Must Read: Despite All Odds - Season 1 - Episode 16

7 years ago

Must Read: Despite All Odds - Season 1 - Episode 16

Days upon days, weeks upon weeks, months upon months and there was still no sign of Gbenga, each time I hear a knock on our door, i’d always say a little prayer to God that it should be him knocking. My parents had stopped me from going to school when my belly started showing and also the doctor said I shouldn’t do anything stressful. Sandra and Desmond has been my greatest support ever since I became pregnant, at first they tried to cover up for my missing tests in school but when they realised that there was no way I was gonna catch up with academic works anymore, they stopped.

They always come visiting almost everyday, even my parents had grown fond of them, my mum even one day joked that it would have been better if it was Desmond that got me pregnant.

Everything was going on well until my dad told me that I would be going to the village very soon so my grandmother would be able to start making preparations for my delivery.

My mum and I tried to talk him out of that idea but he insisted that it was his mum who is my grandma that will take my delivery, each time I tried to convince him to let me deliver in the hospital, he is gonna start the chronicles of how his mother is the best agbebi (mid wife) that he has known all his life, about how she has delivered almost 1 thousand babies and not a single case of still birth.

The appointed date for my village trip seemed far away when I was informed but it approached in a speed of light, Sandra and Desmond also tried to convince my dad that there are modern facilities that is far better than traditional method of delivery but they ended up listening to the same chronicles that he told me too. A day to the appointed date, Sandra and Desmond talked my parents into organising a surprise party for me which will serve as a send off party, I went to the hospital for ante natal and I came back to meet the surprise party, i was overwhelmed and I started crying.
“My daughter, you see in this life, we are bound to make mistakes, we are bound to fall but our ability to dust off our mistake, our ability to pick up again after falling is the thing that will determine our success in life” My dad started a speech I will never forget in my life. “Juliet, do not ever think we are disappointed in you, we are very proud of you because we know that one day you will make us proud, we are sure you will pick up again despite all odds, even if life kicks dust in your face, wipe off the dust and continue on your journey to success” he paused to clean a drop of tears formed in his eyes. My mum and I had already begun crying profusely, even Sandra and Desmond were shedding tears.
“My beautiful daughter, my pride, promise me that irrespective of whatever happens in life, promise me you will make us proud” said my mum.
“I promise” I sobbed as I hugged my mum tight.
“Is there no hug for me, pumkinlicious pie” my dad joked. That was the first time in a long time that I was proud he called me that pet name,

I thought I had lost their love and trust forever but their love for me was stronger than I thought.

I hugged him tight. “I love you dad” I whispered into his ears and he smiled. After that Sandra and Desmond came to hug me. “You guys are the best thing that has happened to me in a long time” Sandra said with her eyes full of tears as our trio held each other. “I will always love you girls” Desmond said after being silent for a long time, his silence was a way of holding himself from crying but the moment he spoke, he started crying too. We held each other for a long time as we all cried.

The next morning came and everything was already in place, all my suit cases were packed, dad was already outside hooting to hurry I and mum, in no time we embarked on the journey, my dad slotted in his favourite album disc Asha by Asa, we drove through the village in a loud deafening silence, just occasional starring and smiling among us but no word was uttered.. the silence was later broken by the ringtone from my phone, it was Desmond.
“Hello Desmond”…
“I just got to your house but you guys have left already”…..
“Ohh yeah we left very early, is there a problem?”…..
“I wanted to tell you something but I can’t do it on phone, until we meet again then”….
“Okay till we meet again then”….. I replied and smiled as the call was terminated, i remembered how I met Desmond in the taxi, how he paid for my transport, how we grow to become great friends, I remembered Sandra and a couple of tears escaped my eyes. I closed my eyes as I heard that my favourite song off the asha album being played.
*music* He used to be my every thing
Treated me like I was a queen
What spell did you cast on me?
Or is it the make believe
You say girl never be afraid
Of ever, ever loving me
Those words I hung on too
Oh God, I was a fool……*music* …….. It was just like Asa sang the song solely because of me.

We got to the village and I was surprised to see the development that has occurred in the village since the last time I was here, Mama even boasted about the constant supply of electricity in the village, at leas I was glad it was better than what I was expecting. Mum and Dad embarked on their journey back to the city after they ate Pounded yam and vegetable soup, we talked for a while, they advised me more about being focused on the future and not letting the present situation affect me. It has been hours since they left and they had only called me once, I was beginning to get worried after calling them a couple of times and they didn’t pick. I was relieved when I saw my phone ringing and the caller was my mum.
“Hello mum, why haven’t you guys called me since”…..
“Hello ma’am, am sorry. The owner of this phone had an accident alongside the man driving, they were rushed here but am sorry it was too late, they They are dead***