Beatrice had Idayat and she wasn’t perfect. It took a month before her slight imperfection was noticed, Musa noticed his new born had a funny look and almost never cried.

He took her back to the hospital where she was diagnosed of fetal alcohol syndrome which according to the doctor could mean a lot of things. Idayat survived facial deformity but might suffer intellectual deformity. Musa was enraged. The poor baby.

Beatrice didn’t know what to make of the medical jargons but her husband had carefully explained to her that she had ruined her baby by drinking and poisoning herself almost all through pregnancy.

She was sober. But Musa had gone. Not totally but in every way possible…he stayed away for days, he moved into the guest room, he stopped talking to Beatrice but he always found time for his children. He loved them especially poor Idayat who could only smile.

One night, Musa made an impromptu appearance at home, he was in his room, the lights were off, he was quietly drinking from a bottle. He heard her  enter but said nothing “I’m sorry” Beatrice had cried

“I don’t know what happened to me… I can’t explain it. I need help, please help me. Don’t leave me… you promised me, you know I left my parents for you… I am willing…”

Beatrice was going on and on but was cut short by the shrill of Musa’s phone.

“Who is Grace?” her voice was calm but her eyes were fiery. It was dark, Musa did not see her eyes he would not have said the words that scarred him for life.

“The sane woman I’m going to marry, the woman who gives…”

The bottle made its mark as Beatrice went berserk.

…

“It’s not three weeks” I heard Habeeb whisper to his father whose eyes went grey immediately and I’m sure he remembered our last night together.

“Habeeb” I moved finally but he hid behind his father.

Wait what was happening, my heart beat quickened, my pace too as I began to rush towards Idayat who was crying now… my ten year old baby.

“Grace watch it” Musa told the woman who quickly stood and faced me.

“Madam calm down” her voice was like water, very calm and peaceful.

“How, why? I need to talk to my children…’’ my voice like thunder… by now Musa had moved to Grace and carried Idayat.

“You will talk to them” he told me “But first you have to explain the brutal scars on their bodies. He handed Idayat to Grace, my eyes followed the loving exchange.

“Iwo ati taani?” Why did my friend not come with me? Why was Habeeb looking at me like a stranger, I love them with my life, I nurtured them, ten years! I was there… so what if they have scars, every child has some…

“You left them, I stayed” I screamed, my wrapper already finding it’s way off my waist, Idayat continued to cry like a baby…

“Yes I left, after spending nine days in Intensive care, I left with my life but I have scars that will never leave, but I won’t let you scar these kids.”

“Iwo ati taani?” I kept saying my eyes darting from Habeeb behind his father to Idayat sulking and crying in Grace’s arms.

“They are your children, but for ten years, every month I have performed my duty as a father. I am still shocked by the horror stories Habeeb has told me about living with you. Get help, nobody hates you”

“I love them. You can’t take them from me!” Have you heard Shango shout? That was the sound that escaped from me.

“They still have two weeks and two days to spend with me by the way, we’ll talk about every other thing after then”

“I need your phone number, I lost my phone, I fainted, I couldn’t retrieve my line…” I was crying as I talked to Habeeb, the look on his face told me I was losing my kids.

“Please…” I whispered. I saw Musa nudge him and he grudgingly brought out his phone to get my new number, I quickly saved his, his dad had bought the phone for him and that was the first gift he lured him with the day he came for them, so I could call Habeeb directly and not him.

I was crying profusely now.

Idayat was now dozing off in Grace’s arms… she nodded at me and left with the big bundle. Habeeb ran after them.

“See you by month end” Musa smiled beguilingly and turned around too…

My wrapper was the floor, my rage had disappeared, somehow, I was ruined…

How come no one ever told me this day would come!

 

The End.

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