Letting Go

Hi People,

So I haven’t written anything like this in a while, but I just had to share. What I want to talk about is something we hear about all the time, and I’m sure we preach about too -FORGIVENESS.

Yes, roll your eyes, yawn,but before you click that red button at the top of your screen, ask yourself the question “Am I REALLY a “forgiver”?” Before tonight, my answer would have been NO with no remorse. I guess I’ve gotten so used to this way of life, it doesn’t even bother me anymore. Then today in fellowship, my Pastor decided to nudge my heart and my conscience with this topic. I don’t know how many of you have had this experience when someone is talking about something and you feel like they are directing EVERY single word to you, then they look in your direction and your heart does a double(not the I-have-a-huge-crush-on-you kinda double but the how-does-he/she-know kinda double). Well I felt that way,and that inspired me to write this.

I have a HUGE problem with forgiving people who hurt me. I just don’t get why some people would do some things and not think about Karma and tomorrow and the fact that I would never do such a thing to them. So instead of dealing with them(no time) or telling them (not like they don’t know anyway), I just sulk, keep it in and sulk some more whenever I see them.

Sometimes, I forgive over and over again, and although I don’t have a maximum number of times, I just stop and build a wall around me. I’m not proud of the person I have become,and a good friend of mine has been trying to make me see the other side of the coin. Guess God decided to try another route, and it worked! Yes Father GOD, You got my attention this time.

Permit me to share a few scriptures with you.Matthew 18 vs. 13-33 tells us about the servant who owed his Lord a huge sum of money, and got forgiven and then went out and met another servant who was owing him one-tenth and he threw his fellow-servant in jail. Wicked guy, right? I used to be that person, and I am sure some of us have also found ourselves in similar situations. It’s hard forgiving people who hurt us, BUT it’s not impossible. If it were, we wouldn’t be asked to forgive.

Something else caught my attention, Mark 11 vs. 23-25 says if I don’t forgive, my prayers won’t be answered. Now that’s a stopper, cause my prayers are not gonna hang cause someone somewhere stepped on my toes and that person is out there living the life and I’m here.. NO WAY!

So here’s what I have decided to do,

1. I’ll be the better person. This is going to be really hard, it’ll require me swallowing a lot of my pride, and also making myself vulnerable to hurt again. But it’s worth it. For all I know, they don’t even know I am upset with them, they may not even remember hurting me.

2. For those people who keep annoying me and hurting me, *closing eyes tightly* I’ll pray for them. this is even harder than forgiving them, but I’ll do it. what’s the worst that could happen?Prayers don’t hurt anybody.

3. I’ll also make the best of every situation, and I’ll build character. *rubbing chin* Sounds good already.

Now, I didn’t say it would be easy, nothing really is, but I’ll take that huge step of faith, and I’ll be glad I did.

Beginning of this year, I made a list of the things that I wanted to change about myself. Top of my list was “my unforgiving spirit”. It took me this long and a lot of courage to get to this point, you could start your’s now.

If you can be forgiven,then you can forgive. There’s that awesome feeling when you do, like a huge rock has been removed from your chest, like you can actually breathe again. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s not just me. Maybe this was meant for you to read so you could let go of that grudge and end that 6-month malice. But whatever you chose, I trust you’ll make the best decision.

With that, I close and I am proud to say I am MOROLAYO WILLIAMS, I have been Forgiven and I am a FORGIVER.

