the miracle I need 2 Episode 34

#THE_MIRACLE_I_NEED_2

EPISODE 34

Tears rolled down Ella’s cheeks as she watched Tracy who was sobbing into her pillow, “I can’t take this. How can I survive this loss? How can I forgive myself?” Tracy asked as tears rolled down her face, and she blew her nose into her alre-ady messy handkerchief.

Ella didn’t have any word of comfort for her friend as she was also feeling very sad and somewhat angry. She couldn’t un-derstand why Tracy had kept something as important as this away from her. Maybe if she had known what was going on, this wouldn’t have happened. There was no way she would have allowed Tracy spend a day more un-der Ayo’s roof had she known he was beating her. She tried to calm herself since this wasn’t the time to be angry.

She wanted to know what happened to their marriage, because the Ayo she knew completely adored Tracy, so what changed? How long has it been going on? Why did she choose to keep it away from her? She had a lot of questions for Tracy, but they could wait. This wasn’t the time to ask questions. She needed to comfort her best friend who was mourning the loss of a baby she had been seeking to have for more than five years.

As the days rolled by, Tracy didn’t stop mourning the loss of her baby, but she stopped crying so ha-rd. Or perhaps she stopped crying in the presence of others, but cried her eyes out when she was alone, since her eyes were always red and swollen.

When it was time for her to be discharged from the hospital, Ken came over to pick them, “So where are we going to?” Ken asked as he picked up the bags which had been packed.

“My house,” Ella and Tracy said in unison, making Ella turn to look at Tracy.

“What house?” Ella asked Tracy.

“I’m thankful that you stayed with me these past couple of days, but I need to return home,” Tracy said without meeting Ella’s eyes.

“What are you talking about?” Ella asked, trying not to flare up.

“I said I’m going to my matrimonial home,” Tracy repeated.

“What matrimonial home? You mean the house where the same man you married battered you to the point that you lost your child? Going home to the man who didn’t even deem it fit to check on you for the past three days since you were admitted here? Is that the home you are talking about?” Ella asked angrily.

“Babe…”

Ella shook her head to stop Ken from saying anything, “Excuse us. I want to talk to her alone,” Ella told Ken impatiently. Ken looked from Ella to Tracy, and then back again before walking out of the room.

“I know you may not un-derstand this, but Ayo is still my husband and as long as he lives there, that is our home, and I’m going back there,” Tracy said flatly.

“You are right. I don’t un-derstand. I don’t un-derstand you at all. First you call me your best friend and you keep something like this away from me, and now you want to return to that… That man? After he made you lose your baby? Are you even using your br@in at all?” Ella yelled at her angrily, and tears gathered in Tracy’s eyes.

“It’s all my fault. I caused it,” Tracy said in a weak voice.

“Your fault? So it is okay for a man to beat up his pregnant wife as long as she does something that warrants it?” Ella asked angrily.

Tracy looked at her sadly and tears rolled down her cheeks as she returned to the b£d and sat on it, “He found out.” Tracy blurted out after some seconds.

“Found out what?” Ella asked in confusion.

“He found out about my past,” Tracy said, and broke into a sob which shook her entire b©dy.

Ella’s eyes wi-dened in surprise as she moved closer to the b£d and sat down beside Tracy, “What? How? When?” Ella asked in confusion.

She had met Tracy during her first year in the University. Although Tracy was over five years older than her, they had both gained admission in the same year into the same faculty.

Somehow they had become friends especially because they lived in the same off campus hostel lodge and had to attend GST cl@sses together. She had found out about Tracy’s reckless lifestyle over the time, and then she started avoiding Tracy. One day she went to Tracy’s room to get salt because hers was finished and she was cooking, and that was when she saw Tracy lying in the pool of her blood on her b£d. She had been very scared and had raised alarm immediately, attracting some of the guys in the hostel. On getting to the hospital they found out she had complications due to the last abortion she had done and that was why she was bleeding. Ella had been by her side all through that period praying for her and watching over her.

Tracy had almost died, but somehow God had saved her. After that she had given her life to Christ and stopped her reckless way of life. Two years later she met Ayo at the mall and from there their relationsh¡p started.

Ella had suggested she tell Ayo about her past, but Tracy had vehemently refused. She had been scared that Ayo would leave her once he found out about it, because Ayo had made it clear to her that he hated nothing more than loose women who commit abortions. He had said he would rather marry a single mother than a woman who has had an abortion. Knowing that, Tracy decided to keep it a secret from him, with the confidence that there was no way he was going to ever find out about her past.

Tracy tried to put herself together so she could answer Ella’s question, “You remember Michael? The tall fair guy that used to live in our hostel? That engineering guy that was asking you out?” Tracy asked, and Ella nodded her head.

