Toyin was back on the rig for the final round of the pre-production tests and inspections before commercial oil production.

Gbenga started calling her again and they started talking frequently. He was a proper Naija bred; he only left the country for University and stayed back in the US for his work.

He said his parents would be thrilled if they know he is toasting a Nigerian girl and Yoruba for that matter. She mentioned she was only half Yoruba and watched him freak out a little over her being Igbo. However, he moved passed it quickly and focused on her.

He made it clear he was looking for a wife not just girlfriend-boyfriend; he said he did not understand why people even date for any other reason. He kept hinting at marriage, he knew what he wanted.

He asked her questions like what dishes she was good at cooking, how many kids she wanted, her dream country etc. Her only issue with him is, he kind of implied that he would want his future wife to be a stay at home. Lol she has no plans of being a housewife, she loves her job but she brushed it aside they could work on that he seemed like an understanding guy. In addition, she did not expect him to be perfect, when a guy is too good to be true she gets suspicious.

He was also on a rig offshore Qatar so they shared their experiences and compared the engineering and tech of both companies, occasionally dissing the other's company. The whole long distance thing was not bad after all.

He was a good match for her; she wondered why she was even dragging leg with him, village people at work.

He said he was going to come see her in Lagos before going to Houston after his rig schedule and he even booked the flight and sent her proof to show he was serious.

In the final week she was conditioning her hair in the bathroom after showering, she accidentally dropped her toothbrush in the shared bathroom sink so she had to dispose it. She couldn't put that thing in her mouth again with all the people she shared that bathroom with so she went to the storage room where she kept her box to get an extra toothbrush. She always packed at least an extra toothbrush, sponge etc. for all her offshore trips.

As she went through her stuff, she found her two packs of Pad and Tampons. "mtswww Why did I even bring so much of these its taking up unnecessary space" She muttered as she pushed the toiletries aside.

Then it suddenly dawned on her that she did not bring too much it, the problem was she had not used any since she came to the rig.

Because she has not had her period yet.

She quickly opened her phone to check her period calendar app, maybe it's coming anytime soon perhaps she should take out one pack to her locker? When she opened the app, she saw that her period was 7 days late. That's almost a week! This has never happened. her period was always on schedule. Did she not record the last one?

But she did, in fact she logged it that very day it started. She logged it at the time she went to the frozen yoghurt place with Osaze she recorded it while she was waiting for him to bring her tray. Because she also entered what she ate that day and the medication she took for the cramps.

This has never happened. She started panicking but tried to calm herself.

She told herself it could be because of the trip or seasickness since this was a floating rig. She went on the internet and started searching up on why period could be delayed. She read how it was totally normal, how it could be stress or weight loss. Yeah! she has been stressed in this particular trip. They were working under pressure to round up all the preproduction assessments. Production was already behind schedule and there was pressure from HQ plus they've been clashing with the drilling contractor on a lot of issues.

However, deep down she knew that it was very possible that it was what she feared the most. After that last period, she and Osaze did it like twice. One night they went out to drink together to celebrate his house sale they did in the car when she said she has never done it in a car before, In fact the day she left Lagos for the rig she woke up on his bed that morning after a wild night. They did like three rounds that night because he was whining about how he was going to miss her.

She started reading up about menstrual cycles again she knows its not everyday one can get pregnant, there are fertile days and what not right? However when did the math she found that they actually did it during her ovulation week, the ovulation week is the fertile week! Her heart dropped and she started sweating.

"Her two way radio started ringing; her team was already waiting at the site they were working on. Her hands were trembling and the radio almost slipped as she put it back in her overall pockets because her palms were sweaty. It will come she said to herself as she locked up the box and headed out.

The period didn't come the next day, or the day after. She could not get a pregnancy test kit here. There was a doctor on the rig in the clinic but she knew they only had basic first aid supply and maybe malaria drugs and some anti-biotics. She didn't want go there to ask for a test kit because the doctor would have to place an order for it. They will now fly in a helicopter to bring pregnancy test kit for her, everyone in the accounting department will know she has been having unprotected sex because she is the only female that is a direct employee on board. Biko she did not want to go through all that wahala so she just decided to wait until she gets back to Lagos. Moreover, this could be because of stress or hormonal fluctuations, right?

They were scheduled to return to Lagos in 4 days' time so she just stayed calm, brushed it aside, and waited hoping her period would come before then sef.

But at night she stayed up thinking. Panicking even more.

Osaze called her that night, he noticed she sounded off, she wanted to tell him but if she tells him then the problem would be real and she was probably overreacting because she has not confirmed anything yet.

She couldn't eat properly in the last days on the rig. What was she going to do if she is pregnant? Maybe it is God punishing her?

