"The weight of this matter lies on you Dear, either ways the child
would never be mine, and I'm willing to accept that. I don't want to choose for
you, as you'll be the most affected by whichever choice we make."
"The decision can't be made by me alone. I would have preferred
artificial insemination, but I don't know how you'll feel about it."
"I don't like that idea. Whose sperm would we use? The whole idea makes
me feel like my mum's suggestion wasn't so bad after all.
At least with hers, we
are sure the child is a Danladi. I've heard they use sperm from sperm banks for
the insemination process, so you don't even know who the father of the child
is." He said with a sigh.
"If you would prefer the child being a Danladi, and your brother is willing,
can't we just use his sperm?" She asked, looking away from him. This whole
thing was getting to her. She felt naked already.
"Makes more sense, but I'm not sure yet, please give me time to think
about it. Let's sleep now." He said, pulling his wife into his arms.
The following morning after Usman had left for work, Tonia left to see her
friend who is a medical Doctor.
Nike worked at the hospital not far from their
house. They met at the salon.
"Good morning Nurse, I'd like to see Dr. Akinrinu. Nike Akinrinu."
"Is it medical or personal ma?" The nurse at the nurses station
asked.
Tonia considered her options. She was going to open up to this lady
something she had kept secret for almost five years.
Should she just forget
about this whole thing? What were her options? But she needed more information.
She wasn't comfortable enough with Dr. Ajewole.
"Medical please." She said. She remembered all conversations
between a Doctor and his/her patients were confidential. Nike wouldn't risk her
career at the altar of gossip. She knew better than that.
"Are you registered with us ma? If not, you need to pay ten thousand
naira for registration."
Tonia did all that was necessary, waited for some minutes before she could
see her friend.
Nike was surprised to see her, they exchanged pleasantries and she was
surprised Tonia was there as a patient.
"Hope it's nothing serious?" Nike asked.
Tonia explained her husband's problems to her. Nike was surprised but hid it
well. She didn't know Tonia was that intelligent. Now she understood why she
was seeing her a patient. For confidentiality.
"A Urologist would be in the best position to tell you what to do, but
I believe he needs to see and examine your husband. Our resident urologist is
around, let's go see him."
They saw him and explained the situation to him.
"Though I need to see your husband and run some tests, there could be a
way for you to have a child by him.
Through surgery, we can harvest his
sperm."
"Really? I'll try to come with him. Thank you Doctor, Nike
thanks." She said as she left the hospital with her hope renewed.
"We need to talk Baba." She said as her husband came into the
room.
He was surprised she was in bed and didn't meet him at the door.
"I did some research, your sperm can be harvested via surgery. That way
I can have your children."
"Who told you that Tonia?" He asked as he sat down, looking at the
floor. He held his head in his hands. He never thought Tonia would go this far.
"Let me just tell you the whole truth now. I knew about this because I
approached Dr.Ajewole before our wedding.
He referred me to a Urologist and we
carried out the necessary tests. It is possible to get my sperm, and fertilize
eggs even if with a little help, but I can't go under the knife."
"What do you mean? Are you dying? What else didn't you tell me? What
aren't you telling me? What are you hiding from me?"
Tonia was almost screaming now.
"Calm down please, I'm sorry I didn't tell you the whole truth. I'm
sorry. Please sit down and hear me out."
Scared of
whatever secret she was going to hear. Did he have a deadly disease? Or the
virus?
"Okay, remember I suffered from depression? it led to high blood
pressure. My blood pressure has been under strict monitoring. It has improved
but I had to be sure it was stable before I told you.
I checked again after my
mum's unpleasant visit as this would have been a good time to have the surgery
done, but it's gone up again.
That's why the Doctor didn't mention that option.
He thought you knew. I'm sorry."
Tonia slumped on the bed. She was broken.
"Is this why you panic when you don't take your medications? Meds I
thought were meant for the erectile dysfunction and depression? Or you don't
even take medications at all?" She asked.
"Yes. That's why I eat minimum carbohydrates and lots of fruits and
vegetables. I stopped alcohol totally. I adhere strictly to the doctors
instructions so that I can get better.
For you, for us, I'm sorry for not being
totally forthcoming with you. Please."
"You hid such a serious issue from me. I don't know how much you're
still hiding. It looks as if I don't even know you." She said, sobbing
quietly, her body shaking.
"I'll do anything to make amends my love. I didn't want you to back out
if you knew I had more health issues apart from the one you knew.
