A Hazel Haven

Chapter 9

Same night

"A pregnancy test kit, please."

After a cursory glance at her fingers, the woman's face showed mild contempt, and Uche tucked the appraised hands into the pockets of her hoodie, watching with disinterest as the woman scoured the shelves of drugs, disappeared behind a flimsy curtain, and returned holding what was to be purchased.

As the plump woman reached for a nylon bag to wrap the kit and hand it over, the derisive tug of her lips at the corners in a twitchy frown caught Uche's attention, making her Jaws clench and eyes taper.

A miniature television on a wooden board nailed to the wall and above eye level droned in the background.

Averting her eyes to the soap opera being shown while she waited, she couldn't help a cynical smile, and when the woman gave an imperceptible shake of her head, Uche snorted without intending to, and coughed into a fist to cover up the slip.

She took out a well worn wallet-the black leather had mostly peeled off, the rest were in patches-- from her back pocket just as the woman smacked the thing on the counter, asked for the price and sorted out the amount to pay.

Uche took the nylon bag and held out the money, but when the woman grabbed to take it, she didn't let go. The woman looked up at her, bewildered.

Don't do it

It was a faint protest from somewhere, reproving, but this woman, with her supercilious demeanour and eyes full of scorn, was the kind that peeved her on a daily basis, which made her tongue itch restlessly.

And unfortunately for the plain faced, snobby, cow of a woman, she had just the right information to make her night miserable. As miserable as hers was.

The woman shifted her gaze from Uche to the money and back, tugging slightly. That scorn soon turned into worry then fear when she realised they were alone and this person might just pull out a gun and rob her.

It wasn't unheard of---plus she looked the part, with her cap, hoodie and rugged jeans-- but Uche had no such intentions, so she let the money slip through her fingers at the woman's rising panic, which was evident in the way her eyes darted about the store and outside where there was hardly anyone in sight-being as late as it was.

With a smile that didn't reach her eyes, the woman fumbled for the change and Uche took it with a faux smile of her own.

Contempt at first, then suspected robber.

"Aren't you the mother of the girl who slept with seven guys as part of an initiation into a cult?" she asked rhetorically, slipping the money into her wallet and replacing it in her back pocket.

The woman blanched her eyes wide and gazing at Uche in astonishment. Was it fear or shame she saw after? Uche couldn't decided and settled for a perfect blend.

Uche smiled sweetly, scratching her nose and saying, "She's pregnant, right?" It was another rhetorical question. "At least, I know who the father of my child is," then she leaned in to whisper. "Does yours?"

Nodding to the woman in a gesture of goodnight, Uche walked out, leaving her floundering behind the counter on the verge of tears.

Outside, she heaved a breath and stared up at the pale crescent moon before making her way down the street that lead back to the school.

At about this time, Uche should be in bed, but was on an errand for Sharon after the girl found the reality of being pregnant stupefying, so much that she had just shut down and could barely speak coherent sentences in response to anything---she was sure the girl didn't even hear her leave.