07

**** Agonkan Creed ****

I'm destroyed, he destroyed my whole life and now what will become of me? I look at my sister who looks at us with horror. I don't even know what to answer because I don't understand anything. How can a man with all his mental faculties do that to a child? I'm only 15, there are plenty of mature women out there, why only me? I was under his responsibility and now what to do?

Linda (shouting): I'm talking to you, no! What is happening here ?

Me (crying): Your husband raped me.

Edward: Are you kidding me? It's you who comes to turn me on every time since she's been here. When you're not at home, she walks around in panties, and shakes her booty (gogo).

Me (shouting): He's lying, believe me Davina please it's.......

BAM BAM BAM BAM, she starts beating me up and down and her idiot husband pretending to hold her back.

Davina (shouting): You've always been jealous of me, I don't want to see you at my house anymore, you urgently get out. You take all your things and you get out of my house quickly. Don't even plan to call my parents because starting today, you don't have any family. Girl drag.

Me (crying): But I didn't do anything.....

She pushes me and I bang my head on the bed and there I pass out. I don't know how long I was unconscious. I open my eyes and follow down the street. I look and there is a small bag next to me. It's night. I look in my bag, there are some clothes and my papers, not my cell phone, nor money. How am I going to get out of this? Is Davina even my sister? How do I start here? I really hurt all over, I take a handkerchief and cover my face. I walk for at least an hour I arrive in front of a restaurant, I pick up a box and I sit on the ground. I start begging with my bag next to it. They insult me, they jostle me but I always stay there. I look I have 1500 francs, I ask the time to a woman who tells me it's 9 pm. I see a phone booth. I have my parents' and Judith's numbers by heart, I'm someone who memorizes easily.

Me: Good evening Auntie, can I call?

Unknown: I hope you have the money? Because I don't do charity, that's my livelihood.

Me: Yes aunty don't worry.

She hands me the phone and I dial my parents' number.

Mom: Hello?

I start crying as soon as I hear my mother's voice.

Mom: Who's on the phone please?

Me: Good evening mom it's me Credo.

Mom (harsh): Which Creed? I don't know anyone called Credo.

Me (crying): He raped me mom. He raped me, I couldn't do anything.

Mom: Forget you have a family, I don't want the curse in my family.

Click.

She hung up on me, I keep crying. I dial Judith's number.

Judith: Hello?

Me (in tears): It's me Credo.

Judith: But why are you crying like this? Do you know about my uncle?

Me: What's wrong with your uncle?

Judith: He's dead.

What me ? Dead how?

Judith: By accident and my aunt kicked me out there.

Me: ...

I'm not talking anymore because she was my last resort, now what?

Judith: Wait if it's not for my uncle why are you crying?

Me: No, let it go, I don't want to add any more worries to you.

Judith: Stop it darling, you and I are no longer friends but sisters. When I lost my mom, you were the only one who was there for me, so tell me.

I start telling him everything. We cry together like the orphans that we are.

Judith: Am I coming to Calavi or are you coming to Cotonou?

Me: All I want is to leave here.

She explained to me how we are going to do so that we meet again.

Unknown: My darling, I heard your whole story I hope your family will regret it one day and especially your brother-in-law will pay for it.

You can spend the night at my house, but before that, I'm Mama Evelyne and I know your name is Crédo.

Me: Ok, are they open at this time? And this money will be enough?

Maman Evelyne: Yes I believe for both questions, normally it's free.

She arranged her affairs. She lives a little far away, she left everything in her house. I went to the hospital, they took my blood and gave me medicine so that I wouldn't get pregnant.

Nurse: Come back after tomorrow for the results.

Now a new life will begin for me.

**** Emy Sonon ****

I'm being beaten like a thief and yet I don't know what I did wrong. Hugo can have two or three wives, but why does everyone make it a drama, like that? And my mother who says nothing more, dad who looks at me with horror.

Bety: Thérèse, you know me, tie up your daughter because you know that I am capable of anything when my home is touched. This is the last warning I give you.

She pushes me and I fall to the ground like shit and she takes her husband's hand and starts pushing him out of our plot.

My father looks at me with disgust, mum doesn't speak anymore, she just stares at me, she can't say anything. If she says something I too will open my mouth. What hurts me a little is that I have just lost my father's esteem. At least I respect him because he never cheated on my mother or plotted against anyone, unlike my mother.

