The last thing I remember was staring at the ceiling, my mind nervous about whatever was going to happen to me next. I was looking forward to getting this journey over with finally and now I'll constantly be reminded of the pain I had to endure for the rest of my life.
Why didn't things just go smoothly?
I genuinely was going to leave...they all wanted me to leave me anyway and I came to accept that but why like this? Why was someone I'd never met punishing me like this? I didn't choose it...it chose me damn it! I hope this ends soon...I don't want to look at it...yet, the aftertaste of it all makes me want to get back at the person responsible for all of this.
There were people talking in whispers next to me ...a tickling sensation on my chest...it made me giddy and as I opened my eyes, I saw Swalha...then Him! I tried to speak but my throat was too dry. How long had I been asleep?
"Wa..ter..." As soon as I said the words, a glass of water was pressed to my lips. I glanced back at Swalha. She genuinely seemed concerned from her facial expression.
"Don't sit up just yet. You might hurt yourself plus the baby is still feeding."
Oh, my word! The surgery! "How long have I been asleep?" This was not part of the agreement. This unwanted child was not supposed to feed me!
I wanted to fight...push it away from my body but my hands felt heavy. Turning my head away, I tightly closed my eyes since I couldn't stand the sight of it. I knew I didn't want to look at it. "Get it away from me...right now!" I demanded and to my surprise, the sucking sounds stopped, and so did the tingling sensation on my left breast.
Maybe just a glimpse would be fine so I tilted my head only to watch the nurse hand the baby to Kind. I felt relieved. It was all covered so I couldn't even look at it even if I wanted. I watched Kind walk to the door with the nurse then remembered I had been asking for him for months now but he had refused to see me. Where did he think he was running off with my child?
"I need some time...alone with Kind." Good that I finally got his attention. I looked around the room for Wale's presence but he seemed to have kept his word of not showing up. Swalha seemed disappointed to have left with the nurse and as she was about to close the door, she whispered something to Kind who bore a smile when he turned to face me...then I remembered I forgot to tell Swalha to take that thing with her."
Admittedly, Kind looked like the child's father, looking down at it in his arms, smiling as he walked towards my bed.
"I don't want to see it. I'm sure Wale has informed you of our agreement otherwise you wouldn't have come to see me so easily." I had to confirm it. Just how much did Wale trust that Kind was not going to leave him?
"He did, though if I had a say in it I would have insisted you stay behind. This infant needs its mother."
"It's good that you don't have a say in it then. The decision is already made. I know Wale will make a good father to it and besides, I didn't get pregnant just to trap him with me. Either way, it will be awkward if I stick around with you two going about professing your love to each other." I looked at Kind but his attention was more on what he was holding. Maybe it wasn't Wale who'd make a good father after all...maybe it was Kind and that's when it hit me.
Kind had had a thing for children for the longest time...he was more like the child whisperer of the four of them and even though he had claimed for years he didn't want to have children, I understood now why it became clear to me this is what Wale had wanted. A family. He'd already considered Kind his brother lost his life who'd now become his lover...how pathetic. Even if I try to be happy for them, I still feel angry at Wale for wasting ten long years of my life to leave me for another man. So he ends up getting everything he's ever wanted and I don't? Why? What did I do wrong?
Wasn't I a good girlfriend? I put up with his tantrums all through, his marauding uncle and the rest of his family. I was willing to fight for him. How is it that no one else understands my pain except my sister?
Why I'm I the one losing everything?"
"Kind, I wanted to personally apologize for what my sister did to you. I had not been part of her plans. I would also like to apologize on her behalf since she hasn't been in her right mind for years. I hope you can forgive us since looking at you now, it seems you're doing well to be able to be in the same room with me...You must have hated me before."
"It doesn't matter now. I've made my peace with whatever happened otherwise I would have become a burden to everyone and myself so let us both move forward from it all...and I hope your sister recovers too."