“He happens to be Ayo’s cousin’s best friend. Remember the p@rty I and Ayo traveled for some time last year? The welcome back p@rty for his cousin who had been abroad?”

“Yes,” Ella said with a nod.

“Michael was there too. So I guess he told Ayo’s cousin, and his cousin told him,” Tracy said making Ella sigh.

“You mean Ayo found out about it since that time? Don’t tell me he has been abusing you since then?” Ella asked in surprise.

“He was very upset when he returned home after hearing from his cousin. He said I deceived him and made a fool out of him. He said I was the cause of our childlessness, and that I was bareen because I’ve aborted all the children God gave to me. After that he started drinking and staying out. Each time he comes back drunk, he either flogs me using his belt or forces himself on me, depending on his mood. And then when we found out I was pregnant he refused to believe he was responsible for the pregnancy. He insisted that he wouldn’t tou-chme or do anything until the baby comes and he carries out a paternity test. He made me move out of our b£droom and we both kept to our sides of the house. Few days ago he forgot his phone in the living room and went to shower, so I picked up his phone when a text notification entered from a girl named Sharon. She was asking him why he wanted to see her again. So I became curious and unlocked his phone so I could find out what their relationsh¡p was, and then I realized she was the person he was having an affair with. When he returned and saw me with his phone, I confronted him, and he became very furious and… And then he…. He…” Tracy broke into a sob, unable to continue.

Ella stood up from where she was seated and went to stand in front of Tracy so she could hold her. She embr@ced Tracy as she sobb£d and tried to comfort her, “I un-derstand all you’ve said, but I still don’t think you should return there. Do you want him to kill you?” Ella asked sadly as she patted Tracy’s back.

“He won’t kill me. I lied to him and I deceived him. Ayo is my husband and I know that dee-p down he still loves me, else he would have divorced me alre-ady. I want to fight for my marriage. I’m not going to give up,” Tracy said amidst her sob.
___________

Kimberly was lying on the b£d with the duvet over her while Eric looked down at her with concern, “We should go to the hospital,” Eric suggested, and Kimberly shook her head.

“I just feel cold. I’m not sick.”

“But you’re not eating anything either. You have kept complaining about everything Aunt Martha has cooked since two days, and I’m surprised she hasn’t blown up yet,” Eric said in concern.

“It’s not deliberate, I promise,” Kimberly said apologetically.

“I know that. She knows that, and everyone else in the house knows that too. That is why no one is making a big deal out of it. However, I’m worried,” Eric said as he reached out a hand to feel her forehead.

“Okay, if by tomorrow I don’t feel better we can go to the hospital. I have to feel better before Saturday anyway. Kathleen will kill me if I turn up at the opening event sick,” Kimberly promised, and then they both looked at the door when they heard the doorbell ring downstairs, “Are you expecting anyone?” Kimberly asked curiously, but Eric shook his head.

Less than a minute later Aunt Martha knocked on the b£droom door, “Someone is here to see you,” she informed Kimberly.

“Who? Me?” She asked in confusion since the only people she knew who could visit her were all people Aunt Martha was familiar with.

“Yes. A man. He said he is your uncle,” Aunt Martha said, making Kimberly’s heart skip a beat. Her uncle? The only uncle she knew of was her aunty’s husband. Why was he here to see her? What did he want?

“You’re sure?” Kimberly asked Aunt Martha, and she nodded.

“I will be down in a moment,” Kimberly said, and Aunt Martha left.

“Are you okay?” Eric asked when he noticed how tense she suddenly seemed.

“I’m not. I think the person downstairs is my late Aunty’s husband,” Kimberly explained, and un-derstanding dawned on Eric.

“I could go downstairs and handle this if you don’t want to meet him,” Eric offered as he reached out to pat her hair softly.

Kimberly drew in a dee-p breath, “I should go down and at least hear what he has to say,” Kimberly said as she lifted the duvet and got out of the b£d.

“I will go down and see him while you get dressed,” Eric offered and ki-ssed her forehead before walking out of the room.

He met Aunt Martha on his way down the p@ssageway and she approached him, “How is she feeling now?” Martha asked curiously.

“She is still feeling a bit cold, but I will take her to the hospital tomorrow or get her medicine if she doesn’t feel better,” Eric said with a small smile.

“Don’t you think she might be pregnant?” Aunty Martha asked before Eric could leave, making him pause.

Eric felt his heart flutter at the thought. It hadn’t exactly occurred to him that she might be pregnant, since he was content with just loving Kimberly until anytime kids came along. But hearing that she might be pregnant kind of sent a thrill through him. The love of his life pregnant with his child? “Pregnant?”