Waiting For You

I’m sitting here

Waiting for you

On this rusty chair

I just sit and stare

The lady with the dog has greeted me a couple of times too many

I guess she’s looking for a new friend

I might need one too

But first, I have to see you

That’s why I ‘m here

Waiting for you

***********************

Maybe when we see

You’ll tell me what went wrong

Why everything has fallen apart

And nothing seems to fit anymore

You’ll answer all the questions that might haunt me forever

And hold me in your arms

While we cry together

Then we’ll sit in silence for a few more hours

Maybe the last we’ll ever share

The peace it’ll give me is enough

Just seeing your face and touching it once more

That’s why I’m here

Sitting in this chair

Waiting for you

****************

The raindrops land slowly on my feet

In perfect sync with one that dropped on my forehead

The rhythm and pattern

A harmonious tune

As I reminisce…

The days when we shared ice-cream from a cup

Cutting your toe-nails while you winced in pain

The pictures we painted together

We were amateurs

But to us, they were master-pieces

This old rusty chair and all our secrets it shares

That’s why I’m here

Waiting for you

*********************

The sun is out

The poodles have all dried up

“Evaporation” they call it

I sit here and wonder

If that’s what happened to our love

Or was it just a mirage

It’s been six hours

Guess it’s just like they say

“No matter how long it rains,

The sun will definitely shine again”

It’s time for me to go

What we had I leave in the past

I wish things didn’t turn out this way

But it’s time for me to say good-bye

I stand and dust my worn-out jeans

My tears are dry

There’s no need for them anymore

******************

I turn to take my leave

And there you are

Soaked in your clothes

Maybe it’s gray,

Maybe the rainbow is out

I don’t care

Cause you’re finally here

The reason I’ve been sitting in this chair

‘”I’ve been waiting for you”

Too Late…

“We broke up”
The thunder punctuated his words
I laughed in my heart
But my masked face told a different story
I patted his back in solidarity
A sign that I’ll always be here
Always…

“I should get contacts though, the rain always gets my glasses blurred”
I can’t believe she said that out loud
Here I was pouring out my heart to her
And she was complaining about her eye-sight!
I walked back to my dorm seething
Hoping some Michael Bublé would cheer me up

It’s hard for me to do this
Watch him heartbreak after heartbreak
But it was his fault though,
He has good taste in everything- food, music, clothes but when it came to the ladies, he always got it wrong
Maybe one day he’ll realise that what he’s searching for has always been here
Right in front of him

Her name is Sara
But I preferred calling her “Sorrow”
I made a mental note never to call her that out loud
I wasn’t going to lose my best friend cause of some girl who wouldn’t be here for more than a few months
I flashed her my perfect smile
She’s intimidated by me
I can smell it all over her

He had not called in two weeks
I was beginning to get worried
But he called today
He’s missing me already
And he wants to see me
Maybe he has finally come to his senses
I’m giddy
I play Vanessa Williams’”Save The Best For Last” on my iPod…

I spotted him immediately
I had to control myself from running
Then I saw the look on his face
He lit up when he saw me coming
But I could sense the underlying sadness from a few feet away
What was wrong?

She was in for a surprise
I knew she liked Sara from the first day I introduced them to each other
But I still had mixed feelings about breaking the news to her
I always had one news or the other to break
All I had to do was give her a dial, and she’d come running.

I put my hand over his and begged him to tell me all about it
Another heartbreak?
But why would he break such bad news in Caffe Tranche?
He had always been hard to read but this time it was a Herculian’s task

“We are engaged.”

R.A.W

Reblogged from Omotooke's Blog:

Listening to Don’t Wake Me by Skillet in this reading room trying to read some haematology. See, I have this exam in about three months and I really need to read, seriously. My mum will freak out if she sees another post from because she has been begging me to put off my writing till after the exam. But I have to write this one.

Read more… 1,290 more words

This was written for me by someone really special. I'll advice you grab a box of tissue...Enjoy!

