Dark Gardens (The Novel) - Chapter 1

onequality (59)in #fiction • 7 years ago

A novel for the Nigerian audience, written by @gbenga and published by @onequality

"Good day all along....."
That was the pop song coming out of my car radio by a musician i do not know. I was traveling from Abuja to Lagos in my black SUV that Richard got for me on our arranged wedding. I was enjoying the journey all along as Desmond was keeping me company while driving.

My daughter Anny started crying from the baby seat, immediately i went for her and breastfed her. Anny was just three months old, she is my jewel and one thing that makes me smile.

Anny kept quite and smiled at me innocently to which i gave a very lovely smile back.

Desmond said "Madam you dey laugh o"

I smiled within me but said nothing. It's been a long while since i gave such a charming smile.

Desmond continued "Madam you standa gidigbam ooo, you fine no be small, oga no sabi say na angelica dey him house".

Immediately, my countenance changed as i remembered Richard, my husband. Things haven't been going fine in our marriage but quiting isn't an option because i love my husband. His proposed love to me suddenly turned to harden hatred since the day he was told he had to marry me after getting me pregnant.

I got to know Richard while he was on the one year compulsory NYSC program. He had been posted to Abuja and was serving at the ministry of health. Richard was a brilliant and handsome young man, whose parents were wealthy. This made many girls flirt with him but he was never known to be in a relationship with any of them.

I met Richard on a Saturday when I went to check my W.A.E.C (West African Examination Council) result, I had just finished my secondary school education. I passed all my papers and I was so excited. I was still in the spirit of merriment and running home to break the news to my parents when I hit Richard.

"I am sorry" I immediately uttered the words as I hurriedly picked my bag. He was not angry at all, he only told me to be careful and watch where I was heading.

I went home and shared the good news with my parents, they were very happy but there was a problem, and that was how I would go to the university? We could barely afford to eat two times a day, and my dad even had to sell most of his belongings before i could write the W.A.E.C. exams.

A week after i ran into Richard, I was at the market to buy some things. I heard someone say "Hey, running girl" but I payed no notice as I did not know he was talking to me at first. The person then came closer and touched me gently, which frightened me but when i saw him i remembered the incident. I apologized again but, immediately he told me not to worry about it.

"I only wanted to know what could have made this beautiful queen so happy the other day" he said, and without hesitating, i told him about my result and how i performed well. He congratulated me and we kept on discussing. While discussing, i told him about my problems with going to the university and he said he would assist me as long as he was still serving in Abuja.

On getting home, i told my mum about the incident with Richard and how he promised to assist me with my education for as long as he was still serving. My mum was happy, as she was desperately looking for someone who would lift the burden off her shoulders. When my Father came back, she told him about the development but he wasn't in total support of it, for reasons he did not say.

As time went on, Richard and I got closer as friends and i had gone for my University admission examination and was waiting for the result and the admission list. Richard became a frequent caller at our house, but my parents did not allow me go to his house at all. Soon my results were out and i had gained admission to a prestigious University in Nigeria. I went home to share the news with my parents and Richard and we were all happy.

That day, Richard said he would be holding a party for just 3 hours starting from 6pm to celebrate my admission into the University. I told my parents about it, and they allowed me since it was a party for me.

When i heard my parents gave me the permission to go for the party, i did all my house cores very fast and dressed up for the party. I wore a gown my father bought for me a year ago, although it was becoming smaller little by little but that was the only outing cloth I had. People were already waiting on me to arrive, when I got down from the Okada, Richard came to meet me and introduced me to his friends as his girlfriend. I felt like a prima donna seeing the number of people celebrating my success, soon the party began and everyone were taking alcohol but I took Coca-Cola since I do not take alcohol.

The merriment continued and soon I became pressed, I needed to ease my bladder. I went to Richard and told him, he said I could use the toilet in his room. So he took me to his room and showed me to his toilet, I went in to ease my bowel and went out to meet him in his room, I saw him standing at the door to his room with the keys to the doors.

"Do you want to go out?" he asked immediately he saw me.

"Yes" I replied

"Come and get the key then" he said as he locked the door.

Just like every prank, I went to get the keys innocently but immediately he grabbed me, he pushed me to the bed and defiled me.

TO BE CONTINUED...