Swaying Palm Fronds Scream My Name

     Swaying Palm Fronds Scream My Name as I slip and slide beneath the rain. Tired teardrops hang on salt crystals, hardened by a selfish specie that mimics my kind. Faded gourds tilt awkwardly on solid ground, as silk threads hold recklessly, a shade of leaves. Aged cowry shells, swept ashore by betrayed friends, whispering this is the end.
        Oh well, you know how they say nothing can surprise you. It just did. Everything is a Shocking revelation and everyone is connected. Linked somehow by secrets, by wrong deeds by the need to get back at a former friend.
  How people change when they are in need, the in demand legal tender easily buys friendships and I am just going to learn how to keep malice.
'What sort of rubbish is this?'
I could not hide my disappointment, how could Nnoye do this to me.
Yes, I did not dash her money because I did not have, but haba. Did she have to camp with Tina?
'I can explain', Nnoye starts to say and I shut her up.
'Yeayyyy', I snapped my fingers, adjusts out of the massage reclining chair and still manage to keep my towel from exposing my lady parts.
'Tina, says she knows you. But, you can't blame me. She gave me the money I need to complete my fashion school fees...'
'Did she tell you how she got the money?'
'Errr....'
'So you sell information about me, Hehn?'
'What am I supposed to do? You won't give me any money....'
'Because I didn't have, I am squatting and not employed. I am self employed in this economy. You of all people know how that goes'
'Don't shout at me o, Tina is my classmate and friend'
'No problem, shebi we are no longer friends and are sharing information, right?'
Nnoye yimu'ed at me, she made a face daring me to do my worse. 

 I turn to the girl massaging me and laughed.
'You know how you keep praying that I will marry, well I will. Unlike some people who are mistresses and don't know'
'She's lying', Nnoye protests. I have shattered her good Christian image with these people.
'Am I? You know Mrs. Falolu that has one big provision store in Iporin market? Guess who married her husband that did not divorce her?'
Nnoye rushes to me and the girls hold her back.
'How does it feel?'
'Ade, you have done your worse'
'Eh, eh o. I have just started, I am going to attend all your Church programs and call radio stations with your Gist. And guess what? I will do my own, for free'
Nnoye's face crumpled and she starts to cry. It was too easy and I signalled to the massage girl.
'I still have ten minutes ooo', the massage girl reluctantly continues massaging me.
'Madam Ade, I no know say you wicked like this'
Her words sink in and I realize that she is right. When did I get so vengeful?
Reluctantly, I stand up and walk towards Nnoye.
'Leaf me ah, I don't want your pity',
   Kai, this babe is ugly when she cries. I shrug my shoulders and then sigh out loud.
'You too, why would you start something you can't finish?'
'Like you don't know how it feels to fall in love with a man that lied that he was single. Not all of us are lucky, I got pregnant and had my baby, before I knew the truth'
  I feel bad, didn't have think of it like that. She was in my exact, same situation, only she had sunk so deep, she didn't know how to get out.
'It's okay, it's okay'
'I am tired of my situation and tolerate Tina bad mouthing you so I can get lunch money for me and my son'
'She bad mouths me? Why?'
'She said, you are naive and clueless and that Mr. H is paying for her upkeep. She said that he will be hers soon'
 None of this was news to me but I need to know more.
'Mr. H wouldn't pay for that uncultured, loud, razz girls upkeep. She is lying'
I protest and Nnoye sits up.
'I have the text here, he sent her one hundred and fifty thousand'
I stare at the bank transaction and wonder how Nnoye got it.
'She's vindictive, she embarrassed her former friend in class with stored texts and WhatsApp messages. I became sharp from that day, she doesn't know I have her phones passwords'
 The old me would have celebrated but the new me knows what this means. Nnoye is not to be trusted. We laugh and chat and she believes we are back to been friends again. I do not dissuade her. I just smile and say goodbye.

