End of days

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

"Amaka please I'm sorry, I deeply regret my actions, I was only trying to protect you"

"Protect me? Protect me from what exactly?" Amaka walked up to where her mother was seated.

"You were only a teenager, a child. I didn't want you to miss out on your childhood because you are being forced to raise a child you didn't plan on having in the first place"

"And who told you, you could decide for me? I told you I wanted to keep the baby. Didn't my decision to keep it, matter to you?"

"I only thought I was helping you, I didn't want you to make same mistake I made"

"And what is this mistake you always talking about?"

"Sit down please" her mother drew out a chair for her to sit on.

"When I was in my first year at the university, just a little older than you were when you got pregnant. I started dating your father, we were both from the same village, and attended the same church back at home. So when he asked me out, it felt like a match made in heaven. He was a 300level senior in my department, so I saw him as a god, and felt honored that he asked me out"

*Flash back*

Amaka's mother was always following Mathew around, whenever she wasn't having classes, she would go to his hostel. Everyone in campus knew about their relationship. At a point, they became the hottest couple on campus.

They were so much in love with each other, they went practically everywhere together, wherever you saw one, the other was bound to be there. They were like two peas in a pod that couldn't be separated.

Until during her second semester holiday, Amaka's mother missed her period, and later discovered she was pregnant.

Mathew had insteaded she abort the pregnancy, because he wasn't ready to become a father yet, he needed to finish university and get a job, before thinking of settling down. But Amaka's mother wouldn't hear of it. Instead she decided to report him to the reverend father of the cathedral they usually attended in the village. The Reverend father in turn, called the two families together, and told them about it.

Both parents insisted they got married as abortion was a sin. Few weeks later, they were both married in a small traditional wedding. But Amaka's father never forgave her mother for forcing him into marriage and making him give up his dreams of becoming an engineer, because both of them had to drop out of school to work, so they could provide for the child.

"So daddy never wanted to marry you in the first place?" Amaka asked in disbelief.

"No he didn't, he always resented me for it"

After nine months she delivered a baby boy and three years later, Amaka followed. But the boy died of a mysterious illness, when he was in secondary School.

After they had buried him, Amaka's father decided to divorce her mother.

"The child that brought us together is dead, of what use is there for us to be together?" He had asked her the day he packed his things to leave.

"What of Amaka? Is she not your child too?"

"I will support you with her education and everything that is needed for her upbringing" he took his bag and left and never came back.

"I'm sorry mother, I never knew any of this"

"I was only trying to save you from same unhappiness I experienced, but instead I ended up causing you more unhappiness. I'm sorry"

"And because of what you did, I might never have a child of my own" Amaka spoke with a tearful eyes.

"What did you just say?"

"I found out few years back, that I might never have a child because of the abortion drug you gave me that night" Amaka cried as she spoke. It was for this reason she swore never to talk to her mother again.

"Oh my God, I'm sorry" Her mother was crying too.

"Sorry won't take back what you have done mother, I actually promised myself that I wasn't going ever see you or speak to you again. But I know that, if I want to be happy, then I needed to sort things out with you. Mother you took away the only thing that makes me a woman" Amaka was sobing as she spoke.

Her mother who couldn't defend her actions any longer, just sat there crying uncontrollably. If only she had known, she would never have added any abortion substance into the food and drink she gave Amaka that night.

"So you see, you not only hurt me but yourself too. For you might never carry your own grandchild"

She might never even get married, because no African man in his right frame of mind, would want to marry a woman who can't give him a child. So she was bound to remain a spinster for the rest of her life.

"My daughter please, I beg you to forgive me. I know no amount of pleading can undo what I did, but please I'm sorry"

"Mother I am not going to tell you, I can forgive you so easily. But I'm willing to try"

"Thank you so much my daughter"

After opening up to her mother, Amaka felt a heavy weight leave her chest, it was as if she has been carrying an invisible burden all these years without knowing. And for the first time in forever, Amaka hugged her mother. She knew this wasn't going to be an easy journey but she was willing to try for the sake of her own peace of mind.

Jane tried to recognize her surroundings, everywhere felt strange. Her throat was parched, so she couldn't speak out. After looking around for a while, it dawned her that she was in a hospital. Where were the nurses? Where is Rayford? Why was she the only one in the room? Or was it those evil kidnappers, who brought her here? She was almost at the point of panic, when a nurse walked in.

"You are awake" the nurse was all smiles as she saw Jane lying awake on the bed.

