Chapter 48
Chapter 48
Maya turned herself away from the sun rays that were so much penetrating the curtains in the room
that had become hers for the past one week. Another night of her not sleeping at all. To even think that
it was one week and still she didn't get any sleep at all. All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.
She drew the duvet on the over her head and tried to close her eyes. She did try and she had been
doing that for those past days but the image of the Kimberly and her husband didn't let her close them
for that long.
They were there. In front of her. Shouting at each other on things that she didn't even understand
herself and then the revolution. The truth coming into light. That's when her world turned upside down.
When she realized that she, she had not been the only victim in this relationship alone.
Maya pushed the covers away and walked to the bathroom. Her tears wouldn't let her be for the past
one week. She thought that maybe she would cry for a day or two but they never stopped running
down her cheeks.
She turned the shower on and stripped naked. Maybe the shower would help her in calming down.
Help her understand why things had taken that direction. Why she wasn't the one who was pregnant.
Instead, it was her ex husband lover who was.
Those were the answers she was seeking. The answers to why she couldn't never be happy with in her
life. It's like the universe was against her happiness since the day she was born. Like she was never
born to be happy but watch others get their happiness.
It hurt. It hurt that every single time that she got just a little bit of happiness something came her way.
And how could it not hurt? She had a bother before who was her happiness but he walked away. He
left her to pursue his dreams of becoming a soldier.
Then she met Chris. Her teenager crush who loved her for only few months. Maya had dreams and
hopes. She had planned their future together. Their ups and downs and yet, her happiness was taken
away from her by an innocent child. A child that knew no mistake of its parents. And who was she
supposed to blame for her misfortune? Who?
She had no one. No one to blame but her bad lack. She was a bad omen as her father had grown
calling her. She was even a murder as he used to call her. Wait, used to? He still called her that and
now, if she used to wonder why, she had the answers now. She had them and it still hurt her. Wasn't
she supposed to be happy to finally understand why her dad called her a murder? She was right?
But she was not. Instead it brought more sorrows to her than it did before. The cold water run down her
body and the tears did. They still flowed despite the cold water that run down her. How could they stop
if she still kept on thinking about her misfortune.
It wasn't fair that she had so many of them. But again the world itself isn't fair. Just as they say if you
want fairness in these life, then you've to make it yourself. Like if you don't want to be poor, work hard
for you not to be. That's how life is. You need to be a shark in the ocean and not a fish.
But how could she be shark when she was always the fish. The one that was eaten by the sharks.
Kimberly was the shark. She had come back to survive and her survival was swallowing the fish which
was her. Then how can a fish turn into being a shark? Her happy time was over and it was hard to
believe it. Very hard.
Hard as it was with the night that everything changed. How do you accept that the man that you love
was raped and he never told you that. Not even once did he see that you could handle such news. He
didn't believe in her. Chris didn't trust her that much as to tell her shit.
And could she blame him? Of course not. Maybe she hadn't given him the reason to. She had not
given him a chance to prove that he could trust her and that's why he suffered in silence. He made love
to her pretending it didn't bring bad memories to him.
He fulfilled all her happiness and not ones did she think of asking if he was okay. She was selfish.
Selfish enough to think of only herself and no one else. Selfish to let her husband down in such a way.
And how does one make it up to that? How does one correct such mistakes? How?
Maya walked out of the bathroom with her shaking body. She didn't know if it's because of the cold
shower or her crying body. Yes, her body was crying in more than one way. Maya pulled a grey
sweatpants and a black sweater on her body before sitting on her bed.
She had nothing to do or she wasn't allowed to do anything in this house. Maya pulled her knees up
and laid her chin on them. Her thoughts weren't giving her a chance to stop thinking. Her mind just
wanted to run wild on its on and she had no energy in stopping it. How she she anyway when it was
her reality. Or it's what had become of her. For crying out loud, she hadn't even showed herself in the
hospital or even bothered to call.
