Wrong Start

Episode 23

Daisy Yawson

 

“I want to see you,” he said after asking how she had been doing.

“Now?” she asks puzzled.

“Not physically. On a phone at least.”

“I’m sorry but I don’t use a smart phone.”

“I will get you one. I want to see how you’re growing.”

“You mean the pregnancy?” A smile almost escaped her lips.

“Yes.”

“That baby will be my very first child regardless of who is carrying it. We both made a mistake.”

“It’s not a mistake”. Reminding him.

“I want to believe that too.”

“I also want to speak to you about something important so lend me your ears.”. Ignoring her words.

She could only be silent and listen to him.

“I don’t have a problem getting married to you but you’re not what I want and I might hurt you along the way because of my lifestyle…what I’m trying to say is, getting married to you is out of the question. Although I’m hearing things like you’re not going to be a part of the child’s life, I will urge you not to think about it as I have not said anything like that. I get to have my parents in my life, why will I stop my child from having that?”

No matter how serious the conversation was at that moment, Angela could not overhear his deep enchanting voice. It was the same deep voice that had groaned into her ears during their intimate moment.

And she couldn’t help thinking about it now. He was so gentle with her, almost giving her the wrong impression. He had confessed having a great time with her and even offered to drive her around once, something which can only happen in her dream.

“So, are you okay with it?”

“Huh!”

“Were you even listening to me?”

“I’m so..sorry can you repeat that” Hoping he would not scold her and he didn’t.

“I want to know if you’re okay with moving out of Kadi’s house. My parents own an apartment in Osu. You can stay there till you have the child. That is if you want but I’m against you living in my aunt’s house especially when you have something I want.” Pondering over the question, she answered.

“I understand…”

“So what’s your decision?”

Her heart screamed with joy at his proposal even though she wondered what will become of her after giving birth.

“I want to leave to the apartment.”

“Good. Wise choice. I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

“My driver and two other people would come for you tomorrow…make sure you take a few things essential to you because I have already bought clothes for you and the baby.”

Her mouth hung open in shock. ‘Why was he doing it for her. ‘Wait. Why not wait till the baby is out to spoil him or her instead of wasting money on her’ she thought about it but also reasoned that her body was the carrier and so naturally, he would do those things for her without thinking twice about it.

“So get prepared to leave tomorrow.”

“I will…erm”

“Feel free to ask any question,” sensing her nervousness, he urged.

“I want permission to go back to school…I mean continue from where I left off.”

“Where did you stop?” Surprised by the intensity of knowing, she answered his question.

“You can do whatever you want only if you will not cause harm to my child. And you have to know that you owe no one nothing. I spoke to my aunty and she’s talking about having signed an employment contract with you so it’s impossible to let you go even if I want you to.”

She could hear the frustration and anger laced in his voice. Practically, she was like a slave in the house. A contract binded two people together still, he wasn’t going to let Kadi keep Angela in her house, not when she was pregnant.

“I’m sorry you had to argue with your aunty over me.”

Sincerely, she wanted to get along with the other members of the family since the child she was carrying will soon be part of the family however, every other family member visiting the house had given her the cold shoulder which was to be expected.

“If anything happens to my unborn child, I would never forgive myself that’s why I’m doing all these. You should get the gist and take care of yourself to avoid any complications. I will assume you have no questions. If that’s all then I will hang up now.”

“Thank you.”

She managed to say before he hung up.

She felt relieved that he had called to speak to her and before she could get some rest, the door to her room opened showing Kadi’s face.

“I assume Melvin has spoken to you about your leaving here tomorrow?” She started without acknowledging her presence.

“Well, he thinks you’re being mistreated of some sort.”

Still standing away from her, she continued.

“I can’t blame him seeing how the family is being unkind to you and it’s partly my fault.”

“I’m planning to release you from your job but a contract is a contract. Let’s hope I can do something about this and you must take care of yourself and that child.“

She could only listen to her.

“And to be honest, I have never seen Mel so keen on protecting you but it is what it is. He sees you like family and that’s why he’s doing all these. I wish you all the best.”

If Angela could say one thing at the moment, it would be a ‘thank you’. She watched her get out and her mind replayed the part where she had said Melvin saw her as family, giving her the hope that, their child will be loved by his father.

Not long, she fell asleep and in contentment.

 

***

“Yes, Phil. I’m 3 months pregnant.”

She could sense the displeasure in her brother’s voice after the revelation.

“You’re still in school, Miriam!” voicing out his concerns.

“And I’m still his wife regardless of whether I’m in school or not.”

“You’re telling me you wouldn’t touch your wife when…”

“Tizopaɣa, (meaning sister) your case is different. He could have stopped the pregnancy but he didn’t bother doing so.”

She knew he was saying the obvious fact however, she was careless as well, forgetting to take contraceptives and causing it.

