THE RING I COULDN’T WEAR - Temitope Daniel

Written By Temitope Daniel

I MISSED MY PERIOD

The word reversed itself and flashed through his ears once again. He jacked his head up as sudden sweat covered his face. He didn‟t even know where his face towel was, he didn‟t even know what to do, say or imagine. He was dumbfounded. He stared at her as if his eyes had electromagnetic waves that could penetrate her tommy so he could truly see what she was talking about. He shook his head, wondering if he wasn‟t actually thinking in a wrong manner. She just told him she lost her period, what period? Or was she talking about the Bible study preview period?

“Do you mean Bible study?” He asked her, wiping sweat off his forehead with his hand while he held his face towel.

Her eyes filled with tears at once. “I am not talking about Bible study, Samuel. You also know what I am talking about.”

He shook his head. “I don‟t know! Explain what you mean, Rachael. I don‟t understand you yet.” He needed not to be told, he knew his breathing had changed.

“Sam, I am pregnant.” She spelt it out.

He jacked to his feet as his face towel dropped down. His eyes were widened, staring at her like he had never seen her before. “Are you joking or you mean this, Rachael?” He asked again, breathing so fast.

She wiped her tears. “I confirmed yesterday.” She replied.

“I mean… em.. how is that.. you know.. how.. how… possible?” He started stuttering.

She continued another episode of tears. “You know I told you I have been sick, Samuel.”

“Sure, we all know this is malaria, Rachael. When did it turn out to be this?” He spoke so fast. He was surely in a pressure cooker.

“I.. I also thought it was malaria until I missed my period and em.. I had to tell Promise about it.”

“Jesus! Promise knows about this already?” He placed his hands on his head as he made a roundabout. His eyes were already blinking; he knew he was going to cry anytime soon.

She coughed. “I had to tell her when I started noticing some things.” She replied.

“Who else knows about this, Rachael?”

She shook her head. “Only promise. We had to buy pregnancy test kits and did the test over and over.” She replied.

He plopped down the sofa. “Jesus! Oh no! Wait, pregnancy test kits? So, you haven‟t gone to the clinic for the laboratory test?”

She shook her head again. “No.”

He forced back his tears. “You have to do it as fast as possible, Rachael. You cannot rely on that test you ran totally.” She kept crying.

“Hope Pastor haven‟t heard about it, Rachael.”

“I haven‟t told him.”

“You… em.. please stop crying. Just make sure you run the test as soon as possible. I mean, as you are leaving this place, go for the laboratory test!” He exclaimed.

She nodded, wiping her tears.