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My uncle had another graduation to attend, he left my aunt and me to get back to their Air BNB.
Once we arrived there. I broke down and told my aunt everything about Mr Darabi. The money I’d just accepted and cashed in. I explained how I feared for my life, and I had no idea where or how I could hide from Naseer. I didn’t mention that I married Naseer, no need to add more salt to the open wound of I told you so and her glaring look.
I know without a doubt, Naseer won’t believe the message in the note, I left him. I can’t turn back now; I can only try to hide from him.
To my surprise, my aunty hugged me and said I did the right thing. I expected her to shout and say, “I told you this would happen, or I warned you about this” Instead she called my uncle to come home right away, after explaining everything to him.
Next thing I know, we’re packing up. They said we were leaving town, they’d just received a new job offer in Canada to teach, and that was the news they were going to share, it’s even better now that we can all leave together.
We left the same day; they understood my plight. We drove all night. I turned down the job offer, I’d accepted. After settling in and trying to adjust to my new environment. Which was quite impossible with a broken heart and me sleeping every day in Naseer’s shirt.
I soon realized my period was late, my world came crashing down when a pregnancy test showed positive on four sticks each a different brand because one brand just might be inaccurate but four and no period no way could that be a false alarm.
“Why!!!” I screamed into my pillow and punched my pillow in anger. This cannot be happening to me. My uncle had travelled out of town for a wedding, my aunt refused to go because of me. I now must reveal that I’m pregnant. My mind keeps screaming, “Why? Why. why. why?
I once again had to inform my aunt and I’m thinking about abortion. Early Saturday morning I stepped into the kitchen. I see Aunty Lara humming and dancing to a song. I slowly take a seat “Aunty Lara” she turns to me, and she’s greeted with a sad face “I’m pregnant and I’ll need to have an abortion.” I state quietly. She stares at me and, to my surprise, pulls me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around her, crying. “I’m so sorry Aunty, I’ll have an abortion. I’m so sorry for not listening to you. Naseer is the father, and I don’t want him to find out.” I cry out.
“It’s okay Jade, come with me,” she says pulling from the hug and we head to the living room. “There’s something very important, I need to tell you” I nod and continue to wipe my teary eyes. “I’m your birth mother.” my face shrivels up “I gave birth to you Jade.” She says that the words needed to be said differently for them to register in my messed-up head. I immediately scooted away from her. She tries to reach for me, but I pull away. “I know it’s a lot, I had no plans of ever telling you, but with the situation you are in right now, I need you to know so you can make the right decision.” I stared at her dumbfounded by her words. She pauses, I guess, letting it all sink in before continuing.
“As a young lady about your age, I met and fell for a professor, he wasn’t my professor. A math professor at my school, nonetheless. It was a whirlwind romance and I found myself pregnant with you. I’d gone to find him to tell him, but he’d left without telling me. All I could think of doing was to have an abortion, my sister and your mother came for a surprise visit. I asked her to follow me to the clinic for the abortion. Instead, she begged me to have you and she would raise you as her own since she couldn’t have children. Initially, I said no. She spent days and nights begging me and didn’t return to Lagos. She stayed seven months with me until I gave birth to you.” She pauses. I sit in shock listening to her.
“She was the happiest woman on earth when you arrived. Your father was just as happy too. Seeing their joy that day, I knew I couldn’t raise you on my own and they were willing. I gave you to them. Wholeheartedly, without any question in my heart. That was the best decision I ever made because they raised a smart, beautiful, and amazing woman. I will always be thankful to them.” She says wiping her tears “Jade I’m vowing this moment to support you with this child. I will stay with you throughout. I don’t want you to have an abortion, please, Jade.”
I remained quiet, nothing had prepared me for the news. A part of me wished my mom was here to debunk Aunty Lara’s story, but I know she’s telling the truth, she’s my biological mother.
“Where and who’s my father?” I ask, my tongue heavier than an iron rod asking who my biological father is. My deceased dad was also a math genius, despite how different I sometimes felt about, not exhibiting facial features or character like either of them. Math with Dad always made sense.
“I recently found out that, he didn’t bail out on us, he was called because his father was dying. He’d left me a message about that fact; only I never got it. I found him on Facebook, and I just told him about you. He wants to meet you; I told him to wait a while because you are still adjusting to the fact your parents are both dead. “
“I’ll meet him,” I say to her, then realizing there’s another elephant in the room. “I can’t call you mom yet” I state.
“Aunty Lara is fine with me. I know you love your mom, and she will always be your mom. I can’t replace her. I just want to be an extension of her. I know she would support you and not want you to have an abortion.” I nod rising from the seat. Without a word to her. I headed back to my room.
I’m not sure how I feel about Aunty Lara being my biological mother and my biological father wanting to meet me, but I do want to see what he looks like. Weird feelings engulf me knowing my parents are alive, yet my parents are deceased at the same time. The Bankole’s were my parents, and nothing is ever going to change that.
I spent the next few days in my room trying to understand my life but the deeper I thought, the fewer answers I had on how life had redirected all my plans. Now with this pregnancy, I’m even more thrown off.
“I’ll keep you,” I say rubbing my still flat stomach. “We have support, and we have the money your grandfather gave us to disappear from your father’s life. You and I will face the future together. I’ll not give you away. We’ll have each other, even if we don’t have your father.” I couldn’t control the tears trickled down my face. Knowing, I’ll never see Naseer again. He’s gone from me forever. We had something far more beautiful than I could have ever dreamt of. I will love again, I tell myself, it just won’t be easy.
He’ll eventually marry Nadra and the thought of that hurts. I cry myself to sleep. Aunty Lara came to check on me several times, but I continued to feign sleep.
The next morning, hunger pangs got me out of bed. I need to start worrying about the health of my baby. After eating, Aunty Lara set up an appointment to visit the doctor.
She stayed with me throughout the doctor’s visit. I listen carefully to all the doctor’s instructions, determined to follow every step to the letter.
NASEER
I’vefulfilledmypromiseto my grandfather, I’ve completed the training. I breathed relief, there were times I doubted I would complete the training, but I did complete it with a lot of mental challenges.
Now I get to return to my life with my beautiful wife, my god I’ve missed Jade. She’s now a graduate, I’ve missed her graduation again not happy about that, but we can live through that, now I can introduce her to the world as my woman and she can officially change her name. I silently chuckle just thinking about how far I’ve come. I’ve indeed overcome the worst situation and ended up with a beautiful wife.
The universe reminded me that I have one life and I needed to cherish the one life but the best thing the universe did for me was bring Jade and me together. A time when we needed each other the most.
I know she doesn’t like to talk about her deceased parents. All I could do was slowly erase her grief and she took away my dark days with her smiles. I fell in love, something I didn’t think would ever happen to me, yet it did, and I unequivocally accepted Jade’s unadulterated love.
Rilwan and I drive to the airport, all I can think of is Jade. I decided not to call her since I’d finished two weeks earlier than planned with flying colors. It would be great to surprise her, and I can’t wait to spend the next few days indoors ravishing her. I’ve missed her, knowing she would be waiting for me got me through.
We boarded the flight to Chicago. I dislike the cold in Chicago, but Jade doesn’t want to leave yet because of her new job.
