MULATTO (Iyila) (Editing)

Sixty four

Between the constant need to puke and the long torturous wait for Delia's return, Iyila didn't know which was more frustrating. She paced around the empty room in a bid to calm her agitated nerves as there was little she could do to salvage her situation except wait for her savior:Delia. She was agitated, her palm sweaty and her head a playground for a thousand worrying thoughts. Had Delia backed out? Had she reneged on their agreement?

It had been nearly two hours since she left and from broken holes on the roof, Iyila could see sun rays already stealing it's way into the room.
She sighed in frustration. Had her conscience plagued her at the last minute? Iyila wondered  alarmingly. Oh God! What a disaster that would be! she thought, suppressing the need to sob out her heart. 'These bloody hysteria' she hissed as she wiped off a small tear that had managed to escape from her eyes. Perhaps Delia's heart had softened hence she had decided to exonerate herself from Iyila's gruesome plan to terminate her child. God! she'd be doomed beyond words if such were to be the case. Her hands swiftly flew into her hair like a mad woman when as she reasoned the demeaning consequences that awaited her decision to keep the child. Though her entanglement with Gabriel was still a thin and truffling gossip on the lips of the Negroes but a protruding stomach would certainly do little to salvage her reputation even though it was fact in a manner possible.

No doubt some negroes and even the masters would likely consider the babe to be the result of Dede's degrading handiwork at the forest. Possibly she could live on the fact that he was a man after all, she grimly thought. A man's word held little weight in circumstances like this especially when the woman was weak and brutalized as she had been even though no penetration had occurred. Cunning though this thought was but what other option did she have if truly Delia had bailed on her. Despite Iyila's considerable knowledge on herbs and potions she was however a complete ignoramus when it concerned reversed medicine. More disadvantageously one to to terminate a growing child which of course ma Priscilla had seen no reason to educate her. How such knowledge would have come so profitably in such predicament.

Nonetheless, a tiny voice appeared at the back of her mind just before she could draw sanity from her deceitful idea. What then would be her charade after the child was born. Truly she could advantage herself from Dede's man handling but what would happen after the child was born and he be a boy and God forbid he bore striking resemblance to Gabriel!

'Ha!' She chuckled half insanely. The tears by now were already down and flowing freely. Then she began to feel dizzy and her legs shaky, but she was fast enough to find her way to the broken chair that rested tiredly on the wall, not wanting to faint to be discovered by someone who could detect her state and perhaps notice her slightly swollen midriff as negroes never spared an opportunity to spread gossip. She couldn't afford that now especially when she was still unsure about her options.

As she sat there to catch her breath her stomach grumbled, startling her a bit. Iyila wearily looked down at her stomach, unwilling to soothe the growing child in her. She wouldn't dare touch it as the more she did the more her resolve to terminate it weakened. But when the grumbling continued, she was left with very meager options. Reluctantly she caressed the bump. As though there was an instant connection the grumbling gradually reduced until there was nothing other than silent peace and her sobs.

Iyila was only three month gone yet it felt as if she could feel the child in her kicking with life. Delia had said it was a twin considering the size of her stomach but she could careless. What use was such information to her anyways. She sighed heavily. Why did she even let it grown this much she wondered tiredly. Excusably the first month had passed by without her knowledge of a growing seed being a first time mother and acutely sick and innocent. However what excuse could redeem the following two months. Indecisiveness she'd preferably tagged it but deep down in all truth and morality even though up to the time before she had  sat down on the arm chair, desolate and exhausted, she couldn't,  perhaps wouldn't grudgingly agree that she had been silently, secretly and maybe innocently unconsciously waiting  for Gabriel to return to save her from her tempest. It was a bitter truth but she had to unpleasantly accept it regardless.

Her faith and  hope had slowly died with every minute that ensured to hours and then to days and to weeks and finally months.  Now she had to make that decision, it was inevitable mostly as she was in her third month. The last month before it became dangerously impossible to terminate the baby,except she wished for her own death: Delia had warned.

Unable to hold in the tears any longer Iyila broke into uncontrollable tears laced with heavy sobs that had been buried in for too long which threatened to choke her if not released. 'If this were to be a favorable circumstance I swear I would have kept you...'  she wailed clutching her stomach protectively. 'Wha....what..mo...ther would intentionally harm her....' she swallowed hard. 'her child especially one produced out of love! Even if his love was nothing but lies mine was pure and sweet! And if this were a different world I would have kept you and raised you on my own without that scoundrel...that..that' she hissed irritatedly 'that  swine!' She spat and began to cry again. She cried and cried and cried until she was out but staggering sobs. Her nose flowed like a river and her dress was soaked from trying to dry eyes and nose simultaneously. 'Where this to be a different time I would have raised you on my own without his support or society's scorn!'

Not ever had she felt so pained in her life. Not even her mothers desertion. It was like a knife through her heart yet a gag to her mouth restricting her screams. Grief wrapped her. It filled her with so much hate, hate for the world, hate for the inequality in the society, hate for allowing herself fall so madly in love with that man but most highly; hate, very black venomous hate for Gabriel. It was so strong she was sure to drive a knife through his heart if he ever came to visit his family.

She stood up abruptly, suddenly feeling determined even to her dismay,fueled by something she could not name. Perhaps anger or frustration, whichever it was it was stoic enough to make her dry up her eyes and retie her turban. She would get rid of the child with or without Delia's support! She thought. Even if it meant her eating all the herbs that came her way. Enough of the sulking and wallowing away.

Howbeit, Iyila was neither down straightening her gown or her composure when the door abruptly opened. Started a bit, she sharply lifted her eyes to see Delia standing there with a wide grin on her face. A flicker of hope quickly ignited in her stomach. 'Delia!' She snapped excitedly. 'You took so....' her heart sank when she noticed Delia wasn't holding any herb. Her frown quickly resumed.

'You took forever!'
'Oh Iyila ha hav goo' nus fo' ya' Delia chorused with all cheerfulness as she rushed to Iyila's side. Both startled and irritated at the same time Iyila searched her face confusedly, wondering what could have lightened Delia's mood to the extent Iyila feared her chin might break from her wide smile. 'He's here Iyila'
Normally Iyila wouldn't care whoever it was that had come yet the pure glee in Delia's eyes watered her own curiosity.

'Who has come?' Asked Iyila dryly. 'Da massa's son is har! Gabriel is har!' A shrill laugh escaped Iyila's lip, in annoyance she dragged her hand from Delia's squeeze. 'Don't tell me lies Delia, if this is one of your ploy to make me change my mind then I must tell you that you can not convince otherwise! My heart is made up!'
'No! Iyila' Delia uttered persuasively, recapturing Iyila's palm into hers. 'Ya Gabriel is har, and ha swear to Gah!'

Iyila gazed at Delia intently, searching in her eyes playfulness or lies but Delia neither showed any. Iyila  froze. It couldn't be true. She shook her head dismissively. 'It couldn't be Gabriel you saw it must...' then it started happening again but this time faster than the later. The room was spinning faster and her legs lighter. She felt herself falling but a fast hand caught her just before she touched the ground. Yet, it was too late as she was already far gone with just the distant echoes of Delia's mumbling before every thing went dark, quiet and calm.
Peace at last!!!

Authors note: So as I promised another chapter is up. Yay!!! Gabriel is back and Iyila is all fainty fainty! What do you think, will Iyila keep the child and reconcile with Gabriel or stubbornly abort it because of her anger for Gabriel? Hope u liked it. Pls do well to comment and vote. Tell me what u think bcos it is my motivation. Thanks and happy reading.
P.s already working on the other chapters, not properly edited though but I hope u dnt mind.