   I take a cab home and fight the urge to fall asleep. I was so relaxed, I watched my entire life like a dream, a long annoying dream. Tina was spying on Mr. H and I and Mr. H was spying for the government. I was caught in the middle and did not like it one bit.
  As my cab driver, drives down to Ajoke's place I am glad Mr. H called. He will come and pick me up, I was relieved because I was so, so tired.
Ajoke was eating green salad when I got there and I could not help but poke fun at her.
'Wetin happen?'
She starts to cry and I feel bad.
'Why am I making all my friends cry today?'
'Don't mind me, it's all my hormones jumping up and down... Who cried?'
'Nnoye, what hormones? '
Ajoke was laughing and then she cupped her stomach.
I scream and hug her and we both scream and laugh.
'Congratulations'
'Yes and naturally, you and Mr. H are our babies God parents'
I hug her again and then freeze.
'Babies?'
'Twins, left to me I would have four at the same time. But Mr. H said we should start with twins'
'That is amazing'
'Na die the other former wives dey'
'What's your own..'
''Ade, I am not in denial. He had kids before me, and i was getting worried. But... But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine having twins, I am a winner and they will be special'
  Ajoke jumps up and struts up and down, in her six inch heels and gets us pomegranate juice.
'I miss alcohol already', she grumbled.
'Aren't those heels dangerous?'
Ajoke does not stop drinking, I swear if I didn't see her pour the drink I would have thought she spiked it with alcohol.
'What is dangerous is changing who you are when you get pregnant. Change you diet, yes. But not everything else'
'To the next generation', Ajoke's glass hit mine.
'To the next generation', I replied.
'You sure say you no put vodka for this drink?' Don't blame me o, I had to ask.
'Never, it's the same flavor as the vodka I like'
  Ahhh, that's where I know the taste from, I'm more of an Irish cream gal but let's not tempt our new mummy.
'Ade, please hurry up and get pregnant. I want our kids the same age, in the same premium school and heads of whatever pack they form'
We both laugh, it was funny.

    What was not funny, was that the marriage topic, had not come up between Mr. H and I. Now i feel guilty and bad that i feel left behind. My life started out on a fast track. I was in nursery school by two and had written common entrance by primary four. So when did i all of a sudden, slow down?

       That slow down has affected me and hunted me all my life. In school, i had the most naive friends, counting age gap and mocking the oldest of our group. I was lucky not to be the oldest, but afraid i would be, someday. The oldest bride, the oldest mother, the oldest in any professional or graduate course i take. It is a ridiculous idea, especially since research proves that people defy the odds. Eighty year olds studying Engineering, ninety year old climbing mount everest. There were no rules officially made or broken, only limitations set by me, myself and I.

  So, why am i scared?

     If you have walked with me on this my incredible journey since Franks betrayal. You would know why. I am scared because I have spent too much time listening to negativity. I am scared because simple situations, quickly get complicated.
    And if I am honest; all my friends and former friends were either pregnant or already have a baby.
'Relax, go on fertility drugs and vitamins...'
'Even if we are not sleeping together', I tell my good friend who some how figured out what I was thinking.
'Did I tell you, that, twice I have tried, and I did not get pregnant', Ajoke announced.
I shake my head.
'The pressure was on, and the last guy dumped me, on the grounds that I did not get pregnant'
'Really', I could think of nothing else to say.
'I cried, called my illiterate mum and threatened to kill myself', Ajoke sighed and holds my hand.
'You want to know what she said?'
'Please, tell me'
'Have you checked? Did you go to the doctor, snap your womb'
I chuckled.
'Her own way of saying if I had a scan', Ajoke laughs.
'When you know your womb is fibriod free, cyst free and you are ovulating. Next you check the rhesus negative or positive'

       Let me tell you the truth, the minute I found out I was AA, as in my genotype was AA. I became hot cake, ive seen the challenges of sickle cell anemia, the SS genotype and kudos to all family's managing the crisis. Honestly, I cannot cope, but my friends Nnoye and Khadijatu are AS genotypes so, they never gambled. It was a partner with AA or nothing. But from all the medical discoveries, nothing was that simple or straight forward.
'It's no longer just about genotypes?' I ask Ajoke.
'No, what's Mr. H's?'
   I pause and open my mouth and shut it. I had no clue, again this was because I was AA. But this rhesus negative thing, I had no clue about. I didnt know, if I was or was not.
'I'm rhesus negative, Bala is positive and have to see my doctor to be sure I dont have the sensitization, that's the antibodies. I'm fine but cautious'
'You will be fine and God willing, your babies will be strong and healthy'
'Amen o'

   Ajoke made me laugh hard until the men join us. Bala's was happy but superstitious, he made us swear not to tell anyone else.

