VICTIM. CHAP 2

Three months later, Bimpe is still damaged. She refuses to leave the house; especially after the news of Kunle’s release from the police’ captivity went around town. His father had pulled a few strings and before the end of the week Bimpe was rescued, the evidence collected from the hospital had miraculously disappeared from the storage unit of the police department where the case was being handled.

The bass of M.I’s track almost rip out her eardrums as she lies rigidly on the bed, waiting for the next song on the playlist to make her temporarily forget her pains. It is better than reading motivational books until her eyes hurt. She has refused to go back to school.

When the next song is about to play, a hand pulls the earpiece out of her ears and Bimpe jumps into the air, landing flat on her derriere, making her heart skip several beats. Her eyes fly open only to be mocked by the sight of her mother.’ False alarm- no need to be upset’ she tells herself to control her erratic breathing and trembling hands.

She’s still in a rotten mood. “Mummy! What are you doing in my room scaring me like that. You almost made me have a heart attack.” The hiss that followed and the strong edge to the voice is far from the tone of the respectful daughter she used to be.

Mama Bimpe’s eyes knit together in response; she was used to her daughter’s attitude problems since her abduction six months ago. “I've been screaming your name for the past 5 minutes; you didn’t answer and that’s why I barged into your room. How many times have I told you that turning the volume of your music that high can hurt your ears. One day, you’ll stop hearing patapata.”

She has heard it all before, so Bimpe simply shrugs and mutters under her breath. “You shouldn’t have invaded my privacy like that. What do you want.”

Her mother looks like a lost puppy. Bimpe has always admired her mother’s strength but even she can see how much her issue is affecting her mother. “The doctor’s secretary called. There's another therapy meeting in the next hour and he wants to know if you’d like to come.” Mama Bimpe moves to the foot of the bed and glances at her daughter sitting pathetically on the same spot she landed moments ago. Gone is the happy girl she raised; sorely replaced someone barely recognizable. “You can even wear the new gown your aunt sent last week.”

Bimpe glances  out the window and wishes it’s raining. “I don’t want to leave the house, mummy. It’s cold outside.” She glared at her mummy’s dumbfounded face. ‘Why would I do that? A short gown means an exposed skin; which in turn will give a pervert the impression that I want something other than being left alone.’

He mother continues the lecture; telling her about the doctor’s reputation and how his talks has been successful for most of the rape patients he has treated over the years.

“Maybe tomorrow then, maami. I have a headache.”

“Adebimpe get up now and get into the bathroom.” She pulls Bimpe up; exposing the long black frilly gown she converted into her night gown three months ago when she got home. She loves everything that symbolizes death and destruction- the former being her wish everyday for the past 3 months and the latter being the only thing life threw at her on her 21^st birthday.

Bimpe huffs and gets off the floor; inwardly screaming profanities at her mother for pulling her away from her only source of comfort. She slumps back on the bed; fiercely fighting her tears. Her mother notices her sunken mood and sits by the edge of the bed, takes her hand and rubs it soothingly.

“Adebimpe I know how difficult this has been on you. It hasn't been easy for any of us either but osu meta ti pe, it’s time to pull yourself together and not allow the forces of the world to beat you up. Make some effort to get your life back to order.” 

By the time she finishes her admonition, both daughter and mother have turned to sobbing messes. They’ve been taking it day by day but it still isn’t getting any easier. 

It is the perfect day to be out; the most perfect September weather. The ground is still a bit wet from the rain of the previous night but the sun is high up in the sky; not scorching, but it’s not exactly warm either. Sun scorches Bimpe’s skin ; the occasional breeze flying strands of her hair away from the tight knot of hair in the centre of her head. When she speeds up, she feels a thin layer of sweat travel down her back under the long sleeved turtle necked top she wore. She knew the weather would be hot but he risk of opening her skin and attracting another potential rapist is too high. Rumours spread through town fast and she doesn’t want to add a point to the already circulating rumour mill about her rape saga.

