CHAPTER 2: PUBERTY

I was 12 when I noticed a lump in my right breast and I felt pain anytime it was touched. I thought it was an ailment so I told my mum about it. My mum smiled and said you are beginning to develop breast. She then explained that I am going to see hair in my pubic area and my armpit. "Ebere, very soon you are going to see your menses" my mum said. "Menses what is menses?" I asked. 'Puberty', my home economics teacher already taught us all about it and menstruation but I wanted to hear from mum. "Menses are blood that comes out from your genitals monthly and without it a woman can never become pregnant" my mum said. "so does it hurts, the menses?" I asked innocently. 'No' she said.The next morning she came to my room with a sanitary pad, she didn't knock neither entered calmly, she barged in and I panicked." mum?" I queried , " you should have knocked, I could have been dressing up", I said feeling embarrassed. " And so?" She said smiling. "When you were born, were you putting on clothes?, no!, when I bathed till you were 6 years old, were you putting on clothes?" She said. I smiled in defeat in the debate. She giggled, I interpreted the giggle in my own way as it didn't matter. "Lets start our business today". She said sitting on my bed, which was about 4 inches high. She looked into my eyes." Ebere have you seen you menstral flow?" "no ma", I said." Do you know what a sanitary pad is and what it is used for?", she asked again, " I have heard of it", I said. " Well, it is what is used to absorbed menses when they do come", she said, " it might come in school, church or home but do not be alarmed just meet any female teacher, okay?" she added." Yes ma", I said. " Now if a person , girl , boy or teacher touch your breast or any private area of your body, raise an alarm, okay?" Said mum. "Yes ma", I answered." Please remove your trousers" she said. " okay", I said. I kowtowed, although I didn't like the idea, I couldn't do anything. She wore me the sanitary pad and told me to wear my trousers back and walk round the room, and I did." How does it feel?", she asked. " I feel like a roll of tissues is stuck under my pants", I said with discomfort. " Don't worry you will get used to it", she said amid laughter. " Really? I don't think so", I said. " Do not worry" she said. "Ebere, brush twice , bath at least twice daily, change your pants every morning after bathing and wash it while bathing", she said and left the room.The conversation ended and so did the day. Days turned to weeks and weeks to months. Fortunately, I had my menses at home, after that day, I had to mark my menses date, when it will come, so that I can carry the sanitary pad when I am going out and my mum was right. I gradually became used to it. After a few years, my hips expanded greatly and my nose started to be pointed, I had a flat nose. I became slender and tall, change came in full bloom. I admired myself each time I looked at the mirror. My mum saw the changes and told me that if a boy touches my private part, that I should raise alarm. No one should try to force me into a closed room.