Palm lines - Episode 28

 

Feso's POV
After Erika confessed being pregnant, I couldn't stay with her any longer. I didn't want to raise another man's kids. I was deeply hurt by her betrayal, I felt betrayed for being lied to and being led on by her. I was so sure that she was the woman I was meant to spend my life with.
The following week, Erika returned the phone I bought for her back to me. I got really angry, my ex-girlfriend came to see me at the office and from discussing about my hurts,  she woke up the next day in my bed.
Ify barged into my office, she seemed pretty angry . "Tell me it's a lie and she's not serious!" She began and I wondered what the hell she was talking about
"I don't understand"
 "Lucy just changed her status to dating Fesochukwu Odogwu, what are you doing not doing anything about it"
 "What's there to do?" I asked and she scoffed.
"Feso, think of Erika, you love her"
"The last time I checked, I'm not dating" 
"Are you still angry about this baby thing? Why happened to I'm in love with her? What happened I love her, were they all lies?"
 "Love hurts, love is crap it won't be the first time getting hurt by someone."
"Excuse me, are you trying to say something?" She snapped and I stood up. 
"I would like to be alone" I declared and she gibed.
"I waited Feso, I waited for you to ask me out but no time was ever right for you. Why do you always make it look as though it's my fault you're hurting? Feso it's not my fault, it's yours

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. If you had man up to ask me out, maybe then I would have been married to you, having all my children with you but it isn't so. You're still the same coward you were years ago; giving up on love because one thing or the orher. Wasn't it because I was a secretary? Now it's because she's pregnant" she paused. 
 "If God forbid, something happens to my husband and you're in a position to take care of me and my three kids, what would you say? You won't cause you can't take care of another man's children"
I've never seen Ifeoma that angry. 
 "Feso you're a damn coward and you'll forever remain one until you man up and take responsibility for your actions and take hold of your life and make responsible decisions."
She scoffed.
"I don't even know why I keep on trying, why I even bother to stay by you. You'll never grow up Feso, you never will"
 "Ify"
"I'll tender in my resignation, I don't think I want a wimp for a boss"  She yelled slamming the door.
Mom called for me, I haven't seen her since the new year began.
I went home in the morning, I walked into mom and dad having breakfast.  "Sit" she said  to me and i did. 
"Let me serve you" 
"I'm not hungry" "Why?" She asked, "I really don't have the appetite"
"How's Erika?" Dad asked, "when would you tie the nut with her or are you going to keep her waiting like Ifeoma" he asked and I scoffed. "Wouldn't you have gotten angry then if I had introduced ifeoma as my fiance?" I asked and he kept quiet.
"Ifeoma was a good woman, still is a good woman"
 "We broke up" I announced. "Erika and I"
Mom and dad stopped eating. Both eye fell on me and Dad scoffed. 
"So you couldn't even keep this one again en?" He asked and I looked at Mom. I was running out of patience.
I stood to leave and  Dad stood up too.  "I just lost my appetite"  he said then he walked out of the dinning room. "What happened?" Mom asked, she walked up to me with her hands against my cheeks. "What happened Feso? What did you do?" She assumed, it was natural for them right assume I did something wrong.
 "I did nothing" i answered and mom moved back, "You've been drinking, so early in the morning"
 "Mom i have to be at the office"
 "Talk to me Feso, what happened?" She asked. "I didn't do anything" i answered,
"On new year day, Erika confessed she was pregnant with someone's child just after I proposed. I couldn't  continue so I left.  Some mistake she made some months ago.
"You left a good woman because of she told you she was pregnant."
"She hid it from me, I was angry"
"It's okay to be angry for a day but you were supposed to pick up your phone to give her a call... She needed you they moment but you failed to be the man she wanted"
"Are you seriously on her side mom?"
 "How long gone was she?"
 "Three months and some  weeks"
"A lot of women would have pinned it on their men but she didn't, didn't you consider that?"
 "She could have said something earlier," "Why? so you could leave? Feso what she did was brave, not ab*rting the child. I can't even imagine how she must have felt when you pushed her away"
"Why are you blaming me for it?" 
"Because you just managed to push her into the arms of another person. Women at this stage are vulnerable like my sister,. Chidera got pregnant the real father  denied it, she had to get married to the last person she thought she would just to hide the shame." Mom explained,  "Joseph was a monster, she thought he was a savior until he started beating her up, do  you even know who you might have pushed her to? Your Aunt Chidera died in the hands of a crazy man"
"I needed time"
"Right from new year up to this moment, wasn't it time enough? In fact you've wasted enough time. What if she's gone forever?" Mom asked and I cried in reflection of the whole thing.
"I told her if she had committed an ab*rtion it would have been better" 
"Why would you say that?" Mom sounded disappointed.
"I was angry" 
"Who taught you that? I've taken care of kids that aren't mine. I've never complained not once! Did I teach you to be scared of help"
"I've always wanted to have my own child with her," I scoffed.
"I was so disappointed and I disappointed Ify too by breaking you with Erika. She handed in her resignation," I cried, "Are you crying because Ify is giving you a cold shoulder or because of Erika"
 "After years and years... I still love her. It's funny to think it's dead and boom you realize it's still there! She said I needed to man up"
"She's not wrong, man up! Man up Feso and go apologize to Erika. Take the child as your own. You'll have many more with her, hide her shame most importantly; if you truly love her, you'll hide her shame"