Somehow she ends up walking; with no intention to reach her destination before turning back home. She gets to Owode and walks briskly into Taste & Bites, one of the popular eateries around town. The cold breeze from the AC rushes to her face as she finds her way to the table at the remotest corner of the small eatery. Bimpe drops her bag and moves to the counter to buy a bowl of ice cream when she notices the presence of her ex-boyfriend, arm in arm with her former best friend before the incident happened.

A sharp pain rips through her as she watches Toba wrap his arms around Simbi; of all people, who looks extremely great in her low cut top combined with high waist jeans and a gladiator sandal. Bimpe whimpered, breaking their attention before they glance at each other and laugh loudly. Toba draws Simbi closer and pecks her on the lips, not minding the stares from other customers in the eatery. Bimpe’s soul starts to weep and her craving for ice cream disappears. He used to look at her like that. He used to peck her like that. She should be the one Toba is looking at like that.

The pain worsens as the little voice in her head validates her own thought.

No one wants the gangraped girl.

Bimpe lowers her gaze and starts to wonder how long they’ve been together. Her eyes linger on them as they deliberately find a spot closest to her; laughing and chatting loudly. Toba looks happy, that, she could deduce from his twinkling eyes. She didn’t notice the presence of her brother as he draws another chair from her table and sits beside her. Dele sits there and watches his once happy step-sister with the agony in her face.

Bimpe finally tears her eyes away from them and widens her eyes before noticing that it’s just Dele. “You scared me!”

“Pele Aburo, I didn’t know you were blind ni. Didn’t you see me?” 

“I was deep in thought.” She mumbles, getting the faraway look again. “Dele, how long have they been together?”

Dele can see the red flag waving and immediately comes to the resolution that they should leave before the full reminder of what happened comes rushing back. Bimpe looks at him defiantly and he knows he won’t get her to leave unless he answers her question.

“Bimpe, does it matter? The oloshi moved on pretty quick enough. It’s not your fault that he can’t see how special you are.” He can see her eyes become glassy with fresh tears and decided to change tactics. “Don’t do this to yourself, sis. You’re not damaged and you don’t need him to believe that.”

Bimpe has serious doubts but don’t debate with him. He’s very much like his father; her stepfather, he always wins arguments somehow and they’re always solid and sharp so much that it’s not debatable

His piercing eyes stops her thought. Nevertheless, she punishes him with more silence. She finally has enough and pulls her chair back, the melted ice cream long forgotten, Dele followed suit. They are ready to leave. The sun is even higher up in the sky and now definitely more scorching than when she entered the eatery. She enjoys its stings; she has grown to enjoy pain in the past 3 months; it takes her mind away from the real pain that has been the bane of her existence for the months following the incident.

“I’m going to Gold n Rock hotel later in the evening. I want to hang out with my friends. Do you want to follow me?” Dele asks carefully even though he already knows the answer to his invite.

Bimpe silently wonders why Dele and their mother won’t understand that real pain going away is not dependent on the time that has elapsed. These memories don’t just fade.

“Let’s go to Goodall real quick, I want to get sprite.” She breaks the silence once again as they silently walk past the towering building of the First Bank just at the corner of Taste and Bites. Dele grabs her hand and they cross to the other side of the busy express road. It was 2pm and some primary and secondary school students are leaving school already. The shouts of the conductors of buses rent the air; coupled with the honk of passing vehicles.

Bimpe walks into the supermarket, goes straight to one of the freezers at the corner and grabs a bottle of chilled sprite before walking to the cash counter. She pulls out her purse from her handbag, head lowered and searches for some change in her purse.

“Excuse me, here’s the mo…” A loud yelp springs from her lips as the cashier turns to face her. The bottle of sprite drops from her hand and crashes to the floor but she barely notices the mess and attention she has garnered.

“Bimpe my Paddy, I haven’t seen you in a long time. How’s your recovery coming along?” Kunle, one of her abductors and rapists sneers at her.

An invisible force wraps around her throat and she gasps for air, cold sweat spilling from every pore of her body. Before she almost fainted, her hand reaches for the counter, gripping the edge of the ceramic surface to steady herself. Bimpe’s eyes are fixed on him like a mouse on a snake while she continues to breath heavily, hyperventilating at the wide smile on his face. All Bimpe’s mind registers at that moment is one single thought. What the hell is Kunle doing back in Oyo?