Her Story

He was the best thing that ever happened to me
He made my life worth living
He made my days brighter
And my world better just by being in it
I thought he would bring me the contentment I could never find in any other man- my father and all my ex-es
I was wrong

I over-looked the signs
His muscles flexing at the young chap who waited our table at the Chinese restaurant,
The slight twitch of his upper lip every time we had an argument
The fire in his eyes when he got mad
I always thought I could find safety in those arms
I thought wrong

He came home upset today
I tried everything I knew how to do
Even micro waving his freshly prepared food just to ensure it was steaming hot just the way he liked it
I served his meal in his favourite plate
The plate that became his weapon
He said I didn’t courtesy after placing the vegetable soup on the table
He cursed my mother for not training me well
The plate missed my head narrowly and smashed our photograph on the wall
The one we took years back on campus…
The sound of the picture frame on the ground signalled the beginning of bad days to come

Five years, three miscarriages and several trips to the emergency ward after
I’m still with him
Why? I can’t justify myself
My parents say its a taboo to leave my matrimonial home
My pastor says divorce is against the Bible
My best friend tells me it happens in almost every marriage
Only Segun feels my pain…

Segun who rushed me to the hospital when he came back from work to meet me in a pool of my blood
Segun who stayed by my bedside the whole week I spent recuperating
Segun who told me stories I never heard
About how their late father beat up their mother several times in the presence of all the children
Segun… A brother to my husband but a saviour to me
Segun…

He called me a “whore”
He denied all my babies that he had killed
But I didn’t cry or whimper like other times
I just stared at him
I stared straight into his soul
I guess that infuriated him more
He brought out his pen knife and I knew the end had arrived
But something in me snapped
And I fought back
But I was no match for him
I felt his knife go into my back
I prayed…

He’s on his knees
Holding my fractured wrist
I wince in pain
He’s begging, pleading, asking me not to leave
Promising to attend anger-management classes
I look at him and my heart whispers words I can’t comprehend
I still love him, as crazy as it felt
Maybe he wasn’t the devil after all
And everyone deserved second chances…

I didn’t want the alimony
But the judge gave it to me anyway
My lawyer wanted to put him in jail for attempted murder
But all I wanted was a divorce
All I needed was my sanity
The attorneys went back and forth about justice being served
I just wanted the marriage annulled

I saw the fire in his eyes
The same one he always had before he pounced on me
But this time, I saw something else
I saw defeat
Something in me leapt for joy
I felt guilty

Segun sat at the back of the courtroom
He was there throughout the court proceedings
Thank God for bringing him that night to save me
I knew he was in love with me
But I couldn’t give him back what he wanted
I loved him too
But I would never love him as much as I loved his brother

I walked out the courtroom with a spring in my steps
I looked at the sky and thanked my maker
I didn’t have anything- no husband, no child, no family
But I had life
And hope
Hope and life… That’s all I need
This time, I was right.

My Medical Family

Sometimes I wonder how we all got thrown together

Maybe RBCF did a bit, but I believe GOD had a plan

You know I love you guys right?

And I’m not saying it cause its a cliché or because I want you to hear it

I actually mean it

I’m not a perfect person, in fact I’m not close to being perfect

And a lot of times, I wonder why I was the “chosen one”

Why  can’t I just stroll into discussions any day at any time and apologise to either Sanmi or Akin for coming late?

I wish I could just take the back seat and not worry about what topic we have to take or who isn’t around and why

Many times I wish for a lot of things

But I’m grateful for much more

I always say I’m the least qualified to be in my position

And in all ramifications, I still think so

But, you guys have made me feel over-qualified

I think now I believe in the saying

“God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called”

From GT’s annoying but honest jokes to Tam-tam’s adorable dimples

We always find a way to learn despite our almost-always-unserious-atmosphere

We’ve built a friendship that extends beyond the walls of our classroom

We’ve shared timeless memories right from Laolu’s birthday in 200level to A&E when my Grandma was brought it

We said bye-bye to Tobi in our own special way

And GT wormed his way into our hearts

We hugged Sanmi with her greasy hair, and admired her new look

We cheered Kemi on as she finally brought home the Super Bowl trophy

We’ve built memories without even knowing it

“Mumsy mi to dun” “Man with the eyes” “Anike” “Minini”

Nicknames that’ll never grow old

I could go on and on

I’m grateful for the days we’ve shared

But I’m more grateful because I know that better days are yet to come

Thank you for accepting me with all my flaws

And for loving me regardless

Thank you for making me a better person- academically, spiritually and morally

Laolu: Our very own Popsy! Sometimes he could really get on my nerves, but most times, he’s a diamond in the rough. Thank you for always saving the day and for saving my face a lot of times.