****
After work I decided to pay Erika a visit. I knocked and her friend, Kechi opened up. "Good evening" I greeted and she scoffed. 
"What are you doing here?" She asked rudely. She wasn't thrilled to see me. I did deserve that.
 "Is Erika at home?" I asked and she looked away. 
"No" 
"Why? Erika doesn't keep late nights except those days when she spends time at my place or Is she at her mom's?" I asked and she hissed.
"Well she went out to her boyfriend's place" she confessed and i raised my brow in surprise. I have really missed out a lot on her life within such short period.
"Who is she dating?"
"None of your business Feso, Mister man, I'm in a very bad mood and I'm having a bad day so I'll advise you not to ask anymore questions. Erika's not home, why do you even want to see her? Weren't you the one who left her because she's pregnant. Should I still remind you, she's still pregnant"
"Who's she dating?" I insisted and she rolled her eyes. "Since you're bent on knowing, it's David Savage"
"Seriously?" 
"Yes.. at least, someone was willing to take care if another man's child. I was busy with something before you interrupted."
"I'll wait"
"You'll be waiting outside oh, cause I don't see myself letting you in" she answered closing the door and I leaned against the wall. 
I waited about thirty minutes then I saw Erika afar off walking with heavy steps, it looked as though she'll fall down any moment so I drew closer. 
"Are you okay?" I asked and she hugged me, sobbing uncontrollably. I wanted her to let me in on what was going on but instead, she shut me out and asked that I leave. 
I went back to her house the following morning. It was a Sunday morning, i didn't go to church neither did she; but her friends did.
She was still in the same gown she wore the previous night. "Aren't you going to take them off and change into something else?" I asked and she quietly stared at me.
She shut her eyes and tears poured down. "Erika I'm sorry for everything I did, for leaving you, I want you to trust me and let me back in. Talk to me, what's going on with you?"
"I found the father of my baby... I finally found out who did this to me, who took advantage of me the day I got drunk" she cried.
"Just let me know who, we'll have him arrested " I promised and she fell back on the chair crying once more. "Erika" I called out, "Who did it?" I asked.
"David" she answered. 
"David who?"I asked, "David Savage" she added and I rose up from the chair. "But... but...your friend said you're dating him" 
"I just found out"
 "That bastard" I tightened my fist, "If I get him, I swear I'll kill him"
"Don't even do anything rash" she warned. 
"We'll get the  police involved. After what he did, you can have him arrested, you'll press charges, I'll help you with the finances you need" "As what?" She asked, "As revenge against him for winning the case years ago" she added and I shook my head.
"As the right thing to do"
"To what end? He's the father of my children" 
"Children?" I knelt down before her, I was surprised. "You're having twins" "Yes, I thought" she paused, "I thought maybe he was different, a good man who was willing to embrace me with another man's child"
"I told you he wasn't to be trusted. David Savage is a punk." 
"He fooled me and he lied to me, for the past months he has been looking into my face and laughing at me for being so stupid"
"You don't have to worry about him Erika, I'm here"
"As what?" She asked, "You think because you're here, you're an option? You left me when I needed you. You shut me out and you even moved on"
"Lucy doesn't mean anything to me" 
"Oh so that's her name?" She asked and I nodded. 
She had every right to be angry. "I'm sorry Erika, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness for what I did but I want you to know that I'm back for real and I'm not going back, I'm not giving up on you. I'm back for our babies, I don't care if it's David's I'll take care of them like they're mine" I brought out the ring,  "Marry me Erika, just say yes and we'll exchange vows at the altar". 
"Leave me alone Feso,I'll like to be alone" 
"Erika?" 
"Get out of my house, what's so hard to understand there? I want to be alone" she requested and I gazed upon her for a minute. 
"I'll be back" I added leaving the house then I saw David outside coming out of his car. He had a bandage wrapped around his head.
 

