“I’m pregnant” Sade said after sipping on her glass of fresh apple juice. They were seated in an expensive restaurant located somewhere in Ikoyi.

Her boyfriend, Kenny, was speechless for a moment, then he broke into a loud unanticipated laughter.

Sade was thrown aback. She didn’t expect this reaction from him. When her doctor broke the news to her that afternoon, she had been so full of joy, of dreams, of the coming happiness she was going to share with Kenny, a wide smile on his lips and words of love and affection when she finally informed him. She had imagined her Father’s face lighting up at the news, not just of his coming grandchild, but that his overripe daughter would be getting married, her late mother smiling down with pride. But here he was, laughing.

“What’s so funny?” She rolled her eyes, irritated.

Kenny shook his head, still laughing. Then he took out a cigarette from the pack lying on the table, lighted it and smoked. Sade was dumbfounded.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said I’m carryin–”
Kenny cut in, “I heard you loud and clear.”
“So why aren’t you saying anything about it?” She asked.

He puffed smoke into the air,

“What do you expect me to say?” He sat up and looked into her eyes, “Are you a child? What happened to contraceptives? So you called me here to tell me this?”
He shook his head in disgust.

“Kenny why are you saying all these? I thought you would be happy to hear—”

He cut her off again at the top of his lungs, “Happy to hear what?! O ri e o pe”

“Kenny you are shouting, you are shouting at me…” Sade was close to tears, hearing the love of her life speak so harshly to her in a way he had never done before, and in public. She looked over her shoulders to see if anyone was listening in; a Japanese man seated far off with his wife and two daughters turned away when her eyes rested on them.

“Sade what is this? Your little scheme to tie me down? If you wanted a ring, all you needed to do was ask.”

There was immense disappointment in his eyes.

She lowered her head in shame,“I thought…i thought you wanted a baby.”

“You thought? Psst! You’re sick” He threw the cigarette on the ashtray and went on his feet to leave. Panic flared through her instantly. She went on her knees and held his hand like her survival depended on it.
“Kenny, please don’t do this to me. Ejo! If there is anything I have done wrong e so fun mi. Please think this through, I’m carrying your baby….”

He scoffed, “Whatever is in your belly is definitely not mine Sade. It’s best you get rid of it. You hear me? Now let go of me!” He broke free from her grasp and walked out of the restaurant.

For a moment she felt her world crumbling down before her. Exploding from the bomb he had just dropped on her. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. If Kenny was really dumping her, she was definitely finished. How would she be able to live with such a harsh reality?

“Ma’am are you okay?” the waiter standing beside her asked. Immediately she regained herself and glanced around her. Every single individual in the restaurant had their eyes planted on her. She rose to her feet and dashed out, ignoring them all.
When she got to the car park, he had already started his engine. She stood right in front of his car, ‘desperate’ marked on her forehead.

“You can’t go Kenny. You can’t leave me here, like this? Never. I won’t let that happen.” Her voice was unrecognizable. Being thirty years old in Lagos made her unrecognizable.

Kenny wound down his window and yelled out, “Get out of my fucking way. What is wrong with you?”

Sade didn’t move an inch. Passersby, in curiosity and amusement, stood to watch.

How could she have missed the signs? How could she have ignored them all? When he got uncomfortable when she stayed too long with his family. When he kept asking if she was in her safe period while they gasped intertwined, she had answered him right before he impatiently buried his seed in her, every damn time. When she created perfect scenarios for him to propose to her but he always ruined it by changing the subject or bringing up some lame excuse about a rescheduled conference meeting with the board of directors he had to hurry to.

“Why have you chosen to be his fool, Sade?” Her friend, Prisca had said to her on one of her occasional visits to her spa at Victoria island. Right from the moment Prisca laid eyes on Kenny seven months ago, she disliked him. And Sade had failed to understand why. They had several arguments because of him which often ended with Sade walking her friend out, her last words being, “I don’t blame you, you’re already married. But what kind of friend doesn’t wish happiness on her own friend?”

“Why have you chosen to be his fool, Sade?” The words rang in her head.

“No no no no.” She held her head in indignation, “I’m not a fool! I am not your fool, Kenny. You will marry me. Your mother promised me.”

He came down from the car and moved towards her, “What did you just say?”

“Your mother told me you will marry me. Be ni. So you can’t run, lai lai. You can’t go anywhere!”

“Sade…” Kenny calmly began, “Step away from my car. This is the last warning, trust me.” He pointed a finger at her face and this infuriated Sade.

“Take your finger away from my face you ingrate! Your mother loves me, your father loves me, all your sisters love me. Why can’t you? Kenny why? Why did you change? Or is there another woman? Kenny you wouldn’t dare sleep with any—”

A deafening slap landed on her face, silencing her. Onlookers gasped, surprised it escalated so quickly.

“Stay away from me, bitch.”

He stormed back into his car and started the engine with full force. His eyes cold and unfamiliar, every sign of love and desire seemed to have vanished a long time ago. She watched as he drove off. Her face stayed expressionless. The slap seemed to have made a strong impact on her because it was all clear to Sade now. Crystal clear. Prisca had been right. This was no way to make a husband out of a mad man.