    Mr. H was excited and we all have fun and Bala's cousin needs a follow up appointment and Mr. H didnt mind, so we both prepare to go.
I was quiet and when Mr. H asked, I blamed it on Nnoye and her Tina drama. I sit and stare at my pomegranate juice glass and then my phone rings.
'Bonjour'
I scream and shout, 'bonjour'.
Mr. H races to the room and then I point at the phone.
'It's Celine...'
'Paris is fantastic, security is tight but it's still beautiful'
'How have you been?'
'I don't think I am coming back to Nigeria ooo. I am in heaven'
'Fashion heaven?'
'The fabrics, the aura around clothes, I wish I had taken a years course instead of three'
'That good?'
'Better'
"Its, I'm happy to hear your voice'
'Oh, oh, did my boyfriend harass you?'
'No, he from what I heard. Is cruising round town with Uche'
'I knew it, he didn't even miss me'
'Tell me, Gist me'
'There's this guy...'
'Be careful ooo'
'He's an old friend, had a crush on me but nothing ever happened'
'Do your due diligence'
'He's single and Mr. H's friend'
Mr. H protests, 'don't rope me into this'
'He said no o', I shout over the speakers.
'Which friend?'
'Mfon'
'He falls hard o, don't break his heart'
'I wont', Celine laughs.
'I will catch up, we are all going to his cottage in the South of France'
'How many of you?'
I was not buying Celine's story.
'I will Gist you later, so what's that sad tone in your voice?'
I look around the room and Mr. H had stepped out. I take it off speaker phone.
'We are on our way to the hospital, Bala's cousin is going for a follow up prostate check up'
'Is he alright?'
'Better, but Khadijatu is there?'
'Giving birth already?'
'No, but she had complications yesterday'
'Good for her'
'I know but..'
'You are feeling guilty, why?'
'The innocent child...'
'Don't do it, don't let them rope you in. Frank and Khadijatu have their lives to live and you have Mr. H...'
'I know, but....'
'No, but's. I got to go but stay clear from your toxic friends'

     The hospital entrance doors seem smaller and the hallway narrowed as I walk behind Mr. H, Bala's cousin and his Amaria.
I was nervous and as I sit outside and wait, Mr. H holdsmy hand. I force a smile.
'Let me get us a fizzy drink', he stands up and walks away.
Khadijatu steps out of the emergency Ward.
'Ade'
'Khadijatu, hi'
'I'm fine'
     We didn't say anything and then she grunts and sits beside me.
'Is the baby...'
'It's fine...'
'Good'
'I'm truly sorry'
'It's fine, let's forget it'
'I miss my friend'
'Make new ones'
'It was always easy for you, you could do without friends. I really need one now'
'Why?'
'The baby is.... Is...'
'Is it a rhesus factor thing?', yep I had to ask.
Khadijatu laughs.
'I... Feel guilty'
'Why?'
'I want to remove it'
'Why, what did Frank do?'
'Frank won't want this baby'
'Frank wants a child'
'Not one with down syndrome'
   At this junction, I stop talking. Really all the medical facts I thought I knew have been shattered. Frank is young, Khadijatu too, so why on earth will they produce a down syndrome baby?
She was waiting and watching me and I still say nothing.
'Many couples will give an arm and a leg to experience having a baby'
'Not me, not Frank... Ade, I need to get rid of this baby'
'You can't just make the decision'
'So do you think Frank will stay?'
'I don't know, why are you telling me all these?'

I had to ask, is she asking me to okay getting an abortion?