THE HONOURABLE MAN

Episode 21

Bryce cannot believe his ears, he is baffled and revolted by what Janet just said, he takes a look at the sonogram she brought along and he is moved by the picture of the tiny fetus growing in the womb. “What is wrong with you? An abortion! Why on earth would you want to do that?” He yells at her.

“Why! Are you seriously asking me that dumb question? Bryce in case you have forgotten I happen to live with abusive people who do not treat me like a human being and they will not accept another mouth to feed in their house. They will only chase me out and I don’t earn enough to afford my own apartment let alone providing for a child.”

“I will help you Janet, I can rent an apartment for you and buy everything the baby needs,” Bryce offers as he cannot bear the thought of his very first child being deprived of a chance to live.

He hadn’t planned on having children anytime soon but that’s something he has always looked forward to and his mother has always looked forward being a grandmother, besides that he does not believe abortion is right, he views it as murder.

“No Bryce I cannot keep this baby, it will just deprive me of a lot of things in life,” “Like what that’s worth an innocent life?”

“I don’t want to be a single mother, putting the baby to sleep every night by myself, my child growing up to ask me why his daddy can’t live with us. I also want to find a man who will love me Bryce and it will be hard to date with a baby to take care of and not so many men want to be a step daddy. I cannot let this baby deprive me of having a complete nuclear family, I want to have a child I can raise together with the father under the same roof as a family no custody battles, no step mothers or step fathers and all those complications. I can’t deal with any of that and I won’t.”

He stands still for a while battling with his thoughts trying to find a solution to this difficult situation. What would Kiana think of him if he told her he had a one night stand with Janet, how would she trust a man who does such? He doesn’t think Kiana would settle for marrying a man who is having a child with another woman, the pain, challenges and complications that would bring into their relationship are just too much she deserves better than that.

He also cannot let his innocent child die, being a parent means putting your child first and sacrificing everything for their own good and he understands Janet’s concerns and he too does not want his child living alone with his/her mother without the father in the house.

“What if I marry you? Would that make you keep the baby?” Janet is stunned by his proposal, “Why would you marry me, you don’t love me and you didn’t even want to date me,” she debates. “Things are different now you are carrying my child and I don’t see any other option. We will have to make things work somehow and raise our child together as a family, please say yes and move in with me,” he implores as he grabs her hands.

“Okay! But you will have to meet with my relatives and inform them about the pregnancy and that you want me to move in with you,” “that’s fine I will come by tomorrow after work.”

Bryce is shocked by how things can change all of a sudden in a blink of an eye, just yesterday he was a stress free happy man looking forward to marrying the only woman he has ever loved and spending the rest of his life happy with her but now it seems like all that will go with the wind.

Things will never be the same again, he doesn’t love Janet but he has to learn to for the sake of their child and he has to let go of Kiana and break her heart. How is he ever going to live with himself knowing he broke that innocent girl’s heart right after taking her virginity now she will think everything they had was a lie and all he ever wanted was to get her in his bed.

Maybe it’s better if she thinks that way so she can turn her pain into anger, its better if she hates him that way she won’t keep thinking about him or crying over him but she can move on with her life.

Bryce is finding it hard to sleep and Kiana keeps calling but he just can’t bring himself to pick up, soon a text message comes through from Kiana asking if he is okay. She cannot shake the feeling that something is wrong and she can’t help but be very afraid.

He later decides to drive to Pete’s place for he is in need of a friend. Pete is disheartened by the news, he adores Kiana and he knows his friend was very happy and in love with her and not Janet Jules. “Man are you even sure it’s your baby? Janet is not to be trusted!”

“You are only saying that because you have never liked Janet I’m not going to deny this baby not without proof that it isn’t mine therefore it is my baby until proven otherwise. I did have unprotected s*x with Janet exactly three months back so I have no reason to deny this pregnancy and having a paternity test while the baby is still in the womb can harm the baby and I will not take that risk.” “I bet you were not the only guy she had unprotected s*x with,” Pete sneers.

“Come on stop it man, Janet doesn’t even want this baby, she wanted me to give her money for an abortion,” he informs. “Wow! Well I’m not surprised she is something else,” “Pete! Stop judging, she had her reasons and I understand her, that’s why I asked her to move in with me so we can raise the baby together as a family.” “You did what!” Pete screams. “It was the only way to save the baby and I think the baby deserves to be raised by both parents, this is my first child we are talking about here.”

“Man! Please think about this, you don’t have to be with Janet just because you are having a child with her, what about Kiana does Janet even know you are engaged?” “It’s the only way to avoid complications, I have to let go of Kiana, she deserves better than a man who is having a baby with another woman. Janet doesn’t need to know Kiana exists and Kiana doesn’t need to know about Janet, I don’t want any drama between those two.” Pete pours himself a drink, this is making him thirsty, he is upset he can’t get through his friend’s head or change his mind.

“Don’t you think you should tell Kiana everything and let her decide if she still wants to be with you or not?” “Pete please! Weren’t you listening to a word I said? Kiana deserves better than being a step mother and being in a crowded relationship with me, Janet and the baby, it just wouldn’t work that is why she and I can’t be together anymore.” He pauses to gulp his beer and then he continues,

“I have to raise my child together with his/her mother I need to give my child a family. As much as I love Kiana I can’t put her above my baby’s life what if she dumps me someday or the relationship doesn’t work out for some reason? It’s not an easy decision trust me, I love Kiana so much that it hurts but I have to put my child first and besides that I honestly believe she deserves better so I won’t rob her of a chance to marry a man who isn’t expecting a child with another woman. You know what let me drive to her place right now and get this over with.”

“Bryce it’s ten pm are you mad?” “Don’t worry about it, she will make a plan and sneak out to see me.”