“Please Phil, let’s forget about this.”

“How are m’ma and m’ba? I haven’t spoken to them in a while.”

“You should be calling them when you get the chance. They miss you,”

Tears welled up in her eyes when he mentioned that they missed her.

“Mbora nyorami(I love you). Take care.” As busy as Phil was with work, he managed to call and speak to her.

Now, she had to prepare for her first class.

And it’s a possibility that she might meet him again. They ended their brief friendship on a wrong note and somehow, she regretted it. Meeting him again would make her uneasy. Packing whatever she needs into her backpack, she set off to the bus stop. In 5 hours’ time, her husband and son would have arrived. Thinking back to the good time they had made her not want to go to class that morning. The cold breeze brushed harshly on her jacket making her shiver.

It’s the same harsh weather every year. She boarded the train to her school, arriving a few minutes late.

“Is someone occupying this space?”

“No” Entering the class, she realized the only space was the seat by Tani. She didn’t complain even though she wasn’t too happy about it.

The lecturer went on and on about ethics in society.

“Sorry about last time.”

She was ignored. Tani looked at her to see her face had turned pale. Is she okay? He wanted to ask.

“I’m not feeling too well,” something kept pricking her insides.

For a moment, he could sense her discomfort.

“You should see a doctor.”

 “I would if I could stand up.”

“You mean you can’t?” he looked at her weirdly

“Fine. Lean on me. I will take you to the school’s clinic. At least that’s the closest thing to a hospital.”

They held hands and exited the class.

“Hold up,” she picked up her ringing phone while clutching her belly.

“Mama!” Enoch shouted her name through the phone.

“Hey, baby where’s your dad?”

He pointed to Ibrahim even though she could not see them.

“We’re boarding the plane now. Are you okay?”

She lied.

“I am. I will be waiting for you guys.”

She hung up shortly after.

“You lied.”

“I did it on purpose.”

“Yeah, right. You’re definitely not okay.”

“Just help me, okay?”

They get to the clinic. Mimi let the doctor know she was pregnant so they wouldn’t waste their time with tests.

The problem had to do with stress. She was told to reduce her workload and given some drugs to help her sleep.

“You seem quiet. What did they say you’re suffering from?”

“Nothing.”

“Really?”

“It’s stress.”

He asked her nothing and they walk back to campus.

“I have to meet someone here, I would have sent you home, at least.”

“It’s fine. Thank you for being a friend.” Turned her back and walked away.

It was almost midnight when she heard the bang on her door.

The pain had subsided and she took a nap, not touching any of her schoolwork. It was almost as if she was choosing her career over the unborn child. Ignoring Mrs Boakye’s advice and munching on whatever she bought on campus.

She opened her door to three people. Her husband, her son and another lady. She was tall and average in terms of beauty.

Enoch jumped into her arms.

“Hey, watch it. Your mom is pregnant.”

But he was already in her arms with his hands around her neck.

“I missed you, Jam” rubbing his back gently.

He was still so little and very soon, he will have a little brother or sister.

“I haven’t met you before.”

The tall lady put their stuff on the ground.

“I’m Ibrahim’s distant cousin.”

Mimi shook hands with her briefly.

Ibrahim stared at her little bump. He said nothing.

“Are you ready to leave?”

“Yes, apparently I have nothing to take with me except my clothes.”

She put Enoch down and proceeded to pick up her bags.

“Can you excuse us for a bit?” Asana obediently obliged.

Ibrahim went down on his knees in front of his wife and pulled her top up, carefully examining her in admiration. This was the second time she’d been knocked up by him and not hated him despite being in school.

She bit her lower bottom lips and cursed in her head for being turned on by this man.

“Shouldn’t we get going?”

“I could stay like this forever. I want to spend more time with you.”

“There’s a question I have been meaning to ask you for some time now. Please have a seat.”

He could see her clear brown eyes staring into his.

“Go ahead,” sitting on her messy bed while awaiting her question.

“Is there a reason why you weren’t bordered about me leaving right after birth? You did not tell me to breastfeed him for those months before I left. I know you could have forced me to do it.”

At that moment, Enoch was playing with Mimi’s old books stuck at the corner of her bed.

“My family is not too keen on who brings up a child. I was breastfed for 2 months and a wet nurse took over when my father disapproved of Kadi breastfeeding me.”

She never interrupted him once urging him to continue.

“So, it really doesn’t matter as far as the child is well.”

Seeing the disappointed look on her face, he added.

“I personally wanted my son to be breastfed by his mother but that choice was taken out when you had to leave.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I was never angry at you so don’t apologize. Our son is well and I am actually glad you’re thinking of being a mother from the start to our second.”

His last words stung. Still, it was her fault that she left to pursue her degree and forgot what really mattered most.

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