Ore: MUMSY!!!! Prayerful, courteous, and adorable. A true friend. *wiping tear* I could write an epistle but I won’t. Let me just say thank you for everything and for many more things to come.

Nimi: She’s tough. She doesn’t mince words, she just says it as it comes. She’ll never pretend that she understands when she doesn’t and she won’t give any excuse for her actions. My personal person, we have more in common than we admit to have. Thanks for seeing me at my best and worst and still sticking with me. By the way, what happened to our prayer meetings?

Sanmi: Miss”EMO”! I don’t think I’ll ever meet any one more emotional than you or more passionate about thing. And your colour co-ordination!!!! Orange from up to down, lemon green to the scarf…( don’t kill me when you read this).

Kemi: My personal favourite when it comes to taking tutorials. You would make a wonderful professor, your oratory skills are brilliant and they will definitely take you places dear.

Doyin: Tough exterior, soft interior. With the type of front that she always puts up, one would wonder how she has friends, but when you get to know her… words can’t do justice to the great and talented personality inside.

Tamilore: I’m still looking for somebody who can ever hold a grudge against you. You are sooooo LOVEABLE and sweet too. If the world had more people like you, soldiers would be out of jobs, and I mean that.

Morakinyo: Can I talk about you without being biased? I don’t think so. So I’ll just keep it simple, you mean a lot to me. I don’t think if you had the choice,you would pick my kind of person as a friend, but I don’t think you are regretting your decision (at least I hope not).

Akin: I love your laugh. Our very own TDH! You’re wonderful without even knowing it.

GT: You call yourself “blessed mouth”, I don’t think it does enough justice to who you are. You walked into our lives(or our discussion group) and changed everything. Your our big brother, the one guy we love to hate.

