The Pregnant Side Chick
Episode 2
“Are you the one who is pregnant for my husband?” Sophia asks. Her best friend Juliet was stepping out of the car with Ekene standing directly at her back. Her pregnancy has become big. Her belongings were in the boot of the car, but even before she could start walking into the house, Sophia already was there to welcome them.
“Yes! I’m the one. Are you surprised?” Juliet asked with strong frown on her face. She came prepared for a fight. She thought Sophia would stand in her way and try to stop her from entering the house. She thought Sophia would be heartbroken to find out that she has been the side chick sleeping with her husband. But she was shocked when things turned out differently.
“Of course not! Why would I be surprised? On the contrary, I’m not angry and I’m not shocked. In fact, I’m grateful that you are the one. Instead of my husband to get a harlot pregnant, it is better he impregnates my best friend. I mean, I have known you since childhood and we have been friends. The devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know. I will be eternally grateful to you for carrying my husband’s baby. I have seen that he is happy about the pregnancy. I’m here at your service to help in any way I can during the nine months you will carry the child. Juliet, you are highly welcome to our house.” Sophia declared with a broad smile on her face.
Ekene’s shock went deeper. He wondered what kind of a woman his wife turned into in the past few days after she learned of the pregnancy.
“What kind of woman finds out that her husband got her friend pregnant and then welcomes him and the pregnant woman with open arms? What kind of woman is this?” Ekene asks himself. It was like he never knew his wife, yet, they had been married for ten years. She has revealed a new character that shocked him.
“Let’s get your things into the house.” Sophia said as she started unloading the car and taking Juliet’s load into the house. Out of shame, Ekene joined her to move the loads into the house. Juliet carried nothing as she merely walked in and sank into one of the cushions in the living room. It was around 5pm in the evening.
When Ekene brought in the last bag, he was greeted with loud cheers and laughter that filled the living room. He wondered what was going on. He moved closer towards the dining area and saw that tables and chairs were set for a small party. He wondered what was going on because he did not ask anyone to come for any party or celebration.
“What’s going on here?” Ekene asked his wife who was coming out from the kitchen with a large cooler of jollof rice. She placed the jollof rice on the dining table and then tore open bags of take away plates and started dishing jollof rice for the guests.
“Ah Ah! My dear husband. Don’t tell me you want to bring your baby mama home in a silent way. It is not done that way and that was not how we were brought up. In Igbo culture, when you are bringing a new wife home, you must let your neighbours know and you must make some joyful noise. That is why I invited our friends and well-wishers and even our church members to celebrate the new addition with us.” Sophia said as she continued to dish jollof rice and handing the take away plates to waiting guests.
“Ekene, your wife is right. You cannot just bring a second woman home without letting your friends and family know. We have come to rejoice with you. Congratulations my man. You will soon be a father.” Kunle said as he drew closer to hug Ekene and pat his back. He was holding a cup of wine which he quickly gulped and placed the empty glass on the table.
Ekene stood hands akimbo, not knowing what to do. He did not respond positively to Kunle’s hug. Juliet had left the living room and joined Ekene where he was standing. Both of them were stupefied and confused, not knowing how to approach the party. Ekene felt ashamed and so was Juliet.
“Please ladies and gentlemen hold on! May I have your attention please?” Sophia said to call the attention of the party guests. Everyone stopped eating and drinking and looked in Sophia’s direction.
“You all are my friends and some of you are friends with my husband. You are welcome to this small get together and thanks for honouring my invitation at such short notice. You all know I and my husband have been struggling to have children since we got married ten years ago, but we have not succeeded. I have not been able to get pregnant no matter how we tried.
“I have visited many clinics and even gone to see native doctors but nothing has worked positively so far. But thanks goodness, my friend here, Juliet is now pregnant for my husband. Our problem of childlessness has been solved. I want to specially thank Juliet for getting pregnant and agreeing to keep the baby. And I also thank her for agreeing to come live with us. I shall be eternally grateful to her. To my wonderful husband, I most sincerely appreciate your patience these past years. I do not blame you for anything and I’m not angry that you got my best friend pregnant. Be rest assured of my love. When this baby is born, I shall nurture her like my own. Everyone cheers to the new addition to my family.” Sophia said and everyone chorused cheers. She went back and continued to dish jollof rice.
Ekene felt very stupid. He never knew his wife Sophia ambushed him with a surprise party which in his estimation was purely meant to embarrass him in the presence of his friends and neighbours. Before the party, no one knew he got another woman pregnant, but after then, it became the talk of the town that he impregnated his wife’s friend.
He was so embarrassed that he could not lift his feet where he was standing. He felt ashamed and his side chick, Juliet was also ashamed. She did not understand why a wife will throw a party to welcome a side chick who got pregnant for her husband.
Shortly, Sophia dished two plates of jollof rice and served Ekene and Juliet. She added two big chunks of meat and two bottles of malt. For the first time in many days, Ekene ate his wife’s food. He ate it because she dished it from the same cooler she was dishing for others at the party. He knew no way she could poison the entire cooler and not kill everyone. Yet, he and Juliet still ate with fear.
When everyone was gone, Ekene and Juliet were lying down in the living room with a new mattress he had bought the day before. But Sophia came and woke them.
“I have vacated the bedroom for you people. I have prepared the guest room. Henceforth, I will be staying there. Please Juliet, don’t reject this. I’m not angry in anyway. I just want the best for you and my husband, and also the baby. The two of you should go to the bedroom and sleep comfortably.” Sophia said as she went away.
At that point, Ekene and Juliet looked at each other with more fear in their eyes.
“What kind of woman vacates her matrimonial bed for a side chick who is pregnant for her husband?” Juliet asks Ekene.
“I don’t know what she is up to. But, I’m not sleeping in this house. I’m now very scared. I’m convince she is up to evil. Please follow me right now.” Ekene said. They went outside and slept in the car.
Watch out for episode 3.
