THE DAY I BECAME A MOTHER

The struggle

It had been a month since I was disowned and disgraced.

As time passed, the fetus in my womb grew, and now I could feel it fully developing. I sat in my house, holding my bare, protruding stomach, consumed by worry. My money was gone ,all spent from my utility bag and I didn’t know what to do ,I had to do something. The problem was that I was growing weaker with each passing day, and as my pregnancy progressed, it only got worse. Still, I had to work, to hustle — or I would die from poverty and starvation.

I went searching for any kind of job, but I found nothing. Hunger gnawed at me relentlessly. Desperate, I began begging for food, moving from shop to shop, asking people for water and anything to eat. Some gave generously and kindly, while others threw food at me with harsh insults , cruel words that cut deeper than the hunger itself.

That evening, I went back to my house, completely exhausted and dizzy. I opened my black polythene bag and was relieved by what I found inside. I ate as much as I could and eventually fell asleep, crying myself to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning — after weeks, maybe months, living in that hut — my whole body ached. I felt nauseous and had no choice but to run outside to barf out , trying to let air,flow through me because of the force that came out I held my tummy I went inside then after a while it's hard I needed to take a bath And so I went to the public toilet ,It was smelly, It was disgusting because it was everyone's bathroom, But then I didn't have a choice I made sure I left the place as soon as possible because I didn't want anything to touch me ,I've never used that kind of bathroom before I could see the earthworms by the edges of the toilet seats ,I just closed my eyes and quickly had my bath and left immediately, I went into the room,

‎ The only food I had left was a little bread and a drink, I ate that and then I was determined to search for a job again, But on my way out I felt something sharp pierced through my leg and I screamed I looked down and I saw blood gushing out from under my feet ,there was a nail didn't see ,my feet was cut deep, I couldn't move I was screaming, people heard me but many decided to ignore some of us them shouted "Quiet! please, i managed to get to a nearby pharmacist to get it treatment, she said she wouldn't attend to me cause I didn't have money ,I left And I went home and cried throughout that afternoon, I missed my mom and dad,If they were here I wouldn't have even had injury at the first place ,But then I really can't do anything can I ?,And I took water And clean the wound and tied it with a rag and drifted off to sleep

‎ Few days later the injury was worse,it didn't go, It got white and swollen and whenever i stood up to attempt moving goosebumps come all over my body because of the pain I felt ,I cried a lot though but then no one really cared ,So I decided to go to another pharmacy far away that they didn't know me So they could maybe have pity me and attend to me but then the leg was the problem.So while walking my swollen foot accidentally rubbed a stone and then something liquid gushed out and it was excruciatingly Painful ,I shouted and I was about falling to the ground when warm arms grabbed me around my waist,A handsome stranger, I didn't know quickly carried me into his car and drove me to a clinic, He didn't ask me any question he simply paid the bill and took me to a hotel He didn't say anything ,All he did was look at me, smile and look away, I was nervous though because this kind of thing has never happened somewhere before but then I was in the streets right everything was possible ,When we reached the hotel he said I should wait for him I started begging " please don't hurt me" I said;He smiled and said I I want to just go and get some groceries and food stuff for you I'll be right back ,here you can have the key he said, I was astonished I didn't even think that was possible for a stranger to give you his keys to hold just for trust I simply took it and place it on the table and sat on the bed and waited he and waited but then I drifted off to sleep, That same warm arms shoke me from sleep and I woke up Shivering please don't hurt me "I cried if I want to hurt you I wouldn't helped you, Feel free okay I just woke you up so you could eat.

Why do you look so pale ,Who are you ?,He finally asked ,and so I told him everything about me I was surprised because he wasn't judgy he didn't say anything, All he did was nod his head and look down at his meal ,And when I was done he said my dear, you don't deserve this but then the world is wicked, most good people don't deserve what they are getting ,After today you won't see me he said, he asked "do you know why I helped you ;No I answered you look just like my daughter who passed away few years ago ,she was bullied and I wasn't aware cause she kept it a secret for me, And then she went ahead and committed suicide, I feel guilty everyday till today, So that's why when I saw you I could just sit back and look I wanted to do all I could to help you as he said that tears streamed down my cheeks ,I couldn't imagine what this God sent was going through all I could do was sob, he didn't know why I was sobbing, But thank God he didn't have the time to ask he took me out of the hotel He told me to show him My house I showed him and he said okay he dropped me at the house And you went He came back, He helped me arrange the house, he placed a window net he just made the house a little more comfortable ,He got me a flashlight and a new mattress so I could sleep and he bought me some food stuff I couldn't do anything, that man saved my life I won't be hungry for a while And then he gave me a hundred thousand naira he said i know you know skills so use this and manage something for yourself So now when you're out of food You won't be stranded anymore I didn't know what to do I took the money and I knelt down, he took me up and I gave him a hug thank you ,thank you so much sir, God will bless you ,you just saved this poor girl's life and i'm forever grateful ,he hugged me back it's okay It's okay my daughter"he said "I'll be going now and you may not see me again, but remember God never fails his children and whoever is serving him will always get their reward at the end, remember that okay ,he finalized" yes I will sir" I said after one more hug I wanted to escort him out of the house and out of the compound but Insisted that I stay in to rest I agreed and with the second I turned I didn't see him anymore and I didn't see him again.

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