Wrong Start

Episode 19

Daisy Yawson

 

She forgot to drop by a pharmacy to get the pills to prevent any pregnancy. Getting pregnant now would cost her the freedom to do whatever and will limit her movements plus Ibrahim will have his eagle eyes on her making it suffocating.

He didn’t do that in her previous pregnancy because of unfortunate situations. And was asked to go to her parent’s house instead.

Things were different now or so she thought.

Upon reaching their room after climbing a mountain of stairs because the elevator had stopped working, she panted loudly, showing her exhaustion but it’s Muni she saw at the door and not Ibrahim.

“Is my husband not back?”

“No, madam.”

Soon a knock was heard but it still wasn’t Ibrahim.

“Your cake, please.”

“Thank you,” Muni took the cake from the security guy closing the door behind her.

“Why is he not picking up?” Mimi thought after several attempts in calling him.

She got a message soon after.

‘I’m sorry, Mimi. Celebrate his birthday without me. I’m busy with something urgent.”

There was nothing to inform her of the time he will return. Just an apology for missing his son’s birthday party.

Being extremely disappointed and angry, she decided to move the birthday forward but it didn’t matter since he didn’t seem to care about spending his time with his family.

The cake was put on the glass table in the middle.

Mimi and a happy Muni sang a birthday song for Jamal. Wishing him and cutting the cake.

Muni had seen the frustrated look on Mimi’s face after seeing the message she assumed was from Ibrahim. She shouldn’t be happy but she was. Especially as her heart was broken hours ago.

“Wash him up and put him to bed, please. The young mother felt exhausted soon after Muni put Jamal to bed.

Being tired herself, she propped herself on the large bed, too tired to move.

By 8:00 pm, she was asleep.

 

**

Ibrahim opened the door a while later, taking off his jacket. He headed to the bathroom to wash himself. And hadn’t spared a glance at his wife as he knew she would be asleep. Somehow, he wished he hadn’t come to see her. After taking a bath, he checked on his son who was fast asleep in his crib. Went back to the main hall where Mimi slept and laid next to her. Tucking a strand of braid behind her ear, he kissed her forehead, proceeded to her nose and then to her lips.

What was he doing? He asked himself. He couldn’t stop. He wouldn’t be able to touch another woman besides her and that’s exactly what his father wanted him to do in the name of the family business. It hasn’t been long since he stopped dealing with his dad, his manipulative self and his company. In his mind, he had nothing to do with the family business. But knew very well that soon, the destructive family will have his freedom.

“One day you will have to marry into this family,” his Baba said gesturing to a family of four. The mother, father and two girls about his age (19). The girls kept staring at him and making weird comments which he could clearly hear. He would occasionally hear something like ‘he’s so hot. I bet he’s big down there’ or ‘I want to go speak to him but he doesn’t seem to have an interest in me.’

At that time, he had already met Eyram but nothing was going on with them. Since this happened six years ago, he had already forgotten about it.

His baba had said he would one day have to marry one of the sisters because of business and it was totally fine in a family such as his, to marry multiple women but he was different.

He had a problem being nice to women who were less important in his life and his father knew that but family came first as usual.

“Don’t you dare touch me!” Mimi hissed at him sitting upright on the bed.

He had actually expected this result after missing his son’s birthday.

She looked exhausted.

“I messed up, I’m sorry,” he said quickly and proceeded to hold her hands in his but she jolted them out of his.

“I’m not the one you need to apologize to,” she pointed at the kid’s door. “He needs that apology and you also have to make it up to him…do you have any idea the number of times he wanted to see you? Don’t break his heart again, Musa!” she warned.

That was the very first time Mimi had scolded him making him feel very guilty. He didn’t know it would cause this much damage, especially to his wife. He relentlessly asked to be forgiven and looking at how sorry he was, she forgave him with the promise of making it up to their son.

“I still need to inform you about something,” he said with a nervous face.

“What something? Is that why you left without notice this morning?”

“You can say it’s somehow linked to it.”

Her head dropped even though she had no idea of what he was going to say but his nervousness was enough to tell her that, it wouldn’t be something good.

“It’s the family’s wish that I marry this woman…and it’s solely for business reasons. I haven’t actually accepted it but I know my family, they’re going to drag this till I accept, not that I want to”.