She arrived Lagos in the evening, he was not around so she sat down first in the living room, lost in thoughts and crippled by fear. Her period was now 11 days late. She could not even carry her luggage inside.

She brought out her phone and googled 'abortion clinics in Lagos' before the search result came up she quickly closed it, bursting into tears. She cried uncontrollably. How did she get here? she was not ready to be a mum. She never planned to bring in a child to the world like this and she didn't have the liver for an abortion either.

He came back looking excited to see her; he knew she was coming back today so he rushed back home.

"Toyin what is wrong?" He said his smile disappearing when he saw her crying and shaking uncontrollably

"I think I am pregnant"

He froze; she couldn't tell what he was feeling.

"urrrrm are you sure?" He scratched his head.

Somehow, his question and body language pissed her of and she started wondering why she was even having unprotected sex with him in the first place. What kind of question is that! She looked at him in disbelief.

"My period is 11 days late and I never get delays," She snapped at him.

"But I...I was always careful" He said looking like one clueless puppy.

Was he being defensive now? Is he trying to deny it?

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Have....have you done a test?" He was breathing hard too now; she could see the panic in his eyes. Good she shouldn't be the only one suffering when it was all his fault.

He went out to get the test kit from a pharmacy and was back within 20 minutes he was able to get the digital one. However and unfortunately for her, the pharmacist said to use it first thing in the morning before she eats anything for an accurate result. Therefore, they had wait until morning. He was trying to calm her but she walked out on him and entered her room slamming the door behind her.

Everything he said irritated her so much at this point, she blamed him for this. Primarily because he claimed his pullout game was 101% effective, he even claimed that research has showed pulling out is more effective than using a condom for 'guys like him' because of his size.

She was so stupid to have believed him, even stupider for sleeping with him in the first place. What was she thinking when she brought him to her house. How could she be so irresponsible! Even if he said he was a pull out king why didn't she even think about STDs what if he had given her STDs why Toyin whyyy!

Her thoughts and emotions mutated to another angle; maybe he even did it on purpose. Maybe he wants to force her to be with him so she can be stuck with taking care of him forever. She brought this upon herself.

She thought about how disappointed her parents would be, the kind of bad example she'd be setting for her younger brother and all her younger cousins who look up to her and she started crying all over again.

He must have heard her because he knocked on her door lightly.

"Toyin" He said her name softly but it pissed her off still. Because she fell for that voice before. She brought down her walls because of that voice now see where it got her.

She didn't answer him but she stopped crying.

After about 2 minutes, he let himself in and sat by the foot of her bed.

"Hey, I just want you to know that I will support you and I am here for you whatever the result is. whatever you decide to do I will support you Toyin and you don't have to feel like you are alone in this we will get through this, I promise you" He rubbed her feet gently.

So this was his plan ehhn, He wants to turn her to baby mama abi?

She sat up and looked him with her swollen eyes her temperature was running high and she had a headache.

"We? We are not doing shit, I am not going to be a baby Mama" She yelled at him.

He looked like he had been stabbed in his chest and his eyes glistened a little and she immediately regretted saying that. She just wanted him to stop this baby mama talk but she felt bad right after she said that, then she got mad at herself for feeling bad for him when she was the one in hot soup, then she got mad at him for making her feel something for him even in this state again!

"Okay. That's also fine, anything you want, you don't need to feel pressured" He said breathlessly his voice shaky.

"Pressured? I don't feel pressured to do anything, are you trying to pressure me right now. Was that your plan all along?" She snapped at him again her voice shaky.

His eyes widened in disbelief he wanted to say something but he sighed deeply instead then said

"I am sorry. Just try to get some rest. We will know for sure tomorrow morning okay?"

He pulled her blanket over her then left.

That was the longest night of her life, she didn't sleep. He didn't too.

5am they were both up. She went to his room to get the test so he followed her back to her room and sat down on her bed, she entered her bathroom peed on the stick, came back out then placed flat on her dresser then stepped away from it. The instruction said the result should appear in 3 minutes max.

The 3 minutes of waiting felt like 3 hours. He looked at her remorsefully. He was trying to comfort her but it didn't work. She was surprised that she was even still standing on her two feet. She looked away from him and focused her gaze on the timer. Her mind was a complete mess, her body ached, her eyes stung, her head felt light and cold like her soul was about to evaporate from her body.

The timer went off and she jolted. She didn't have the mind to go check it. She started praying, fresh hot tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks like a river after a heavy rain. She knew it was positive. There had to be repercussions for all the 'bad-bad' things she has done in past months.

When he saw that she was hesitating he just stood up went straight to the dresser and picked it up.

She could not read the reaction on his face, there was no reaction on his face.

A/N Apologies for the lateness guys

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