It is my child

(all photos taken from google.co.ke)

(www.clipartbest.com)

Gerald is seated sipping his drink slowly. He is admiring the house, trying to remember the many graceful memories he has had the past two year. However, it is time to call it quits. He has to move on, somehow. Sally comes in and seats besides him and notices something is off.

“What is wrong Gerald?”

Gerald breathes in and out. He picks up three papers from the table and hands them to Sally.

“We need to talk Sally.” He looks at her trying to be as gentle as possible. “I am sorry Sally. It is over between us. I need to go take care of my baby.”

There is a brief pause. “Ati, what? What did you just say Gerald? Am hearing you right? You want to leave me? Why?”

Gerald can see she is becoming hysterical. He was not sure how to break it to her, but he felt telling it to her face would have been easier, how wrong he was.

“It’s Milly. She was pregnant when I left her and now she has my son; one year old. I have gotten the results of a DNA test today. I have to take care of my baby.”

“Milly? Your ex, has your baby? How Gerald, explain to me how?”

“She told me about the baby a couple months ago and said it was mine. I denied, accusing her of trying to break our relationship. She suggested we take the DNA test. I agreed without thinking. The first test came out positive. So I sought two more tests from other hospitals, and as the results in papers you have show, that child is mine.”

Sally turns her eyes towards the papers, but she starts crying. Her world had just turned upside down. She was hoping for a marriage proposal, since her family had already given Gerald their blessings to marry her. What was she going to do now, what will she say to her family and how will she get someone else now.

“Gerald, even if it is your child, does that mean you have to leave me? I don’t mind living with the fact that you have a child by a different person. It is OK.” She wipes her tears away and tries to move closer to Gerald.

“Listen Sally I can’t. It is my child. I will feel like I have abandoned it. I have a responsibility as a father to ensure it is given all the love it needs.”

“But Gerald, we have been living well for the past two years, why does Milly decide to come back when we were almost getting married?”

Gerald gets angry. “What? I had not proposed to you yet.”

“But you were going to. My folks have already arranged things to kick us off, like this house, a car and some money, please let us not disappoint them.”

“I know Sally, I know; but to me my child is more important. I am sorry.”

Gerald goes to the door. Sally tries pulling him back. He forces her off him and leaves through the door. Sally begins wailing, throwing her hands on her hair, and then she collapses.

All is quiet.