Dad (calmly): As soon as it's daylight, I want you to leave my house, I don't want to see you anymore.

Mom (shouting): No, Pierre, you can't do that. She's our princess, you can't chase her away. We already lost a child and now you want me to lose my daughter too?

Dad: I said what I had to say. This girl is a disgrace in this village and I don't want her in my home. You do what you want but I don't want her in my house anymore, that's all.

Mom (crying): You can't do that to me, Pierre. You have no right to deprive me of my children. No, you don't have the right Pierre.

Dad: The one you call princess is a wanton girl. No, on my part I don't want this wanton here. We gave it our all but Judith, whom I was neglecting here, is well educated than this slut who is embarrassing me in this village that they respect me.

As soon as mom heard Judith's first name, she freaked out and started insulting the whole family. Everyone went through his insults.

Dad: Now I see what you think of me, but I wouldn't change your mind and if you too want to leave with your daughter, so much the better.

I'm shocked, is it my dad talking to my mom like that? I don't believe, I don't move, I hurt all over and I'm cold I'm starting to tremble. The two bicker without taking care of me.

Mom: Do you think I'm going to leave everything I've sacrificed to go? You're lying Pierre, it's that you don't know me. I'm not moving from here.

Dad: But your daughter will move from here ma'am.

He entered the house without adding anything more.

BAM, she gives me a slap that makes me pee in my clothes. I didn't expect it at all. It's so abrupt and strong that I had more pain compared to the chicotes of Bety.

Mum: You're going to live in Porto-Novo (a city in Benin) with my military brother and then how are you going to deal with your filthy bitch. So in all the cocks in this village, it's only my best friend's husband's, you see? What kind of girl are you? Were you sent to ruin my life? Unless you're associated with Solange and her daughter. Do you know what I did to deserve this marriage? Oh no you're not going to spoil my marriage. There, you lied. You go back to your room, put away your things and head to Hôgbonou (Porto-Novo).

I'm exhausted, I take a cold shower and I arrange my bag. Early in the morning, we took a bus to my uncle who will give me his military education for 10 years.

**** Therese Tchedji ****

Since Emy's story, my husband is no longer the same. Our two boys are very surprised by their dad's behavior but they support it. My husband has become an angry person and my son who is surely dead. I missed a lot of things with Bety. We don't talk to each other anymore, even during our secret meetings, no more dialogue but with my mother-in-law, it's been fine since she knows that I haven't touched her little girl. What she doesn't know is that I can't turn it off, but I'm patient by nature and have plenty of time. With his mother too I had taken all my time. I haven't heard from Emy but I know she's fine. I see my dear husband coming back with a smile on his face.

Me: You can also share your joy with us, what makes you happy like that?

He looks at me and changes his expression, but doesn't answer me.

Me: But I'm talking to you no, what is it?

Pierre (dryly): If you also want to enter my thoughts, do so.

Me: I'm sick of you. Every time I try to fix things, you push me away. We give birth to a child not the heart, so it's not my fault if she's like that, if I have a good memory you're also her father, aren't you?

Pierre: Are you sure I'm his father?

Me: What do you mean by that?

Pierre: You heard me correctly, are you sure that I am his real father?

BAM, the shot went off on its own without me holding back. He looks at me angrily but since when does he start doubting his offspring? I leave the plot, heading to my mother-in-law. I find her with her two daughters.

Me: Good evening.

Them: Good evening.

Mother-in-Law: Why are you out of breath like that?

Me: I'm tired mum, Pierre has changed a lot. It's not my fault if Emy behaved like that and there he starts to doubt me. He asks me if Emy is really his daughter. I know I have my flaws but I can never be unfaithful to the man I love especially not give him a child that does not belong to him. He has changed a lot. Already last week, he left for two weeks in town without even telling me if it wasn't Sidonie who had told me, I wasn't going to find out. But I think he's up to a few things.

Eudoxie: We told you not to marabout him but you did it without our agreement so he came to his senses.

Me: How is it mother-in-law?

Sidonie: What we do is only for other people. You had no right to do that to our brother. He already loved you. Apart from your fetishes, he adored you but always had you to take everything. As soon as I found out, I went to see the person doing it. I don't want problems with you so don't try to marabout him or else I'll give them back to you.

I look at them as if I don't know them anymore, but what are their problems? He is my husband after all.

