EBIERE 5

"Mama, I did not come home this time to fight. I came to tell you something important. I am pregnant." Yes, I finally said the words. Mama looked like she would pass out. Her face was very white. I was so scared. What if she drops dead?

I had aborted two pregnancies before this one. Akhere wanted me to keep the pregnancy against my wish. Mama has always been against premarital sex and having children out of wedlock. I knew she would disapprove.

When I moved out, I told mama that I was staying with a female friend whose place was not far from my workplace to beat Lagos traffic. She did not know her daughter was living with a man.

"Ebiere, you are pregnant? For who? Ah! Ebiere. You have brought shame to me. What will church people say? Your father was a church elder before he died, now look at how his daughter turned out. Ebiere why? Ebiereeeeeeee!." Mama was crying hysterically. 

"Mama, I am so sorry, I did not mean to bring shame to your name. Since I and my boyfriend have decided to keep the baby, I would not be visiting you again as my presence would cause more pain." I walked out immediately after saying those words.

Mama did not see me for a whole year and six months. When I finally moved back home after Akhere left and I could no longer pay the house rent, mama had grown so lean that I felt bad for abandoning her. She was so happy to see me and my baby. She held the baby in her hands and wept. Oh! Poor mama. I have been nothing but trouble to her.

I lived with mama for several months before I moved out again, this time, I left my baby girl in mama's care. I trust my mother to do a better job bringing Imade up than I would do. Plus I was yet to get an apartment of my own, so Imade was better off with mama.

It's been years now, my daughter is growing fast. With each passing year, I become more and more like a stranger to my baby girl. I still have no place to call my home. No house, no husband, no job, and no hope.