Lotanna wanted to be in love, always fantasizing about a happy marriage and a house full of kids. She never expected to turn pregnant when she met 'the one,' and she certainly never expected 'the one' to be engaged to someone else.
Desperate to lea...
I was so excited to be a grandma because it was like being a mum all over again. I called Michael and told him everything Lotanna said. It was hurtful to know that my mother would treat her this way.
"Stephanie, are you pregnant?" Mum asked.
I shook my head in disagreement.
She scoffed, "Then explain why you have been sleeping too much, eating like you have not seen food in decades, and throwing up all over the place? Explain that!" She shouted.
I knew I was pregnant, eight weeks gone, but how could I tell her without making her feel disappointed in me? Michael was ready to take responsibility, and his parents also offered to sponsor my trip to the US because they wanted me to have the child over there. But my mother was just set in her ways - she would probably beat me to a pulp for fornicating.
"Stephanie Abimbola Tunde, answer me!" She screamed at me.
"I am pregnant," I stuttered out of fear, tears rolling down my face.
She raised her hands in disbelief. "This child, you have killed me. Who is responsible? Is it that oyinbo boy?"
I nodded. Why could my mother not say his name? Did she have to state he was white? Before I could say anything else, there was a knock on the door.
"You wait here. This is not the end of this discussion. You will tell me if I taught you to open your legs for men to penetrate." She walked to open the door, not far away from where I sat crying. I was hoping for an angel to come and save me from what was about to happen.
"Good evening, Ma. My mum and I came to see Stephanie," I heard Michael say as the door opened.
Mum did not say a word, but let them walk in. Michael and his mum walked straight to where I was and sat beside me.
"Hey, sweetie, are you ok?" His mum asked.
"How can she be alright? When this son of yours planted that thing in her," my mum interrupted, pointing at my stomach.
"You should not speak to them that way. I know they are young adults, but this is not the right time to be upset. Your daughter needs you now, more than ever."
My mum shook her head. "No. What she needs is to take herself away from my sight until she gets rid of that thing. Do you know what they will say in church?"
"That thing is your grandchild!" Michael shouted. He turned to me. "Stephanie, go get your things. Both of us will figure this out. You know what, never mind, let us leave this place this minute."
"Michael," I whispered.
"Don't worry. You will be fine, I promise."
My mother stood there, staring at me. I was confused about whether it was hard for her to believe that Michael was a responsible man or that she did not care at all? All I could think of was my child and myself. I stood up and followed them to walk towards the door.
"Stephanie, if you leave this house with them, do not come back," Mum retorted and turned her face away.
Brick by brick, the walls came tumbling down. As Michael held my hand tight for reassurance, the sobs punched through, ripping through my muscles, bones, and guts.
"All you can think of right now is what people will say? You amaze me," Michael's mum said to her.
Michael picked me up with tears still plastered on my face. As we got into the car, I held Michael in silence, rocking him slowly as my tears soaked his shirt.
That was the last time I ever saw her.
"Stephanie," Michael called out. I shook the past away from my mind, turning back into the present day. "Are you ok?"
I nodded, with tears falling down my face.
"No need to be worried because we should be grateful Lotanna is ok. We are now grandparents, and that's a plus, so wipe those tears and brace for a joyful reunion."
We stopped in front of a cream-colored building with a black rooftop. The building looked familiar. "Michael, I thought we were going to see Lotanna. Why are we here?" I asked furiously.
He turned to me. "You have a lot of unresolved anger with your mother. The only way is to talk to her and let it all out."
"And you thought of this without asking me first? Are you..."
He placed a finger on my lips. "Enough now. Go in there and do what you have to do. Lotanna knows we are here, so take your time."
I let out a deep sigh, thinking it would relieve me of the anger that burned inside me, but it did no good - I was still angry. It upset me because when I needed my mother most; she threw me into the streets because of her reputation in the church. I stepped out of the car and walked to the gate, but before I could knock, she appeared - what a coincidence. It made me wonder if she knew I was already here, but would not let me come in.
"Abimbola?" Mum said. She was not too old, but her body had aged past her years so much that she wore the wizened features of an old crone.
"Hello, Mother," I greeted. "I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries. I came to tell you I am doing well, and my daughter and her newborn twin girls are doing well. If someone had told me that my flesh and blood would do what you did to my child, your grandchild, I would have doubted them. You told me six years ago that you wanted to be close to family and make up for the time lost, but you still had that selfish, myopic thought. I thank heavens for Michael. Even though we are no longer together, he still was a good man. And thank you, thank you for being evil."
The tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks and dripped from her chin. She was too sad to cry out or wail, and she just stood there as still as a statue while the magnitude of her loss swept over her. "Abimbola..."
I held up my hand. "No, mother, no more excuses, this time. I am the one who leaves you." This time filled with relief; I sighed and got into the car as we drove off.
Michael held my hand. "I am proud of you."
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