Wrong Womb - Episode 2/3

I didn't see Raymond Donald during closing hours.

He must have gone home early because of the pregnancy news I had given to him that morning.

Rain had fallen in the afternoon and it was still drizzling when I stepped out to catch the evening bus that would take me to my house.

A sky-blue coupe drove past and reversed to the spot I was standing.

It was Raymond's best friend.

He walked out of the car.

"Hi, Victory!". He waved at me.

I recognized him.

Did Raymond send him to me? "How are you doing?".

He shrugged. "Instead of waiting for a bus, why don't you get into the car?".

I reluctantly entered the car and saved one hundred and fifty naira for transport expenses for that day. "Graceland bus stop please".

He smiled and turned to me. "You are a very beautiful young lady".

I laughed hysterically. "You see me almost every day anytime you come to visit your friend here in the company, so what's with the 'You are a very beautiful young lady today?".

He remained calm and smiled softly at me. "You always grab a bus right here anytime you are going home".

I shrugged. "That is not a new thing".

He started the ignition and pulled into the road. "Are you in a relationship?".

I forced a smile. "How can you expect a twenty-seven-year-old lady to be single? I am in a serious relationship and I will be getting married in two months".

He gasped. "So soon? Who is the lucky guy?".

"You will meet him soon". I noticed that he was approaching my bus stop. "Thanks so much for the ride. I really appreciate it".

"Won't we exchange contacts?".

One thing was sure. Raymond had brought his handsome friend to take me out of the picture but the painful truth was that I was a step ahead of them.

We exchanged contacts and I walked into our brown three-bedroom flat at Graceland bus stop.

Endurance was a village friend I had employed as a nanny for my parents for three years now.

Endurance was only eighteen years old but she was very mature.

She always handled my parents with perfect care even more than my father's personal doctor.

My dad and mum were eating Akamu and Akara in the sitting room when I walked into the house.

Endurance had arranged their plates of food on a small black stool which they sat, eating from.

"Endurance, thanks so much for today".

"You are welcome ma. There is still Akara in the fridge".

I was not hungry. "I am fine, Endurance".

After taking my evening bath, my mother wheeled into my room. "Victory...". She muttered.

"Mummy, you are not asleep yet?".

"You are the reason for my sleepless night, Victory".

"Don't tell me that this is about your preaching against late marriage again, mother?"

"It is worse and you know what I am talking about".

My heart slipped.

Did my mother find out that I was pregnant?

I was only eight weeks pregnant.

"I don't know what you are talking about, mother".

"Who is responsible, Victory?".

My heart slipped again.

My mum knew that I was pregnant.

"Mum, don't worry, we will get your surgery very soon and you will be able to walk again".

"What are you talking about, Victory? Who got you pregnant?"

Episode Three

I turned to my mother and smiled sheepishly at her. "Calm down mummy. My boss is the father of the baby".

She gasped and wheeled closer to me. "Raymond Donald? Is he not the one that is engaged to Rosa James, Kachi television station anchor?"

I nodded and gave her a daring stare. "He knows about the baby".

"Can you come to the sitting room right now, Victory?".

I followed her to the sitting room and a news programme was playing on the television screen.

"That is Rosa James, the one saying the ten o'clock news right now!". My mother pointed to the image in motion on the television screen.

Instead of admiring the anchorwoman as my mother wanted to, I was listening to the news going on the television screen. "Oh my God! See the innocent boy those men kil-d just like that! That young man was the only son of his parents! Mother, can you imagine that?".

My mother was staring at me as if I was crazy. "That woman delivering the news, is she really the fiancee of the man you said was the father of your baby?".

I shrugged. "Why? She is also a human being like me, so what's with the too much surprise?".

"Those people are rich people, Victory".

I smirked. "I will be rich too, soon".

"Victory, do you want to die? You have forgotten the family you came from?".

"My coming from a poor home doesn't mean that a poor home must come from me!!!". I snarled and walked into my room.

The next morning, it was after I had taken my bath and dressed up for work that I discovered that Raymond Donald had called my line twenty-six good times.

I didn't return the call.

I wanted to reach the company first so that I would just meet him in his office and ask him what the matter was.

I walked into his cold dark office.

He was on his laptop when I walked in.

I stepped in and watched him closely until he looked up and realized that I was there.

"Victory! Why weren't you picking my calls?".

"I am sorry about that sir, I just saw it this morning".

I noticed that he was staring at my stomach and I smiled softly and winked as I placed a protective hand on my stomach. "Don't use your eyes to kill my baby. The baby is still safe and sound".

He sighed.

He was very stressed out.

A sleepless night was on his face.

"Victory Charles, you know that what we had was a fling right?".

I shrugged. "Fling or no fling, it doesn't change the fact that your baby is still in my womb".

"I love Rosa James. I don't love you and I can never grow to love you".

I laughed hysterically. "Nobody asked for your heart, Raymond".

"What do you want from me then huh? You even told Richard that you were going to be married in two months. Who is the lucky guy actually?".

I met his eyes and winked. "The lucky guy knows himself".

"What on earth are you talking about!!!". He snarled.

"Look here, Raymond Donald, you met the wrong person this time. Your child entered the wrong womb because this baby has come to stay".

He threw a cheque to my feet.

I leaned and picked it.

It was a cheque of twenty million naira.

That was rich people for you.

They always believed they were wiser than you because of their money.

The truth was that, I didn't need twenty million naira, I needed Bower bound company.

I picked the cheque and tore it into pieces. "I don't need your twenty million naira, I need Bower bound company". I walked out of the office.

During closing hours, my freelance journalist best friend, Grace Craig picked me up at the bus stop.

"Babe, what's the update today?".

"Can you imagine that he gave me twenty million naira? I rejected it of course".

"So many girls would have jumped at the offer". She replied and chuckled.

"For him to give me such money so easily, I saw a hope that I can still ask for more. I am not going to be a single mother after I have worked so hard. I want the best and I will get it".

"Have you met Regina Donald?".

"Who is Regina Donald?".

"The mother of Raymond Donald? News has it that she subdued her husband because she is a woman with power. Once Raymond Donald tells his mum, you might not be able to stand that woman".

"I have a plan"

"What plan?".

"Raymond Donald treasures his church more than anything. He has been a head usher there for almost ten years now. If I become a member of that church, I am automatically safe".

"...becoming his church member will implicate him".

"Next tomorrow is Sunday". I smiled to myself.

"Does he love you at all?".

"I am not planning to love him either but I am going to teach men that, it is not every woman that they can take advantage of"