Mrs. Leila Buoyaa couldn’t keep any meal down. She had noticed her husband’s concerned glances, and she prayed he wouldn’t ask any questions at the table. They got through their supper quietly, after which she excused herself.
She entered the private bathroom and took out the pregnancy test kit she had carefully hidden in her menstrual kit. She knew her husband would never find it there – he said those things were disgusting to him. But for three months now, she hadn’t needed it. Tonight, however, she wanted to clear her doubts. The pharmacist had told her that it was better to test early in the morning; however, she couldn’t wait till the next morning, so she bought two.
Just when the second line appeared in the result window, her husband knocked on the bathroom door. Leila sighed. She didn’t know how her husband would react to the news, but she went out to the bedroom to meet him regardless.
Mr. Henry Buoyaa, Leila’s husband, motioned for her to sit by him on the bed. As soon as she did, he held her hands and said, “Leila, you didn’t eat to my satisfaction earlier. Is anything the matter? Are you well?”
Leila smiled. This might be good after all. She calmly handed the test kit to him. He turned it over in his hands, then looked at his wife, one eyebrow shooting up in questions unasked. “What is this, my dear?”
“You don’t know?” Leila’s eyes widened.
“No… is this a thermometer or something?”
Leila chuckled. “Honey, it’s a pregnancy test kit.”
“Jesus!” Henry dropped it.
“What?” Leila picked it up. “What is it, Henry?”
Her husband took in a deep, steadying breath. It couldn’t mean… No… That’s impossible. Henry took another deep breath. “Baby, what is this?” He held up the kit to his wife.
Leila rolled her eyes, her brows furrowing. “It’s a preg—”
“Yes, you said that. But what does it mean?”
“I’m pregnant, Honey. We’re going to have a baby.” She held her husband’s arm, her eyes shining.
“Jesus.” Henry rose from the bed and sank back down, his eyes on his wife. How could she do this to him?
“Honey, this is good news. Why do you look hurt? Don’t you want a baby? God has finally answered my prayers —our prayers.” She put his hand on her stomach. “After nine years, Honey, we’re going to be parents!”
“But how?”
“How do you mean how? God did it. Let us rejoice, eh.” Leila kissed her husband’s cheek and twirled out of the bedroom, singing a praise song.
Henry remained seated, the result still in his hand, the two red lines smiling at him. Indeed, the impossible had happened.
*** *** *** *** ***
On her drive to work the following day, Leila pondered over her revelation and her husband’s reaction last night. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that he might suspect her. She pulled over at an empty bus stop. Just then, her phone rang, and her face radiated the joy her heart suddenly felt.
“Hey, darling,” Leila sang.
“My baby, how are you? And how is my precious one in there?”
Leila giggled. Marcel always brought out the child in her.
“Hello, Leila? Are you there?”
“Yes, Marcel. It’s just how you make me speechless.” She shook her head. “Well, we’re fine. Your baby is growing fine. However, there’s a challenge.”
“What is it, baby?”
“My husband knows. I told him…” Leila heard Marcel’s gasp, and she winced. “Marcel?”
“Leila! Why would you do that? Why did you tell him?!”
“He’s my husband, remember? We live together. He was bound to notice sooner or later. Last night, I caught him staring at me suspiciously. What should I have done?” Leila challenged.
“Be calm, my love. Don’t get agitated. It’s not good for the baby.”
“Then don’t agitate me! Why did you call me, Marcel? You’re supposed to be my source of joy and peace. But now—” she choked.
“Baby…” Marcel drawled, “Don’t cry now. I’m sorry. Hmm… But Leila, we agreed on how to go about this. Well, what did he say?”
Leila sniffed. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Yes, nothing. He doesn’t know that I know.”
“Did he look happy?”
“No… more confused than excited. He doesn’t know that I know so he will accept it. He has no choice. That will even keep us safe—”
“No.”
“Eh?”
“That’s my baby, Leila,” Marcel shot back. “I won’t let another man raise him. We talked about this, my love!”
The phone went silent.
“Marcel!” Leila cried, but the line had gone dead.
She prayed he wouldn’t do anything silly to expose them. At least not yet.
*** *** *** *** ***
At that same time, Henry and his doctor friend, Malik, discussed the turn of events over breakfast at Nel Giardino. Malik smirked.
“Paddy, I don’t get it o, I don’t,” Henry started, and Malik laughed. “Is this a joke or a miracle?”
“Let’s face it, my paddy,” Malik interjected. “It’s not yours. You’re not responsible for that pregnancy. And you and I know why; I performed the operation myself, remember?”
“Ah, Malik! What are you saying? Have you ever seen my wife with another man and you never told me?”
Malik looked away. “No.”
“Ah, so where from this?” Henry fired back. His wife could never.
“My paddy,” Malik continued, leaning forward across the table, “you know the story of the hunter who went into the forest with a stick instead of a gun, right? Right?” He leaned back. Now Henry looked away. He couldn’t imagine that his wife cheated on him, and he told Malik so.
“There’s only one way to find out. Oh, two,” Malik said. “One is to confront your wife. The other, my paddy, is to run the test.”
“Why would she cheat on me? I have done everything for her. Everything!”
“Except giving her a baby,” Malik said quietly.
Henry took in a sharp breath. “Do you think she knows?”
Malik shook his head. “She can’t know. It happened before you married her, didn’t it?”
Henry nodded. Indeed, there was only one way to find out. Or two.
To be continued.
