I felt worried about my mother's condition, so I kept trying her number until I finally got through. It was my aunt who picked the call. She told me she was about to call me, informing me that my mother was in the hospital and wanted to see me.
"She had an okada accident. She's getting treatment at the hospital some good samaritanshad taken her to. You need to come right away as she has been asking after you," she said.
Diane offered to accompany me so we took a cab and headed immediately to the hospitalat the Isolo area of Lagos. I felt reassured after seeing she was alright. Apart from the injuries on her legs and other parts of her body, there was no major damage.
Diane and I stayed with her for sometime before leaving. Teddy was waiting at the house when we got home. I told him we had gone to see a friend when he asked me where I had been.
"I was about to come and look for you when your number was not going through," he said as he hugged me on my arrival.
"Sorry, darling. We were held up at our friend's place. That girl loves to talk," I stated before going into the kitchen to get him a drink.
Later, we sat chatting in the parlour especially the plans for the coming weekend which included the wedding of a cousin of his.
"I hope you are coming for Abe's wedding this weekend. I want you to look really good as I will be introducing you to my parents and other family members at the occasion," he said.
"Sure I'll be there. My friends too if your cousin won't mind," I told him. After Teddy had left, Diane said to me:
"This your Teddy guy really likes you. Imagine, he's already planning to introduce you to his parents. That means he could have serious plans for you, like marriage."
"Well, I don't know about that. All I know is that Teddy loves me very much. I love him so much too. He's my life. He told me his last relationship ended badly over two years ago and he had sworn to stay off dating until he met me."
"So, you made him change his mind. Great! But Tanya, don't you think it's time you told him the truth about yourself?" she asked.
I gave her a quizzical look.
"What are you talking about?" I demanded.
"Girl, you know now. The fake lifestyle, trying to be what we are not. He thinks you are from a rich home and your uncles are in possession of your late Dad's money and properties. But you and I know it's all lies," she responded.
"Why would I do such a stupid thing? Do you want me to lose him?" I queried sharply.
"That won't happen. If he really loves you, he will accept you the way you are, whether your father is a poor man or not. Poverty is not a crime, afterall," she noted.
I shook my head.
"You and I know that in this country, being poor means you are a nobody. And you know who Teddy's parents are. His Dad was a former ambassador and a big time business man with lots of money. How will it look like if he brings home someone from my type of background as a fiancé?
They will throw me out!" I said.
"I think Diane is right,"put in Stephanie who had just stepped into the room. "What happens if you two get married and he finds out the truth later? Do you think he will be happy at being deceived by you?"
"Well, when or if I get to that bridge, I will cross it," I rejoined.
***
Later, I thought deeply about my friends suggestion in regards to confessing to Teddy about my background. What if he no longer loved me after knowing the truth about me, I wondered. The thought of losing him filled me with dread. I just could not afford to let go of a guy like Teddy who is one in a million. On the other hand, what if Diane and Stephanie were right that it was better I was more open with him about my family situation than giving him a false image of myself? So, one evening when he came to visit me at home, I said:
"Teddy, there's something I want to discuss with you."
"What is it, honey?" he stated.
"The thing is, I..." I began to say.
Who is the mystery woman and why was Tanya so upset at seeing her? Keep a date with us later today!
To be continued...(
Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.
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