Me (angry): I'm warning you for the last time. Don't get mixed up with my couple, if not family or not, you won't recognize me anymore.

Mother-in-Law: Now it's up to us to warn you. Touch my son's hair again, you won't recognize me anymore. By the way, does your father know everything you do in this village? For example, slept with the little brother of the village chief so that he would set fire to Solange's house?

I'm shocked, how did they know all this stuff? I look at them and leave the house. There, I am alone, I miss my best friend. I go home completely discouraged. I need to think things through. I spend the weekend alone but it's the last time when he comes back, I'm going to have a chat with him. On Monday I wake up to cries of joy, I put on a dress and I rush outside I see a car driving into the plot, we wrote long live the bride and groom. I'm dazed, but who are these people there? I see Pierre getting out of the car and going to open the other door. When a young woman gets out of the car, I'm anesthetized, they come towards me.

Pierre: Honey, this is Thérèse, your co-wife, Thérèse, this is Anita Sonon, my wife.

Me: Oh God, is that a curse? It's all Judith, she wants to kill me but I'm going to set the record straight. I know it's only a dream soon I'll wake up.

**** Judith Sena Sonon ****

We live in Granny Martine's house with Eli and Crédo. I had about 70,000 francs with me and I had sent 15,000 francs to Crédo for his ticket. As soon as she arrived, we cried together and rolled up our sleeves to work. Uncle's friend had enrolled Crédo in the same high school as me and little Eli in CM2. Everyone pitches in, we do all the work we can find and we also sell at school and especially Grandma Martine now sells fruit in front of the house. We often clean everywhere, especially on weekends, even water we will take. You don't choose the job. We do whatever comes our way but as long as it's honest work. We've improved the house a bit. Now it can be seen that there are people living in it. I no longer have any news of Aunt Odette and her children, it pains me I wanted at least to have my cousins but that too, I was forbidden. I see Eli home from school.

Eli: Hello.

Me: Hello, I hope next Saturday you won't have class, huh?

Eli: No, that's the white CEP, where is Crédo?

Me: At Mama Flora's for the laundry, speaking of which I'm going to see if she's finished.

Eli: Let me go, it shows you're tired. Anyway, she won't come out there if she doesn't see one between us.

Yes Crédo never goes out alone. She doesn't trust her anymore so we are there for her and I try to protect her. If you are not told our age, you will not know that we are minors who work hard to pay for our studies, to eat and to buy medicine in case of illness.

Me: Ok I'm waiting for you to eat. I'm going to stay outside with Granny Martine.

Eli: Ok my big see you later.

I go out and find Granny Martine.

Me: So how is it?

Mémé Martine: It's fine, tomorrow we can still buy a bag, there are hardly any more mangoes.

Me: Wall?

Mémé Martine: No, we're going to mix it up my dear. I'm glad you came into our lives and I know that if I die today, Eli will be safe. You have to keep the papers I gave you.

Me: I know Grandma, it's Eli's legacy.

Mémé Martine: What legacy? That ruined house there?

Me: At least he will have a parcel, that's good, isn't it?

Mémé Martine: My daughter, do you know that the tests are like a school?

Me: How?

Mémé Martine: The tests educate you better than any school.

I see Credo coming with Eli in the middle of a discussion. These two love each other a lot and that makes me happy.

Me: Hello, how was it?

Credo: Yes but I'm very tired, I don't understand this house with few people living there. How can they soil so many clothes in one week?

Me: It's the stories of the rich.

Eli: I'm really hungry.

We put the mangoes in a bucket. Mémé Martine prepared the DJO'OUNGOLI (beans mixed with corn flour) for us.

Credo: What is the program for tomorrow?

Eli: I got hired by a garage to wash cars every night. A car at 500 francs.

Me: I don't want you to spread out too much. You have two exams to do.

Eli: Don't worry, I manage.

Credo (joyfully): Today I got a bonus instead of 5,000 francs, she gave me 7,000 francs.

Me: Wow tomorrow I'm going to the market to buy a bag of mangoes after I'm going to poto poto for the school goods in the evening the cleaning in the offices of the small market there.

Credo: We will share for tomorrow. Eli's coming with me, you say?

Eli: Ok, well I'm going to sleep I'm exhausted good night.

That was our life, during all these years even after the death of Grandma Martine, nothing had changed, we know really beaten like lions.