SWITCH AT BIRTH
Episode 9
Written by Rukevwe merry
Obinna stood up and addressed the queen, “Mom, calm down.” He turned to the king and continued, “Well, father… I don’t have romantic feelings towards Ada. She’s a friend, a study mate, and like a kid sister I never had. I wish to pursue further academic studies. Ada is still in school, let her concentrate and graduate with flying colors before considering marriage.
” He turned to Onyeka and said, “Thank you for respecting me and having my best interest at heart”.
“If I return from my studies, I’ll consider marrying Ada, but only if she’s still single. For now, I’m not interested.”
The queen’s heart felt at peace, hiding her true motives. King Emeka smiled, impressed with Obinna’s words. “Obinna, that’s wise of you. But you mentioned that if you return from your studies and Ada is still single, you’ll consider marrying her. I want to bless your future union as husband and wife.” He asked Ada and Obinna to kneel down, and as they did, he raised his hands to pray for their future together.
But Queen Chioma suddenly shouted, “Stop it! It can’t happen! It’s an abomination!”
The king asked, confused.
“Why do you call it an abomination, chioma?”
Onyeka asked, “Mom, what’s gotten over you?
” Sarah added, “My queen, you should be happy one of your sons will marry Ada, whom you have always loved.” The queen’s voice rose, “Everything that’s happening is an abomination!” She dragged Obinna and Ada to their feet, preventing them from kneeling again. The king tried to proceed, but the queen’s outburst persisted. “I said this is an abomination! Stop it, my king!”
The king’s eyes narrowed, his voice laced with frustration. “What is the meaning of this, Chioma?” he demanded.
“The prayer itself is an affront!” the queen spat, her face contorted in a mix of anger and desperation.
The king’s expression turned stern, his words dripping with warning. “I don’t know what darkness has consumed you, my queen, but I suggest you retreat to your chambers and collect your rest. Do not interrupt me again, lest you face my wrath.”
The king turned to Obinna and Ada, his tone softening. “My children, please kneel down again, let me pray for you both.” He raised his hands, ready to bestow his blessing.
But Chioma dragged them back, her voice rising to a frantic pitch. “It’s an abomination, a big sin! You cannot bless this union!” She glared at the king, her eyes blazing with determination.
Sarah’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What sin, my Queen? How can our children’s happiness be a sin? Or an abomination?”
The queen’s eyes flashed with a wild intensity, her words tumbling out in a mad rush. “You don’t understand, Sarah!
The king’s patience wore thin. “Guards, take the queen from here. She’s lost her $en$es.” The guards moved to escort Chioma from the room, but she wrestled free, her voice echoing through the hall. “Don’t pray for them, my king! They are siblings, your own children! The very thought is incestuous!”
The room fell silent, the air thick with shock and disbelief. Time itself seemed to freeze, as if the queen’s words had struck a chord of horror in all who heard them.
The king stood up from his royal chair, his eyes blazing with anger, and the entire room gazed at Chioma in shock. “What do you mean they are siblings?” the king demanded, his voice thundering through the hall.
Chioma, tears streaming down her face, replied, “My king, I’m sorry… they are siblings. I did everything out of desperation. It happened many years ago… when I got pregnant with Ada,” she said, pointing to Ada, who looked shocked and confused. “You told me if I didn’t give birth to a son, I would lose you and your love, you would send me away and marry another woman.”
The queen’s words poured out in a torrent of despair. “Out of desperation, when I gave birth, another woman also gave birth,” she said, pointing to Sarah. “She gave birth to Onyeka. I switched the babies just to keep my marriage. Because if I had told you I gave birth to a girl, you would not only drive me away but I wouldn’t know the fate of my daughter. So that’s why I did what I did… but I made sure I stayed in Ada’s life. I hired a f@ke k!dnapper to try and k!dnap Ada, and I came to their rescue and entered Ada’s life by that means.”
The king’s face turned red with rage. “So you did all these ev!l things? You are a devil!” he shouted.
Onyeka’s eyes widened in shock. “Mom, do you mean I’m not your real son?” he asked, his voice trembling.
