Shades of Marriage π₯°πππ₯Ίπ Part 11.
I sat at the edge of the bed with my phone on my hand. Right in the screen of my phone was Austin’s number. Each time I want to click on the dial icon, my thumb will become too heavy for me to move.
I placed my left hand on my tummy and tenderly caressed it.
“Darling, everything will be okay. Thank you for coming to mummy”. I said soothingly.
I summoned all the courage I had left and dialed Austin’s number.
With each beep from the phone, the rate at which my heart beat, increases simultaneously.
Voila!! He finally picked the call. My heart stopped beating for a moment.
“Hello”. Austin said from the other end of the call.
I didn’t realize how much I have missed him until I heard his voice. “Oh.. I have missed him so much”.
“Hellooo! Can you hear me”. Austin repeated.
I jerked back from my fantasies.
“Good… evening”. I stuttered.
“Good evening. You finally called”. Austin said.
“Oh wow, you have been waiting for me to call you right?”. I said angrily.
“That’s not what I meant. According to the lyrics of a song, you only know your lover when you let them go. I want you badly. I don’t know how else to make you understand my true intentions. I don’t want to force you into loving me or being with me. I want it to happen naturally”. Austin said.
“Do you even know why I called? Why are you so certain about why I called?”. I queried.
“I know you Lizbeth. With a personality like yours, there is no way you will call me if it’s not to talk about something important. So tell me, why did you call”. Austin said.
“I am…. Carrying.. in fact, nevermind”. I stopped halfway.
“Baby what’s the issue. You know you can talk to me about anything right?”. Austin urged.
“I don’t even know how to say it”. I said.
“Just say it anyhow, I will understand”. Austin insisted.
“I am carrying your baby Austin”. I finally dropped the bombshell.
I removed my phone from my ear for a moment. I was scared of his reaction.
“What if he isn’t ready for a baby?”. I wondered.
“Elizabeth!”. I heard Austin say from the other end of the call. I quickly placed the phone back on my right ear.
“I can.. hear you “. I stammered.
“Are you serious? Are you truly pregnant for me?”. Austin asked excitedly.
“I am very serious. I just found out”. I replied.
“Oh my goodness! I can’t believe this. This is too good to be true. Do you mean my baby is carrying my baby?”. Austin asked triumphantly.
I could feel the excitement from his voice.
“Yes sir “. I replied with a big smile on my face.
“Thank you babe. Thank you sweetie. Thank you my wife. Thank you mummy “. Austin went on and on.
“Are you that happy?”. I teased.
“Happy? Using the word happy in this is context is an understatement. I am over the moon babe. If not for work, you would have seen me in your house first thing tomorrow. I can’t travel till weekend. Hope you can manage alone till then?”. Austin asked.
“I will be fine”. I said.
“Please don’t do any strenuous activities for now “. Austin pleaded.
“Okay sir “. I replied laughing.
“I am not joking o. Let’s talk later okay. Please always be with your phone because I will be calling more often. Once again, thank you baby. I love you so much “. Austin said and ended the call.
“Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus!”. I said repeatedly.
I was so scared of going through this pregnancy alone. Thank goodness Austin wants the baby as much as I do.
True to his words, Austin called at least once in every 3hrs to check up on me. It got to the point that Faith was always teasing me whenever my phone rings.
“I am happy for you babe”. Faith said beaming with smiles.
“I know right! I am happy for myself”.
Weekend finally came and Austin travelled down to meet me in Faith’s house.
He was received warmly by both Faith and her husband.
“Finally met the almighty Austin who wants to steal my friend away from me”. Faith teased.
“I finally met the Kind Faith that has shown my baby so much love and care. Thank you so much for all what you have been doing for Elizabeth”. Austin said appreciatively.
“What have you been telling him o” Faith asked me with smiles.
“I told him about your wickedness “. I said and we all burst out laughing.
Food was served and drinks were poured.
We were still chatting in the living room when Austin came to where I was seated and knelt in front of me.
This came as a pleasant surprise to everyone gathered.
He brought out a ring and said;
“When I lost my fiancee years ago, I told myself I was incapable of falling in love again. Women never looked appealing to me. I closed my mind from love. I met you in the most unappealing manner but my heart started beating in an unusual rhythm all of a sudden. Finding out you were married then, I tried to erase the thought of you from my head but the more I tried, the more excited I got. The past months we spent apart were the toughest moments of my life. It was even tougher than when I lost my fiancee. Long story short, Elizabeth, I don’t want to ever go a day without speaking to you. I don’t want to sleep on a bed that you are not sleeping on. I don’t want to eat any food that wasn’t prepared by you or for us. Baby, I want us to be one for life. Please be my wife”.
At this point, I have already drenched my pink satin blouse with my tears.
To be continued
Judith Onyoyibo