It's like she even didn't care about her responsibility. Those patience were her responsibility and she
didn't bother to as someone to take care of them? Again who was going to be her responsibility? Who
was going to go about her anyway?
Was Chris even looking for her? Of course she didn't leave home for her to be searched. She didn't
want to get attention of any one by leaving. She just wanted to think. To digest what had translated that
evening. The revelation to sink in and she even didn't know she had left the mansion until a cab stood
before her.
She was still dressed in her booty shorts. And when the cab stood of the big gate, she realized that she
had asked the driver to bring her here. She was still crying and the cab driver being so kind enough he
run the door bell and waited till it was opened.
He helped her out of his cab and when he was asked to wait for his cash, he said he helped a person
in need and that was more than enough to him. Maya remembered him telling that everything will be
alright and all she did was nod her head. And that night she explained her situation to her....
Maya's thoughts were cut short by the knock on the door.
"May I come in?" Bernice asked as her head came to view at the door.
Maya smiled at her and sat up well as she told her mother in law to come in. Yes, she had come to her
when ever thing went to south. She run to her or her mind knew she was the only one who would
understand her pain. And it was right.
Bernice had treated more than she was supposed to. I mean, what kinda mother in law would chose to
heal her daughter in law's pain instead of her hurting son? Apparently it was Bernice. And all she had
to do was be there for Maya. Show her love and affection that Maya had failed to show Chris.
"I'll not get tired of telling you this dear," Bernice said to Maya as she took her hands into hers. "Let
God fight your battles dear. He has a reason why somethings have to happen the way they do."
Of course He had plans for every reason and that's why He took her happiness away from her when
she got one. He never wanted her happy. That's even why He never gave her a chance to meet her
mother. To experience motherly love. And He had plans for her? He had His reasons for putting her in
such a spot? He sure did have plans for her. He sure did. And they weren't happy ones. But miserable
once.
But she wasn't going to say that to her mother in law. She wasn't going to say, 'hey mother, guess what,
I stopped believing in Him a week a go,' she wasn't going to do that.
"I think this battle I'll fight on my own." Maya said smiling sadly at her mother in law. That was better
than saying I no longer believe. "I think He has fought so many of mine that I think its time I fought this
one."
Bernice rubbed her daughter in law's back. "He never gets tired of fighting for us Maya. He will never
do that. God is faithful and I think you've learned or seen His faithfulness in your patience. He never
forsakes and He won't start now, dear." She said looking into those swollen green eyes that no longer
had life in them. It's like they're giving up when they weren't supposed to do that.
"The reasons why we face more challenges in our lives is because we fight our on battles. We never let
God fight for us. And I think it's time we gave God His battles back. God wants His battle Maya. He
wants to fight for you and not you to fight for yourself. Do you get me?"
She did but how to do that she had no idea do she just nodded her head. Bernice was a mother that
Maya never got to meet. She was always there for her from the word go. And Maya would never regret
ever meeting her. She has regretted so much in her life but Bernice will never be one of them.
Bernice pulled Maya into a hug and rubbed her back as Maya took deep breaths.
"Someone came in late yesterday to see you but I didn't let disturb your sleep." Bernice said when she
pulled away from the embrace. "That's why I came to fetch you."
Maya thought it was Alma but Alma never waited downstairs for her. In fact when she came, she came
with a tray of food to her to room just to force it down her throat. So who would be looking for her? She
turned away from Bernice to think of the possible someone but none came in the picture.
It wasn't Chris. He must be mad a her for being selfish. For her not seeing his pain for all those months.
For months and she saw nothing. What does that make of her? What does that tell of her? He must
hate her so much. Hate her for sharing three good intimate months together yet she saw nothing at all.
She didn't even have a hint of anything.
And yet she had the guts to fight with him over him firing Kimberly? Hell she was so stupid and stupid
people like her didn't deserve anyone's love. They didn't even deserve to leave because what's the
reason when you see no shit around you? She didn't deserve his love and it was good that he didn't
come looking for her.
