Checkmate Episode 25 (By Adeyoola Ojemola)

 

Dave had been noticing Bambam’s change in attitude some few weeks before their first year second semester exams. The very jovial Bambam, rarely angry, became somewhat moody and would easily snap at him. Bambam loved to eat and was not a picky eater but she suddenly became selective in what to eat. 

 

When they went for the dinner night of their department and won best couple, Bambam who would have been very hyper and keen on flaunting their relationship at that moment was rather reserved. In fact, she barely ate the food they were served at the event.

 

Her sudden change in attitude drifted them apart a little bit such that Dave spent more time in the library to read than with her. He’d only encourage some revisions with her as they prepared for their exams. At that point, Dave was wishing he had maintained his lodge on campus.

 

It was too late to do that now since someone else had taken that space. 

 

Anytime Dave asked Bambam what was wrong with her, she’d tell him nothing. One particular morning when they had an early morning paper, as Bambam was brushing her teeth, she almost vomited her stomach if that were possible.

 

He was so scared for her that morning and wondered what sort of sickness had fallen on her.

 

He begged her to let them visit the hospital. Bambam said after their exam. They got into the exam hall fifteen minutes into the exam but they were allowed in. As soon as they were done, Dave looked for Bambam but did not see her. He went to their lodge, she wasn’t there either.

 

Bambam came in only a few minutes to 9 pm and they had another early morning paper the next day.

 

When confronted, Bambam ignored him and would not say a word to him. He was so pissed with her that Dave left their lodge and went to sleep in a classroom on campus to pull an all-night reading. 

 

He wanted to ignore Bambam the next morning but he couldn’t. For fear of her health, he went back to the lodge to get her ready for their exam. That was how their relationship declined throughout their second semester exams.

 

On the final day, after their exams, Dave planned to cook Bambam’s favourite food for her. He bought some fufu and planned to make the egusi and vegetable soup just the way his mom made it. 

 

He wanted to make Bambam feel special and hopefully, it was just exam tension that caused them to drift apart. 

 

He made the food, served it, and invited Bambam to come dine. She came and he thought he saw some repulsion in her face at the sight of the food. She sat on the student desk and chair they had in the lodge but would not touch the food. 

 

Dave began to cajole her, say sweet nothings to her, kiss each of her fingers. None of these moved Bambam. Not knowing what else to do, he began to sing her a love song, 

 

‘...you are the star shining brightly in my sky at night when you have shined ever brightly as my sun all through the day.

You are the air filling my lungs so I can breathe and keep living.

Thoughts about you keep my heart pumping with blood.

If there is no  you, I am as good as dead.

I love you baby,

forever baby,

only you baby,

and ever and…’

 

‘I am pregnant’, Bambam said.

 

Dave, who was on his knees beside Bambam who was on the wooden chair in their room, found himself jolt back and landed on his buttocks.

 

His hands to his face.

 

‘Kilo so?’ (What did you say?), Dave asked.

 

‘I am pregnant’, Bambam said again.

 

Then, she shifted her body to face him directly.

 

‘I have not seen my monthly flow in over nine weeks. I did not want to go to the school clinic so they don’t find out.’

 

‘And you did not think to tell me when you found out?’ Dave said with a mix of anger and perhaps fear.

 

 

 At this point, he was sweating, profusely.

 

‘How did you get pregnant, Bambam?’

 

Feeling insulted, ‘Excuse me? Say that again. Say it again, Dave. How did I get pregnant? Are you daft? I thought you were a smart student.’

 

They both sat in silence for so long that it felt the other didn’t exist in the room.

 

Bambam took a gaze at the food before her and she began to eat. She ate everything on the plate. She took it to their kitchen area, washed it. 

 

She returned to the room, brought out her travelling bag and began to pack her belongings into them. 

 

As though coming to some understanding of their new reality, Dave got up from where he was seated on the floor and snatched the clothes Bambam was about to put into the bag. 

 

‘What are you doing when you just dropped a bombshell on me?

 

What am I supposed to do now?

 

What are we going to do about this thing?’

 

‘This thing? Or do you mean your child?’ Bambam said with irritation.

 

Hearing the word child, Dave, went into another spiral of thoughts.

 

‘Bambam has finished me.

 

What will I tell my parents?

 

My parent’s ministry has finished.

 

What will we do?’

 

‘I finished you? Dave? I, Bamidele Bamidupe, finished you?’ She went back to her packing and did not say anything more.

 

Dave, realising the gravity of his words, went beside Bambam and went on his knees. I am sorry. I am really sorry. I was not thinking when I said those words. I am stupid for saying that. Forgive me, Bambam. 

 

It’s just that I am so confused right now. I don’t have any means to do right by you.

 

I can’t even face my parents and say this to them. I know my father, he will send me away and tell me to sort it out myself.

 

My mother will side her husband’s decision. 

 

Bambam, please help me out here. What can we do? I don’t even know anyone I can go to or where to go for advice. It’s just you and me in this.

 

I believe your parents won’t want to hear this either. You have shared so many plans for your life.

 

They won’t want to hear that a baby is in the picture. 

 

Bambam, what will we do?’ By this time, Dave was seriously crying like a baby. 