"Wa...t..er" Jane managed to call out as the nurse got closer to her. Thankfully, the nurse immediately understood, and got her some water to drink.

Few minutes later, the doctor came in and checked Jane's vitals and confirmed she was doing okay.

Rayford just finished having a meeting with his management team, when he got a call from the hospital that; Jane had regained consciousness. He quickly rushed the remaining things he had to do for the day, and hastened to the hospital to see Jane.

When he got to the hospital, Jane was seated on the bed with her back resting against the wall.

"Hey baby...." Rayford went to her side to hug her.

" Rayford" Jane was cautious of hugging him for, she still felt some pain within her body, so she gave him a side hug.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't here when you woke up"

"It's okay"

"How are you feeling?" Rayford asked after he had taken a seat next to her bed.

"I have pains all over my body, and my head feels like it's twice the normal size"

"Sorry baby, maybe I should call the doctor to come check you, and see if he could give you drugs for the pain" Rayford made attempt to stand up, but Jane stopped him.

"The doctor already gave me some medication for that"

"Oh, okay" Rayford sat down back and held her hand. "Baby you got me really scared, I was scared I was going to lose you. I'm so sorry you had to go through all that happened to you, because of me"

"It's okay" Jane knew it wasn't actually okay, but at that moment, all she wanted was to focus on getting better. If she had her way, she would erase all the memories of the experience she had with those people.

Rayford could tell she was avoiding his eyes, and he couldn't blame her. After what happened to her, he wasn't surprised with her actions.

"Do you want me to get you something? Anything?"

"No, I'm fine. What of Amaka, were you guys able to find her?" After she was taken away, Jane kept praying she was safe.

"She is fine, she traveled home to visit her Mother"

"Oh okay, that's nice" Jane was beginning to feel dizzy, so she tried to lie down back on her bed. Rayford swiftly got up, and helped her to lie down.

"Thank you" she closed her eyes pretending to sleep, hoping Rayford would take that as a cue, and leave, but he didn't. Instead, he helped to cover her up properly and then sat down back on the chair.

Jane knew things were not going to remain the same again, if she was going to continue to be in a relationship with Rayford, then she would have to be deliberate about; looking past all that has happened to her recently. For she pain in her heart hurts more than the physical ones on her body. The physical hurt would heal in no time, but the one in her heart felt so fresh, and the more she looked at Rayford, the more it bled.

Few days later, Jane was discharged from the hospital. Rayford insisted she stayed over at his place since Amaka wasn't back yet. The last time she and Jane spoke over the phone, she told her she was extending her visit at her mother's by a week, things were finally beginning to work out between the two of them.

When they arrived Rayford's place, Jane noticed a new person was manning the gate instead of his former gateman.

"Did you change your gateman?" She asked Rayford.

"Ummm, yeah, the other one has not been feeling quite well for a while, so this guy is just working in his stead, until he gets better and is fit to start working again" Rayford still haven't told Jane about Martha's involvement in her kidnap, or that his gateman almost lost his life too, in the process.

When they got inside, Rayford took her medications and other things that they brought from the hospital to his room.

"I'm sorry, but I would like to stay in the room where I usually sleep when I'm here"

"But you always sleep in my room, whenever you are around?" Rayford asked a bit hurt.

"Yes, but I would like to sleep in a separate room, or is that a problem?"

"Of course not, anything that will make you comfortable is fine by me" Rayford carried her things into the next room. "Would you be needing me to get you anything?"

"Nothing, I'm good" Jane stood at the door waiting for him to leave so she close the door.

She was doing it again, avoiding his eyes. Why won't she just look at him? For goodness sake he was beginning to get pissed. Ever since she regained consciousness, all she has done, is avoid his face. It was as if he repulsed her, but she was being too modest to say it. Probably he would just have to give her more time, she would come around soon, he thought.

"Are you sure? It's been a while you had breakfast, I'm sure you might be getting hungry by now"

"No I'm not, when I'm hungry I will let you know" she still stood at the door, as if trying to pass him a message; that he should leave already.

"Alright, I will be in my room then" Rayford kissed her on the cheek before leaving the room. The moment he stepped out of the room, she closed the door and locked it with the key.

Rayford stood at the door, watching as he heard the sound of the door clicking from being locked. To say he was hurt was an understatement, when did they start locking their doors against each other? He wanted to knock and ask her what was going on, but on a second thought, he decided against it.