Ada still looked confused, her eyes darting between the queen and the king.
“So, all this f@ke love and care you have been showing me all these years… it’s because you stole my son?” Sarah asked, her voice laced with pain and betrayal.
The king’s anger boiled over, and he quickly dialed the police on his phone. “Come to my house immediately,” he barked into the receiver.
But Obinna quickly snatched the phone from the king’s hand and spoke into it, “Do not come, it’s a family matter. We will handle it ourselves.” He turned to the king.
Obinna stepped forward, his voice calm and authoritative. “Father, who are you calling the police to arrest? The queen or yourself? You are equally to blame for this situation.”
The king’s face turned red with anger, but Obinna continued, his words piercing the tension in the room. “Mother, what you did was wrong, so wrong. But, Father, you are to blame for perpetuating a harmful belief that has destroyed many marriages. You blamed Mother for not producing a male heir, but the truth is, the gender of a child is determined by the father, not the mother.”
Obinna turned to the king, his eyes locked on his. “You see, Father, every woman has XX chromosomes, while every man has XY chromosomes. When a man and woman conceive, the man’s sperm determines the s@x of the child. If the sperm carries an X chromosome, the child will be a girl, and if it carries a Y chromosome, the child will be a boy.”
Queen Chioma’s eyes widened, a look of understanding dawning on her face. “So, you mean it’s not my fault I had a girl.? She asked obinna
Obinna nodded. “Exactly, Mother. It’s not your fault.
Father, your desire for a male heir led you to blame Mother, and that blame led to this tragic situation. But it’s not too late to learn from our mistakes and move forward.”
The king’s face softened, his eyes filled with a newfound understanding. “Obinna, my son, you are right. I was blind to the truth, and my blindness led to this pain. Forgive me, Chioma, my queen. Forgive me, Ada and Onyeka, my children. And forgive me, Sarah, for my part in this deception.”
Sarah’s eyes welled up with tears as the king and queen turned to her. “Forgive me, Sarah,” the queen said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I was so blinded by my desire to keep my marriage that I didn’t see the harm I was causing. Can you ever forgive me?”
Sarah nodded, her face wet with tears. “I forgive you, both of you. I know that you were both acting out of desperation and fear. But I am glad that the truth is finally out, and we can move forward from here.”
As the truth finally came to light, the room was filled with tears of joy and reconciliation. Sarah embraced Onyeka, her long-lost son, holding him tightly as they both wept with happiness.
Ada, with a heart full of forgiveness, hugged her mother, Chioma, and then her father, the king. “I love you both,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “And I forgive you, Mother, for your mistakes.”
The king and queen, overjoyed to have their children back, held them close, never wanting to let them go again. Nneoma, who had been watching from the sidelines, felt a weight lift off her shoulders as she saw the family reunited. She knew that she had played a part in their pain, but she was glad to see that they had found forgiveness and happiness.
As they all hugged each other, the room was filled with laughter and tears of joy. The king and queen promised to never let their family be torn apart again, and they all lived happily ever after.
The End
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Here is a message from Obinna to men who think their wives are responsible for a baby’s gender:
“Dear men, let us put an end to the harmful belief that our wives are responsible for the gender of our children. This belief has led to unnecessary blame, shame, and even destruction of families.
Let us understand the basics of biology. Every woman has XX chromosomes, while every man has XY chromosomes. When we conceive, our sperm determines the s@x of the child. If our sperm carries an X chromosome, the child will be a girl, and if it carries a Y chromosome, the child will be a boy.
This means that the gender of our children is entirely our responsibility, not our wives’. Let us stop blaming our wives for not producing male heirs or for having too many daughters. Let us instead celebrate the beauty of gender diversity and the unique gifts that each child brings to our families.
Let us also remember that every child is a blessing, regardless of their gender. Let us love, support, and cherish our wives and children, and let us work together to build families that are founded on love, respect, and understanding.
Let us put an end to the harmful gender stereotypes and biases that have held us back for too long. Let us embrace the beauty of gender equality and work together to build a brighter future for all.
Thank you.”
Obinna.
Thanks for those words