It was time for Maya’s valedictory service in high school. All parents were invited to collect their valedictory service tickets from the school. Just like every other parent did, Lucy, Maya’s mum went with her to school.
On getting to school, there was a strange woman in school. She walked into the reception and approached the front desk. She greeted the young man, Lateef who was behind the counter and claimed to be Maya’s mum.
“I’m sorry ma. The only Maya we have in this school is the daughter of Mr Ben Smith and Mrs Lucy Smith,” Lateef politely said to the strange woman and suddenly, she yelled.
“Maya is my daughter. Hand over her valedictory ticket to me right now,” the strange woman’s scream happened simultaneously with Lucy’s entrance into the office.
Just as the strange woman yelled, her face caught the attention of Lucy and she was instantly recognized.
“Hey, Miss Mary. It’s been a while. How have you been and what are you doing here? Do you have a child here in Franklin Academy as well?” Lucy politely asked. Lateef was still sitting quietly behind the counter and hoping the strange woman, Miss Mary, repeats herself claiming that she is Maya’s mum in the presence of the real mother.
“Oh yes, I have a child here. She attends this school as well and she’s one of the soon-to-be graduates,” Miss Mary grumbled.
“That’s amazing. What’s her name? I should know her. Maya has so many friends in her class,” Lucy gushed over Miss Mary’s news.
“Maya of course,” she boastfully said.
“Maya? What do you mean? Maya is my daughter and the last time I checked, you were just our surrogate sixteen years ago. So, why are you claiming to be Maya’s mum…?” Lucy said confusingly while Lateef broke into her speech.
“No wonder. She came here and kept claiming to be Maya’s mum and asked me to handover the valedictory tickets to her,” immediately, Lateef called the school security to show Miss Mary out.
Angrily, Lucy steps out of the office and heads straight to her lawyer. On her way, she called her husband, Ben to meet her at the lawyer’s office.
“What’s with the rush madam. I’m sorry but why did you barge into my office. What could be the problem?” Anderson, Lucy’s lawyer asks and offers her a seat.
“Anderson, today, I won’t be talking much. All I need you to do is find me the original copy that Miss Mary signed to be my surrogate sixteen years ago,” she yelled.
Anderson still doesn’t know why she asked for the document. At least, it was a done deal and there was no way Miss Mary will come back to claim the child so Anderson continued to think about why Lucy woke up one morning and was so keen on finding the signed document.
While in search of the signed document, Ben barged in as well. He barged in like someone who has heard about an emergency or someone’s death.
“Babe, why did you call me in such manner? Why did you ask me to meet you at the lawyer’s office? I thought we got into trouble. Why?” Ben asked fearfully to know what crime their family had committed.
“Yes! I found the signed document” Anderson said and handed it over to Lucy.
“Babe, would you believe that I met Miss Mary at Franklin Academy today and she was claiming to be Maya’s mum? That’s not all. She even requested to have Maya’s valedictory ticket,” she explains.
What! Ben was baffled. He remembers very well when he had to double Miss Mary’s pay so she won’t come back to claim the child.
Immediately, he retrieved his lost contacts and finally found Miss Mary contact and house address. Anderson sends a mail and a printed letter to Miss Mary.
Hello, Miss Mary. I am writing to invite you to my office at your earliest convenience, preferably next Thursday. There is a pressing matter we need to discuss and it will be good to have you around. My address is in your mail and I hope to have you
Lawyer Anderson
On Thursday, Miss Mary finally showed up in Anderson’s office. Without further ado, he showed her the signed document of sixteen years ago.
“Do you know who a surrogate is?” Anderson asked.
“Yes, I do,” Miss Mary responded.
“If yes, why are you claiming to be Maya’s mum to the point of going to her school and wanting to have her valedictory ticket?” Anderson asksd.
“I know I have no right to her life but I’m only being desperate. After I had her for her parents, all my efforts to having my child became futile. That’s why I felt I have a child somewhere and wanted to claim her,” Miss Mary finally explained the reasons to her recent actions.
At last, she signed another document of being a surrogate and not the real mother of Maya. In the end, the case got resolved and Lucy had the full custody of her child for the second time.
She walks into Franklin Academy and requested for her child’s valedictory ticket. She got it and gained access to the event two weeks later.
It was an amazing one and Maya won the best student overall.
