THREADS OF FATE

10

She returned from the antenatal Clinic,

She was exhausted and always tired, the pregnancy was already in the late third trimester and the burden was weighing her down.

The nurse had told her that she must be prepared, the baby would come soon and even she felt it, the constant kicking and the contractions that would hit at times, she knew she was near and fear hit her at once, she always prayed to give birth to this baby safely and sound.

They had already began buying the necessary baby things, clothes, feeding bottles, a bag, a small bathing tub, even a small potty.

They were really excited about the baby's arrival.

She had just retired to bed, when she felt the contractions getting worse, she couldn't bear this anymore, she tapped him awake.

"What?" He murmured in his sleep.

"The baby is coming" she said, then groaned In pain,

He shot up from the bed,

"Are you serious?, Are you okay?, Can you stand, oh my freaking god" he was freaking out, but he carried her, a neighbor helped him and together they rushed to aunty nurse clinic.

The cries of the newborn brought tears of joy out of his parents eyes, she had giving birth to a bouncing baby boy and her happiness knew no bounds, she forgot the pain of childbirth, while indulging in her child and celebration was in order.

The boy was so happy, he was a father now, a dad, he was a man, he felt like a man.

His seed had germinated into this cute baby staring at him, the baby was an exact replica of him and he felt so proud, so accomplished, this joy made him tell anyone who was willing to hear him out, that he was the latest father in town, he felt no shame or embarrassment, this was a blessing, a thing of joy.

The neighbors came trooping in, "congratulations",  they said and laughed and joked that the man had really strong genes than his wife,

Celebration continued in the days, weeks and some months to come,

He had informed his uncle's family and they had visited, they were happy that the child was born Safely

"The both of you are parents now, this child's future lies in your hands, take responsibility and care for him always" the uncle said,

"Yes Uncle, we will work hard to continue providing and caring for him, and thank you Sir, you and your family has supported us so much, if not for you, I don't know where we would have been at, thank you" the man Said

His uncle nodded and his wife nodded with smiles.

"I am very happy for you people, you are this baby's mother, please never neglect him and always be with him, teach him right from young and mould his future from now" the uncle's wife said,

"Yes ma, I will listen to your wise advices"

The uncle's family presented them with more gifts and food stuffs and baby foods, they knelt in appreciation, thanking their helpers, if not for this kind Samaritan's they would have been rotting away in the village.

A week later his mother came from the village for omugwo (the Igbo traditional custom postpartum care, whereby the grandmother or mother comes to take care of the new mother and baby and teaches the new mother on how to take care of the baby).

His mother was filled with joy, she danced around carrying her grandson in her hand, while the couple laughed at her antics, she spent two months with them, taking care of both mother and child.

She would always say her grandchild looks so much like her son, that her son was a real man,

Whenever she said this the girl would remember when she lived with her in the village, when her mother in law would taunt her telling her she was a gold digger that had trapped her son with a bastard child but here she was praising this same child, she seemed to have forgotten all the wrongs she did, she never apologized, and the girl never reminded her, she buried it all In the past.

She knew that her mother in law still did not like her as much but she was glad her mother in law was putting up with her and didn't hesitate to help her, she only wished her mother was also here, one day she asked her mother in law,

"Mother, does my family know that we have a child"?

"Yes they know, the whole village know, the messenger was so excited that he told almost everyone even before he reached my house, I am sure your family knows" the  mother in law said,

She noticed the sad face on her daughter in law,

"What is it?, Why do you ask this"? She asked

"Is just that no one has contacted me, not my mother or even my sister, I don't know how they are and they seem to have forgotten about me" she said,

"Do not worry, they were fine before I left they still are, your father though is still angry but I am sure he would have forgiven you"

Tears streamed down her face, did her father still hate her? Why haven't her sister contacted her, why didn't her mother come and see her? She couldn't stop the tears especially knowing that she had tried to get in touch with them but there seemed to be no way,

"You better stop crying, if they cared, they would have reached out" the older woman said, she pondered on those words and it was true, her family did not care for her, they had abandoned her, even though she tried to forget about them she couldn't, they were the people she knew for so long in life, the people she loved.