CrossRoads

Chapter 1

Dora
I try going down the stairs but my legs are too weak to carry me. I locate the bench nearest to me and sit there for a while. I try recalling what the doctor said to me earlier, but it's only tears that i can think of. It clouds my eyes as much as my heart. At this point, the only name that comes ringing is Festus. Picking up my phone, I silently pray that he hasn't changed his number.

"Hello, who is this" a deep voice responds.

"Festus, Festus, it's me, it's me Dora"

"Dora" he says in a surprised tune. "Why are you calling me?"

“Wow, for someone you haven't heard from for 15 years now. How are you wouldn't hurt”.

“Dora, you are well aware of what we agreed on 15 years ago. We both know that there's no room to exchange pleasantries. So what do you want" he concludes with a stern voice.

I guess he's on his feet right now. He always stands when he's tense and angry, and from the sound of his voice, I guess he is.
“Festus” I begin,
"I know am not supposed to call you, but please this is the last time I'll ask anything of you. Just three months, I just want to spend three months with my daughter. That's all, please".

“What!! And you think am just going to let you come into her life just like that, after the way you left”.

“The way I left”, I repeat his words but in a more silent tune. “You talk as though I chose to leave, did I walk out on my own free will, weren't you the one that......”

“It doesn't matter".
he cuts me off.

“Yea, you wouldn't want to hear of the disgusting thing you did”
I speak amidst tears.

“Disgusting you say” he replies mockingly. “Well why did you accept such disgusting thing?”.

“Please Festus, let's not go there now”.

“Really” he says sarcastically.
“So you too don't want to hear about it”.

“Please Festus, for the sake of the love we once shared. Please am begging you, I only need three months, I won't ask for more, I promise”.

“Am not yet in agreement with you, but I'll see what I can do”. He cuts the call before I could even say Thank you.

Now that I think of it, I won't really say we shared what is called love. For me, it was a mere flash of emotion and lust. Love wouldn't have given me such conditions 15 years ago. But I can't blame it all on him, I am partly at fault. Just as he said, I wouldn't have agreed to such disgusting thing.
I lost the opportunity to see my daughter talk, take her first step, blow her birthday candles and grow day by day. I wasn't able to spank, scold & teach her the right way to live. To talk about boys and give her the sex talk. I know I've lost the right to be her mother, but if this is the last thing I do, I want to hear her call me Mom. I just hope Festus will give me the chance to find a place in my daughter's heart.

As these words flooded my thoughts, my legs finally gather strength to move. I head towards the gate. As am about to leave, I take a last look at the hospital, knowing that the next time I return, I won't be walking in with my legs.

Festus
“Oh this woman, she has added more problems to the ones I already have”.
I pace around the room while talking to myself.
"Should I tell her the truth, No.? But I've never heard her sound this desperate."

“Daddy! I've been standing here for over five minutes now and you didn't even notice my presence”.
My daughter Twinkle cuts in.

“Oh am sorry dear, daddy just has a lot of things to sort out” I speak while walking towards her.

“Dad, you were actually talking to yourself”,

“Yea, I think it's called Soliloquizing in literature” I reply trying to be funny

“I know dad, but in real life it's called Madness”.

The tune of her voice makes me burst out in laughter. Though it's a little rude but I don't mind.

“Alright, tell me what kind of things you have to sort out maybe I can be of help” she continues

“I'll really appreciate that but there's no need, it’s all part of being a business man”.

"OK if you say so".

“I’m so sorry that I missed your birthday. Let me make it up to you”.

“How”, she asks?

“I'll get you anything you want as your birthday gift” I try to bring back her excitement

"Dad, this is the only gift I've always wanted to have, do you promise you'll give it to me?"

"Yeah dear, I promise, whatever you want," I say while holding her hands.

She moves away from me and faces the window as she speaks.
"Kids in my school always talk about their Mother. Dad you’re always busy, you hardly remember my birthday and people at my school are beginning to take the driver as my dad. When they ask about mum, I don't even know what to say". I can hear her sobs in her words.

"Darling.....” I try to speak but she wouldn't let me.

“No dad. You never talk about her, there's no single picture of her in this house”.

“She abandoned you, you’re better off not knowing her”, I stand in front of her as I speak.

“I know dad, but it's my choice to make whether to accept her or not. Let me be the one to decide”.
I watch as she leaves my room in tears.

At first, I didn't think I'll grow this attached to her. But as time flew, I've grown to love and cherish her. Since she insists, and Dora also wants this, I'll comply to their request. I'll just have to make sure Dora keeps shut about what happened in the past. Twinkle believes she was abandoned and it must stay that way.

Twinkle
I walk into my room and shut the door behind me. I pick up my phone, dial Stacy's number and walk towards the bathroom.

"Hi best friend, I think I just did the most stupid thing ever"

“It's normal for you to do stupid things, so am not surprised”, she tried teasing me

“I’m serious Stace; I didn't know when the words came out & where the boldness emerged from”.

"What happened", she asks?

“I finally confronted Dad about my mum. Do you think I did the right thing?" I ask

“Girl, I can't stay a month without my mom, for you to have lived this long without her isn't easy. I think your matured enough to know her”,
she pauses and continues in a sweet tune “And bestie is so proud of you that you finally want to see her”.