I even took
out a life insurance policy so that you would be well taken care of in case
anything happens to me. I'm sorry my love."
He was crying too, He wanted
to touch her but she withdrew from him.
"You've not answered my question, what else are you hiding from me
Usman?"
"Nothing, nothing my love. Please don't leave me. I don't know what
would become of me if you leave. Please forgive me." He said pleading.
"I don't know what to do Usman. I'll sleep in the guest room tonight. I
can't be in the same room with you.
Tell Cecillia to serve your food. I need to
be alone right now." She stood up to leave the room.
He tried to pull her back.
"Don't touch me. You've hurt me, let me be." She said as she left the
room.
Tonia picked her bag and left the house. She got into her car and drove off.
She must have driven for over one hour as she found herself on the mainland.
She parked the car and cried like a baby. Then she pulled herself together and
said to herself:
"You got into this with your eyes wide open, you accepted the fact that he
could possibly never make love to you nor father a child, yet you married him.
Why are you angry when it seems the situation is the same?"
She knew why she was angry.
She was angry because he kept a secret from her. She never hid anything from
him. Even her reasons for coming to Lagos, how she had always wanted to marry a
rich man, she told him everything. Why couldn't he accord her the same level of
openness?
She was angry because for just a few hours, she was hopeful and the hope was
dashed. All because of his secret.
She knew she would forgive him.
She couldn't hold a grudge against him. She loved him too much.
But she might as well milk the situation.
She smiled at herself.
Her love for money landed her in this mess in the first place.
"It's easier and better to cry in a Range rover than on foot in the
sun." She said to herself as she turned her car around and headed back
home.
She met him standing at the gate. He was scared when he heard her drive off.
It took all his willpower for him not to have panicked.
He told himself to wait
till 10pm and he would go in search of her if she wasn't back by then.
"Where were you Tonia? Where did you go? I was scared. Please don't
punish me like this. You should have at least told me where you were going.
I
called your phone countless times, you didn't pick up." He said as he
helped her open the car door.
"As you can see I'm fine, I didn't have a destination, or else I would
have told you. Unlike you, I don't keep secrets." She said as she walked
past him into the house without a glance.
True to her words, she attempted to move to the guest room that night. But
Usman didn't allow her.
"If there's anyone who should leave, it's me. Let me go. I just hope
you'll allow me back soon."
She kept her distance from Usman and pretended to still be angry. He sent
her gifts everyday accompanied with flowers and chocolates.
The first day was a set of gold jewelleries. She had seen it on their last
trip to the UAE but he claimed it was too expensive.
Unknown to her, He had
ordered for them and kept them to give her on their wedding anniversary.
He thought there might be no anniversary to celebrate if he didn't act fast
and win her back.
Tonia's eyes popped as he handed her the gift after work, but she concealed
her excitement. She didn't even say thank you.
"I'll be in the living room." He said as he left. She didn't
answer him.
She waited to hear his footsteps along the stairs. She grabbed the jewelries
and started dancing. She was elated.
The next day, he got back home but Tonia wasn't home. He imagined the worst.
He checked their bedroom but it was locked. He called her but she didn't pick
her phone.
He refused to eat the dinner Cecillia prepared. He sat in the living room in
his work clothes, waiting for her.
She came home some minutes to 9pm.
She had a new hairdo. She looked more beautiful than ever.
"Welcome darling, I've been waiting for you, he greeted her as he
handed over the day's gift. A bunch of orchids with a small box. It contained
Tonia's favourite designer perfume.
"Please forgive me my love. You not talking to me is torture." He
said, begging.
"You should be grateful I didn't leave the house, Cecillia, please bring
these gifts to my room." She said as she went upstairs.
"Oga, she will forgive you, she loves you too much." Cecillia
pitied him. She had never see them fight like this since she started working
for them.
He stormed out of the living room, angry and frustrated.
He decided he had had enough of Tonia's tantrums. He sought Akeem's opinion,
he advised him to beg her with whatever he knew she desired most.
They couldn't
afford to let her go. Akeem was willing to help him beg if need be.
"Honey, I'm home." Usman shouted as he entered the house the third
day. Tonia heard him but pretended not to.
He went to the bedroom, Tonia didn't see any flowers. She thought he had gotten
over her silent treatment. Had she pushed too far?
#fiction
#marriage
#fertility
#fiction
#marriage
#fertility
All rights reserved
Written By Tolulope
Fakayode-Faniran
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