Maya looked at Bernice and smiled her but she was sure it never reached her eyes. It didn't matter how
hard she wanted it to reach because it didn't. She got up and walked after Bernice down the corridors
of her long hallway.
Maybe one of her friends had figured it out of her where about and they were her to see if she was
okay.
"Momma, can I see her now?" Chris asked turning around to look at them only then did he realise that
she was there with his mother.
Maya swallowed hard. Why did he come to her? Why was he there? Yes it was his house but still. She
had hoped, she had prayed that it wasn't him. Wait a minute, did she just pray? The last time she
prayed was in an operation room. That's when she prayed. And that was eight days ago. Yes, that long.
Maya didn't move from where she had stopped. It's funny that her legs didn't move when she wanted
them to. Few days ago they moved when she didn't want them to and now when she wants them to
they aren't. What do we call that? She also had no idea.
With her legs glued on the ground, her eyes scanned her husband. He had changed in a week. She
could notice his loose of weight but not that much. He hadn't shaved also. And his eyes. Those
beautiful eyes that she loved to watch while they united were swollen.
They looked like they has not slept for the past few days and it hurt her. Her heart was bleeding for him.
It was beating for him also. And in a way she was happy to see that he was okay. That he still breathed
despite everything.
Chris smiled at her and unlike her, his smiled reached his swollen eyes. It was genuine and if her heart
didn't bleed before, it sure did now.
"Cupcake." He called taking slow measurable steps towards her.
"I'll leave you two to talk." Bernice said walking away from the room. She didn't miss the pleading eyes
of Maya but they had to whatever they had gotten themselves in. Alone.
"Cupcake." Chris called again drawing Maya away from her pleading eyes which looked where Bernice
had disappeared into. He was now in front of her.
And before Maya could do anything, Chris pulled her into his embrace. God, he smelled good as
always. A smell that she had missed for those eight days. She missed the warmth that even radiated
from his body to hers. She missed her husband so much. She missed her fiancee more than she
thought she could ever miss anyone. She missed him more than anything in this world.
"Kitten." Chris called pulling away from her. "Are you okay? Why did you leave me like that. I was going
crazy without you. I couldn't even sleep worrying to death about your where abouts. I went to hospitals
and police stations to even check you there in more than five time a day. Please never do that because
I know I won't survive without you. Okay?"
Maya pulled away letting his hands fall on his side. "What are you doing here Chris?"
That's not what she wanted to ask. It was never going to be a question when she thought of the day
she will meet with him. She wanted to tell his not to worry about her. Not to ever give up in leaving for
his unborn kid. To never worry about her safety but his. That's what she wanted to tell him. That's all
she did want to say all this past days.
"What do you mean, Maya?" Chris asked with hurt. "I came to take me wife home with me Maya and
don't think for a second that I'm leaving without you."
"Wife?" Again her mouth was the one talking and not her. You know, like it had its own mind. "What
kinda wife do you think you've Chris? The one who doesn't see her husband's pain? The one who
doesn't even..."
"Maya, what are you talking about? I never told you no shit." He took her hand into his. "I'm sorry Maya.
I'm really sorry."
"You shouldn't be Chris. I am so selfish that I only thought of myself and myself alone. I should have
seen your pain. I should have done something to help you."
"Maya, how could you've known that I was raped when I never told you anything. I mean, it happened
four months ago and I had those months to tell you. One month earlier we're friends and I chose to
keep it to myself. That even proves that I never trusted you enough to tell you my pain."
"That maybe true Chris but I still failed you. You didn't trust me enough to tell me what happened to you
because I never made you feel like you can trust me. I mean we're a couple. We should fight this pain
together and yet you fought on your own."
"I never fought on my own Maya. I had a psychologist whom I visited every Wednesday afternoon." He
let go of her hand and comped his hair with his hands. "Maya, I had your love to keep me going and
never once did I remember of that horrible day with you. I admit that I did remember it but not with you.
Please believe. You're always there for me in more ways than you think you've Maya. So please let's
go home."
"I can't Chris. I'm sorry."