Was it hurt and disappointment he saw? He definitely couldn’t tell looking at her face. She stayed silent, definitely letting what he said sink in.

Picking up her jacket from where she had thrown it on the bed, she got up to leave.

“I don’t want to be in the same room with you right now.”

“Fuck, Mimi. I’m sorry I had to drop this on you but leaving wouldn’t solve anything!”

“And you have a better solution?”

He ran his palm on his face, showing his frustration.

“I’m sorry if I’m acting like a bitch…”

He held her wrist, pulling her closer to him. “Let’s be a team, Mimi,” his gentle voice made her want to melt under his touch.

“Hell I can’t do this on my own…you’re my family. I’ll have to fight this but not on my own. If I were to reject whoever I’m to marry, they’re definitely going to target you and if we’re apart, I swear it’s going to be difficult for me…please.”

Whatever clouded her judgment seemed to have been broken hence she really got the concept now. Since becoming a part of his family, she hadn’t really gotten acquainted with his dad’s side of the family. More times it’s either her son was staying the night at their family home where his dad lived or in Kadi’s house every time she’d call to speak to her child because Ibrahim was too busy at work. Their attitude towards her was no less than treating a colleague that was Ibrahim’s dad, step-sister, step-brother who frequented the house and his aunty’s. Still she’d dismissed it as something minor but now hearing Ibrahim,

It seemed to her that this was a family that put business first hence the ability to force a family member who was unwilling to do their bidding.

“When will you both be going back? I totally agree with your statement,” she quickly added to remove the disappointment written on his face after she’d asked the question.

“In other words you want me to be strong, is that right?” A glimmer of hope shone in his eyes before responding.

“Yes and not back down. I can’t have my wife giving up because I’m ready to stop this nonsense!”

A chuckle escaped from her lips.

“What?” he asked in confusion.

“Nothing. Shit..shit..shit”

Suddenly remembering what she’d forgotten because she was too tired and wanted to sleep. Her head wanted to explode knowing the consequences. Having only six months to complete her third year of university, it would be a pain to suddenly get pregnant.

And telling him now, she didn’t know how he would react. She was almost 20 and he was 26, but his maturity level was way too high that she couldn’t guess what he’d say to her.

“Are you okay?”

“Can I be excused for a short while?”

“Of course, but you have to tell me the problem and it’s late.” Checking his Rolex watch, he laid down on the bed with his face facing her.

“You sure you okay?”

She began pacing up and down the room. One day was already gone. If three days passed, she was sure to get pregnant but that’s just an assumption. You don’t always get pregnant the first time after having sex so she decided to relax a bit more.

“It’s just school stuff,” she lied.

“We will figure something out along the way…”

By changing the topic, she could forget about it for a while.

“Thank you, my love,” Ibrahim gently told her. He was losing himself to sleep as he was tired.

“But you have to make it up to your son.”

“Fine, fine…he has nothing to worry about,” he relents.

Before confronting Mimi he hadn’t expected her to stand by his side but she did and he liked it even though he knew too well that he deserved none of that, still the thought of his wife backing him up made his head swell.

The night ended with the two enjoying each other’s company.

The whole week was a busy one for Mimi. Attending lectures, being a mother as well as a wife and every time she got so tired, there was nothing she could do but sleep. Forgetting the one important thing she wanted to prevent so bad.

She woke up from the bed abruptly with Ibrahim still confused about her actions.

Mimi locked the bathroom door emptying her gut into the toilet bowl several times.

“Open the door,” he was only in boxers because the two had just woken up from bed. And seeing her like that made him worried.

“Mimi!! let me in,” listening to her open the door, he felt relieved but not for long.

“Shit, are you okay?”

The girl she’d known for almost three years laid limp on the cold tiled floor sobbing her heart out.

Muni hearing the commotion came out only to hear Mimi sobbing quietly in the washroom.

“Cmon speak to me.”

But she wasn’t bugging instead she said something he dreaded hearing from any woman.

“I can’t have this baby, Musa.”

A rather painful statement.

“Come here,”  he helped her from the floor into his embrace, rubbing her back and trying his best to stay composed.