Words can’t do justice to what I feel inside

I love you guys, and yes, I know I said it before

Thank you for being the best friends anyone could ever ask for in medical school

I pray our friendship continues to wax stronger and stronger

xoxo

Valentine Clouds

Happy Valentine’s Day people! I wanted to write something a bit different from all the things we’ll be seeing today. This story is dedicated to someone very dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy it, and don’t forget to leave your comments! Have a love-filled day! ************************************* She heard the screams from the block opposite hers. Another gift delivery. She put her pillow over her head to block out the noise, but she couldn’t block out the noise of her own heart. Valentine’s day would never have the same meaning to her again. Her friends couldn’t understand why she cried and mopped around on a day when almost every girl who was “lucky” enough had a huge smile. They considered her one of the those. Annually, one admirer or more had fulfilled the duty of buying her presents and inviting her to dinner. She always turned them down. Her friends shared the loot while she nursed her pain. Rotimi added the rose as the last touch to his gift bag. Her room-mate had assured him that this would do the trick. He had been trying to ask her out for months but she had refused to budge. She was everything he had ever wanted in a woman,”wife-material” as they called her likes. He knew he was capable of taking care of her- his six-figure salary,nice and respectable background, and their common beliefs was more than enough. He really didn’t get what she found wrong with him. He was a good man, and his gift was thoughtful. But she couldn’t open up to him, and that was more than important to her. She couldn’t tell him about her past, and she couldn’t see them having a future together. Most importantly, she didn’t think her father would have approved. She still wonders every now and then whether how different things would be if he were alive. She never thought much of her mother, except when people appreciated her flawless skin and pointy nose, and she had to acknowledge the one who passed down the good genes. Her father had taught her not to hate her mother, he even made her forgive when she came back once to check on her. The image of her father on the couch, the same one that haunted her for months after his death, came back and she felt the tears. She had been thirteen at the time and she knew nothing about his heart condition. When he suddenly had an attack, she thought a glass of water would do the trick. Only when he began to gasp for breath did she realise the gravity of the situation. She alerted the neighbours but not early enough. He was dead before they could get him to the hospital. But she held on, and she prayed like she had never prayed before. God wouldn’t take her father, not yet. She didn’t have anyone else in the world that she could call hers. The doctors confirmed her fears at the emergency ward. From that moment on, everything was a haze. And several years after, so was every February 14th. This year, she was going to spend sometime at his graveyard. Talking to him always helped her to feel less guilty. Like a soothing balm. After his death, she lost interest in everything and devoted all her energy into her academics. It was the least she could do to honour her father. Sometimes she thought about marriage and how beautiful it would be, but she decided against it for fear of losing her father’s name. She didn’t think she could ever love any man the way she loved him. She was here again. Just like last year and the one before. Femi had never summoned the courage to talk to her, and he had problems of his own too. Laide. His loving wife who he lost to the cold arms of death during child-birth, lay six feet below the ground. Their son was two years today and he knew he needed to hurry if he wanted to make the party his sister was throwing for him. But he also had to be here. He still had questions, but as he watched her place the wreath on the tombstone, he felt an assurance that the answers he sought were finally beginning to surface. Dear Dad, I think I finally met a man,and I know you chose him for me. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect man. I’ve held on to you for so long and I’ve blamed myself over and over again. But now I know you’re not angry with me, infact I believe you’re up there smiling down at me. I’m glad I made you proud Daddy. I wish you were here to walk me down the aisle tomorrow, but I know you’re in a better place. I love you Daddy and no one will ever change that. Your daughter, Sumbo. P.S.: Thanks for giving me the best valentine gift ever- a husband and a best friend.

Four Strips: Conclusion

 

*Whew* I can hear your “sighs” from here and I’m glad to be concluding this, after much ado if I must say. Thanks for staying with me and not dozing off too many times. Oh, and R.I.P. Whitney Houston.

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Ruby

She was back where she started- broke, pregnant and confused. Just when she thought fortune had finally smiled on her, fate just had to be kind to someone else. That Gold woman was probably really nice and she deserved a child more than she did. She was left with the only choice she had ultimately tried to avoid in the first place- an abortion. But how was she going to be able to afford a good clinic? If there was ever a time she wished she had that rainy-day fund her  mum always talked about, it was now.

Aquamarine

She had finally summoned the courage to tell Korede about her fears. If she thought she knew the man she married, she had been wrong all along. She slowly watched as the reaction on his face changed from utter disbelief to extreme joy.  He whisked her in his arms and sang songs in his croaky voice. What had she been worrying about all along? If Korede said everything was going to be fine, then everything was going to be fine.

Gold

She had never seen Tade this way in all her 15years of knowing him. There was even a new spring in his step when he walked. It was like a new person had been born. If carrying his child could bring him so much joy, she wondered what he would do when he finally got to hold… 

The scan just confirmed that she was going to be the mother of a set of twins. She was definitely done questioning how God works.

Pearl

Her encounter with that girl at the abortion clinic had been a turning point for her. She couldn’t believe she could open up to a complete stranger that way, it just felt so right. She had heard about a lot of teenage pregnancies, but this one struck her differently. The way she walked into the reception and commanded so much attention, she still had an air of confidence in the room where shame and grief replaced the air. But one look in her eyes and Pearl could see that she was scared stiff, and when she asked her for a pen, she took that as her cue.

Slowly, they told each other their stories,passing hankies when the tears rolled and each giving the other hope. Who initiated the “walk of change”, she may never know, but later that night when she cried in Kunmi’s arms she was grateful for that young girl who had turned out to be the “ruby” she was born to be.
Now she knows why God gave her this man cause she definitely did not deserve him.
“I promised to stand by you Pearl, and I am upset that you didn’t tell me soon enough. Maybe we could have worked something out.
But a promise is still a promise, and I love you regardless. We’ll nurture this child together Pearl. We’re in this together.”
 