Chris looked at her and she saw the shock on his face. How could she explain it to him? Explain that
there life's will never be the same. That she had failed him in more ways than one. That it wasn't him
who called the shots anymore and neither was she.
"What do you mean you can't, cupcake." He asked his slowly trying so hard not to shout and she could
tell that because it was almost a year since she began to leave with him. "I'm not mad at you and I
hope you're not."
"You should hate me, Chris."
"And what right do I've got that?"
"Aren't you listening to me? I'm your wife for crying out loud. I'm supposed to feel your pain and I didn't.
You're supposed to hate me."
"I thought we're passed that Maya?" He was now mad.
"Well, we're not Chris. We can't move on from where we left from." She tried to reason. "We can't
pretend nothing happened."
"I'm not saying we should pretend. You said that we're man and wife and we should fight together. And
yes nothing will be the same again but we've to stick together. I love you Maya. You're my life and I
can't leave without you. Or don't you love me anymore?"
"Chris." Maya called him. "I love you but..."
"But what Maya?" He couldn't hold it anymore. He was shouting at her. "I'm a lesser man for you? I'm a
weakling who got raped? I mean what kinda strong man gets raped, right? Is that why you no longer
want me as your husband? Do I disgust you now? Tell me Maya. Do I mak..."
Slap. And another. That's what stopped him from going on. He was shooting red when he looked up at
her but she didn't care. He was talking nonsense and she wasn't going to stand there and listen. If
hitting him was what was going to keep him quite, then she will do it again and again.
"What right do you've to judge me? Uhh..." If he could get mad she also could get mad. "How selfish of
you to think of yourself Mr. Just a wake up call, the world doesn't revolve around anymore and neither
does it revolve around us. I don't even know if there is anymore Chris. Do you think that it's easy.
"Easy for me to always know at the back of my mind that your have an innocent child out of wedlock?
That that kid may grow up thinking that I'm the reason it grew up without a complete family? Do you
think I'll just follow you because you came looking for me? It's high time you thinking of your child first
before anything else."
"What are you talking about Maya? I never planned for this to happen. Hell I'm not even sure if that kid
is mine and if it is why did Kim take four months to show up? Why did she show at our door step
shaking like a leaf the way she did? I won't thing of that kid until I'm sure it's mine."
"Don't be ridiculous Chris, she even can with the prove herself. Remember the pregnant results which
show that the baby is yours, remember? Don't tell me you need DNA test to be sure."
The look in his face told her the answer before he even spoke up.
"Maya don't be so naive. A woman capable of rape is also capable of passing her pregnancy to
someone else."
She wasn't being naive. Or maybe she was but she saw the true in Kimberly that night. She saw it and
her shaking at there door step was because it was called that night. What else would make her shiver if
not coldness. Right?
"I can't do this Chris, I'm so sorry." She moved to walk away but he pulled her right back to him.
Chris held her close that they breathed the same air. No space was left between the two of them and
he missed the closeness between them.
"I won't let you walk away Maya." Their lips were brushing each other when he spoke and the softness
in his lips had her thanking her mother in law for the privacy. She held felt the back door close when
Bernice walked away meaning she wasn't around any more.
"Don't do this to me Maya." He pecked her lips and she missed that. "You can't take my happiness
away from me because I'll die. I love you Maya. I love you very much to let you go."
"I also love you Chris but..."
They were swallowed by the warm lips on hers. She even didn't waste anytime in kissing him back.
The kiss was pleading. Pleading for her to go back with him and it hurt. And when he slide his tongue
with hers, it was too much for her.
It felt like good by yet a promising one. It felt like it was going to be the last time they kissed and her
heart bleed with the kiss. She allowed her hands to run through his hair and he held he tight like they
were saying goodbye which scared the hell out of her.
Before Maya knew it, they were in the room that she had so much grown used to and Chris's hands
where everywhere on her body. This was his room when he came to stay with his mother and that was
before they got married because not ones did he come over when they were married.
