FINESSE

√ TWENTY EIGHT √

"Ikeoluwa, we need to tell you something" Mr Adeniyi started and Ikeoluwa glanced at her mom and dad. She had never seen them wearing such expressions before.

"Okay. What is it?" Ikeoluwa asked as her mom took a deep breath.

"Ike, I'm pregnant" Mrs Adeniyi replied as Ike froze on her seat.

After receiving her pregnancy report from the hospital, Mrs Adeniyi was so shocked that she couldnt get herself for a while. She refused to tell anyone including her husband.

She couldn't believe it. That she was pregnant. After having Ike, she and her husband had tried different means to get another child but they all proved abortive until they gave up and decided to pour all their love on their one child, a child they were going to loose in the end.

Mrs Adeniyi was so scared of giving birth again. Deep down she wanted to keep the baby and at the same time she didn't want to. She was so scared.

What if this child had another ailment and would die later again? She didn't want that to happen again. It would even be better if she didn't give birth at all.

But then she remembered God's promise to her and her family. That he would make them a living testimony. She had grabbed her Bible and read God's promises one after the other before praying.

After much deliberation, she told her husband who took her to the hospital and they ran a lot of tests on both the mother and child and they found out that they were both okay. They decided that it was only fair that Ike knew about it.

"Its a boy" Mrs Adeniyi added as Ike swallowed her saliva as she wiped the lone tear that ran down her cheeks.

"I'm going to have a baby brother?" Ike asked as she tried to blink back the tears in her eyes.

"Yes Ike. You are going to have a baby brother"

"Your mom is pregnant?" Juola asked as Ike hugged him tighter while wiping her tears.

"I'm so happy for her" Ike replied as more tears slid down her cheeks.

"You know I used to pity them so much. I wished there was always a way that I would be able to repay them. I wished they could be happy. I wished they would truly be happy" Ike started as she pursed her lips.

"A child without a father is called Fatherless, a child without a mother is called motherless and a child without both parents is called an orphan. But for parents who loose their children, there is no name for them you know why? Because nothing, absolutely nothing can be used to describe the kind of pain they feel after loosing a child" Ike added as Juola rubbed her forehead softly.

"They are going to be fine" Juola whispered and Ike nodded.

"Its a baby boy. I know he's going to take care of them" Ike replied as she buried her head in Juola's chest.

"Ikeoluwa" Juola called as Ike hummed.

"Gloria and Chidima; don't they deserve to know what's going on?" Juola asked as Ike froze.

"They deserve to know Ike. They are your best friends" Juola added.

"You rarely come for our hangouts and here you are, organisizng one" Chidima said as she scoffed a spoon of rice into her mouth.

"That's because I have something to tell you guys" Ike replied as Gloria grinned.

"You didn't have to organize a hangout to tell us you and Juola started dating. You two have been dating in your heads a long time ago" Gloria said and in spite herself, Ike found herself laughing along with Chidima.

"Actually, I called you guys for something else. Something well, more serious" Ike said as she stared at the floor while Juola squeezed her hand under the table. The comfort that washed through her made her smile a little as she turned to her best friend.

"You guys know I am ill and have to take drugs but I never told you the nature of my sickness" Ike said and Gloria nodded.

"Ohh. That's true. Its okay. There are lot of weird illness in this world. Its okay if you don't want to say. Its not important as long as you are fine" Gloria replied and Ike wore a light smile.

"Guys; I have leukamia and I have less than two weeks. What I mean is that I'm going to die in two weeks" Ike said as both Gloria and Chidima froze.

"You should come up with some better joke. I'm not getting this" Chidima said panicking and shaking her head as she turned to Juola.

"She's saying nonsense right?" Gloria asked as Juola pursed his lips and shook his head.

"I'm afraid but no. She's saying the truth" Juola replied as Gloria stared at Ike who was still wearing a light smile.

"Two weeks?" Chidima asked as tears ran down her cheeks.

"You mean after two weeks I'm not going to see you again?" Chidima asked as more tears ran down her cheeks.

Gloria continued blinking and blinking as tears started running down her cheeks as she kept wiping them off and they ran down harder.

"Why? Why? Why are you just telling us?" Gloria asked as Ike gave them an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry" Ike said with a small smile as Chidima rushed towards her and engulfed her in a hug.

Ike hugged Chidima back as she tried to hold back the tears in his eyes and Juola tapped her and shook his head.

"Don't hold them back" Juola whispered as a tear slid down Ike's face and the others came running after.

The other occupants of the restaurant stared at the group in curiosity and surprise. At first, it was nice seeing a bunch of beautiful and handsome teenagers but it turned weird but they all started crying.

"Is that why you've been taking ice cream? To compensate your constant loss of blood?" Gloria asked and Ike wore a light smile.