“Yes. I’ve been worried about her inability to eat for the past two days. Pregnancy could be the reason she hasn’t been able to eat much.”

“But I thought pregnant women are supposed to eat much?” Eric asked thoughtfully.

“That is when the pregnancy has advanced. Besides, people have different pregnancy symptoms, and this might be hers. I could send one of the girls to get a pregnancy test str-ip so you both check. That way I can adjust the food timetable to suit her needs if it comes out positive,” Aunty Martha suggested and Eric smiled.

“I don’t want to get our hopes up, but you can send them to get it. We will just give it a try and see. Thank you, Aunt Martha,” Eric said with a smile before continuing to the living room.

“Good afternoon sir,” Eric greeted as he approached the middle-aged man who was seated in the living room.

The man whose head was slightly bowed, and looked like he was dee-p in thought, raised his head when he heard Eric’s voice. He was light-skinned in complexion, and of average height. He had a potbelly like most Nigerian men around that age had, and his face looked weather-beaten.

“Good afternoon,” he greeted as he stood up, “I suppose you are Kimberly’s husband?” He asked with a polite smile, and Eric tried to stifle his sudden urge to knock the smile out of his face. How could he be able to smile after he nearly destroyed someone’s life? Eric wondered.

“Yes, I am. She will join US in a moment,” Eric said coolly, making it clear that he was going to be sitting in on whatever discussion he planned on having with Kimberly.

They both turned towards the staircase when they heard Kimberly’s footsteps, and she paused when she met her uncle’s gaze, and all the painful memories kept flooding back.

Ever since she left their home after he falsely accused her of sed-cing him, she had not set eyes on him since then. Her aunt and cousin had died some years later, but she had been in school and had chosen not to attend their burial.

Eric walked over to the staircase to stand beside Kimberly in a silent show of support. He reached out his hand to her, and she took it. He looked down at their intertwined hands when he noticed hers was shaking, and he placed his other hand around her shoulder, “Don’t worry, I’m here,” he @ssured her quietly.

“Why are you here?” Kimberly asked without bothering to greet him or even sit down. She wanted to hear what he had to say and be done with it.

He cleared his throat, “Can we sit down?” He asked in a pleading tone.

“This is my house, not yours. I will sit down if or when I want to. I’m sure you will tell me why you are here regardless of whether or not I sit,” Kimberly said bitterly, and he nodded.

“I un-derstand. I’ve been thinking to come and see you for some years now, but I’ve always been scared you won’t listen to me. So when I heard you’re married now, I decided to come and see you,” he said apologetically.

“See me? What for?” Kimberly asked coldly.

He looked shamefaced, and didn’t meet her gaze this time, “I’m sorry. I’m very sorry for everything I did to you. I… I didn’t know what I was doing,” he pleaded.

Kimberly’s entire b©dy shook with emotion, but she bit her lower li-p to keep herself from crying as she stared at him with anger, “You didn’t know what you were doing?” She asked in a very low voice like she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

“I’m very sorry for everything. I’m a changed man now. I have given my life to Christ, and I’m even a pastor now. I’m just here to ask for forgiveness and restitute…”

“Restitute?” Kimberly cut in before he could finish, and she turned to look at Eric in disbelief, “Did he just say restitute?” She asked incredulously.

“Baby, please calm down,” Eric pleaded.

Kimberly took in a shaky breath as she tried to calm herself, “You’re a pastor now? When did you repent?”

“Five years ago. I’ve been wanting to come and see you…”

“Five years ago? So if I had died within this time and gone to hell, you would have been serving God? You mean God forgave you after you almost ruined my life?” Kimberly asked bitterly as tear after tear dropped from her eyes.

“I’ve been praying for you. I made it my duty to pray for your salvation and for God to compensate you as that was the only way I could ever face you. Please I’m sorry,” he knelt with his head bowed, while Kimberly broke into a sob.

Eric held her close to himself while she cried. She couldn’t believe that she could easily have died and gone to hell, while one of the people who ruined her life, would possibly have gone to heaven. Why did God have to be so merciful and forgiving to everyb©dy? Why couldn’t he punish this man for everything he had put her through? Why? Kimberly asked herself as her b©dy shook with the force of her sob.

“Babe, I un-derstand how you feel, but you have to forgive him. Who knows? Maybe it’s his prayers that have brought you this far. Please forgive him and let go of the past so that you can move on completely,” Eric whispered into her ears as she kept sobbing.

After crying for some time, Kimberly managed to compose herself before looking down at the man who was still on his knees, “I’ve forgiven you, but I don’t want to ever set my eyes on you again.”

With that, Kimberly walked away, and Eric hurried after her since he knew she was most likely going to the b£droom to continue crying from where she stopped.

WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 35