Instead it was Bernice who visited them but the last she did was even her first when Maya had just
gotten married to her son. Chris pulled her sweater over her head and looked at her. She missed those
hazel eyes which were now turning blue lusting over her. He whispered beautiful before taking her lips
in his and kissing her like there was no tomorrow.
And they loved each other before they fell asleep in each others arms.
*******
"Are you ready?" Bernice asked when Maya took the last step of the stairs.
She was dressed in blue sweatpants and a black sweater. It was past two days since Chris came to the
house and she had told him that she would think about it before he left. She didn't know why but it felt
like he didn't believe her.
But she had to keep her promise to him and for the past two days she had been thinking. Thinking of
what was best for them and she had come up with the answers. And that's why she was going to see
him today.
Maya nodded her head and took the car keys that Bernice had offered her when she had borrowed her
phone to call uber.
"Whatever you decide Maya, I'm always here for you."
"Thank you, mother." She walked over and embraced her as tight as she could. "I won't forget this. I
promise."
Bernice pulled away and smiled at her. "You better get moving before we start crying or think we're not
seeing each other again. I'm sure we've many years of being emotional. Right, just go and see that boy
of mine. And please, go easy on him."
"I'll mother. Goodbye."
"Not goodbye Maya, it's see you later."
"Sure thing." She pecked her forehead before she left.
Maya stood in front of the mansion door. She was confused as to whether walk in or just walk away.
And just when she was about to walk away because she couldn't do it, the door opened reviling
Kimberly.
She wore a long maternity dress which had Maya regret coming here. She wasn't supposed to be here
at all.
"Maya? I was just about to leave." She said moving out of the door way. "Chris is in, I think I'll give you
guys space."
"Actually I want you to be there." Maya saw the shock in Kimberly's face but she chose to go on. "It's
about us and you're now part of us."
"Maya, I'm so sorry for everything that I did to you and Chris. I just hope that you guys..."
"Can we go in Kim. To be honest I'm not ready for this."
And they did. Kimberly walked before Maya as if understanding what she meant. Something had
changed about her but it wasn't time to know what. Maya stood at the sitting room and let her
memories of the house flow on her mind.
Both the good and the bad ones. The last time she was here she was watching The Society and never
even got the chance to finish it. It wasn't fair. One moment you're happy and the next you're in hell
burning in it.
Kimberly disappeared upstairs which Maya assumed was to call Chris. This was her house and she
was supposed to be the one calling her husband and not Kimberly. But allot of things were going to
change when she said what she had decided.
Maya didn't know how long she waited but when next she knew where she was she was in her
husband's arms. He embraced her tight and kept saying he missed her.
Maya wrapped her arms around him. She watched as Kimberly smile at her. That wasn't the Kimberly
that she knew. The Kimberly she knew would be fuming at them and spitting bitter words on her. But as
she thought, something had changed with Kim.
"How are you?" Chris asked taking her hands into his. "please have a seat. Did you chose to come
back? Do you still want us to fight for our love?"
"Chris, I'm fine and please go easy on me. I might die with your questions before I even get a chance to
answer them."
"Yeah, sorry about that. Please sit. I'm just anxious I guess."
"I can understand." She watched as Chris sat on the opposite side from her and Kim sat at the other
side.
"I made a decision." Maya said after a long time of silence. None of the two looked away. "I think you
should ask your lawyer to meet mine."
It wasn't easy saying that but she did and her eyes were filled with tears when she finished saying
those word. She loved Chris. More than life itself but at times it's good to let go the people that you love
no matter how hard it is. For the sake of the child she sacrificed her love for him. She gave up on their
love just for that kid to have a father.
Yes, Chris could be still married to her and still be dad to that kid but she didn't chose that. She wasn't
going to be selfish anymore. She was going to do the right thing and the right thing at that moment was
for her to let go. For her to let her husband be a free man.
"What are you talking about Maya?" Chris asked not wanting to believe what she wanted to mean.
"I want a divorce Chris."
