Love in times like this - Season 1 - Episode 16

5 years ago

Love in times like this - Season 1 - Episode 16

Finally, Atimma felt as if she could raise her head after Harry’s mom had advised the both of them. Harry was mute.

While Atimma just said “thank you mama.”
She had bought food from a restaurant as usual, and ate in her room before she concentrated on her laptop.

The next day, she was ordering for her new car, and she didn’t have anyone to answer to, not even Harry.

Morning came, Harry and his mother left the house early for the sachet water company downtown. It was etaha market day, and they were aware of the number of people who bought and sold in the market. They held and empty bucket and filled them up with twenty sachets of water each. He filled his mother’s bucket with just ten sachets and held her hands as they hawked around the busy market.

After an hectic day, Harry and his mom sat under a flyover weakly, thinking of what to eat; they were hungry and their legs were hurting.

“Doesn’t your wife cook?” Harry’s mom broke the silence.

“I can’t remember the last time she did that.”

His mother wanted to protest, and Harry knew what was in her mind, but he glared at her suspiciously.

“It’s not a problem, I think it’s the pregnancy.” He added. His voice hoarse and unsteady.

“Is she the first to be pregnant? When I was pregnant of you, I went to the farm with your father and carried cassava stems for plantation. Who is she?”
“Mama just let her be.”

“It bothers me. You two don’t behave as husband and wife.”

“We will sort things out.” He said dryly.
“I don’t need to ask if you had beaten her up for real, because I know you my son, you didn’t.”

Harry nodded in agreement and laced his hands into his mother’s.

He knew that things might not change, all he ever wanted was his child and a good job.

His mother and him bought plantain porridge by the road side, they ate it till their belly became filled.

******************************

Atimma waited anxiously for Linda to join her at the office, so that they could go get her car from the agent.

She was excited.

She had started having light pains around her stomach, she suspected that baby was coming soon.

Linda arrived her office that day, smelling of masculine perfume.

“You this girl! you’re smelling man, man.”
Linda laughed out loud and sat on the office table.

“Chief Nwabueze’s perfume. That man loves me real good.” She chuckled.
“I don’t know why married men are loving their girlfriends more than their wives these days.”

“Don’t be deceived Atim. No married man loves his girlfriend more than his wife. They only pretend about it. They will all go back to their wives someday, when they get tired of our vaginas.”

Atimma stared at her stunned, as her words sank in like a bomb in her head.

“Well, Seno loves me. He gave me over four million to buy a good car for myself.”
“Amazing! congratulations… the baby is bringing in favours…”

“The agent is waiting, that’s why I called you, so that we can go get it together.”
“Bebe! you don turn big girl well, well!”

They both laughed out loud in unison.
“I am spending three million on the car, and the rest will go for my baby things. If not that you advised me to take Seno back, I would be looking like a mad woman from the ghetto by now.” Linda’s laughter became amused.
“Wait a minute, you mean Harry hasn’t even given you a dime for his baby things?”
“Not a kobo! His mom came by, I met them last night counting some smelly ten naira and five naira notes.”

Linda laughed and fell on the floor. “This morning, I overheard them talking about selling sachet water.”

“Oh no Atim…I hope you get fresh air when you get back home today.” Atimma gave a loud laugh, and shook her head.

Harry’s body and face was coated with sweats. He looked pale and his eyes looked tired.

He folded his arms across his chest, while his mother was praying deeply in her heart.

He wanted all of this to be over.

Doctor Edet’s deep voice came from behind them. “Mr Harry…”

His mother jumped up from her seat when she saw the doctor. They both stepped towards him to hear his words clearly. Doctor Edet’s face was beamed with smiles as he announced the good news.

“It’s a beautiful, hairy Princess.” He said lyrically, almost like a song. “I have never seen a baby this beautiful…”

Harry and his mother could not hold their joy. They were excited. His mother knelt down and slowly hit her head on the cold tile. “Thank you Jehovah, Yahweh! elshaddai, elohin, adonai, I am that I am, abasi apostolic, ahha. At my age, I am going to carry my first grand child.” She stood up and danced around by twisting her waist. Harry and the doctor watched her with smiles on their faces.
“Doctor, can we see her now?” Harry asked in a shaky tone.
“Oh yes…you can.”

They both walked hastily behind Doctor Edet as he led them to the ward Atimma and the baby were.

Harry’s heart skipped as he saw his daughter. He carried her from the baby bed and handed her gently to his mother.

He walked gently towards Atimma and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Thank you for giving me an angel.” He whispered into her ears.

She gave a forceful smile, but didn’t say a word.

Harry went back to his daughter and took her from his mother’s hands. She had a full black hair and a pointed nose, and looked exactly like him.

“she looks like you when you were baby. She has your nose and your hair. look at her nails, looks like her grand father’s.” Harry’s mom said excitedly as she held the baby’s hands.

Harry giggled, and kissed the baby on the forehead.
“What will be her name Mama?”
“I will name her Mkpoutommi…” She whispered excitedly.
Harry smiled.

He watched her lick her small pink lips. He admired her pink, unisex sleep wear and her coverall.

She made him feel so many emotions.
He held her tight to himself and cuddled her gently. Her tiny cry caught his attention.
“Is like she needs b----t milk. she is hungry.” Harry said softly, turning to Atimma.
“I won’t give her b----t milk. I bought her tin milk.”

“Abasiakan…My grandchild will sU-Ck b----t milk until she clocks six months. I did same for your husband, my son.” Harry’s mom said shrilly.

“I won’t give her b----t milk. I am not interested in what b----t milk does to babies. I won’t. I will give her baby milk.”

Atimma said weakly, but authoritatively.
“Why? B----t milk is good for babies.”
“Harrison, I don’t want my b----t to fall because of your child, I don’t want to breastfeed anybody.” She said.

Harry became sad. Atimma saw his frown and immediately took away her face.
“That’s her food, in case, you want to mix it, make it 50ml.” Atimma said and la!d slowly on the bed. Harry’s mom became mute.

Harry’s gaze dropped at where the baby’s food was pointed at. He searched through the bag, saw the milk, a water flask and a feeding bottle. He went out hastily to look for hot water so that he could feed his child. His heart was filled with anger. But the face of his little angel softened him.

He named her Edidiongabasi.
“She will bring me blessings mama.” He said to his mom, as he inserted the feeding bottle into her mouth slowly, she took it without hesitation and s----d it gently.
“Didi girlllllll” His mother teased, he handed the baby to his mother and watched her feed baby excitedly.

He was amaze at such enchanting beauty and he stared at his little girl like she was magic. He was more proud that she was his.