Exactly one week later, we were rounding up with our study group for the day at Blessing's house s when Valerie collapsed.We tried to revive her but all our efforts proved futile. One of our friends David,rushed to Val's house to call her parents. They immediately phoned the family doctor, Doctor Hakeem who rushed down to the house within few minutes. Val was carried to her room by two of our study group members; males. The doctor did the necessary check and after some minutes declared Val sound. He encouraged her to have a good sleep and assured us that she would be fine.
Like he said, Val woke up later after having 3hours of sleep and seemed fine.We observed her for the following day and the next and concluded she was fine. We were shocked when four days later, Val fainted again. This time, her parents rushed her to the private clinic the family was registered with since Dr Hakeem was out of town. Val was revived but this time, a series of laboratory tests were conducted on her and the results showed that she was anaemic. The doctor in charge subjected her to a questioning session where she revealed that she had undergone an abortion some weeks back. Val's parents were shocked. Her mum even rebuked her for lying. When Val insisted that she was saying the truth,her parents called me and questioned me. They even threatened to hand me over to the police if I didn't tell them all I knew about the the situation. I said everything I knew. My parents were disappointed in me. They said I was a pretentious and conniving liar. A radiological scan was conducted on Val and the results showed that the abortion process wasn't done properly. One of her Fallopian tubes was ruptured. Also, remnants of the aborted baby were still present in her uterus(womb). The remnants were beginning to decay and were infecting organs around the uterus. The doctor said an emergency operation had to be conducted on Val to remove the remaining decaying foetus and to save the other Fallopian tube in order to save her. The operation was fixed for 2am that morning.
I stayed with Val in the hospital while her parents went to arrange necessary items that would be required before and after the surgery. Val was very weak and looked very pale.I was scared but I needed to understand what the doctor had said. I slowly tapped Val. She opened her eyes which were very weak and held my hands. Val gave a very long speech that night. The day she went to Minna to see Kene was a beautiful one at first. Kene arranged for her to sleep in one of his course-mate's rooms in the hostel after e dinner night. When the dinner was over, it was late and the hostel was locked so Val had no other option but to sleep in Kene's lodge with him that night. He promised not to do anything against her will. Val agreed and slept peacefully. Sometime in the night when everyone was asleep, Val said felt a hand on her legs. She woke up and realised it was the same Kene that had promised to behave himself. She wanted to scream but he pleaded with her to let him have sex with her. He even started crying. Val was perplexed but still adamant. He reminded her of how much he loved her and promised her that he would be careful and that she would not get pregnant. She refused still. Kene seeing her stubbornness, began to struggle with her until she was too weak to fight back. He raped her three times that night.
Val couldn't tell anyone because she felt it was her fault and she couldn't stand the embarrassment it would have caused her if the news had spread. The last time he came back was becaused Val called him and told him about her suspected pregnancy. He spent one week convincing her to go for an abortion and promised her she would be just fine. Kene went on to make the necessary arrangements with a 'doctor' and a place for the procedure.
The day she said she was going for all night study at Bosede's place, it was the procedure that she went for. She didn't know anything had gone wrong until some days later when she started developing stomach cramps, bleeding from her private parts and feeling like fainting. She said she regretted meeting and trusting Kene. He deceived her and betrayed her trust. She wept terribly and I wept along with her. Val had lost so much blood and was very tired. I told her to stop talking so she wouldn't expend any more energy. Shortly after, Val's parents returned to the hospital with her clothes and other necessary materials. I narrated to them what Val told me. Val's parents became furious. That night, her father made some calls to the police department through a relative of theirs in Minna and Kene was arrested.
The operation started around 2am and lasted till 6am that morning. The doctors came out tired and sweaty and announced that it was successful. We were happy and thankful. Two hours later, Val woke up, pale and tired. She smiled. She held her parents hands and asked them how the operation went. They told her it went fine. Val began to weep profusely. She begged her parents to forgive her and to pray for her. Her mum and dad told her they had forgiven her and blessed her. Val held their hands then she motioned me to come loser. I did. She asked me what day it was and I told not to worry because it wasn't important anymore. She asked me if we could still be best friends. I replied with tears in my eyes,"Sure. Sure Val. You'll always be my best friend". Val held my hands, smiled and asked her dad to take a picture of both of us. Next, she asked me to take a picture of her with her parents. That instant, Val's siblings, including her younger twin brothers who were at that time on second term holiday, my parents and our study group members walked in. The ward was crowded with more people within the next one hour.I took a picture of Val and her immediate family. Val was happy and we were glad that she was recuperating. A nurse came in some minutes later and asked us to allow Val rest a bit. Val agreed but insisted that I and her mum stayed on and held her hand. We did. I was scared but I prayed and hoped that every thing would be fine.
Twenty minutes later, Val's temperature dropped. I told her mum that her body seemed cold. Her mother immediately ran out and called the nearest nurse she could find. The nurse rushed to Val's bed and suddenly ran out to call the doctor. We couldn't understand what was going on. "Mum what is the problem, I asked Val's mum. She simply opened her hands to signify she didn't know. The doctor came in seconds later and did some check on Val. He then whispered something to the nurse who began removing the drip that was attached to Val. She told us to move a little from the bed and started performing last office on her. I screamed and held onto the nurse. She slightly pushed me away and continued. The doctor took Val's dad took a corner and talked with him. I noticed the change in expression on his face. He came up and slowly announced that Val was dead. There was a sudden uproar as everyone stated wailing and talking at the same time.
I was speechless. Val was dead.She died holding my hand. My Valerie was gone.Gradually, visitors began to extend their condolences and retreat. I sat on the floor beside her bed and watched the mortuary assistants take her away. I was confused and heartbroken. My whole world seemed to end that day. I did not sit for JAMB examination the following day. I just couldn't. That day I coined my own definition of true love and trust..
REST ON VAL..
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