My Ex Almost Broke Me

He denied the baby

Nande's POV

“You know we have to go there,” said my mom, helping me with the head wrap. So we have to go to Lucky’s house so we can tell them about the pregnancy. I tried to call him but he wasn’t picking up, so I sent him a text to tell him that we are coming to his house this morning. He sent a text back threatening me. But my aunts don’t care. They want us to do this ‘the right way’. I don’t know who came up with this idea of an unmarried and pregnant girl going to the baby daddy’s house to tell them about the pregnancy, worse so early in the morning. I looked at the clock. It’s 6am. We’ll get to Lucky’s house in 45 minutes. I am not worried about them, we get along very well. Even the day I told Lucky about my pregnancy, I had gone to his house that morning. His mom said they didn’t have anything to eat, so I bought them groceries. The only person I’m worried about is Lucky. It’s important that he tells both families that he’s responsible for the pregnancy. If he denies, it won’t be a train smash, but it won’t be good either. We all get in my sister’s car and she drives off.

“Such a beautiful car. You have worked hard.” I am proud and happy for her. She really worked hard to be where she is today. We drive in silence. Most people are still sleepy. We woke up at 4am so we could take turns in the bathroom without having to hurry the other person up. I am so happy for my mom. She always wished for a big house. It’s not only big, it’s beautiful too. She wanted our bedrooms to have en-suite bathrooms, and now they do. I am sad that I wasn’t there for the transformation, but that’s not important. What’s important is that she got her dream home. She’d have a perfect family too if it wasn’t for me. I was brought back to the presence by mom. She nudges me.

“Ma?” I respond.

“Earth to Nande,” said my aunt, laughing.

“Don’t worry, you’ll make a good mother. You aren’t a bad daughter. You just made mistakes and made a very bad decision. But we aren’t there, we are here now.”

“Which house are we going to?” asked my sister. I must have zoned out for some time. We are here already? I pointed at the house. My sister parks by the big gate. We got off and walked towards the gate. I tried to push the gate but it wouldn’t open. It is locked. Someone peeps from one of the windows and, judging by the window, it might be Lucky’s mom, that’s her bedroom. We knock, but no one comes out.

“Are you sure they know you?” asked my aunt. She sounds doubtful. I nod very embarrassed. We knocked again. This time the door facing the gate opens.

“Who are you people? Why are you waking us up this early?” Shouted Lucky’s mom.

“Oh ma it’s me.”

“I can see you. What are you doing in my house so early? Didn’t you and Lucky break up?” She’s really angry. I look at my mom and aunts.

“Can we come in?” Asked my mom politely.

“No. You can tell me from there what you want. I went to bed late. I want to go back to sleep. So chop chop tell me why you’re here Nande with these women and this early in the morning.” I look at my mom. I don’t know why Lucky’s mom is shouting at me. I didn’t do anything wrong. A week and a half ago I bought her food. Why is she acting like that now?

My annoyed aunt decides to tell her from the gate why we are here.

“Lucky, come answer for yourself,” said Lucky’s mom, looking behind her.

“So he’s here and he didn’t even bother to open for us. Is this really the guy you chose over us? The one who’s okay with you standing at his gate in this cold with his unborn baby?” Asked my sister. She sounds disappointed and I don’t blame her. I hung my head in shame. Did I really choose this guy over my family? Am I really carrying his child? It’s too late to even ask myself these questions.

“I told you not to come here. I am not the father of that baby. Did you tell those old women that you slept around when I wasn’t around? I’m sure you have a sugar daddy somewhere. How could a cleaner afford that flat and everything else? You think I’m stupid?” said Lucky. He also didn’t bother to at least say these things in front of me. In my face. Their neighbours are now gathering behind us.

“See what you’re doing?” shouted Lucky’s mom, sounding pissed as if I was the one who told those people to gather around.

“We can’t go one like this. Let’s just go back home,” said my mom in defeat. We really woke up at 4am for this? I knew Lucky would say all of these things. But man his mom. Did she really say those things? Wow. Just wow. My mom looks like she’s about to cry. We drove back home in awkward silence.

“I’m so disappointed in you, Nande,” said my mom when we got home. She can’t believe what Lucky said, right?

“Lucky was lying. I’m not dating an old man,” I tell her.

“I’m not talking about that. Did you really leave home for that kind of a guy? Didn’t I teach you better? If he treated you like that today in front of us, it tells me that it’s something he did a lot. And you stayed with him for 7 years. You are really a disappointment,” she tells me before she heads to her bedroom. I see her wiping years before she opens the door.

“How did it go?” asked my little brother.

“Bad would be an understatement of the century,” said my sister, putting her arm on his neck and pulling him with her to the couch. They haven’t stopped doing that. It used to drive my parents crazy. My aunts also head to the master bedroom probably to take naps or prepare to leave and go home to their good daughters. The disappointment in my mom’s voice breaks my heart. What did I see in Lucky?