MY JOURNEY AS A SINGLE MOTHER.
Part 22.
By Authoress Rhoda.
“Bisi, I just wish you can find a place in your heart to forgive all my sins. I know I have wronged you. I am very sure that my act that day broke your heart.
I don’t know what made me to agree with some people who wanted to destroy your good reputation.
I don’t know what made me to hurt you. Nevertheless, the deed has been done. Please, forgive me all my sins.
Each passing day, I keep blaming myself for all I made you to pass through. I am deeply sorry….” The message read.
The message was from Gbolahan. I sent a message back to him to inform him that I had forgiven him.
Well, his joy knew no bound.
Gbolahan told me he wanted to see me. We decided to met in a restaurant.
That day, he looked into my eyes and asked me some questions. I answered some of them while I showed how displeased I was because some of those questions were personal questions he wasn’t supposed to ask.
Just fixing my gaze on him made my stomach to leap for joy. There were butterflies in my belly.
“Bisi, who is the father of your children?” He asked again.
“Well, I believe you did Biology when you were in secondary school. You will agree with me that pregnancy cannot just jump on a woman.
Two things or two people must be involved before a baby can be made. A man slept with me.
The man happened to be you, but since you denied sleeping with me that day, I made it known to people who cared to hear me that they had no father.”I said.
“Bisi, don’t say that. I am their father. I already confirmed that.” Gbolahan said.
“How? What made you change your mind all of a sudden. Didn’t you accuse me of sleeping all around with men? Didn’t you call me a prostitute?
Didn’t you tell the whole world that I was a witch sent to cause many brothers to fall? Didn’t you call me names…?”I shouted, trying to hold back my tears.
” Bisi, I am deeply sorry. I know I have said what I wasn’t supposed to say. I carried out a DNA test on them and it was made known unto me that they are mine…” Gbolahan said.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. Who gave him the audacity to come close to my children?
“Mr. Gbolahan, how did you get my children? “I yelled.
He told me he explained everything that happened between us to their head teacher in the school.
He told me how he begged her to do him that favor. He took those children to the hospital that fateful day and returned them back to their school.
I went that afternoon to pick them up, yet no one told me anything. My children only told me that someone bought something for them.
They showed me what someone bought for them, and I was very happy for that.
I never knew those stuffs were from him.
I was very angry for that step he took, and at the same time, I was happy he found out that he was their father.
I decided to rest my case, because it was as if I should fight the head teachet for allowing something like that to happen without my consent.
“Bisi, I am so sorry for all you went through, bringing these children to this world by yourself. I wish I was there with you to support you when you were still pregnant.
I wish I was by your side to care for you because I know pregnancy isn’t something easy. I wish I was there when you were bringing them to this world.
I wish I was there to christen them. I wish I was there to play my roles as a father. I know it hasn’t been easy.
Thanks for being strong. Thanks for all you’ve been through. Truly, you are a mother. I will forever love and cherish you for all you’ve done.” He said while I bursted into tears
It wasn’t easy taking care of those children alone. If not for Esther and her family who stood by me.
” Bisi, I wish I was there for you. Nevertheless, I believe it is not too late for me to carry out my responsibilities.
For the sake of my love for you and my children, I want to marry you. I want you to be the mother of my children. I want you to be my wife. I want you to be my one and only woman in my life. I want you in my life.
Bisi, will you marry me? ” He asked.
Immediately, I gave him a fat “no!” as my response. I walked away.
I narrated everything to Esther. She only told me to pray about it.
“Pray about what?” I shouted.
Gbolahan tried all his best to have me, but I turned him down.
****
Esther graduated from the University and went for her service. I graduated when she was almost through with her service.
Esther was posted to Anambra state. It was during her service year she came across a man. She was deeply in love with that man.
After my graduation, I was posted to Kogi state. I didn’t go with my children. My mum took them from me.
I started living as a correct single lady.
To cut the long story short, after one year, Esther got married. You could imagine how happy I was when my friend was taken to the altar.
***
What would you have done if you were in Bisi’s shoes? Can you marry a rapist?
To be continued.
©️Ojo Rhoda Ayanfeoluwa.
