A woman's dilemma - Episode 21

 

Claudia:

"Hello Daddy?" I push my hair away from my face and grab my bag from the passenger's seat of my car. I maneveur to get the door close as both my hands are occupied.
"Back from work?" My dad's voice greets my ears as I make my way to the house.
"Yeah. Good evening sir." I curtsy a little out of habit even though he can't see me from the other side of the line.
"Oh . I shouldn't waste much of your time then." I push the door open and enter the house. The scent of something cooking greets my nose and my stomach growls. I've not eating today.
"You can never waste my time Dad." I reply my father who chuckles deeply into my ear.
"Hey Claw!" My head snaps up with my heart accelerating at the now familiar nickname. Amy stands behind my couch grinning mischievously at me while she waves a magazine at me. I'm reminded of what kept me hungry all day. Daniel. I throw my keys at the mischievous  woman and she dodges with a giggle.
"Are you still there, girl?" My dad asks and I'm reminded of the call I'm still on. I wave Amy off and walk into my room.
"I'm sorry Dad. Amy had me distracted for a while there

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/a-woman-s-dilemma

. What were you saying?" I pull both my shoes off with my left hand after dropping my bag on the bed.
"Oh Amy! She's doing better right?" My dad asks fondly.
"She's doing great alright." Maybe too great, I should smack her head just to be sure. I grin at my wicked thought. I would never do that. Amy is too cute to hurt.
"Ok so about Daniel Obi--"
"What?!" I'm rudely snapped out of my musing at my father's teasing voice. Did he just say Daniel Obi?
"Oh girl, don't think I haven't seen the both of you plastered all over Instagram." He says and I gape at my gray wallpaper. Since when did the old man use Instagram. I plaster my palm on my hot forehead and groan.
"I approve." My dad chuckles and I frown.
"There's nothing to approve dad!" I huff.
"Yeah. Whatever. Just invite him for my birthday this weekend."
"No no no." I shake my head profusely.
"It's an order, girl." My dad affirms.
"But daddy--" I sound like a little girl right now but I don't care. I can't have Daniel near my father. It will raise his hopes up. I know whether I accept his offer to act as his girlfriend or not, we would never be anything real.
"Would you prefer to bring the other young man in the photo with the both of you?" My dad asks and that thought bugs me more than him meeting Daniel.
"No man is coming with me dad."
"Just for me. Please? That's the birthday present I want from you. You would come with one of them right?" I find myself nodding.
"I'll try, dad." I say. My dad confirms his excitement just as Amy comes into my room and hang by the doorway.
"Alright. I'm hanging up now. Take care of your self and my regards to Amy." My dad says. I greet him a goodnight and end the call.
"So who are you taking to your dad's birthday party on Friday?" Amy wriggle her brows at me as she comes to sit beside me on my bed.
"I don't know!" I groan and cover my face with a pillow.
"You should take Daniel. He's more into you. I saw it in his eyes on Sunday." She suggests as she pulls the pillow away from my face. I can't tell her there's nothing in his eyes because it's impossible. Daniel just needs me to help his sister. He's a sweet guy but I'm thinking that's only for his family.
"You just want to swoon all over him when I bring him over." I accuse Amy who nods seriously.
"Totally!" She admits and we both laugh.
"You're incorrigible. Well I might just invite him for the fun of it." I muse to myself but Amy hears me and she squeals excitedly.
"This will be fun! Have you invited Francesca?" I pause at her question and shake my head. I was going to do it this morning before Mr dark and handsome intruded on my whole day.
"I'll send her a text with directions." I stand from my bed and shrug off my jacket.
"Please tell me you cooked." I say even though I know she did.
"Vegetable soup okay with you?" She asks as she follows me out of my room.
"Semovita right?" I ask and she nods.
"Glorious. So tell me how was your day at the University hospital?" I turn back to her and see her shoulders visibly drop.
"That bad huh?" I ask.
"Not really. I already have a friend actually. Gabriel."
"Oh, a guy." I smile at her.
"Don't just think about it!" She protests and I giggle.
"You'll do great Amy. I trust you." I seriously tell her and she relaxes a bit.
"Thank you, Claw!" She speeds past me as she says the word Claw and I chase after her with mock indignation.

****

Francesca:

"Goodnight love." I place a gentle peck on Ola's forehead and linger just a little bit before I make my way out of his room. The house is quiet but for the sound of the wall clock. Now that the helps were all in bed and Francis was out of town, the house feels so big and empty. Just like I feel right now.
I take the stairs down slowly with my mind occupied by everything in my life right now. I just can't get Claudia's voice out of my mind. I need to leave right? There's nothing worth protecting in this marriage anymore is there?. It's been days but Ola still shrinks whenever he hears his father's voice or even his name. Is this really the environment I want to bring my son up? Would Francis turn from hitting me to his son? My hands ball into fists on the staircase railing at the thought of Francis hurting my son. Or the little one growing inside me. This is the first time I've felt that the baby in my womb right now is real. A sudden bout of nausea hits me and I race down the stairs to the downstairs bathroom.
"Oh God-" I dry heave into the toilet bowl without coming up with any thing. There's no food to throw up. I feel my head throbbing mercilessly as I bury my face in the toilet. Sweat beads drip down my temple and gather on the top of my lips. I try to settle my breathing slowly. I sit on the spotless floor and brush the sweat off my forehead.
"You can feel mommy's stressed right?" I say silently to my flat stomach. As if on cue, I dry heave again and bury my face back in the toilet. After a few minutes, I feel a little better and I push myself up on my unsteady feet.
"Water." I mutter. My mouth tastes awful. I splash some water on my face then make my way to the kitchen for some water.
As I pass through the sitting room, my phone's screen lights up with an incoming text. I get some water from the kitchen and rinse my mouth before I return back to pick my phone up.
A smile curves my lips at Claudia's name on my phone screen. We exchanged numbers the last time we saw. I click her text as I sip my water.

IT'S FATHER'S BIRTHDAY ON FRIDAY. JUST A FAMILY GATHERING.

Read " Redemption " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. HE WANTS YOU TO ATTEND. AMY AND I AS WELL. BRING THE LITTLE ONE. DON'T BE LATE.

I smile fondly at the bossy way she ends the text. Am I going? I bite down on my bottom lip. Is this really up for discussion? Claudia will have my head if I don't follow her instructions. More than anything, I want to go. I've not been myself like I was when they came over on Monday. I deserve some fun right? Hopefully, Francis would still be out of town for his campaign seeing as the election is just few weeks away. Ola will surely like this. He has asked for Claudia and mostly Amy.
Okay, I'm going!