Episode 28
‘’so what are you going to do now?’’ Henry asked quietly.
‘’seriously with this news, I now believe everything about that d--n girl are all lies. For her to keep such minor information from me means she has been keeping away a lot more from me’’ I breathed painfully.
‘’if you want, I can arrange for you to meet another doctor. You know a second medical opinion will be good for you’’ he asked.
‘’yea of course, that will be great’’ I accepted.
‘’I have a doctor friend. He attended the same university with us. I will talk to him tonight, by tomorrow we will go meet him’’ he offered, while I smiled in appreciation.
‘’please just calm down, don’t over react until we are sure of what we are dealing with. Good night’’ he advised and hung up, leaving me totally occupied with my thoughts.
I couldn’t sleep that night. All I did was think, regret and ponder over everything that happened over the short period Comfort came into my life. I knew deep down that nothing would make me forgive her if at the end, her little baby turned out not to be mine.
All night long, all that filled my mind were questions.
By 12pm the next day, Henry took me to Holy Cross hospital located at the outskirt of the town to meet his doctor friend.
‘’you have to calm down bro, I hope you haven’t talked to Comfort yet?’’ he asked as we headed to the hospital. I shook my head and said nothing.
It really was hard for me acting normal and not confronting the silly girl with the way i felt.
Doctor Daniel really was younger than I expected him to be. He smiled politely as he welcomed us to his office. Henry did a quick introduction before telling him what brought us to his office. He listened calmly, nodding at intervals.
‘’I know the M.D of NEW EDGE Hospital. He is a good doctor and I really doubt if he can do such thing as risking his license just to cover up for his cousin. Anyway if you want a second test to be done. I will gladly do it for you’’ the doctor said with a calm smile. I shifted uneasily and nodded.
‘’yes I need a second test done urgently’’ I answered while he laughed.
‘’calm down sir. Relax’’ he said politely.
‘’so what now?’’ Henry asked as we left the doctor’s office. I shrugged and faced him.
‘’firstly, I will have a long talk with Comfort. Secondly, I will return this evening for the test’’ I answered. He shrugged and smiled.
‘’just take things easy. Remember we could be all wrong with our suspicion’’ he advised.
2pm, Comfort’s apartment
I walked into the apartment with a very drawn face. Comfort stared at me suspiciously, a bit uncomfortable with my mood. I walked into her bedroom and went straight to her baby’s colt where little Caleb was sleeping. I stared at him for some seconds before turning to meet comfort’s gaze.
‘’what’s wrong?’’ she asked me.
‘’we have to talk’’ I breathed, walked past her and returned to the sitting room. She followed me quickly.
‘’why do you look so serious and withdrawn?’’ she asked once again. I bit my lips and stared at her pointedly.
‘’you have been lying to me comfort. I found out many things’’ I said coldly. She instantly coloured up, taking a step backwards.
‘’you never told me that the doctor in charge of the hospital you dragged me to is your cousin?. Or will you now tell me you don’t know him?. How could you?. Now I strongly know you are keeping a lot of things from me. Little Caleb isn’t mine, now do the needful and tell me the truth. What else are you keeping from me?’’ I demanded with a raised tone.
‘’unbelievable’’ she gasped, covering her eyes with her palms.
‘’where is your mother?’’I asked furiously.
‘’please lower your voice. My mother went out to get something’’ she answered, bringing down her hands from her face. Tears quickly formed in her eyes.
‘’yes the doctor is my cousin. He was the person that forced me to leave the village and return to the city in order for me to get adequate treatment in his hospital. i begged him not to tell you that we were related. I hid it from you because I knew you would be doubtful about everything, just like you are now. I never lied to you about our little baby. He’s yours and I’m ready to go any lengths with you to prove it’’ she defended quietly but I wasn’t moved by her body language.
‘’fine, get the baby. We are going for another test’’ I shouted down at her. She looked at me with disbelief. she never expected such rational behavior from me.
Doctor Daniel was very surprised when he saw comfort and I with little Caleb in his office by 4pm. He never really asked me to bring the little boy along but I wasn’t ready to take any small chances. In no time the test was done and I was told to come over to the hospital the next day for the result.
I took comfort and her baby home thereafter.
‘’I really hope your mind will come down at ease when the result of this new test comes out’’ she said painfully as she alighted from my car. I shook my head and drove away with a slight joy in my heart.
” If the baby turns out not to be mine, I will be free from all the mess that has taken over my life. i will be free to be with my Jessica’’ I reasoned.
Later in the night, I called Jessica, telling her that I will soon be free. She really was so surprised by my words and begged for the truth.
‘’relax my love, I will call you tomorrow evening with the truth’’ I promised..