“My last pregnancy was too hard on me…”

After hearing her speak so bitterly about her last pregnancy, he knew. He knew she needed help. Professional help and only a psychologist can bring her out of it. But then also he got worried about her schooling. She had only six months to complete her university and they have already entered that very semester thus causing her stress. Keeping the pregnancy which was obviously what he wanted would take a toll on her. Someone had to feed her if he  left. So many responsibilities which he would gladly want to do but this was unexpected.

He helped her up on her feet. Since the bath was a  jacuzzi, he had no problem tending to her needs there.

“Hey,” he kissed her forehead while she lay dejectedly in the jacuzzi.

“We have to go to two places today.”

“Where?” She asked out of curiosity.

“The hospital…we still have to be sure regardless of what you think.”

“Okay.  And the second place?”

“The psychologist at the same hospital.”

“Okay,” was all she managed to say after a brief pulse.

“If that will change my mindset about carrying this pregnancy.”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page,” he said before excusing himself to make an appointment with the doctor.

Muni had heard their sensitive conversation which she regrets especially listening to her cry about how hard pregnancy had been on her. Wondering what could have happened to her. Her curiosity prevented her from noticing the toddler who was standing next to her with nothing on but a diaper.

Ibrahim saw him too.

“Come.”

The toddler walked slowly towards him as he rubbed his eyes with his little fingers. He had just woken up and earlier than the normal times he wakes up.

“I’m sorry, Sir, let me assist him.”

Muni suddenly came out of her trance forgetting she was just standing in front of the door like a lunatic.

“It’s alright. Prepare something for the mother and son to eat,” he instructed before picking up his son and placing him on his shoulder. He began to make the call and hang up after making the appointment.

Mimi now had his head laid on the toilet seat. She felt exhausted and frustrated after finding out about the pregnancy.

She had expected him to be nonchalant about it since it was her duty as a wife to birth but he had surprised her. His concern for her showed otherwise. She was starting to think if he would be happy if she was confirmed pregnant. Another thought that kept pushing as if he was still going to leave for Ghana the next day with their son.

She didn’t notice the figure that stood above her. “Hey” he stretched his hands to her.

“Have you called the doctor?”

“I have,” he helped her up.

She thought for a minute.

“Why not use a pregnancy kit?”

“Well I don’t think that’s bad either but we need a doctor to check you up properly,.

Enoch kept prancing around, obviously oblivious to his parents’ plight.

He was now wearing pyjamas and two pairs of socks after complaining to his dad of the cold.

“Sit. Let’s talk.”

The woman sat dejectedly.

“What’s actually bordering you?” Ibrahim asked her, aware of the situation but decided to still ask.

“I want to know if you will be happy if I’m confirmed pregnant.”

That statement hit him hard. It had always been about him and what he wanted. At least that’s what she thought. He frowned a little before saying.

“You’re still in school and getting you pregnant wasn’t part of my plans because I’m worried…”

Looking into those beautiful brown eyes of hers, he sighed.

“I’m going to love you and our unborn child as I have always done but I will still worry about your welfare. And school is so important to you, I wouldn’t want you to throw that away.”

“I wouldn’t. I can’t. Regardless I’m positive that it won’t be easy for me.”

“Come here,”he urged her into his arms.

“I’m sorry…I’m an idiot for not using protection and now…” the regret in his voice, evident.

“Please stop saying things like that,” letting go of his embrace.

“I only said it’s going to be hard. I mean focusing on school and pregnancy at the same time. Enoch has been the best thing that has happened to us and he’s not going to be the last. Obviously, he’s going to have siblings who’ll look up to him.”

“You’re right.”

“If you’re pregnant I will have to go back home and get your stuff here. Do you want to give birth here because I don’t.”

“No.”

“Your mum wouldn’t allow me even if I wanted to.”

“Forget about my mum. You’re old enough to make that decision for yourself.”

“But because of citizenship, I wouldn’t want that.”

She silently nodded.

“I feel better now that we’re talking about it”.

The door to the kitchen opened to Muni holding a tray of food.

Before placing it on the tray, she asked to feed Enoch who was already getting tired from playing.

“Yes” “no”

The two say in unison.

“What do you mean, no?”

“You don’t want to get stressed knowing you’re carrying another human being in you.”

“I’m still early and we’re yet to confirm it.”

Feeling humiliated, she excused herself but the humiliation was replaced with anger and before she could stop herself she uttered these words at Mimi.

“Why should people like you be granted children?”

“Excuse me?”

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