On that note, the relationship between Cynthia and Francis
started and Cynthia became a regular caller at Francis’s house. Everyday on her
way home from school, she would drop by at Francis’s house.
Weeks
later, Cynthia dropped the garment of naivety and quite the world of virginity.
Francis had made her woman, then, the inevitable happened! Cynthia became
pregnant. She informed Francis but there was nothing he could do. He suggested
that she abort the pregnancy and Cynthia had no alternative than to agree along
with him. He began to raise money from the little money he was getting from his
uncle. But as fate would have it, Cynthia’s parents got wind of the pregnancy before
Francis could raise enough money for the abortion. That day marked the beginning
of Cynthia’s heart aches. All hell broke loose in her house.
“Cynthia!
Cynthia! Her father thundered. You of all people! You of all people have
disgraced me! I’m going to kill you first before I kill myself. And as her
father began to whip her, Cynthia’s mother could no longer betray her motherly
conscience as she broke down in tears and begged her husband not to flog her
too hard.
“Papa
Cynthia please take it easy, I know this is a very rude and annoying shock but
pleasetake it easy and let’s find out from her who owns pregnancy”
After
a very-little persuasion, Cynthia confessed having a relationship with a boy
called Francis who owned the pregnancy and immediately, her fate followed her
to Francis’s house. They met Francis at home. While Cynthia’s father was
slapping the day light out of Francis, his uncle arrived and they informed him
of the incident.
He
was enraged and descended mercilessly on Francis in such a way that Cynthia
became afraid that he might kill him. It was Cynthia’s father who rescued
Francis from the claws of his uncle. Francis’s uncle stated clearly that he was
going to take no responsibility of the pregnancy and that they are free to do
whatever they wish to do with Francis. Cynthia’s father took her home and when
he later visited Francis’s uncle, he brought back home the news of Francis’s
abscondment. Then Cynthia fainted. She
was rushed to hospital where she spent few days. Unknown to her, that’s was
just the beginning. Two days after she was discharged from the hospital, Cynthia’s
father went to the house of Francis’s uncle again and discovered to his utmost
dismay that the man had packed and moved to unknown destination.
His
neighbours said he didn’t leave any contact address behind. That was indeed the
final blow. Without any other trace to Francis, Cynthia knew that all hopes of
seeing him again may have dashed. Her only ray of hope was that she was sure
that Francis was so much in love with her. So she thought he would come back
for her, probably when he might have settled down as an independent man. But
Francis never did. Cynthia had waited for years now, hoping that someday, he
would show up but she was yet to set her eyes on him. “Perhaps he checked me
much later, I wouldn’t know because a few months after the incident, my father
was transferred.” Cynthia thought within herself, trying to console herself.
To
save Cynthia’s parents from the attendant disgrace and ridicule for her
preganancy, it was decided she goes to stay with her maternal grand mum.
When
Cynthia got there, she began to hawk wares until her pregnancy protruded and
she had to stop. Soon after, she gave birth to a baby boy and rested for a
while before gathered from her hawking trade. The little money she gathered
from the trade, she supplement with the one her parents were sending to her for
up keep.
She
was so happy when she gave birth. The child became her sunshine, her only
source of inspiration and her heavenly joy. The child was all that mattered to
her. Cynthia had stopped school and her dream of proceeding to university to
become a doctor was dashed. But all hope was not lost, she told herself. “What I
couldn’t become, my son is going to be “she assured herself. And she was determined
to see that the dream becomes a reality. Cynthia soon started making
substantial money with which she used in buying and selling more profitable
wares so that she could cloth her son, feed him and subsequently send him to
school.
From
street hawking, she changed to the wholesale trading of soft drinks and then to
the establishment of a fast food canteen. At this point in the time, she had
moved out of her grandmother’s apartment and was on her own.
By
the special grace of God, she was able to start a cloth and jewelry business
which finally brough her the financial security and comfort she had always
desired.
After
years in exile, Francis came back home to stay with his parents. He had always
dreamt becoming a soldier. So, he went to Jos and joined the Nigeria Army in
1988 as a private. In days, what was obtainable in the army then was only to be
a member of the armed force and wear a uniform. When he finished his secondary
education. There was no money to send him further to the university, so he
opted for his dream prospect of enrolling later into NDA (Nigerian Defence Academy)
which was a three years course as a regular student after which he could be
commissioned as an officer. When he entered the armed force, he discovered that
life in the army was not as rosy as he thought it was going to be. The army was
ruthless and demanding, One has to be physically fit to survive. If you show
sign of weakness, you will be considered for dismissal.
Contrary
to his speculations, the army is a discipline sector. It does not have time for
frivolities. If an instruction is given, it is expected to be carried out to
the last letter. His life in the barracks was mixed, hardship and fun. He met
young men of his age and they formed a team. Unfortunately, Francis aspiration
t Enroll for NDA wasn’t met. Along the line he fell out of wanted was to be in
the army and right then, he was there which was the most important thing that
mattered to him.
Read, Comment And Share……
Chapter three of this interesting and amazing story
drops by this time next week
Stay blessed…. We love you all
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