Tears of an Orphan — Episode 15
© Francis Mary Solomon
It had been three weeks since Cynthia discovered that she was pregnant.
Mr. Olajide decided to allow her to stay in the house. He thought this was the least he could do for his late brother, since he had failed to protect his niece from the cruelty of his wife and the sexual abuse of his son.
He felt so bad and wept bitterly after realizing that no one was abusing his niece except his own son, Eric. It was a devastating discovery. He went and apologized to Cynthia for not standing up for her whenever his wife mistreated her. He promised to protect and guide her since she was now under his care.
She began to go to school again, but her uncle promised that once her pregnancy was three or four months old, he would hire a private tutor for her so that she wouldn’t be left behind.
Little did he know that his wife had a different motive. She was only waiting for the perfect time to chase Cynthia out of the house, since her attempt to convince her husband to make Cynthia abort the baby had failed.
Cynthia was no longer active or excellent in anything she did at school. People noticed the change — especially the female teachers. It was glaring that something was wrong. One day, her teacher, Miss Lillian — one of Cynthia’s favorites who truly cared for her — called her privately and asked if she was pregnant.
At first, Cynthia kept quiet. But after much persuasion, she narrated her story to Miss Lillian. The teacher was shocked, angry, and deeply pained. She comforted Cynthia and told her that this was not the end of her life. She encouraged her to be strong and promised to look after her.
Countless times, Cynthia was caught sleeping in class. She couldn’t copy notes properly. Even when she tried, she often dozed off before finishing. Her teachers punished her several times, but she couldn’t help it. The pregnancy made her extremely tired and sleepy.
When Cynthia realized that some teachers were beginning to look at her strangely, she feared that they might have found out about her condition. She started avoiding her classmates, especially during breaks. The only person she allowed close was Rita, who often helped her whenever she needed something.
Cynthia was shocked when Rita asked if she was pregnant. Rita told her she had overheard some classmates gossiping about it. Cynthia denied it, but when she noticed that her classmates were already finding out the truth, she stopped going to school.
It was so embarrassing for her. Some of her classmates mocked her and called her horrible names. Cynthia knew she didn’t deserve any of it — she was a victim of circumstances.
Miss Lillian tried to comfort her and even suggested pressing charges against Eric, since he was already nineteen years old. “He can be punished for what he did,” she said. “Even if he were a teenager, there’s a juvenile home for such cases.”
But Cynthia refused. She told her teacher that her uncle had promised to take care of her and the baby, and she didn’t want to break his heart. Miss Lillian was not happy with her decision, but she didn’t want to impose it on her.
One fateful evening, Eric had gone out to visit his friend, and Greatness had gone for choir rehearsal at church. Mr. Olajide had traveled and was expected back the next week.
Mrs. Olajide saw it as the perfect opportunity to chase Cynthia out of the house. Cynthia was in the kitchen preparing dinner when Mrs. Olajide called her. “Come to my room, I want to see you,” she said coldly.
As soon as Cynthia entered, Mrs. Olajide slapped her so hard that she staggered in pain.
“You have no shame!” she yelled. “You’re still in my house with that protruding belly? Pack your filthy clothes and leave my house this instant!”
“Auntie, please… I’m sorry,” Cynthia cried, kneeling down before her. “Please, I don’t have anywhere else to go. Please show me mercy. Don’t chase me out.”
“Get out!” Mrs. Olajide shouted even louder. “I don’t want to hear any begging from you! Leave my house now!”
Cynthia, trembling and weak, began to pack her clothes with tears streaming down her face. She didn’t know where to go or who to call. She sat on the floor, praying silently for a miracle — for someone to come and rescue her. She hoped her aunt would change her mind.
But after a while, Mrs. Olajide returned, furious and unrelenting. She dragged Cynthia by the arm, pushed her out of the room, and down the corridor. Cynthia cried bitterly as she was forced toward the door.
Then suddenly, Mrs. Olajide said, “Wait.”
Cynthia’s heart lifted for a moment. She thought maybe her aunt had changed her mind.
But instead, Mrs. Olajide glared at her and said in a harsh tone, “Tell me — will you abort the baby and stay in this house, or will you leave the house without aborting it?”
Cynthia stood frozen. Her heart pounded violently. Her eyes widened with fear and confusion. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
How could her aunt — the woman she had once called mother — give her such a cruel choice?
Her mind went blank as tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked at her aunt’s face, hoping to see even a trace of compassion, but there was none. Mrs. Olajide’s face was cold and unfeeling.
Cynthia’s whole body trembled as she thought of what to do. The pain, shame, and confusion overwhelmed her. She couldn’t understand how someone she trusted could become so heartless.
Would she choose to kill her unborn baby just to have a roof over her head, or would she walk into the cold night with nowhere to go — protecting the life of the innocent child within her?
To be continued…
What do you think Cynthia should do? Should she abort the baby and stay in the house, or should she leave?
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Written by Mary Francis Solomon.