On the day Ada was born the joy of her parents knew no bounds. If one can ride a horse with her parents that day, the horse won't stumble. They were so joyous because God had indeed decided to wipe their tears and given them someone they could proudly call "theirs".
Mr and Mrs Chidalu have been married for 15 years without a child of their own. They've gone from one mountain to the other, likewise shrines, to find a solution to their childlessness, but all efforts have been futile. People were starting to mock them. Some were even saying Mr Chidalu is impotent and can't get a woman pregnant. Some said his wife is just an empty barrel.
Year in year out they face different hardships as a result of their childlessness. Mr Chidalu's mother did not help matters at all as she takes every little opportunity she has to remind Mrs. Chidalu of her barrenness. She would always advise her son to marry another woman who would give him a child.
The day she found out that she was 3 weeks pregnant, she started dancing right from the doctor's office till she got home. People who saw her on the road were wondering whether she was drunk on cheap liquor or had finally gone mad. She couldn't wait to give her husband the good news.
Mr Chidalu peeped from the window to see who had just entered the compound, and he saw his wife dancing and singing at the top of her voice. He hasn't seen his wife this happy for several years now. This is such a wonderful sight to behold. This is the woman he married. The woman who was always joyful but the challenges of life made her a shadow of herself.
What could be the reason for this sudden joyfulness?? Is it what he is thinking?? No, it can't be! He shouldn't give himself hope; hence, he is being disappointed if it's something else that is making her dance this much. He stepped outside the door to meet up with her and ask her what the good news is.
God has done it finally!! She said, amidst tears, and was lost for words. She started rolling on the floor. All she could say was "Chukwu daalu" meaning thank You God.
After worshipping God with songs for a while, she gave her husband the pregnancy test result that the doctor gave her. He was dumbfounded. "So, God has not forgotten us?" he asked. "Yes, my darling. God has not forgotten us" his wife replied. He joined her in the singing and dancing.
Throughout the pregnancy period, Mr. Chidalu ensured that his wife didn't go through any form of stress. He did the cooking all through the 9 months. He'll tidy up the house, go to the market to get cooking ingredients, and lots more. She is a queen and should be treated as such.
Several kinds of food and drinks were served on the day of their child's naming ceremony. Everybody in their community was grateful to God for the bundle of joy. They did party till the next day.
Gradually the little girl became a teenager. Ada became a very beautiful girl to behold, has nice curves, and looks older than her age because of her stature. She was admired by all. She was a young girl with a very promising future. Above all, she was her parents' pride.
On the day she started menstruating, her mom told her everything that she needed to know about the change in her body system. She gave her so much advice and told her the dangers of premarital sex. Ada promised her mother that she would keep herself till her wedding day.
Ada was in the school library one day when she saw the most beautiful pair of brown eyes looking at her. It was the eyes of a new student called Stanley. Stanley approached her and they got talking. They discovered they had a lot in common, and they became very good friends.
Feelings started creeping in. Stanley asked Ada to be his girlfriend and she accepted after telling herself that they won't have sex with each other. Stanley started asking her questions about when she'll come visit him at the house. She kept on telling him "someday"
A fateful day, Ada decided to pay him a surprise visit. She had already asked Stanley's close friend to describe how to get to his house for her. When Stanley saw her at the door, he was very happy. He hugged her and they started gisting. One thing led to the other and before they could realize what they were doing, they had already had sex with each other.
Ada was so ashamed of herself. She kept blaming herself for going to Stanley's house but the deed had already been done. It's been 364 days since she started menstruating and has always ensured she kept to her mother's advice. This one day of disobedience won't get her pregnant, right???
She kept what happened to herself.
The following month she didn't see her period. She went to the hospital and it was confirmed by the doctor that she's pregnant.
"Where does she want to start from??? How will she tell her mother that she engaged in the premarital sex she warned her sternly against?? What will happen to her education??" This and many other questions were what Ada kept asking herself but she has no answer to any of them.
This is my response to THE INK WELL weekly fictional prompt #235 titled "A fateful day"
