And Baby Makes...Two

20

The two men and woman sat awkwardly in the lounge,  looking at one another in silence.

Nonny fiddled with her hands while Theous looked around as if it was his first time seeing the interior of this house.

His father suddenly spoke up. "So...Nonny, right?"

Nonny nodded, swallowing dryly.

"I think the best way to go about this pregnancy is either by paying damages if you and Theo here are not planning a future. But if you two are together, then marriage is the next best thing. We would have to have an event to introduce your baby to our clan and ancestors whether you and Theous choose to raise this child together or not."

"Um...the baby is not Th-"

Theous interrupted.  "Dad..." He glanced at Nonny. "The baby will be raised by the two of us in a loving home."

Nonny's brow rose. What game was Theous playing? "Can I talk to you? Privately?" She looked at his father as she stood up. "Please excuse us for a moment."

Theous followed her to the kitchen where he found her with her arms folded. He immediately closed the door and looked at her.

"We didn't discuss this," she said. "Last time I checked, you wanted nothing to do with me and now you're in there springing this 'the baby will be raised in a loving home' crap on me?"

"I..." Theous stared quietly at her for a moment. "I have been meaning to talk to you but...everytime I saw..." he gestured to her floral print wrapped belly. "...I have so many questions..."

"Like what? All you had to do was ask, Theous. Not isolate yourself from me. Look, I get it. You're probably scared because of your past with your fiancee but this..." Nonny got emotional. "I would have preferred if you had told me straight to my face that you won't father a bastard child-"

"Whoa! Don't say that, Nonny."

"My baby doesn't have a father, Theous."

"I'm here."

Nonny sighed. "What exactly do you want from me?"

"First, answers." Theous sat down. "It'll take me a while to get used to your pregnancy but...I want to make this work. It's not like you cheated on me because you were already pregnant when I met you. But Nonny...why wouldn't you tell me this before? Why keep your pregnancy a secret even when you knew that eventually you would start showing?"

Nonny bit her lip. "I tried to tell you so many times but I got too chicken because of my...fears. I knew that the moment you found out, you'd be gone and...well, I was right. You left."

"Because in my head, it was difficult to imagine you were in the same position with the other guy as you were with me in that car the other day and you have the proof to show it."

Nonny's jaw dropped.

"I'm sorry," Theous whispered. "That was low but really, it was one of my many thoughts."

"Theous, its not like you met me as a virgin."

"But...you made it feel like that. You made it feel special, Nonny and the thought of you making someone else feel like that up to a point of them giving you a baby...I hated it."

"So you were jealous?" Nonny teased with a small  smile.

"Yes."

"No need to be. The only man I've had my legs open for since my husband and you is the doctor that...that artificially inseminated me."

Theous paused for a moment. "What?"

Nonny fiddled with her hands. "I...I was heartbroken,  alone and unhappy. I had everything that I've ever wanted but something was missing and I was not happy with my life until I realised what was missing - a baby. I've always wanted kids but my husband did not want kids so I compromised  even though the yearning was still there. When he left, I realised that I could finally have a child even though I would have to do it alone but I wanted it enough to not mind raising my baby alone. So I found an anonymous donor and the doctor inseminated me."

"So let me get this straight. You dont know who the father of your baby is?"

"I wouldn't care to know even if someone paid me."

"And you're sure that this is what you want?"

"Its not like I can change my mind anyway. I'm 5 months pregnant. It's a bit too late to terminate, not like I was even considering that. And anyway, I'm raising two little buns in this oven."

"Huh?"

Nonny grinned. "I'm having twins!" she excitedly said.

Theous smiled. "Well, now that that is out of the way...Nonny, will you take me back please? If you're willing to try to make this work...I promise I'll do my best."

"I never left you, Theous," Nonny gently said. "But before I give you an answer, I need you to do me a favor first. Theo, I need you to see a therapist. Your friend, Zara called me earlier that is why I was at your gate. She told me everything. You're dealing with trauma and I'm sorry to say this but you're losing."

"Nonny-"

"No, Theous. I caught a glimpse of your chest earlier. You've started your habit again." Her eyes searched his face. "You have to talk to someone...anyone about your fiancee and baby."

Theous stood from his chair and ran his hands down his face. He suddenly felt hot.

"Theo?" Nonny said. "You're sweating. Are you ok?"

He glanced at her and there were two of her. "What if it happens again?" he whispered. "What if...I wouldn't bear it if anything happened to you and the babies, Nonny. What if the problem is me? I dont want to be the common denominator."

"Theo-"

"I couldn't stand it if I have to identify another pregnant body..." He started hyperventilating, his clothes suddenly feeling too tight and stifling hot.

"This is why you should see the therapist," Nonny said. "Everything will be ok and you will stop feeling this way eventually. You've got to stop blaming yourself."

She placed her arms around him as he breathed heavily, trying to calm himself down. Nonny gently squeezed him, rubbing his back because she could see that he was on the brink of a meltdown.

He closed his eyes and hugged her tightly, never wanting to let go of her. Slowly, he started to calm down, taking deep calming breaths.

"Nonny?" he whispered.

"Uh-huh?"

"You're my safe place," he confessed. "Every time I feel like something bad is going to happen, I talk to you and you make it feel better. You make me feel like I am not broken inside."

Nonny smiled. "You make me feel like I'm not broken too."

He looked at her. "I am gonna go to therapy and I am going to get better for me, for you and for the babies."

"I have faith in you."

"Im going to check myself into a stay in rehab. Don't find yourself another nigga when I'm gone."

Nonny laughed.