 

Bambam, not realising it either, she was also already crying. Two teenagers, they sat together on the floor in their room, crying. They cried for so long because they both did not know what to do.

 

Bambam was not so strong after all. 

 

 

Suddenly, Bambam spoke. 

 

‘I used to have a secondary school friend who has had an abortion before when we were in school. I’d go look for her at home. I believe she’d help me out.’

 

Dave, startled with what she said, ‘Abortion? Isn’t that murder? What if you died? Is there no other option?’

 

Bambam couldn’t believe her ears. ‘Do you have a better plan? Or do you think I could send the thing back to God like a return package?’

 

They both fell silent again.

 

 ‘So, like how much will this cost?’ 

 

‘I have no idea, Dave. I have never done it before, remember?… I’ll sort it, somehow… My parents are coming tomorrow. I received their letter three days ago. They are driving over. When I get home, I’ll write you a letter when I have any updates.’

 

‘Ha, let me write you another address. You cannot send it to my home lest my father lay hold of it. I’ll give you a friend’s address. Can we schedule a meeting here in school? The break is four months long. We can’t depend on letters alone. What if it is not delivered?’

 

Bambam gave it a thought, ‘True… Let’s meet in eight weeks. We can tell our parents we want to check for our results to know if it has been posted. My rent here will still be valid so there should be no problem with where to stay.’

 

Silence, again…

 

Bambam spoke first. ‘What if I die while aborting, Dave? What if I am unable to have children later in future? What if when we resume school next session, you no longer love me?

 

Wait, do you even love me?’

 

Dave looked straight into Bambam’s eyes, ‘I love you, Bambam. If I had the means now, I’d marry you. But we are agreeing to do this for our future, right?’

 

By this time, both had tears streaming down their faces. Dave hugged Bambam who was now sobbing profusely. She slept off in his arms. 

 

Gently helping her to take a better sleeping position, Dave stood up to help Bambam pack up her things. It was already past midnight by the time he was done. 

 

Then he slept also but not beside Bambam on the bed. He slept on the cold floor. He could not sleep as his conscience kept him awake. He knew that what they were about to do was to truncate the life of a living child that God has a plan for. 

 

His parents had shown him this in the Bible, that every child, born or unborn, had great use in God’s majestic plan. His conscience would not let him be because he knew they were about to commit an even greater sin against God than their sin of fornication. 

 

When morning came, he prepared Bambam’s shower water and left to get her breakfast of bread and tea. Breakfast was in more silence as both were lost in their thoughts. 

 

Before noon, Bambam’s parents arrived. She had moved her things to the front of the house and sent Dave on an errand so he would not meet her parents. Before he came back, Bambam had left.

 

That was the last he saw or heard from Bambam. 

 

No letters.

 

No coming back to school as agreed.

 

Bambam did not resume school the next session nor the next until their five-year course ended in the University. 

 

Everyone who knew her could not say much about where exactly she lived. 

 

He left school one day in his third year to trace where she had described as the area where she lived. He searched and searched.

 

He did get it eventually but then, they no longer lived there. 

 

Reflecting back now, brought Dave so much pain in his heart.

 

Dave asked God again, ‘Why have you brought back Bambam to mind? Did she die? Is her blood crying for vengeance?’ 

 

Dave spent some time at that moment quietly praying for mercy, then for clarity, for help, for direction, for a way.

 

When he felt he had a release in his spirit, he got up and was ready to leave Some Peace and Quite. 

 

After he had checked out, he stood outside their gate waiting for the ride he booked. He noticed the young man he saw reading a book earlier whom he thought was familiar.  He looked at him more intently, he did not ring a bell. Dave dismissed the idea.

 

The man seemed to be waiting for a ride too. 

 

He was pressing his phone with one hand and held the book he was reading earlier in his other hand. Dave read the title of the book and was impressed. It was a book by Wesley L. Duewel, Ablaze for God. Dave knew that was a very good book. 

 

As though noticing someone stare at him, the young man looked up at Dave and nodded a greeting. Dave smiled in return and started a small chat. ‘I have read the book you are reading a couple of times. It is a very powerful one.’

 

The young man smiled, ‘Yes. I just started today, actually, and I can totally understand you reading it more than once. I might also do that eventually. I am new in town, actually. I was so glad when I found this place. I am not much of a bustling city person. I hope I will enjoy this city.’

 

Dave, already seeing a potential church member, moved closer to the young man. ‘ I am Pastor David by the way, and I assure you, this is a wonderful place to live in. Busy, yes, but peaceful.’

 

‘I am Solomon. Nice to meet you. Do you have a church card handy so I can come try out your church service some day?’

 

As though waiting for those exact words, David pulled out his wallet and offered him a card. As the exchange happened, Dave’s ride arrived. He bid the young man goodbye saying he hoped he would come truly.

 

 Solomon collected it, took a look at it, smiled, and tucked it in his back pocket. Soon enough, his own ride came along and he headed his own way.

 

 

Catch up on the last 24 Episodes here.

 

 

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Wheeeeew! 

The way that seems right to a man surely ends in destruction. Share your thoughts about this episode in the comment section.

 

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Checkmate Episode 26