Strong Emotions - Episode 8

 

           Dad had refused to eat his meals for the past two days, he looked so tensed and he had gone back to his usual habit of keeping malice with mum and I when he was angry. As if that was not enough, he stopped giving me food allowance and threatened to stop paying my salary, he doesn't want to see me close to his company. 
     

         I made a mistake , I know I shouldn't have gone out with Alfred that night but the deed had already been done, why is everyone treating me with disdain? Maybe Dad had forgotten that I'm his only daughter. I remembered how dad reacted that Sunday morning( when Alfred came visiting ) when he learnt I was pregnant . He was greatly disappointed in me when Alfred confessed he was responsible for the pregnancy, he ordered Alfred out of his house and we ended spending our day at home instead of  going to the church. That night, I heard dad's voice ramming with mum's in their bedroom.
       

         "Why do you have to keep such deadly secret from me?" Dad shouted.
     .

         "But I just discovered she was pregnant recently, she kept from me." Mum said trying to justify her actions.
     

        "Shut up, you gave birth to only a child and you couldn't raise her right...what if God has given you more than one then they will all become sl*ts. I don't know how you want to do it but the pregnancy must disappear"

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/strong-emotions

. I wish I could see the hurt  in mum's face, she found dad's words too insulting. 
         

         "Stephen Black, this is the first time you will raise your voice at me and call me names, it's not your fault but I will make you realise my daughter is not a slut. She made a mistake and she had realise her mistakes. She will get married to that man and she will give birth to that baby,my daughter will not have a child outside wedlock and she won't abort the pregnancy. I promise you that, keep your money for all I care, I will be in charge of their wedding , her needs, and any other things she might need." I could sense her pain through the vibration of her voice, she was trying to hold back the tears. Oh lord! ...what I have done? This the first time I will see my parents quarrel, the first time dad would look at mum and call me a slut...hmmmm...Mum really wants the best for me but getting married to Alfred is not surely not the best idea. I guess I have to just get married to Alfred to prove dad wrong that I'm not a slut, yes!  Maybe that's the only way out and after the marriage I will give Alfred his baby and will just get an apartment then stay alone. Is that even a good idea? Or should I just abort the pregnancy? so that this drama can just end. What if I die in the process? No, I can't allow my parents to mourn over me. But talking about marriage, where will mum get the money to sponsor my marriage, be in charge of my feeding and any other things I might need? She is just an house wife who has no other means of income and I know she said that to dad because she was angry, she couldn't possibly mean that?.....what should I do? I ran to my room in tears, I had been crying for God knows when now (I just pray the baby won't be addicted to tears) confused ,I dialled Lola's number on my phone. She is the only option I have left,  I have to tell her what's happening, maybe she might offer a good suggestion. I just need someone to talk to.
       

         "Hello Enny!...how are you darling? I have been trying to reach you but your line wasn't available. I wanted to tell you that I have been so sick for some days now, I couldn't even go to work". Lola said when she picked the call.
         

         "Sorry, how is your health now?" I asked calmly.
       

         "I'm still sick, what's wrong dear? You sound...weak, are you sick too? She asked and I found her question funny, I felt the urge to laugh but I couldn't because my lips failed to do so.
       

         "I.. I'm in serious trouble Lola..."
   

          "Trouble? What happened? Talk to me and stop putting me in unnecessary suspense." She said in eagerness, ready to listen to me with apt attention. I thought of how to express myself .
       

          "Enny...are you there?" She asked unable to control my silence no more.
     

           "I'm pregnant...." I said.
     

           "You are what?" Lola asked to be sure of what she heard and I knew she heard me correctly when she asked me who was responsible for the pregnancy.
       

          " Alfred...," I replied, she knew Alfred was responsible, she couldn't probably think it was for George but I knew she asked because she was surprised.
     

         "Alfred, that bastard...?" She shouted to my utmost surprise. There was a sudden silence and I waited for to her to explain the reason she called him a bastard.
       

          "Enny...I'm sorry but...why would you allow him touch you without.. using...protection". She stammered, choosing her words carefully. I heaved a sigh, she was right, but is it my fault? I was drunk for God's sake.
   

            "So what will you do now". She asked and that was the question I had been expecting.
 

          "I don't know Lola...and that's why I called you, although he had heard about the baby but he warned me not to abort the pregnancy and at the same time I don't think I would want to get married to him, he is a cheat." I replied sadly.
       

        "Yeah I know..."she said.
     

        "You know?...but how did you find out he was a cheat?" I asked with curiosity.
     

          "I have a confession to make but it won't be on the phone, I'm coming over to your place tomorrow."  She didn't wait for me to utter any word before she hanged up the phone. I looked at the screen of my phone in horror as if I could see her. A confession? What does she want to confess about that she can't tell me about it on phone? I hate suspense.
       

         I woke up the next day around 8am, I noticed mum had been indoor which was unlike her, because she would have been in the kitchen preparing a breakfast or in the dinning serving my dad a cup coffee and Dad sat in the living room reading a newspaper. He ignored me and pretended to be so occupied with what he was reading. I walked to the kitchen, open the fridge and took a cold can coca cola then I heated up the leftover of the food we cooked yesterday. 
     

              "It's not advisable for a pregnant woman to take a cold drink early in the morning,  pregnant madam". He said as I carried my food up the stairs. I could sense that he was mocking me. I felt embarrassed but I  tried not to look at and I murmured a thank you. When I got to my room, I bursted into tears but the same time I devoured the food like an hungry Wolf. I am not the foody type but I found myself eating so much ever since I got pregnant, the baby will be fat and pretty then...I chuckled at my own thought and rubbed my belly, now I realise I wanted the baby, I wanted to have him or her by my side so that I would have someone to play with, to laugh with, to tell jokes with and to keep secrets with. Suddenly my mind went back to my mum, I had been her gist partner and above all her best friend , I know what it means for parent to be disappointed in a child, it hurt more than a heart break.
       

          A few minutes later, I heard my room door creak. I looked towards the door to see Lola who wore a baggy red shirt and a short Jean. She looked  plumper than the last time I saw her , judging by her  appearance, I was obvious that she was sick.
           

           "Hey girlfriend.. how are you". I greeted, happy to see her. I was expecting her to reciprocate but she looked worried. She moved closer to me and knelt down beside me.
            "I'm sorry dear, I have wronged you , I have betrayed you,". She pleaded with tears in her eyes. I looked at her in astonishment, what does she mean by she was sorry to betray me? 
       

        "What's happening Lola, are you okay?".I asked, because I know there must be a reason for this sudden emotional display. She looked at me with a sullen eyes.
     

          "I'm pregnant Enny..." She said while I looked at her with my mouth wide open. 
     

        "Who is responsible?" I asked, staring at her for a response. She kept silence, I sensed she was scared to speak. Who could be responsible? because I knew she wasn't in a relationship, so who could it be? O.M.G! It shouldn't be what I'm thinking.