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3rd MARCH 2001-

” A busy ward we have here today Nurse Titi”. Little did he know about how busy the day was going to get. Just curtains separated four mothers who fate had brought together. The Bakares’ twins were born a few weeks early, but that couldn’t mar their happiness…

Ruby held her dad’s hand as her mum cooed her newborn. He walked right through the door the moment she needed him most. When the doctors said she was going to have to undergo a caeserian section because of her small pelvis, all she could do was weep. Nothing ever went right in her life, and she couldn’t even afford the bill. After confessing to her mother about everything including the stolen cash, she couldn’t believe the woman could still love her again. But again, fate had it all planned out. The Bakares had also been a blessing, especially when Mr. Bakare found out that she was pregnant for his brother. Her mistake had turned out to be blessing in disguise…

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September 2011

Dear Mummy,

Boarding house is better than I thought it would be. Damilola always tells everyone that Tamilore, she and I are triplets, but I always tell the truth that she’s out cousin but we were born on the same day. They all think its cute. But I still miss home though. Visiting day is in two weeks and I have attached the list of things I want you bring. Mummy, guess what? I have made two new friends,just like you said I would. But you won’t believe the best part, we are all birthday mates, we are thinking of calling ourselves “The 3-3 crew”. Cool right? ..

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This story is dedicated to all our mothers who had us despite all odds and gave us the chance to have brighter tomorrows. We appreciate you and we hope we never give you a reason to regret your decisions. We love you.

***THE END***

Four Strips [Part 3]

RUBY
For a moment there, she thought he was Ben. Her face slowly lit up until he came closer and she saw the mustache with streaks of gray. Her mind was playing tricks on her. She had to put up a front for this couple,and naturally her widest smile surfaced. She doubted their acknowledgment though . They were her God-sent angels. Dr. Thomas had suggested she give up her baby for adoption, seeing as she had no means of fending for herself talk less of the unborn one.
After Ben’s neighbor had saved her life, she had mixed feelings about this child. She almost jumped at the offer to give her baby away at birth.
But now that they were here, she wasn’t exactly sure. They looked like a happy couple, it was evident that they had been through a lot though. But one couldn’t ignore the wealth and comfort they exuded.
Maybe she was doing the right thing. She was going to giver her child the opportunity to have the good things in life. The things she never had.

PEARL
She was becoming a wreck and her life was gradually getting out of control. She cried uncontrollably and broke down at all the wrong places. The most recent one was in the presence of her wedding planner and for no just cause. Aquamarine tried all she could to comfort her but she was simply inconsolable. But how could she not be? She had been raped on a rainy night on her way back from work, barely six weeks to her wedding. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she was pregnant, not for the love of her life, but for a total stranger. She really wished her mum had not lost her mother to cancer. She needed her now more than ever. She didn’t have anybody to confide in, the embarrassment was eating her up.
“Mama, where are you? You’ll know what to do. I’m so confused”

AQUAMARINE
The morning sickness was going to give her away, and she didn’t want “new hubby” to know. She wasn’t ready to scare him or saddle him with the fears of a new addition. And she had not decided whether she wanted to keep this child or not. She had told him it was probably malaria and he suggested she saw the doctor. That wasn’t going to happen, what if the doctor asked her to take a pregnancy test? Her secret was safe with her mother. She already had a feeling that too many people knew.

GOLD
Things were slowly beginning to look up. Tade had agreed to the adoption plan and the girl had said they could have the baby immediately she was born. She was elated!