Hah! Still playing Mr Too goody shoes! That is your mistake Kind. You always forgive too easily. "I'd also like to add something else to my string of apologies. I must confess I was greatly devastated when you disappeared with your lover for three months. Your sudden departure had a huge impact on my relationship with Wale though I was vouching for you and your lover. That was why I didn't utter a word to Wale when I found out that night at the engagement ceremony. Wale and I had planned to stay at the villa you'd booked for us longer but your disappearance stressed him out that it affected our sex life. It was only by chance that I ran into an old flame...a high school admirer and I made the mistake of...getting pregnant for him..."
I wanted to smile from the shock on his face as he glanced back at the child, but I had to keep calm. Sooner or later, he was going to find out the truth so I'm glad I was the one to tell it myself.
"Cherry..." I watched him struggle to accept the reality of things as he tried to think of what to say without judging me but he could only utter my name. It was so satisfying.
"I have no desire to lie about this matter any longer since I feel guilty burdening Wale with a child that is not his...I'm too guilty to look it in the eye...I'm not at peace Kind...I can't pretend I don't love my child anymore yet my agreement with Wale was that I don't look at it...you know how Wale has always wanted children. So he offered to take care of me and the child but I had to refuse. How could I allow that when it isn't even his?"
I hope I sounded convincing to him because I'm running out of energy trying to convince him, it's exhausting. He has to believe me otherwise all this effort will go to waste.
"It's clear you don't want the child taken away neither do you want to keep it. What do you plan to do and does the father know?"
"He doesn't since he disappeared after our little fling. I can't reach his phone either so it's pointless trying to track him down. My plan on the other hand is to leave the child with my parents. I have no other option but that."
"Wale will be devastated. He has been looking forward to your delivery for months and since we came back this morning, he'd hoped to hold his child after you and I had met...though I am sceptical as to why you'd tell me all this. What's your goal here, Cherry?"
"Of course, my main goal was to personally apologize....however you must help me convince Wale to not take away my child. It's not his..."
"Yet, you don't wish to keep it...but you insist on staying with it?"
Damn it! he was getting suspicious. I'll have to up my game real quick. "I do want to raise my child...just not now...and just like you took some time off to calm your mind down as Swalha had informed me, so do I also need to do the same so I can figure out my life. I still dream of marrying Wale...it was ten years of being together and one doesn't forget easily those memories together that keep popping up...Kind, I'm trying to make my peace with you and others, that's why I'm coming clean. Why would I be telling you all this in the first place?"
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. The person who got in was someone I didn't recognize and neither was he dressed like a doctor or nurse. I was even more surprised that Kind knew who the person was.
"Uncle Frank? What are you doing here?"
Uncle? Who was this man and what was he doing in my room? "Who are you?"
"Excuse my intrusion madame but I had no choice but to barge in like this upon my master's request. He sent me over to give you these documents which I'm sure you'll become aware what they are once you look into them."
No way! Wale knew I was talking to Kind. Was he here? There was no way he'd breach our agreement and show up inside the hospital! He wasn't supposed to see me during my delivery so he sent his lawyer over instead? How does an entire hospital allow this? "I am appalled you'd immediately want to take my child away without allowing me the chance to talk to its father. Our agreement was that I personally hand the child over to him after I've been discharged!"
"Uncle, this is not right. Let me talk to Wale first about this."
Kind had intervened but his efforts were pointless. His uncle seemed to pay more attention to the small note that fell off from the file, landing on my lap. I picked it up and my body grew cold as I read what had been written on it. Looking up, I glanced at Kind, who still carefully held my child with a look of confusion on his face yet, his presumed uncle seemed rigid, unmoved like he knew exactly what was going on.
"You can't do this!"
"I'm sorry madame but your parents have also relinquished their rights over the child to my master so as soon as you're discharged, he will be ready to take the child from you. I hope you're still willing to cooperate and keep your word since the contract still stands."
"You can't do this! How did he find out? For how long has he known? Has this been a game to him?" I couldn't stop the tears that fell from my eyes. I felt like a fool! All my efforts to keep them apart were meaningless. Wale knew the child wasn't his!
...but how...!
"Uncle, what's going on? You're making her hysterical! For crying out loud she is still a patient!"
"You'll have to address master Wale on that since I'm simply doing my job. This child you hold dearly in your hands now belongs to him."