Her Second Act

Chapter Two

Paula's eyes were wide open. She had obviously been bought over at the prospect of him supporting her dreams. It sounded like her dreams were finally going to come true.

And for real, if she moved to New York, what would she be leaving behind or missing here in Seattle. Nothing.

She had no friends and family. Her mother had died after a brief illness and she had never known her father.

“So, a new environment would be of great benefit to me.” Paula thought to herself.

Peter did not notice the flush of pink color that had crept slowly onto her face, as a result of the excitement from her thoughts.

She made up her mind to go to New York, and if things don't go as planned. She decided that she could easily find her way back to Seattle.

Then, she said to Peter, “Give me some time to think about this and I will let you know what my decision is.”

“Paula, please give me a positive response. I will wait here in Seattle till you make up your mind. But know that, I won't leave here without you.” Peter said, a bit relaxed that she was at least going to give it a thought.

They went out for dinner and both ended up in Peter's hotel room. They made love that night and it was so passionate. Peter felt like they were really meant to be together.

While to Paula, their intimate moment together felt like all the confirmation she needed to leave Seattle and head to New York with Peter.

A week later. Paula was settled in Peter's home in New York.

They were set to get married in a month's time, so Peter took Paula to meet with his few friends. The men thought he made a good catch, while their wives and girlfriends didn't really like Paula. They felt she was too flashy, wore skin tight dresses which revealed all her figure, and was always on too much make up which Paula was so unapologetic about. She never liked the women either.

But Peter never seemed to mind. He was just beside himself that Paula was with him in New York and in a few weeks time, she would become his, forever.

They got married in a small chapel in the neighborhood. And Peter and Paula had the best time of their lives. Paula was feeling on top of the world. New York was good to her after all.

Through one of Peter's friends, they had met with an agent in the movie industry who was willing to take Paula under his wing till she had learned what she needed to become an actress.

Paula had been going for her classes and she was feeling on top of the world.

Until all hell broke loose.

“Peter, I am pregnant.” Paula said to Peter one evening with fear and sadness in her eyes, as they were both settled in bed in matching pyjamas.

Peter jumped up immediately out of excitement. “Do you mean to tell me that I am becoming a father soon?” He was so full of joy that he pulled her close to him.

But Paula pushed him off angrily.

“What are you so excited about? Was this the plan? Was this your promise to me before I agreed to come here with you?”

Paula was fuming.

“But Paula, being pregnant has got nothing to do with your dreams. You can still pursue your dreams after you put to bed.” Peter tried calming her down.

But Paula would not have it.

“How can you be so happy that I am pregnant.”

Peter looked confused.

“This baby would only spoil my figure and also delay my dreams of becoming an actress.” Paula added.

“We had both agreed that children were out of it, at least, until I have fulfilled my dreams to a good extent. I know what carrying a child now would do to me.” Paula continued amidst tears.

Peter's heart poured out to her. He could never stand seeing her cry.

“I am so sorry, sweetheart. I am so sorry. Please, don't cry. We will find a way around it, I promise.” Peter wrapped his hands around her as she sobbed.

There was no other discussion in the house outside their forthcoming child and it always ended bitterly.

“Peter, I need to abort this baby. I can't stand the thought of a child growing inside of me, talking more about the reality. I just really wish this was a nightmare that I would soon wake up from.” Paula bursted out one morning as they were having breakfast.

She hated the way she was feeling. The fact that a change of smell in the atmosphere already triggers nausea. She hated how weak she gets every morning when she wakes up.

“I cannot deal with this everyday for the next coming months, Peter. I'm going to the hospital to get this thing out of my body.” Paula’s mind was made up.

“Paula, don't you think an abortion would even pose more harm to you. Why not just carry this baby to term and I promise that we would be extra careful after that. You will fulfill your dreams, baby girl.” Peter tried talking sense into her while patting her back.

He could see that she was calming down eventually. He had been able to pacify her at least for the morning.

Paula also decided to listen to her husband and carry the child.

But, the next three months were beyond her. She was always sick, throwing up. Too weak to do anything.

She got even more angry when she looked at herself in the mirror and noticed how fat she had become. Her face was swollen and her nose looked like it had tripled in size.

“Oh no, Oh no. Please, can someone just tell me that this is all a nightmare.” Paula said standing in the front of the mirror.

They were set to go out and none of her clothes could fit anymore. She was so furious and began to hate the child even before the child was born.

She already felt like this child was going to be a lot of trouble for her. She was never going to accept being a mother to this child who chose the wrongest timing and person to come to the world.

“I just can't do this.” She screamed to herself one morning after Peter had left to work and she was all alone at home.

But then, it was too late for anything to be done.

At exactly nine months, she went into labor. She was in labor for 24 hours before the baby arrived. The nurses gave her the baby to hold but she refused to hold her baby, talk more of breastfeeding her.

The excitement that comes with motherhood was missing in Paula.

She had delivered the child and all she could think of was how she was going to recover speedily and get back to her acting classes.

Peter named the child Enola after his grandmother. He went home with his wife and child. And life was never the same again.

“What mother hears the cries of her child and is never bothered. Paula, you can't do this to your own child.”

Peter appeared in the sitting room with Enola in his arms all the way from the bedroom. The child had been crying and Paula never paid attention. She sat focused on her T.V channels.

“Paula, I am talking to you. This baby needs you.” Peter raised his voice.

Paula got up slowly from the sofa she was sitting on in a very dramatic way. She walked towards Peter and said to him,

“This child is yours. I have given birth to her for you. Deal with it. I remember telling you that I never wanted her, but you insisted. So deal with it.”

And with this, she walked out of the house and came back later in the evening.

“And where have you been since you left this house?” Peter inquired of her. His eyes blazed hot and it took all his strength to hold himself together.

“I needed some fresh air and I went out just for that.” Paula replied, indifferently.

“Paula, why are you so selfish? Why do you care about yourself alone? You do not even care about me, you do not even care about your child. Why are you like this?” Peter said in disbelief.

In his wildest dreams, he had never imagined Paula to resolve to being like this. He was practically begging her to take care of her child.

Enola had been living on baby food since she was two weeks old and Paula had refused to even carry the child. She had stopped breastfeeding the child after two weeks.

Paula instead ha

d been working on getting her body back in shape.

Peter came back home one evening and found a note on their bed.