©️Opeyemi Akintunde
Shalewa and Leni had left the house the next day; I didn’t know what they said all night in Leni’s room, but their conclusion was for her to relocate to the orphanage under the guise that she wanted to be with Shalewa while she was in the country. I didn’t have an opinon in the matter.
A week after they left, I came home to find Leni and Shalewa back at the house. The moment I saw them, I knew something was wrong…
“Don’t tell me you are pregnant after just one time with you?’ I said madly
“ You also testified that it was just once with Marcus, Let’s say Leni is very Fertile” Shalewa replied sarcastically
“ No.. I am not responsible for that Pregnancy, it should be the Segun guy” I said
“I never slept with Segun” Leni refuted
I knew she was saying the truth, leni never lied to me.
“ Leni, Why? Why did you get pregnant for me?” I asked
The question sounded stupid but I knew what I was trying to say… I was trying to make her know that this Pregnancy was a setback, with the pregnancy, she won’t be able to marry the man she deserves, because where on earth was she going to get a man who would marry a single mother of two..
I left the house crying…
Aunty Yemi was disappointed to say the least…
“ So what are you planning to do?” She asked with her head bowed
“ Get Married!” I replied
I had thought about it and I knew that was the only way I could help Leni. I had to cover her shame. I knew I was not marrying her out of Love but out of responsibility.
I was marrying her because she was pregnant of my child.
“ Is that What God wants for you? Listen, the fact that a lady got pregnant for you is not enough reason to marry her if she is not the will of God, and likewise Leni, the fact that a man got you pregnant does not make it compulsory for him to be your husband, at least you know that from Marcus…” Aunty Yemi stated her reservation
‘Aunty, I will be having two children out of wedlock, Aunty I have no family, I don’t have money, I don’t have a great certificate, which great man will want to marry me? Let me make do with F.D. I know he doesn’t love me that much, but at least I know him.” Leni said
“ If you both plan on Marrying based on the reasons you are giving , I am afraid you both are making a terrible mistake.” Aunt Yemi said
“ Take a week and you both go to separate places of prayer to go pray asking the Lord for his will concerning this matter…” Aunty Yemi stepped out obviously heartbroken…
Shalewa’s stay was quite short; apparently our issue didn’t encourage her to stay as long as she wanted to.
When she was living, Shalewa had specifically asked me to ride with her to the Airport without Leni. I thought she was about to give me the lecture of my life, but throughout the journey to the Airport, she sat quietly with tears flowing down her face. I held her hands telling her we were sorry for disappointing her.
When We alighted at the Airport, she asked us to sit a while …
“ For the past few years, I had been praying to God for a go ahead with you, from the first time I saw you at Mrs Abrahamson’s house, I liked you. As we became closer, my feelings for you grew and I kept praying to God for a go ahead with you, but in the last few weeks, God kept telling me to come back to the country as He wanted to show me something.
I guess we both know what He wanted me to see. I would have loved to be your wife F.D, but I guess things can’t be. Please take care of Leni…” Shalewa gave me a long hug and I kid you not, I was numb.
I couldn’t reply. I sat there watching how she walked away from me. She wove goodbye to me saying…
“ I will be praying for you”….
To be continued