At exactly 3pm the next day, I sat before doctor Daniel, very nervous as ever. I just couldn’t wait for the test result to be handed over to me.
‘’I had to make every possible effort to make sure this result came out on time’’ the doctor said to me with a smile as he handed me the paper. I eagerly grabbed it from him, opened and read the contents. My eyes grew dim as I read it.
‘’Mr Caleb, the little baby is yours. He is your son’’ the doctor added dutifully, shattering my hopes.
Episode 29
I headed straight to Henry’s hotel as soon as I left the hospital. I really felt so bad and ashamed of myself. I regretted ever doubting Comfort. I regretted the cold manner I dragged her and our little child to the hospital without any consideration. I just didn’t know how to face the poor girl nor my future or what direction my life was even heading.
Henry expertly guessed that all wasn’t right as soon as he saw me in his hotel that fateful evening. He quickly led me to a quiet corner and ordered for drinks. For the first time in my life I took three bottles of beer. I just wasn’t alright in any way. My conscience wouldn’t let me be. I felt the drinks would at least clear my head.
‘’I’m sorry bro. it really was all my fault’’ Henry apologized as we drank quietly. I forced out a smile and shrugged.
‘’you did right bro, by telling me what you found. It isn’t your fault in any way’’ I answered.
‘’so what now?’’ he asked.
‘’I don’t know bro. I just don’t know. My hopes were really up, but now I feel so miserable’’ I muttered.
‘’there isn’t anything wrong with what you did. Most guys would have done the same. The thing now is how to face the future and live with the reality on ground’’ he said softly.
‘’hmmmm , I’m tired’’ I breathed.
‘’anyway I think you owe Comfort an apology. She deserves it. No matter what, she’s still the mother of your son and you really have nothing against her at the moment. As a gentle man, you should give her the test result and apologize. That’s the right thing to do, no matter how bad it sounds’’ he said seriously.
Just that moment, my phone rang and it was Comfort calling.
‘’good evening dear, what’s up?, is the result out?. I’m overly anxious here’’ she asked curiously.
‘’don’t worry, I’m coming over’’ I answered and hung up.
By 8pm that same evening, I arrived at Comfort’s apartment after spending hours in Henry’s hotel.
Comfort was extremely shocked by my looks. She drew back with surprise as soon as she perceived alcohol in my breathe.
‘’dear Lord!, have you been drinking? ‘’ She asked. I settled on her couch, looked around and gave her the result sheet which she opened quickly, smiling as she read the contents.
‘’where is our baby and your mum?’’ I asked.
‘’they are sleeping inside’’ she answered.
‘’I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for ever doubting you’’ I apologized slowly. Her eyes shone brightly.
‘’I won’t doubt you ever again. Goodnight’’ I promised and got up to leave. She watched me silently till I got to the door. She quickly rushed forward and held me back.
‘’I forgive you. Yes I understand why you behaved the way you did. But right now you are drunk and I can’t let you leave like this. It’s by God’s grace that you even got here safely. How on earth did you take so much’’ she cried, holding me back strongly and locking the door.
‘’I will call your mum and tell her you are with me’’ she added and dragged me back to the couch. I surprisingly offered no form of resistance.
she quickly called my mother on the phone, spoke with her, went to the kitchen and returned with a cup of coffee.
‘’I believe this will get the drinks out of your system’’ she said softly, offered me the cup of coffee and disappeared into the bathroom. She returned soon afterwards smiling sweetly.
‘’I have prepared water for you. When you are done with the coffee, you can go in and take a shower’’ she said calmly. I gulped down the coffee, stood up and stared at her pointedly. She drew forward and threw her arms round my neck, kissing me. I didn’t know what got over me. Perhaps it was the alcohol, perhaps it was something else. I kissed her back, grabbing her strongly.
We kissed for a while before she broke away from me.
‘’you are still not yourself. You know I seriously want to be with you but I can’t allow myself get carried away. I won’t want anyone accusing me of taking advantage of you again. So go take your shower. I will arrange my room for you to sleep’’ she breathed with tears in her eyes, chilling my heart with the touching words.
Fifteen minutes later, I was in the toilet throwing up and feeling very sick. I regretted taking too much drink, but yea it was way too late for regrets. Unlike Henry I wasn’t an alcoholic and it really was a terrible night for me.
I woke up on comfort’s bed the next day to see ten missed calls from Jessica waiting for me. I instantly knew i was in another trouble.
”hey dear thank God you are up. your wife kept calling last night and i had no choice than to talk with her. she still continued calling after i told her you are fine. i don’t know what’s wrong with her” i heard comfort say to me from the room door, leaving me gasping with fear.
I tried calling back Jessica but her phones were switched off.
To be continued
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