out. I confided in Sidi, one of her assistants. She said I am beautiful and should do this thing and forget it. I was tempted to slap her. I was a virgin. The day uncle Wálé deflowered me remains fresh in my memory. My aunty had gone to the village with her children who were on holidays. I didn't go because I just came back from there. I spent a week with my parents. I slept in my room when he drove in. I heard the gate man's greetings but didn't get up. I came back from the shop not quite long ago.

He came straight into my room. I was wearing a pink trunk top and a black bum shorts. I loosened my long hair that day with Sidi's help so it's freshly washed. I was shocked to see him in my room as I didn't close the door. I knelt down to greet him and the next thing I heard was ' Bùsọ́lá, ṣó o fẹ́ pa mí ní? (Bùsọ́lá, do you want to kill me?) I was dumbstruck. I made no sound. In a jiffy, I saw myself on my bed and he pinned my arms up with his left hand and covered my mouth with his other hand. I bit him and was met with a slap. I wanted to scream and was met with another slap. He gave me a slight hit on my shoulders and I was weak. He poured something in my mouth and I'll say a feeling came over me. I started feeling funny. He sat down on the bed and was watching. A wicked grin on his face. When he brought out his Manhood , I was too weak to resist him. By the time he slept with me, I couldn't resist him. He then gave me one small tablet which he said will prevent pregnancy. I couldn't even talk. I was covered in blood. He asked me to freshen up that he will come to take me out in a minute. He was laughing as he was looking at me. I slept off after he left.

I woke up in pains and went to the bathroom. I showered and was crying. I removed my clothes and put them in a nylon. I will burn them. I removed the bed sheet and took them straight to the laundry room. I washed it with the machine. As I was going to dry them outside, my uncle called me. I did not answer. I went back to my room and locked the door this time around. He came to knock but I didn't answer the door. He left after some minutes.

The following morning, he came again but I didn't get up. He's a branch Manager of one of the leading banks in the country. He leaves early for work. Normally, I cook for the family as my aunty takes care of Folu, the last boy. This morning, he will eat nothing. As he drove out, I began to weep again. How will I face my aunty when she comes back home next week? What will I tell my parents? My phone beeped twice, a sign of a message entering. As I opened to read, it was from my uncle.

' Bùsọ́lá, be ready for me by evening. I'll come home on time. I'm sorry for the pains. I love you for you are a beautiful girl. No one needs to know. I'll give you all you want. Be my girl. Let's do this together. You won't regret it.' Fresh tears streamed down my face. I made up my mind on what to do.