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Jumoke and Bimpe sat in front of the doctor. Looking at them, the doctor smiled and extended her right hand to Jumoke.
“Congratulations madam.”
Jumoke looked puzzled and raised an eyebrow. She heard the doctor as if from a distance. ” You are 4 weeks pregnant.”
” Jesus!” Jumoke placed a palm on her chest. By the next moment she frowned and looked down. Two large tears dropped from her eyes.
“Wow! See God,” Bimpe said and cast a sideward glance at Jumoke. She stood up. ” Dr. Stella thank you. We are very grateful.”
The two friends walked slowly to her car. ” Sister Jummy congratulations.” Bimpe said and drew Jumoke into a warm embrace. “This is a clear message from God. ”
” About what? Why should it be now?” She touched her belly. ” I prayed and worked for this but why should it be now? I am hurting.”
” Oh…” Bimpe took two steps forward and raised her hands up dramatically. She said. ” God! Sister Jumoke is blaming you for making her get pregnant at this time. She say she doesn’t want…”
“No!” Jumoke shouted. She rushed forward and covered Bimpe’s mouth with her palm. ” It is not like that. I am not blaming God. Why should I? I’m happy for the gift. It’s not even up to six months that I lost a pregnancy and now this. I have heard of women having to wait for years after losing a pregnancy before they could conceive again. My problem is the timing. I don’t know.” She burst into tears.
Bimpe placed a hand on her shoulder. ” Sister Jumoke, God’s time is always the best. What more? There’s nothing wrong with this time. Infact, this pregnancy alone is enough to tell you that God wants you to reconcile with your husband. Are you Still praying for him?”
Jumoke nodded.
” That’s the way to go.”
That night, Jumoke placed a call to Tosin and they spoke at length though Jumoke didn’t tell her about the pregnancy.
” How is Kola fairing,” Jumoke asked in a calm tone.
” I won’t lie to you, he’s in a bad shape. He’s seriously pinning for you. I don’t think I can hold on any longer about telling him that I know where you are. Your husband needs you by his side, please forgive him.”
” I have already forgiven him. I’m seriously missing him.”
” See, Kola has learnt his lesson. The mistake will never repeat itself.”
Jumoke sighed. ” Kola is not a bad man. I don’t know why such kind of thing should happen to us. My problem now is, I get scared whenever I remember that I’ll be sharing him with another woman.”
” How? There’s no attachment between them than the fact that she’s carrying his baby. You won’t be sharing Kola with her.”
” Are you sure? Don’t you think they will still have some form of emotional connection? The child will always bring them together.”
” Never. And even if there’s still an undue attachment between them, what’s the usefulness of your knee? I will join you in praying and breaking every unholy pact.”
” What of the child? Kola will father a child from another woman. The first seed from his loin.”
” It will not make him a less father to the children that God will give you or a loveless husband to you. Please accept what has happened in good faith and move on. Take a day at a time. Kola has suffered a lot. He has been fasting since the day you disappeared and only eat sparingly in the evenings. We are all worried about his health.”
” I will get back to you tomorrow, please help me take care of him.”
” You better come and take care of him yourself. You know it’s not everything that I can do for him. If you understand me. There are roles that only you can play.”
Both of them burst into laughter.
They ended the call. Tosin turned to see her husband behind her. She was caught unawares. She wondered if he had been there for long and if he heard the conversation between her and Jumoke. Raising her shoulder, she shoved past him. Kelvin caught her by the hand.
” What now?” Tosin tried to remove her hand from his grip.
” Was that Sister Jumoke?” He asked.
Tosin looked away.
” Toooosin baby.” Kelvin called affectionately. He forced her to sit on his laps. ” Now tell.me, was that Jumoke?”
Tosin refused to talk.
” I think you know where Jumoke is and you are hiding it from us. I heard part of your conversation. Why?”
” She begged me not to reveal her whereabout.”
” And now?”
” She has agreed to return home. We plan to talk again tomorrow. She’s with a friend in Bida.”
” Let me have the friend’s number. Pleeeeaaase. Kola will do the calling.”
Tosin read out Bimpe’s number reluctantly.
” Can you do without me for two days?” Kelvin asked.
” What are you planning to do?”
” I will drive Kola down to meet his wife.”
—-
Jumoke had just woken up and was trying to force some quantity of pap down our throat. Last night after speaking with Tosin, she also had a lengthy discussion with Bimpe. They agreed to get in touch with Kola by morning. Jumoke said she had forgiven him totally and prayed for the grace for total healing.
Bimpe sat on a sofa facing the TV. Her phone rang and she rushed inside to pick it. She had earlier told Jumoke that she was expecting some visitors.
A knock sounded at the door.
” I will get that,” Bimpe said enthusiastically. She practically flew to the door. Jumoke wondered at why she was acting funny that morning. She shrugged and concentrated on her food, until she heard a familiar voice. It sounded like Kelvin’s voice. He followed Bimpe into the room.
Rising up, Jumoke gave him a questioning look.
” Uncle Kelvin what are you doing here?” She asked. ” Who gave you the direction to this place?” She turned a curious glance at Bimpe. The latter raised her hand in surrender.
” Sister Jumoke calm down.” Kelvin moved forward. ” I came on behalf of your husband.”
” How is he fairing? I missed him. Why didn’t he come with you?”
The door opened and Kola entered. Jumoke turned on sighting him and tried walking away. He rushed, grabbed her hands and went on his knees.
” Sweet heart I’m sorry.” He pleaded. ” If I will have to spend the remaining year of my life asking for your forgiveness, I will do so. I have no reason for hurting you. I have no reason for keeping things from you. See! You are the only woman for me. No one else. You own my heart and my body. What happened was a great mistake that will never repeat itself. You are the only woman that makes my heart beat. You are…”
“Shhhh.” Jumoke placed a finger on his lips and raised him up. She said in an emotion laden voice. ” I have forgiven you. I love you.”
She looked into his eyes and saw sincerity and a deep affection for her. She’s his woman. She will stand by him and never allow anyone usurp her place.
Looking deeply into his wife’s eyes, Kola saw forgiveness and deep affection for him. He was assured that what happened has not reduced her love for him. They are both hurting. They will heal together. Something stirred within him; a deep longing for his wife. The wife of his youth. He drew her tighter to himself.
Jumoke coughed and drew back a little. Cupping a palm over her mouth, she rushed for the toilet. Kola cast a questioning look at Bimpe. She smiled mischievously and pointed towards the direction that Jumoke went. “Follow your wife.”
She turned to Kelvin. ” Welcome sir. You took a great risk travelling through the night. You are a rare kind of friend. God bless you sir.”
TO BE CONTINUED
Β© BOSEDE FAGBEMI