She didn’t want to go to the hospital. She feared that she would hear that speech she had long ago rehearsed “I’m sorry Mrs. Bakare., but not this time”. She opted for the home pregnancy test instead. Her hands were shaky, she was sweating all over. She was a whirlwind of emotions. This could go either way. If she got disappointed, at least she would only be breaking her own heart. And if…
The end of the slip just turned purple. She wasn’t falling for this. She quickly brought out the second pack she bought for a re-test. The longest three minutes of her life passed and she rubbed her eyes to be sure she wasn’t dreaming. Only then did she realize that she had been holding her breath.
She was pregnant! Gold Abisola Bakare was pregnant!
She felt like her black and white world just got doused with buckets of paint.
Then she remembered the girl in the hospital and her unborn child….
(To be continued)

Four Strips [Pt. 2]

Hi People! Here’s the second part of the story I started last week. I hope you enjoy it.
P.S. : Please constructive criticism will be appreciated. Just leave it in the comment box. Thanks.
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RUBY
Thank God her mother had planned for 500 guests instead of the original 300 the families had agreed on. How would they have catered for such a large crowd? She couldn’t have dreamed of a more befitting wedding. This was what all the tabloids referred to as a society wedding and SHE, Ruby Omogoriola Hassan was the bride. She knew her parents would come around, most especially her father. Ben looked the happiest though…

Her mother was right. As always. The strip she was holding snapped her back to reality. She wondered how far gone she was though. Three weeks? A month?
It all didn’t matter anyway. All she had to do was tell Ben and get the ball rolling.
As for the suspicious looks from her mum, she would deal with that later, she was going to show her how lucky she was to have a smart daughter like her. .

PEARL
She had assumed that the recent dizziness and weakness was as a result of the stress she had been putting herself through. The wedding was in two months and she still had a lot to do. She was so appalled when her best friend Halima had suggested with a mischievous smile that she should have a pregnancy test.
Here she was, in her own little toilet, with the truth in her hands. She was certain it wasn’t Kunmi’s. The truth left more than a bad taste in her mouth.
She was carrying the child of a faceless person. A hollow laugh escaped her lips accompanied by the rumble of her tummy.
She rubbed it and stared at herself in the mirror. Even her reflection confirmed her deepest fears.

GOLD
She tugged another strand of grey from her temples. Another sign of how time wasn’t being fair to her. She had everything a woman her age could dream of- a loving husband, a house she could call her own, and her firm was standing strong. But the one thing she wanted, she couldn’t afford, and even if she could, what market would she buy a child from?
She had started considering other options- adoption, in-vitro fertilization, but Tade wasn’t too excited about any of the ideas. He wanted his own child the conventional way. The only thing she wanted was to make him happy. He deserved that much after all he had been through for her sake.

AQUAMARINE
She collapsed on the toilet seat. She was pregnant just like she had feared. She had planned to start taking the pills next month. She didn’t think it would happen this soon.
She wasn’t ready for this child. She wanted her baby to have everything she never had- quality education, decent neighborhood, perfect childhood. But how was she going to afford all that now?
They were living in Korede’s two-bedroom apartment, and it was cozy for them but an addition to the family would mean a bigger apartment.
And her career! What was going to happen to it? She was just beginning to get a hang of it and now she was going to have to step back for a while to nurse this child. The thoughts kept coming and she started to feel sick. She threw-up in her mother’s marble sink. She didn’t hear the door knob turn. She felt the familiar warmth of her mother’s palm on her neck. She knew she had to spill her guts.

RUBY
She had seen this scene severally in movies but she still found it incomprehensible. Ben was denying paternity, calling her all sorts of names, and feigning knowledge of their affair. She couldn’t let him get away with this. He should at least take responsibility for his actions. If she was surprised at his initial reaction, she definitely didn’t expect what came after…
The last thing she felt was the throbbing pain where her head hit the trash can. Ben had beaten her to a pulp and then kicked her down a flight of stairs. She was slowly losing consciousness in a pool of her own blood. As she drifted off, she uttered a prayer not to lose her life and that of her unborn child.

(To be continued…)