Who was she kidding? She was still working at 5:13pm when he came to make good his promise. She had to pack up quickly and leave with him before her colleagues recognized him or realized that he had come for her. That was a waste as they did notice him carrying her laptop case and leaving the office with her beside him. Great! She will now be the topic of conversations at the office for the next couple of days. Just what she needs! She thought as she rolled her eyes.
His 'thank you' plan was a scrumptious 4 course dinner at Bistro 7 with non-stop conversation about everything except matters relating to his family or himself. She also divulged very little about herself and was grateful when he did not pry. It was refreshing to see that side of him but she didn't let herself get carried away. He came by her office a couple of times to take her to dinner at restaurants or his house. She slept over at his house sometimes but she never saw him as more than what he was, a playboy, and she never saw herself as more than a friend to him. They were simply adults doing what adults do.
So when she got pregnant, she expected nothing from him. She told him about the pregnancy during one of their dinner dates and let him know that she was going to keep it and that she would understand if he wanted nothing to do with her and the child. He was furious but, like the gentleman he was, he kept his cool until they had left the restaurant. Once in the car, he let it out. "How far along is it?", he asked. "2 months.", she whispered. "And you want to keep it?", he continued. "No. I don't want to keep it.", she replied, "I have to keep it. It's a child. My first. I can not harm it. I won't be able to forgive myself if I do that. I don't expect you to be happy about this, but whether or not you support my decision, I will make peace with that and expect nothing from you."
"What do you mean expect nothing from me? Is this not a ploy to get me to marry you?", he shouted. She had expected this, but still, it hurt hearing it. "Contrary to whatever you think Foster, I have no intention of marrying you even if you ask me to. You are not the kind of person I would agree to marry. You are great as a friend and even better as a friend-with-benefits. But as a husband, no. I don't see that in you. You are not capable of loving anyone other than yourself. And for that reason, I would never agree to marry you.", she said as she left the car.
He didn't come after her. That was fine with her. She did not anything else to say to him. She got a taxi and went home. That was enough drama for a night. She took up more work, including freelance gigs to save up money. And as the months went by, she poured herself into her work allowing herself no time to think of the future or Foster. They bumped into each other at social events but acted very civil to each other. She never let herself be alone with him at any of those events. But that did not stop the media from speculating on who the father of her child was as her bump was getting more visible by the day.
She had told neither friends nor colleagues who the baby's father was. In the media business, that sort of thing made the hot topics, and knowing who the baby's father was, she knew that the attention of the media world will be mighty on her and her pregnancy. She could already see the headlines, 'Media personality, Becca Adeleye, pregnant for Lagos playboy, Foster Jideofor.', or 'Becca Adeleye, Foster Jideofor's baby mama.'. Definitely not telling a soul, except her family who knew and have been supportive of her decision.
By the time she was 9 months pregnant, she took a leave from work to rest and have her child in peace. Thankfully, she gave birth to the sweetest boy after just 45 minutes in labor. Out of respect, she sent Foster a message letting him know, along with a picture of the child. Back at home, gifts and well wishes from people everywhere, especially on all social networks flooded in the minute she put it up on Instagram. But no reply from the child's father. No hard feelings there. Her mother moved in to help with the child, while her friends came around to support her. 2 months after child birth, she got back to work and worked out an arrangement that allowed her take time off to breastfeed her child.
His 'thank you' plan was a scrumptious 4 course dinner at Bistro 7 with non-stop conversation about everything except matters relating to his family or himself. She also divulged very little about herself and was grateful when he did not pry. It was refreshing to see that side of him but she didn't let herself get carried away. He came by her office a couple of times to take her to dinner at restaurants or his house. She slept over at his house sometimes but she never saw him as more than what he was, a playboy, and she never saw herself as more than a friend to him. They were simply adults doing what adults do.
So when she got pregnant, she expected nothing from him. She told him about the pregnancy during one of their dinner dates and let him know that she was going to keep it and that she would understand if he wanted nothing to do with her and the child. He was furious but, like the gentleman he was, he kept his cool until they had left the restaurant. Once in the car, he let it out. "How far along is it?", he asked. "2 months.", she whispered. "And you want to keep it?", he continued. "No. I don't want to keep it.", she replied, "I have to keep it. It's a child. My first. I can not harm it. I won't be able to forgive myself if I do that. I don't expect you to be happy about this, but whether or not you support my decision, I will make peace with that and expect nothing from you."
"What do you mean expect nothing from me? Is this not a ploy to get me to marry you?", he shouted. She had expected this, but still, it hurt hearing it. "Contrary to whatever you think Foster, I have no intention of marrying you even if you ask me to. You are not the kind of person I would agree to marry. You are great as a friend and even better as a friend-with-benefits. But as a husband, no. I don't see that in you. You are not capable of loving anyone other than yourself. And for that reason, I would never agree to marry you.", she said as she left the car.
He didn't come after her. That was fine with her. She did not anything else to say to him. She got a taxi and went home. That was enough drama for a night. She took up more work, including freelance gigs to save up money. And as the months went by, she poured herself into her work allowing herself no time to think of the future or Foster. They bumped into each other at social events but acted very civil to each other. She never let herself be alone with him at any of those events. But that did not stop the media from speculating on who the father of her child was as her bump was getting more visible by the day.
She had told neither friends nor colleagues who the baby's father was. In the media business, that sort of thing made the hot topics, and knowing who the baby's father was, she knew that the attention of the media world will be mighty on her and her pregnancy. She could already see the headlines, 'Media personality, Becca Adeleye, pregnant for Lagos playboy, Foster Jideofor.', or 'Becca Adeleye, Foster Jideofor's baby mama.'. Definitely not telling a soul, except her family who knew and have been supportive of her decision.
By the time she was 9 months pregnant, she took a leave from work to rest and have her child in peace. Thankfully, she gave birth to the sweetest boy after just 45 minutes in labor. Out of respect, she sent Foster a message letting him know, along with a picture of the child. Back at home, gifts and well wishes from people everywhere, especially on all social networks flooded in the minute she put it up on Instagram. But no reply from the child's father. No hard feelings there. Her mother moved in to help with the child, while her friends came around to support her. 2 months after child birth, she got back to work and worked out an arrangement that allowed her take time off to breastfeed her child.
She did not let motherhood slow her down. She took up as many projects as she could, and one of them was the All Stars' Valentine's Concert where she was signed on as one of the hosts for the concert which was to stream live. Her Co-host, an A-list actor was present all through, a perfect gentleman who made the job easy for her, but went MIA when they had to go on stage to bring the event to an end. She had to go on stage alone. She would make him pay later, she thought. As soon as she began talking, she heard his voice beside her, Foster's voice. What is he doing?, she thought as she spared him a side glance and continued with her speech. At the end of her speech, he held her hand and began talking. "This goes out to all the hardworking women out there who do not settle for less nor let anything, even caring for a child, stop them from doing their jobs. Like this woman right here who, regardless of having my child, showed up to do her job! This is from us to you all. Happy Valentine's Day Nigeria!", he said as he kissed her.
The hall went crazy. It became too loud, but she heard him whisper 'Please marry me' into her ears before he went down on his knees. She never expected that. She could not even say a word. She barely managed to nod before he stood up, kissed her again, before walking her backstage. It was the first step anyway, but it was in the right direction, she hoped.
- The Lady
- The Lady
“Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:”
Isaiah 5:1
No comments:
Post a Comment