EPISODE 2.
🍒 (UNPREDICTED LOVE) 🍒
(C) Judytex_Stories
(At Annabelle’s home)
Annabelle’s father was seated on his couch with his face buried in his palms when his wife walked up to him and sat beside him.
“What’s the matter? Why do you look so worried?” She asked rubbing his back.
“What offense did I commit in my previous life? Or did I commit an unforgivable sin while I was growing up?” He asked sighing deeply.
“Your questions confuse me the more. What exactly is going on?” She asked looking lost and confused.
“I am scared that my business might hit the rock bottom very soon” He lamented.
“God forbid! Nothing will happen to your business” She said.
“Really? Even when I am still owing the bank? Let’s be realistic here. It’s so obvious that we might go bankrupt very soon. And it breaks my heart to know that your daughter doesn’t understand any of this. That girl will be my end someday” He said.
“I reject it. It shall never be your portion. Why exactly are you using your tongue to bring bad luck upon yourself?” She asked.
“But all I just said here is nothing but the reality. What other bad luck could befall me other than the ones that have befallen me already? I can’t pay back the loan I took from the bank, my business is gradually hitting the rock, and my daughter has been nothing but a thorn in my flesh. Aren’t this all bad luck on their own? You know, it’s funny how it’s only the bad things we say with our tongue that is believed to come to pass and not the good things” He said sighing sadly.
“I’m suggesting that you go to your friends and borrow some cash to pay off the bank first. Because it’s better to owe a friend than to owe the bank” She said.
“But which of my friends will be willing to give me such a huge amount of money?” He asked.
“You never can tell until you give it a trial. Besides, you have been good to so many of them. You have helped them in their lowest moments. So I think it’s high time they helped you back” She said.
“Hmmmmmm” He sighed deeply.
(Back in school)
Annabelle and her friend Keturah were both sitting and chatting under a tree when Deji walked up to them.
“And, what are you doing here? Are you here to complete the process which you started?” Keturah blew hot the moment she saw him standing before them.
Deji simply ignored her and focused his attention on Annabelle who was trying so hard not to look at him.
“Annabelle I am sorry. I am truly sorry for putting you in that condition. You know it wasn’t my intention to hurt you but things just happened on their own. You ignoring me these days keep ripping my heart apart. You know I can not live without you. You have become a part of me that won’t easily be erased or forgotten. I truly regret my mistakes. And I hope that you would find it in your heart to forgive me for my wrongs” Deji apologized with sincerity in his eyes.
“Oh, come on……, this your old trick won’t work on her anymore. Not when you have done much harm to her than good. And as a matter of fact, we have a lecture to attend. See you when you are needed” Keturah said pulling Annabelle’s hand.
She dragged Annabelle out of the place leaving Deji in pain. He kept staring at Annabelle till she walked out of his sight.
After lectures that day, Annabelle returned home to meet Deji waiting for her in her lodge.
Immediately she saw him, she tried walking away but Deji rushed up to her and held her firmly.
“Please Annabelle. Don’t walk out on me. Try hearing me out first” He pleaded but Annabelle kept struggling to free her hand till she broke into tears.
And at that point, Deji was left with no choice but to embrace her firmly.
The next day in school, Keturah saw Deji walking up to them and was about to bash him when Annabelle held her back saying they have reconciled.
When Keturah heard this, she was so speechless, and deep down, she felt like a fool.
And that was how Deji and Annabelle’s relationship kicked off again. In a few weeks, Annabelle had already forgotten all that she went through in time past.
Now there was a master degree scholarship program that was introduced to the final year students of the school. And being an intelligent student, Deji went on to participate in the program examinations. Hoping that he would be enabled to study for his masters abroad.
And luckily for him, his name came out as one of the participants who have passed the scholarship examination. But there was a problem. Deji lacked the finances to process his papers and other minor expenses involved.
And as such, he tried backing out. But when Annabelle heard of it, she insisted that Deji must complete what he started which means, he must follow them up till the end.
But Deji kept lamenting the fact that he had no money to tackle the financial aspects of the program. And since Annabelle wanted him to achieve his dreams, she visited home and stole her father’s cash cheque.
Not knowing that the cash cheque she stole from her father’s suitcase, was an open cheque a friend gave to her father to help him clear up his bank debts.
When she took the cheque to Deji, he almost lost his sanity at the huge amount of money written on it. And without hesitation, he cashed out the cheque and used the money to pay for his papers and other vital stuff needed for the scholarship program. And immediately after their semester exams, and other necessary activities, Deji and others who passed the scholarship examination got ready to fly out of the country.
Annabelle was so emotional that she couldn’t help but go over to his place a day before he left. And that same night, due to how strong their emotions were, they both ended up making out intensively. It was more like a goodbye, or a send-forth kind of pleasure. So their lovemaking that night was one of the longest and the deepest they had ever made.
“Promise me that you will never forget me when you get there,” Annabelle said holding Deji’s hands as they both laid n***d beside each other.
“I promise you that I will never forget or leave you for another” Deji assured pecking her forehead.
The next day, Deji’s father came around to see his son off.
While Deji was leaving, he turned to look at his father. Then in his heart, he said to himself,
“Father, I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to make sure we don’t get humiliated again because of our financial condition. I will make sure to change our status. I will make sure you get to dine with kings and Queens before you join mother on the other side” He said clenching his fist.
Deji who was born in a very poor home, couldn’t eat three square meals a day due to how poor his parents were while he was growing up.
