WORTHWHILE

Chapter 3

A week passed quickly, and Ivy’s birthday came and went. She hadn’t expected much anyway. All she could think about was the journey ahead-her travel, relocation, moving… whatever anyone called it.

Aunt Stella had called earlier in the week to ask how her preparations were going. Ivy’s mother had taken her to the market to buy the few things she could afford for the trip. Ivy went around telling all her friends and cousins-since it was the festive season and families visited each other that she would be travelling soon. She repeated to everyone how much she would miss them.

She had also told her closest cousin-like friend-the one who was her ride-or-die whenever she visited that part of town. Their relationship was complicated to explain, but the bond was real.

Soon, the D-Day arrived.

Ivy had packed everything she could pack. She had visited Onyii the day before to say a proper goodbye, and now she waited eagerly for Aunt Stella’s arrival. The woman came at the time both families had agreed on -an hour or two later.

Aunt Stella greeted Ivy’s parents warmly and chatted with them about the journey. She explained that she had already booked a private vehicle for their road trip, and that her husband would pick them up once they arrived at the park in the city.

“You have nothing to worry about,” she assured them. “I’ll treat Ivy like my own child.”

After that, it was time for goodbyes.

Ivy hugged her parents and siblings, although she didn’t show any sadness. She believed Aunt Stella was the best thing that could happen to her. Her parents said a quick prayer over her- they were a deeply religious Christian family, after all. What they didn’t know was that the daughter they were sending off might not be the same one they would get back.

(But don’t worry-she doesn’t die. At least not physically.)

The road trip was long and tiring. At some point, their vehicle got into an accident. Thankfully, nobody was injured, but it shook everyone. Ivy watched in shock as one of the car tyres rolled away down the road, almost causing a collision with oncoming cars. That tyre belonged to the very car they were travelling in. When the vehicle finally stopped, everyone was thanking their God and their stars.

Ivy would never forget that incident. Not even if she tried. It became one of the earliest reminders of the journey that would change the entire path of her life-in ways she couldn’t yet decide were good or bad.

After seven long hours, they finally arrived in the city. Aunt Stella’s husband was waiting at the park.

“Good evening, sir,” Ivy greeted politely.

He introduced himself as Mr. Nathan, then they all got into his car and continued their journey. After another hour navigating the city’s heavy traffic, they arrived at their destination-a neat three-bedroom apartment.

Aunt Stella showed Ivy around and familiarised her with the place. Since the room that would become hers wasn’t ready yet, she slept in Aunt Stella’s room that first night.

Another moment Ivy would never forget happened that night: she fell off the bed. She had never slept on something so wide and high before, and her small body simply rolled off in her sleep.

Hours turned into days. Days into weeks. Ivy enjoyed her new home. Aunt Stella and her husband treated her well. They took her sightseeing, bought her the things city children had, and made her feel special. Ivy wished it could stay that way forever.

But life always finds a way to change things.

About a month after her arrival, Aunt Stella tried enrolling Ivy in school. The first two schools didn’t work out- one of them Ivy even attended for a few days. Eventually, they found a school where Ivy finally resumed.

Minutes became days, days became weeks, and weeks turned into months.

Aunt Stella and her husband had been trying to have a child for almost seven years, without success. Then, one morning, Ivy woke up to the news that Aunt Stella was pregnant. The whole household was filled with joy. They couldn’t wait for the newest addition to the family- the child they had prayed for again and again.

The three of them went out to celebrate.

But while they smiled and enjoyed the moment, none of them- not even Ivy- knew that this pregnancy would change everything. The dynamics. The atmosphere. Even Ivy’s life.

Everything was about to shift.