15
LITTLE FLOWER XD
15.
Cheryl was very sick at 8 months pregnant, the hypertension and pre-eclampsia were getting out of hand. I stayed by her bedside taking turns with her mother-my aunt and my mom. She maintained that my husband was the father but I refused. Dad called for a family meeting and he tried to get Sylvester to agree but he maintained. He was not the father.
One evening she asked to see my husband I called him and he came. I was outside by the door eavesdropping. A habit I hated myself for.
“You didn’t tell her what I did, “ Cheryl’s voice was low and scratchy.
“Why, do you want everyone to hate me? Why can’t you just let Timo have one moment of happiness?”
There was silence.
“I am not the father of your child,” I heard him spit. Cheryl started coughing.
“Please take care of my baby,” she begged him like she had begged me earlier.
I couldn’t hear what he said but she said “Thank you. “
Later that evening Cheryl went into surgery where she died. They managed to save her baby girl but she was in bad shape. My dad did a paternity test on the baby it was not Sylvester’s and since my family is full of hypochristians they were now very apologetic.
After the burial, there was a family meeting to see who would be the best fit to take Cheryl’s baby who had not yet been named. Cheryl’s parents were old and her mom couldn’t manage to take care of a baby. I was not expecting my husband to speak but he did. We accepted to take custody of the baby. Who we named Given because honestly, she was just God-given. I insisted that we legally adopt her and have all the court documentation allowing us to keep her in the event that her father whoever he was ever showed up.
I was up to my eyeballs in preparations for Marc’s Chilanga mulilo it was being held at my parent's place but mum had hurt her leg so she couldn’t help me out much. We wanted it to be slightly bigger than the ordinary Chilanga mulilo and especially since the brides family had travelled from Namibia to attend we thought all of us could have a big luncheon since Clive and his family would be in from South Africa.
Given was almost two years old now and she was bubbly and quite chatty she and Sam were the best of friends consequently Sam was always at our house. He liked joining my husband on Little Flower projects I think he just liked getting his hands dirty. Today he was with me because I needed him to watch Given while I engineered the preparations for Chilanga mulilo I was gaining a sister, I looked forward to Nande joining the family.
I felt his hands snake around me as he kissed my cheek it was passed 12, he was wearing the leaf green Little Flower t-shirt that I hated so much tucked into his khaki pants. It was Friday I had taken a Mother’s Day.
“Hey baby,” he smiled sheepishly when I gave him a once over.
“What happened to the black golf shirts?” I asked. That was the problem of leaving him in bed, when he woke up wore whatever the hell he wanted. I made a mental note to throw them out. I had specifically printed him black and white golf t-shirts with his little logo but he still insisted on wearing the awful greens.
“In my defence, I woke up late.” He smiled.
I rolled my eyes and he scratched his head. “I am sorry babe.”
“Not right now Hun, go check on the kids,” I sent him into the house.
My life seemed perfect and I was content.
THE END. For now
XD