His school uniform as a child used to be so torn and tattered in such a way that his fellow students always made jest of him.
He still remembers his mother dying before his very eyes all because they were not financially capable of paying for her drugs and hospital bills.
When his mother was sick, he could remember secretly begging for alms to raise his mother’s hospital bills. Until she finally died. Then he was just 8 years old.
He could still remember vividly, how they were constantly sent out of their home due to prolonged payment of house rent.
He could also remember how his father would always go to his headmaster’s office to plead that he let Deji attend classes while he run around to raise money for his school fees.
Deji had been through a lot in life because he was born poor. And one of his greatest ambition was to make it or die trying.
Two days after he left for his masters, Annabelle’s father had a serious heart attack the very moment he couldn’t find the cash cheque he hid in his suitcase.
When Annabelle got the news of her father’s ailment, she rushed back home. And it was then that she understood what was going on. She didn’t know her parents were in such debt and that their business was on the verge of shutting down.
A few days later, the bank came and seized all their assets. And in a space of one week, they lost everything they had acquired in recent years.
In the end, they ended up moving back to the village. A few weeks later, Annabelle’s father died because he couldn’t stand the shame and pains of returning to the village after all his years of toiling and hustling in the city.
Annabelle’s heart was broken. She then started questioning her actions. She started wondering if she did the right thing. And most importantly, she started blaming herself for her father’s death. And to make matters worse, she found out that she was pregnant again with Deji’s child.
But the moment she called him and told him about her current condition, he ended the call and that was the last time Annabelle got to speak with him on phone again.
She couldn’t opt for abortion knowing how it almost took her life the other time. And as such, she decided to break the news to her mother who almost killed her when she discovered the truth.
But in the end, she was left with no choice but to let Annabelle be.
“Are you sure you would want to keep this baby?” Her mother asked her one night after pondering on and on about her condition.
Annabelle simply nodded and said, “Yes mom. I don’t want to take the life of my child again”
“Are you sure you know the implications of what you are about getting yourself into? Being a single mother is like a plague in our community and this country at large. Men will no longer value you. People will begin to see you like a loosed and shameless woman. Are you sure you will be able to take all that?” Her mother asked.
“Yes, mom. I already know that we live in a society where as a single lady, it is more honorable to terminate a child than to bring him or her into the world. I can’t call my unborn child a mistake. Because this child was formed out of love. And no matter what happens, I won’t take the life of my child for the second time because of what people will say” Annabelle said.
“What then happens to your studies?” Her mother asked.
“I will go back and complete my studies three months after my child is born. I know I will be left behind. I know it will be shameful. But I’m ready to risk it all for my unborn child” Annabelle said rubbing her stomach.
“Why are people heartless? How can Deji’s father ignore your calls too? Honestly, I am just speechless over him and his son’s heartlessness” her mother said.
“Don’t be in a haste to judge and conclude mom. I believe they have their reasons. Maybe Deji was scared and maybe his father is also scared of raising a child in his current condition. But one thing I know for sure, is that Deji loves me so much” Annabelle said.
“Hmmmm. Time shall tell” her mother said.
Annabelle gradually started getting used to staying in the village. And little by little, she started hustling to raise money for her upkeep and that of her mother. But seeing her go through such stress, took a toll on her mother.
She kept on till she finally delivered her son whom she named,
Ebunoluwa which means, God’s Gift.
While her mother named him Jasper which means, bringer of treasure.
2 years later, Annabelle lost her mother who died as a result of a rise in blood pressure. As she was always overthinking about her husband’s demise and the challenges she and her daughter had been facing ever since they moved to the village.
After the demise of her mother, Annabelle was left with no one but her son. Her son became her only hope and reason for survival.
3 years later.
Annabelle who was finally done with school and now 26 years old, luckily got in contact with Keturah who after hearing her story, asked her to come to the city with her five years old son to look for a good-paying job.
And without hesitation, Annabelle traveled down to the city where she reconnected with her school best friend Keturah.
Keturah who now has a good-paying job was living in a well-furnished two-room apartment. She let Annabelle stay with her under the condition that she would move into her apartment as soon as she secures a job and received her first salary.
Meanwhile, she also helped Annabelle in enrolling her five years old son Ebun into a nearby school. To enable Annabelle concentrate on her job hunting.
One afternoon, after moving from one company to another in search of a job, Annabelle who was very exhausted, stopped by a nearby store to get herself a chilled bottle of water.
While she was gulping the water down her throat, she saw a classy and brand-new car drive past her and parked in front of a hairdressing saloon.
“When will I ever get to own a car as beautiful as this?” She asked herself still staring at the car.
She was about to take her eyes off the car when she saw a young and handsome man in his 30s, stepping out of the car.
“His face looks quite familiar,” Annabelle said staring at him curiously.
She kept staring at the young man to recall where she had met him before when suddenly, he walked to the other side and opened the car door.
Then a young lady who was around the same age as Annabelle, stepped out of the car flipping her hair. As soon as she stepped out of the car, the young man leaned in and pecked her on the forehead.
After which she waved at him and went into the hairdressing saloon.
Out of curiosity, Annabelle walked closer and all of a sudden, the young man took off his sunglass and turned around. Then his gaze met with hers.
Lo and behold, it was none other than Deji.
Staring at him, Annabelle didn’t know when she let go of the bottle of water in her hand.
“Deji?” She called out with her eyes widened in shock.
I said it, this Deji of a guy should not be trusted