Tola
The doctor looked up from the file on his desk, smiled at me and said:
"Congratulations, Madam! You're over two months gone."
I looked at him quizzically.
"I don't understand Doctor. What's wrong with me?"
"You're pregnant!" he said shortly, picking up a pen and scribbling quickly on my case file.
It was the last thing I was expecting to hear. Me, pregnant?
How?
I, that had been told repeatedly by my estranged husband, Jerry and his family members that I was barren, an empty shell who could never produce? How could I be pregnant?
I asked the doctor whether there had been a mistake in the diagnosis but he assured me there was no mistake, handing me a copy of the test result as proof.
I left the hospital in a daze as if I was dreaming.
"If this is a dream, please I don't want to ever wake up," I said repeatedly as I drove home. Eight years of marriage with no fruit of the womb to show for it and with my husband and in laws attacking me nearly everyday over my 'barenness'.
"All you do is sit here all day eating and spending my son's money like water. Give me grandchildren or get out!" were my mother-in-law's regular threats to me whenever she came for visits.
Now this! Within a short time of being with Brian, I was already pregnant.
It was on my arrival home that the reality of the situation really dawned on me.
I stood in front of the full length mirror in my room and examined myself carefully. I noticed a slight curve in my usually flat stomach and my breasts felt fuller, more tender to touch.
"My God, Tolani, you are going to be a mother!" I exclaimed excitedly. Then I began to weep tears of joy as well as of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted off my shoulders. The tears seemed to wash away all the years of suffering, pain and anguish, of being labelled a barren woman in a society like ours where a woman's main duty in her husband's home is to produce children.
"So, I'm not an empty vessel afterall," I said, smiling through my tears. For the rest of the day, I was in a euphoric mood, with mood swings shifting between extreme joy and wonder at the miracle that had happened to me.
Brian too, seemed happy when I broke the news to him later that evening.
"It's the fruit of our love," he said, kissing me and rubbing my belly tenderly.
Later that night in his room, we made plans for the future especially concerning my accommodation.
"Sweetheart, you need to tell the agent to hurry up in his search for a place for me. Especially now with the baby coming," I said. The had earlier showed us a couple of apartments which I turned down as they did not suit my taste.
"I'll do that tomorrow. There's a flat in an apartment block in Phase 11 he wants us to check out this weekend," he responded.
"Can't wait to move into my own home. It's been nice living here. But nothing beats your own place," I stated.
"Yes. And the best thing is that we can be free. No more sneaking around," said Brian.
"And who has been doing that?" I queried.
"You of course! Always sneaking into my room like a cat," he said, chuckling.
"And who caused it? Is it not you that can't sleep without me!" I said.
"You are right baby. My nights are always cold without you. Come here," he said, drawing me close in a warm embrace.
I laid my head on his chest, sighing contentedly. I knew there were problems ahead particularly when our affair blew open. But at that moment, I felt protected, safe and warm in Brian's arms...
***
Anna
Two weeks before I was to return to Lagos, Kevwe called me, sounding anxious. At first, I thought one of my children had fallen ill or something.
"What's it, Kevwe? Is there any problem? Are the children ok?" I asked quickly. But instead of giving me an answer, she asked:
"Aunty, when are you coming back home?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I think you need to return home before..." she said, then stopped.
I did not understand what she meant by that. Before what? What did she mean?
She refused to speak further no matter how much I prodded her. Later I called my husband, thinking something terrible had happened and they were hiding it from me.
Brian told me all was well at home, that the children were fine.
"There's no problem. Just face whatever you are doing there and come home. I miss you," he said.
"Miss you too, honey," I stated softly before ending the call.
I put the matter behind me and did not think much of it until I returned to Lagos.
Everything seemed the same. My children, who were so happy to see me, looked well fed and taken care of.
Tola though, looked different. She had put on weight and looked more beautiful and radiant than usual.
It was later I found out the reason for her new look. Two days after my return home, Kevwe came into my room when my husband and Tola had gone out. It was then she dropped the bombshell.
"Aunty Tola and Uncle Brian are dating. Throughout the time you were away, they were always going out together, acting like lovers. She even sleeps in your room. I saw her here a couple of times. They were not even hiding it. Even the maid is aware of it," the girl said.
I could not believe what I was hearing. Was this true. My husband and my best friend? How could they do that to me? How could Tola treat me that way after all I did for her? What kind of...
Kevwe was still talking.
"Not only that Aunty. I think she's pregnant for Uncle! I heard both of them talking about it one day in the living room when I was in the kitchen."
"What?" I screamed, jumping up from the bed. "Are you sure of what you are saying?" I said.
She nodded.
"Yes, Aunty. You can confirm from the maid. She knows everything."
If it were someone else, I would not have believed her and dismissed her words as mere gossip. But Kevwe was a truthful and reliable girl who did not have a loose tongue.
To say I was devastated was stating the obvious. I did not know what was worse; my friend having an affair with my husband behind my back or getting pregnant for him.
How could Brian do this to me. As for that two faced bitch Tola, there was only one way to deal with backstabbers like that...
I waited impatiently for her return home. As soon as she stepped through the door, I accosted her.
"Devil! You're nothing but a snake, Tola. This is how you pay me back for all I did for you! Witch! Thief! It's because of your bad character that your husband was always beating you and finally threw you out. I rescued you or you would have been living on the streets. And you reward me by sleeping with my husband? How could you?" I shouted at her.
At first, she tried to deny it. Later, she became defiant, even having the guts to say:
"So what if I slept with him! What do you expect him to do when you abandoned him and went to Abuja in the name of work. You should be thanking me for taking care of him for you. Else he would have been running after other women outside. Besides, he loves me and I love him too. He wants to be with me and there's nothing you can do about it!"
I slapped her then and would have given her a sound beating but for my niece and the maid who rushed at us and drew me away...
Now my home is in disarray. Tola has moved out with her pregnancy and my husband has disappeared. I have not seen him for over a month since his affair with my friend was revealed.
I heard he is now living with Tola and has promised to be with her till she delivers and is even planning to marry her as a second wife.
I have reported the matter to our family members and waiting for them to wade into the issue.
I blame myself for all this mess. I trusted someone I should not have who stabbed me painfully in the back.
Now, I find it difficult trusting anybody especially so-called friends. Like Tola, that was like a sister, that I held close to my heart but who ended up stabbing me deeply and painfully in the back!
***
Tola
Some mutual friends of ours and others have called me all kinds of names- 'husband snatcher', a Jezebel being the least nasty of them.
Truth is I don't care what anybody says. Mind you, I'm not proud of what I have done, having an affair with my friend's husband. There can be no excuse for my actions. Sometimes, I feel bad for causing her pain, for shacking up with her husband.
Ok, I was in a vulnerable state of mind when Brian came after me. But I should have resisted, you might say. I guess I was too weak to resist him as he could be so charming, so persuasive.
But look at the result of my actions! A child at last after many years of longing, hoping for one. If you have ever been in my situation, you will understand how I feel now.
In two months time, I will put to bed a baby girl whom Brian and I have already picked a name for.
Agreed, she did not come through the most conventional ways, but at least, she will bring so much joy and fulfillment to my life.
And make up for all my years of childlessness. Of hopelessness...
The End!
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