I started feeling uncomfortable in the bus just because a woman wouldn't stop staring at me. I noticed her about 20 minutes after the bus took off and had to check myself properly using my smartphone as a mirror to be sure there was nothing wrong with my appearance.
She looked like someone in her 50's, and despite catching her staring, she barely blinks her eyes twice after journeying for over 2 hours.
The bus finally arrived in Lagos, and I felt glad. I hopped out of the bus immediately and went about asking people for directions to the Lagos State Secretariat, my place of primary assignment.
"Thanks, ma," I replied to the market woman who gave directions after purchasing a chilled bottle of Pepsi from her and hit the road again.
"Hey young man," A female voice called as I was walking down to the garage according to the description given to me.
I didn't answer because I wasn't the only young man on the road, and I remember how my parents warned me about scammers in Lagos, especially the place I was popularly called Oshodi.
"Young man! Corper, the one holding Pepsi. Please wait," The voice said again, and the people walking behind me even assisted her in calling me.
"Who could know me here?" I muttered, stopping to see who it was.
"Madam, please, are you tailing me? I saw you staring at me in the bus, and here you are, following me again.
"I mean no harm. Some things about you caught my attention, and I was curious," she replied.
"Okay, ma, I don't have much time. I am heading to my PPA," I replied, moving away from the road, and she followed.
"Please, can I know your age?" She asked.
"My age? Just like that? I am sorry, ma, I can't give such sensitive information to a stranger," I replied.
"Don't you notice the similarities in our facial look?" She stuttered, and for a moment, I looked at her properly.
I noticed the striking resemblance really and was stunned because even my parents or siblings don't share those strong features with me.
"Please, how old are you?" She asked again, wiping her sweat with a brown handkerchief.
"I will be 25 in a few weeks," I replied.
"Oh no, that can't be. 24? She stuttered and burst into tears immediately.
"What's wrong with this woman?" I thought, feeling embarrassed seeing her cry. A few passersby paused and kept staring at us, but they didn't come closer.
"I put a mark on you as a baby, it's on your left shoulder. I was so stupid." Her voice trembled, and I became curious as well.
I have the mark truly, and mom said it was burn from my infant days.
"How did she know? Is this a mind game or these fraudstars mom spoke about?" I was lost in thought for a second.
"Please, ma'am, I need to go now. I am running late," I replied, checking my wristwatch again.
"Can I see you again?" She asked.
"It depends on why you want to see me again. I don't know you, or are you somehow related to my parents?" I asked
"I don't know your parents but would like to sit and talk to you again," she replied, stretching a business card to me.
I took the card and continued with my trip immediately. But while on the bus, I couldn't stop thinking about everything that happened.
"How come I don't look like my parents or siblings but have a striking resemblance with a complete stranger?" Several thoughts popped up in my head, and I just bottled them upon arriving at the secretariat.
I informed my parents about my arrival, and they were happy. We chatted a bit more about the trip, and they told me how much everyone was missing me already.
"I will be home for my birthday since there is a holiday that week. I miss you guys too," I replied.
"Mom, I met a woman today, and she kept asking me funny questions. We had a striking resemblance, and I still can't comprehend how," I told my mom as she was bidding me goodbye.
"When did all of that happen?" Mom stuttered.
"This morning," I replied.
"Don't mind those scammers, my son. Remember, I warned you," she replied.
"Be very careful with the people you interact with," my dad said in the background.
"I am being careful, but what surprised me was that she claimed to have put the mark on my shoulder there," I replied.
"What! That's not true," Mom's voice trembled and she went silent.
"Mom, are you okay?" I asked.
"She's fine," my dad replied sharply, and the call ended a few minutes later.
I didn't reach out to the woman, but something happened when I went home for holidays about three weeks later.
Everyone was happy to see me and I knew there was big plan for my birthday. Despite the smiles on everyone's faces, I noticed Mom looked worried but she claimed everything was alright after asking.
I had barely unpacked my bag finish when I heard knock repeatedly on my door.
"Come in," I replied, readjusting on the single-seater sofa in my room.
"I wish this could wait until tomorrow, but it can't. We just have to let you know tonight," my dad said to me after sitting on the bed with mom.
Mom stretched a brown folder to me, and I collected it.
"The woman you saw that day could be your biological mother," dad said while I was opening the folder, and I burst into laughter immediately.
"Is this a prank?" I stuttered.
"Read those documents first," Mom replied with tears already dripping down her cheek.
My hands were shaking as I opened the folder and reached the document inside.
"Adoption form of George Dee," I read slowly and went to look at my parents faces again.
"We couldn't tell you even though we tried to. We didn't know how much it would break you," Dad replied to me.
"I was adopted?" I stuttered standing from the sofa.
"Yes, you were. We found you at the church gate and decided to adopt you after involving the police," Mom replied.
"You mean my biological mother threw me away?"
"Yes, and we took you in. You made our lives beautiful since then," Dad replied.
I was soaked in tears already, not because of the story. I just couldn't comprehend why my adopted parents treated me just like their kids.
"We are sorry for hiding this from you, and we don't want your siblings to ever know," Mom replied.
"You shouldn't be sorry, and I should be the one thanking you more for treating me like your son," I replied, wiping my tears.
"You are our son and will always be," Mom replied, opening her arms to hug me.
We hugged and just couldn't stop crying all through the night.
At dawn the next day, I was tempted to reach out to my biological mother. The temptation was high, but instead of doing that, I burned the business card.
She threw me away, and regardless of what could have happened, I was dead to her.
It's been six years since the discovery, but it doesn't change anything. I am happy with my adopted parents, and they will always be my parents.