David's POV
Having to explain to Sharon about what happened was so damn hard judging from the fact that I couldn't help but sob continuously. Imagine a grown up crying like a baby. 
"I swear I didn't mean to do it" Sharon handed a piece of clothing to me and I blew my nose in it. "I feel so horrible, Erika must hate me right now"
"She must" Sharon answered. 
"You should talk to her" she advised,
"How, each time I tried to talk to her, I got slapped" "You should still talk to her, let her know the whole story"
"She's not going to believe me, she's the victim and ..." "You kept it hidden for too long" Sharon blamed and I nodded. 
"Still you have to fight for her, dad I think you two were meant to be. She makes you happy and you make her happy, I see the two of you and it's like you and Mom all over again" tears dribbled down her cheeks.
"Something grey, something embarrassing and gifts" she held my hands, I had no idea what she was saying. "Mrs Reiner gave this clue to Miss Erika, it's  a clue analysing the things that would happen when she finally meets her soul mate"  Sharon paused, I still couldn't make meaning to what she was saying.
 "I'll be lying if I said I understand what you're saying"
"Just listen to me, it was the day of the PTA...

Read " Dysfunctional " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. She first of all got gifts from cousin Dorcas and then she broke her heels and her wig fell"
"It was embarrassing"
"Exactly, and grey, grey was you. It has to be you! I mean I can't imagine it being any other person, I mean, the coincidence, every single thing that has happened? Now she's going to have my brothers" she smiled.
 "Can't you see? She made a mistake Feso wore grey that day, the grey didn't stand for Feso but you dad."
"Sounds encouraging but what do you want me to do?"
"Fight for her, you're going to skip church tomorrow and you're going over to her house to win her heart back no matter how many more slaps you get"
"I wish you saw the way she looked at me like I was the monster, the worst person in the universe" I sniffled.
"To think everything was going smoothly a while ago," I smiled on remembering our kiss. 
"We were..." I paused looking at Sharon. I didn't want to sound corrupt and careless.
"We were talking," "Hmmn talking Shea" she teased. 
"Yes we were having a real good talk, this talk could have progressed if she didn't see my handwriting"
 "If you had said something since"
"I was a coward,"
"Maybe tomorrow you both can talk better"

I didn't sleep half the night, I had Erika in mind. 
I went over to her house the following day. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Feso coming out of the house.
What in the world was he doing there? I asked within.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, "I think that should be my question, what are you doing here?" I snapped, "I came to see Erika"
"I didn't come to see Erika, I came to see my girlfriend so I'll advise you excuse me" 
"How dare you come show your face here after all the harm you've caused" he asked and I scoffed.
 "I should have you arrested!" he yelled,  "For what?" I asked, 
 "For r*pe!"
"The last time I checked, I've never been into men so you had better find the guy that r*ped you" I snapped and he sniggered. 
"You r*ped her! I'll make her press charges and I'll make you rot in jail"
"Are you even  listening to yourself? Is this man listening to himself? You sound like a woman right now. This isn't about her but the land case you guys lost right? That's don't like encounters with you, I always feel like I'm talking with my sister" I added and he punched me on the face. 
I groaned and I saw Erika come out with her hands folded. She had that angry look on her face like she she was going to flog the both of us with a long cane.
"What are you girls doing?" She asked, I was quiet for a while. Her use of 'girls' did qualify Feso, not me.
"He started it" Feso pointed at me and I grinned. 
"At least we now know you're a girl" I added and I saw him tighten his fist to punch me again. 
"If you dare punch me again Feso, I won't take it lightly with you. I only let the first one slide for four reasons; one, I have high tolerance for kids, two, my grey hair, three, My respect for Erika, four, it's the Sabbath day and in the spirit of Sunday, I'm willing to let a lot slide" I paused. 
"When I heard you two arguing, I thought maybe there were girls quarreling only to find two grown up men here acting like babies" she snapped at us. 
"You know what? Out!" She yelled at me and I plunged my hands in my pocket. "Don't you two understand simple English? I don't want to see you" 
"Are you deaf?" She added  
"You should go" Feso stressed and I raised my brow at him, "Who's talking sef?" 
"I was referring to the both of you" she stated she I grinned at him. I let my tongue out, I haven't done that since I was a kid. 
It made him mad.
"Now who's acting immature now" Feso asked and she ended up pushing the both of us. 
"You guys better be gone before I come out" she threatened entering into her house and I stared at Feso.
"Go" he said to me.
"Don't tell me what to do, I'll go when I want to" I retorted. "If you don't respect your elders respect the grey hair"
"Grey hairs? All I see is bandages" he snapped and I scoffed, before I could open my mouth to speak again, Feso and I were bathe in water. 
We both turned towards Erika who had an empty pail In her hands.