(Grace's family home)
"Get out!" I slammed at Mary, the lady I saw my ex fiancee with, after landing a slap on her cheek. I could not stand being in the same space with her, let alone hear her ramble about stuffs I didn't want to hear from her, I had wanted to break the news of my pregnancy to my family myself, how dare she take that away from me.
"Is it true you are pregnant with that Devil's Son?!" My grandfather demanded while my mom fell upon the couch in utter shock, and the rest of the family just watched and listened in disbelief.
I could imagine how shocked and disappointed they all were about the news. After all, It was for a Man who didn't love or care about me. A Man who had lied to us even till the edge of Marriage.
"That is a hundred dollars," Mary said as she opened my hands and placed a heavy paper bundle in it and inside it was filled with dollars.
"...I shall send you more, and give you whatever you want. With this, you will be able to live a life of luxury, and that's only if you can just give us the baby and get out of the country with your.."
"I said GET OUT!!" I screamed a final time and pulled her by the hand outside of the house.
*
"Why won't you let me be? I want neither you nor Alex in my life or my baby's. You already got what you want. Alex isn't mine again but yours. So just leave!" I said immediately we got outside the house and she laughed hysterically in response to my statement.
"Alex was never yours, baby girl. We just needed someone to house his baby and that happens to be you. Why do you think a Man like him approached you in the first place, uh? I can't believe you actually thought he loved you. You are just a cheap, poor, ugly bitch from a low-class family. He has only been pretending to love you all this while because I asked him to. After all, that was the only way for you to give us what we want"
"And you think he loves you too? If you do, then you aren't as smart as you seem to look" I replied throwing her paper bundle back at her.
"I won't give you my child. But if you keep insisting, then I will have to involve the press and police about this." Her face fuelled up with anger. It was obvious my words had hit her badly,
She looks around and moves closer to me, close enough to feel her breath on my neck. I chose to move away but her rough grip held me back.
"If you continue being stubborn, then you leave me with no other choice, baby girl. Make a decision, and make it soon. Time is ticking, and I should let you know, I'm not George, I'm bad at keeping patience."
She clicks her tongue twice to establish her notion of "Time is clicking" and goes away.
I understood clearly what she meant. That look she gave me before she went off, it was desperate, she would do anything to get whatever she wanted. And that includes my baby
(Maryland Hospital)
My baby was the first I sought out after I woke from passing out of delivery, and he was given into my arms. He was the prettiest thing I've ever set my eyes upon. He curled his tiny little fingers around my thumb and directed it into his mouth to suck.
"He looks so beautiful," The blonde nurse beside me remarked
"Have you named him yet?" She asked
"Yes.." I replied smiling up at her
"Can I know the name?"
"It's Eric" I removed my thumbs gently away from his mouth and replaced them with my nipples.
"A fine name for a fine boy. Uhm..You can always press the green button beside your bed in case you need anything or you feel uncomfortable. I will be off for now."
"Thanks," I replied and watched her leave the maternity room.
Holding Eric, my instinct to protect my baby grew stronger. I will never let him get into the hands of the likes of George and his bitch. We would go to a faraway place, where no one knows us, and begin a new life there, out of the reach of Mary and George.
My sister came in holding two traveling bags with her. One for her and one for me.
"We leave whenever you are ready, Grace "
"I am. Eric just needs to be done with his dinner" I replied smiling down at my baby, overjoyed that I finally got to be a mother and hold a child of mine while watching him suck from me. I had always loved kids and that was why I took the job of a teacher, even though I had better offers. And now that I have mine, I will shower him with all the love and happiness of this world.
"Grandpa wanted to be the one to name him, he said he would give him the name of his father, haha.."
"Well, y'all can give him as many names as you want. He ain't complaining"
"Are you happy?" she asked.
The question came so sudden to me, and I wondered why she had asked.
"Why should I not be?"
"Well… since the child is George's…"
"No matter who his father is, he is still my child, Ivy, and I love him. Nothing matters anymore" I answered her
"If you are happy, then, we're also happy, and no matter your decision, we will always be here for you."
"I love you,Ivy and thank you" I said to her and she smiled and walked away, she didn't have to say it back, because I know she does. This would have been a lot harder for me if it weren't for her.