Chris got up from his seat. All he could say was no.
"Chris, stop being selfish."
"I'm being selfish? It's you Maya who is the selfish one and not me. You're the one who is thinking of
yourself here and not me Maya."
"I'm thinking of myself. I'm not thinking of myself here. I'm thinking of your unborn child."
"And you think that will make me happy?" Chris rubbed the back of his neck looking at his soon to be
ex wife if he allowed it.
Maya looked away from him. "It's no longer about what makes us happy anymore."
"Is that so? Then I would rather die that loose you when I just got you."
"Chris..."
"Maya, I think Chris is right. You're what makes him happy and I just wanted him to know that we've a
kid together. Not for him to bring the kid up or give up his life but for him to only be aware."
"What do you mean?"
"Chris loves you and you love him back." Kimberly tried to explain. "I was on my way to take my
renewed Visa when you came. I'm leaving the state."
"What?" It was from both of them.
"I'm leaving the state to start a new life. Motherhood life. And I wanted to tell you that before I left and
for your forgiveness. Then you left and it contradicted things. But my flight leaves on Thursday."
"And when were you planning to tell me this?" Chris asked.
"Today after I took my Visa."
"You can't take the kid away Kim, I'll divorce Chris."
Kimberly laughed at Maya's statement.
"Maya, you're his happiness. Chris has loved you since he first kissed you. He didn't know that but I
knew. I mean he had kissed so many people before and nothing has changed but when he kissed you
everything changed. I was so much in love with him that I refused to let him go. And my obsession led
to rape.
"I regret what I did every single day and my punishment is Chris not reporting me to the authorities.
And I'm sorry. Sorry for ever slapping you, insulting you and baring the bad news. He loves you and
you won't sacrifice his happiness for his pain. I'm his pain and you won't give him that and I won't allow
that."
Maya didn't know who was more shocked between the two of them. Chris or her. But Kimberly's
speech had them speechless for all she knew. Kimberly was apologizing and letting Chris go. This
changed everything she thought.
When Maya was about to speak up, the door bell went off. Such a bad timing when she wanted to say
something to both of them. Chris looked at them and they did the same. Again the door bell went off
and this time Chris moved.
He walked to the door and opened it. Chris walked back to them with two police officer behind him.
"Officer how may I help you?" Maya asked once they had come to stand.
"Their was a man who was hit ten days ago and the car was caught on the street CCTV footage."
The officer in her left tried to explain. Maya saw Kimberly take a step behind and that's when she
realized it. It was her who did it. She hit a man and run away and the only place she could go was
there. That explained why she was at their door step shaking.
That's even why she was leaving the state and it's not for motherhood but to escape law. It all made
sense to even her saying she didn't even plan on telling Chris she was pregnant. But that night forced
her to say it so that she could stay at the mansion as she worked on her Visa.
"The registration matched the car registered under your name, Mr. Rollins." The other cop went on to
explain to them.
"What registration?" Chris asked looking at them. "I was at home. What time did this accident happen?"
"It wasn't an accident since the one who did that run away instead of helping." The left cop answered.
"And it took place at around 10p.m.
"I was at home that time."
Maya could tell Chris had not yet put two into two to get one her so she spoke up.
"What's the registration number?"
And they showed it to Chris and it's like it registered something in him since he looked up to explain.
"It's registered under me but..."
"You're under arrested Mr. Rollins and you've to remain silence of whatever you say will be used
against you in the court of law." The cop on the right said. "You also have a right to the lawyer and if
you can't afford the state will provide one for you."
"I wasn't the one driving that car."
Chris again tried to explain. Maya saw the fear in Kimberly as she held her belly and felt sorry for her.
At times we've to sacrifice our happiness for others. Maybe her mother in law was right the other day to
say everything happens for a reason.
There was a reason why she came her to day. At that hour in fact. It's really true that something
happen for a reason.
"Please don't waste our time here sir." The cop on the left went on to say. "Who was driving the car?"
"It was..."
"Me."
And they all turned to Maya.