OBI'M

chapter I - the blood

They say love recognizes no barriers ... 

Actually, Maya Angelou said that but who is asking?

Not many people I know would confidently say they have found true love but I did.

I did find true love or... it found me. I was contented with my life and never felt I needed anything more to be happy until true love unapologetically pounced into my life in the form of Obinna.

Obi my love. Obi my heart. 

As if fate was playing a silly prank on me, his name when translated to English meant father's heart but I chose to believe that he wasn't his father's heart but my heart alone. 

My one and only heart.

My heart that is about to be ripped away from me because of this red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of us humans, carrying oxygen to the tissues of our body. 

Yes, this red liquid called blood.

Before Obi came into my life, I was content because I had only God as a source of happiness. Of course I had my family, friends and business but God was the ultimate because with him, I had everything I could ever need... or so I thought.

You know that song that Hailee Steinfeld sang titled starving? I never understood it till I met Obi.

I didn't know that I was starving till I tasted you.

I wasn't searching for true love but was fortunate to have it find me and now this flimsy but important part of life may threaten it.

"Miss Olajumoke!" I never dreaded hearing my name till this day because I was frightened of the news I would get after.

'They say no news is bad news right?' I thought to myself, 'So, just ignore the nurse or maybe leave and come back later... in four months.' 

"Miss Olajumoke!" The nurse was now in front of me with a polite smile, "I am sorry to disturb you but I wasn't sure if you heard me announce your name earlier."

I tried to give the most genuine smile I could but I am sure she could see through me.

"Oh! my bad, I must have spaced out for a moment. Is it ready?" I asked.

"Yes, it is. Please follow me to the doctor's office." She turned and led the way as I followed her to the place of doom.

I kept thinking of turning back and running out of the clinic because only one thing kept going through my mind...

'ignorance is bliss... ignorance is bliss... ignorance is bliss'

Coming to a halt before I could take my mind's advice, the nurse turned to me, "You can go in now, the doctor is ready for you."

Darn it!  Too late now, I might as well suck it up.

"Thank You." I replied before entering the office. 

"Ahh! Welcome, please take a sit." The doctor said with a smile.

It seems this clinic has a strong policy on smiling to patients? I have never had any issue with people smiling till this day.

"I am Doctor Emem, nice to meet you." He said before turning to his computer.

Is it wrong that I am praying for his computer to suddenly get hacked or infected with a virus? I don't want to know this result. 

'Ola', I thought to myself, 'destiny can be delayed but not denied.' 

Double Darn it!

"So, Miss. Olajumoke Fabian" He began.

"Just call me Ola please." I say nervously.

With a smile he nodded, "Ola, I have the results for your test. Are you ready to hear them now or would you prefer I print them out for you to take home and read when you are ready?"

"Let's just get it over with Doctor."

"Sure, congratulations you are four weeks pregnant."

"What?" I was shocked.

"I said, you are four wee..." 

I couldn't wait for him to repeat it, "I heard you but I think you are mistaken. That can't be my test result. I came here for a Genotype test not a pregnancy test."

He adjusted his glasses and took a look at his computer again, "You are Olajumoke Fabian, 27 years old right?" He faced me again.

I furrowed my brow and tilted my head, "Yes, that's me but I never came for a pregnancy test. There might be a mix up."

Still smiling he replied, "I understand that. I am aware you came here for a genotype test but according to the note from the lab scientist, while examining your blood, they found a high level of HCG hormone in your blood."

"hCG?" 

"Yes, human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG for short is the hormone present in a woman's urine or blood when she is pregnant. It also builds up in your body each passing day you are pregnant."

As if I did not have enough to worry about, I now have to add this to the list.

This is meant to be a happy news right? Why did I feel the opposite of happy?

As if by instinct, I raised my phone to view my screensaver which is a picture of a laughing Obi. This is my favourite photo of him. He just looks happy and now I may never see him this way again. 

Sighing out loud I dropped the phone and face the doctor, "Okay, what about the other news?"

He looked at me like he understood why I reacted to the news of my pregnancy in a solemn way and for the first time he had no smile on his face which told me everything I already knew. 

For the third time, I heard a different doctor say, "The result confirms that your haemoglobin genotype is AS."