Nadir

It has been three months from the time I lost the twins and I am finally back at the office. I reported yesterday and I didn’t think I was going to make it through the day but I did. I could tell from the way my work mates were behaving that they didn’t know the best way to treat me so I did them a favor and decided to be in my office the entire time so that they didn’t bother with pretending.

I look away from my PC and rub my eyes, I have had online meetings continuously from the time I reported and now I feel like I have salt in my eyes.

There is a knock at the door and it makes me frown, I am not ready to see any clients yet I specially gave the receptionist instructions that whoever comes to see me needs to reschedule to next week. Of course my boss won’t be pleased when he hears this but it’s better than pretending.

‘Come in.’ I say in a low tone

The door opens and Ems’ scent is what hits my nostrils first even before he can enter.

‘You have to be kidding me.’ I whine leaning back

‘It’s good to see you too Mrs. Jacobs.’

I roll my eyes.

‘And where is your ring?’

I chuckle. I gave Ems’ proposal so much thought and decided that I could somehow use it to my advantage. Of course Martha thinks this is absurd and like walking on needles but Joshua and his mother hurt me and I want to do to them twice what they did to me. Jackie on the other end will get her punishment because I know she still has feelings for Ems so this will be like killing two birds with one stone.

‘You know this thing is fake right?’

‘But we need to make it look as real as possible, after my brother bailed out on you I came in as the knight in shining armor and then we fell in love.’

‘You know Joshua will see through these lies right?’

‘I thought that’s why we are doing this, to get to him.’

‘So you are going to fake a part of your life just so I can get my revenge? When in fact you know that I will never fall in love with you?’

‘Can I sit? I am tired of standing.’

‘Whatever makes your bum hum.’

‘You don’t have to be rude pumpkin.’

I almost feel bad but then remember that he is not my friend and he can handle his emotions how best he wants.

‘How is work going? How does it feel being back?’

‘Emmanuel you don’t have to pretend when it’s just the two of us.’

‘Pumpkin how is work going?’

‘It’s going fine.’

‘You know I can see through you right?’

I am about to respond when his phone starts to ring. It’s Sheena.

‘What?’ He says immediately he picks up

‘And where is your husband?’

‘Find a way Sheena, I am not your chauffeur.’ He says and cuts the line

‘Trouble in paradise?’

‘She wants me to pick her up after her hospital appointment.’

‘She is okay I hope.’

‘Yeah she’s fine, I think they had to check the sex of the babies today.’

‘They are having twins?’

‘Triplets.’

‘Doesn’t God have a funny sense of humor.’ I say with a light chuckle. It hurts so bad but at the end of the day I know Sheena is not the culprit in all this.

‘I am sorry.’

‘For what?’

‘Everything pumpkin, I wish things didn’t go the way they did.’

‘Of course you do, isn’t that the reason why you are here. If I still had my babies and was with Joshua you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. Yes I lost but it worked to your advantage didn’t it?’

‘You really think the worst of me, don’t you?’

‘Ems you showed me the type of man that you are and that’s what I am living with. I have made a decision that I am going to get married to you for my own reasons so you can rest. And just to send a message, how about we go to the hospital together and pick up my soon to be sister in marriage.’

He lifts an eyebrow

‘You really want to hurt them don’t you?’

‘Are we doing this or not?’

‘We are.’

‘Great.’ I say locking my laptop and carrying my bag. We walk out of the office and I tell the receptionist to call me if anything and I will only be back after two hours.

He drives us to the hospital, I hate that I am doing this to a fellow woman. My parents must be rolling in their grave seeing what I am turning into.

After thirty minutes we get there and he calls her informing her that he is waiting in the car park, she is not yet done so we have to wait for her.

‘What names did you have for the twins?’

‘What?’ I ask the question taking me by surprise

‘What names were you going to give the twins?’

I lean back in my chair, I haven’t talked about them with anyone in a while. Even though I think about them every day.

‘Weirdly we hadn’t decided on the names yet, but secretly Martha and I called them Joshua and Emmanuel.’ I say with a light laugh

‘You two really called them that?’

‘Yes we did and I know it would have upset Joshua which of course made it funnier.’

‘It would have given him a heart attack you know.’

‘I know.’ I say laughing

‘It was a good experience you know, being pregnant and all. Holding the boys for the few minutes and hours respectively. I could give up anything just to have that moment again. It was the purest, the most raw.’

‘You would have made a great mother. You will make a great mother.’

‘Thank you Ems. But I am not sure I will ever be ready to conceive again. Joshua made everything easy, I don’t there is a man that will ever make me feel that way again.’ I say with a little smile

..

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

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