Beyond the Bloodline
Kemi’s POV
I woke up to the soft aroma of breakfast filling the air. As I stirred, I noticed Jide standing by the bedside with a tray in his hands, a smile lighting up his face.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said softly. “I wonder how you manage to smell so good, even in the morning.”
I smiled shyly, pulling the covers up to my chin. “Tell me, hunie, what’s the secret?” he teased.
“Ah, babe, that’s my little secret,” I replied with a playful smirk. “You’ll have to pay before I spill. Consultation isn’t free, you know.”
Jide gasped in mock horror before grinning. “I’ll pay any amount to smell this good,” he said, patting my nose lightly. Then, with a dramatic flourish, he reached across the cupboard and pulled out a wad of naira notes, fanning them out like a magician.
I burst into laughter, sitting up in bed. “Aaah… Olowuorimi! I was just joking!”
“Well, I’m serious,” he replied, his tone playful but steady. “You deserve more for smelling this good for me. I can spray you my last card so you can get more of this magic.”
“Ah, babe, how then are we going to pay bills?” I teased, laughing as I playfully swatted his arm.
He leaned in, his face mischievous. “So, now that I’ve bribed you, oya gist me. Where do you get this wonderful, long-lasting perfume? I need to buy some for a friend’s birthday.”
“Well,” I began with a proud grin, “I get them from Pearl Series. She’s based in Anambra but delivers nationwide. You can reach her through her number. She’s fast and reliable.”
“Oh nice! Please, I’ll like to snap your perfume collection,” he said, eyeing my vanity table.
“Ah, babe, my collection is feminine. Get the ones for men instead,” I replied, raising a brow.
“Whichever one,” he said with a shrug. “What if I want to smell like my wife?”
My heart warmed at his words, and I was grateful for this moment of lightness. He pulled me up gently from the bed and began spoon-feeding me breakfast. When we were done, we took a shower together before he prepared for work.
Later That Evening
I waited until dinner to bring up the matter weighing heavily on my mind. With everything seemingly settled between us, I thought it was time.
“Jide,” I began cautiously as we sat on the couch, “about the procedure…”
He sighed heavily, leaning back with a weary expression. “Kemi, I’m exhausted. I’ve had a long day, and I need to rest. Can we leave this for now?”
I nodded, letting it slide for the night, but the matter stayed at the forefront of my mind.
The Next Day
Determined not to let it go, I brought it up again. This time, Jide waved it off as if it were nothing.
“But babe, we’ve struggled so hard to get here,” I said, my voice tinged with frustration. “You’re making it seem like it’s just my problem. We both wanted this, and we need to find out what truly happened.”
“Hunie, please, let’s leave that for now,” he replied, his tone dismissive. “Maybe they don’t even know how to do the procedure, and they’re just looking for a way to avoid us. We’ll go somewhere else later.”
“No, babe,” I said firmly. “What if they sold it? That’s our baby we’re talking about. We didn’t donate it. We need it more than anyone else, and if it gets into the wrong hands, our unborn baby won’t forgive us for this.”
“Whose fault is it, Kemi?” Jide shot back, his tone sharper than I’d ever heard. “No, tell me. Whose fault? Mo kú ò! Kemi, I thought we’d already talked about this and you understood me. Why bring it up again?”
I was stunned by his tone, unable to respond immediately.
“Kemi, please,” he continued, exasperated. “I’m not ready for this emotional blackmail. If you want to go and ask questions, go ahead. While you’re at it, also find out why you’ve been unable to give me a child.”
The words hit me like a blow. My hands trembled as I stared at him, tears filling my eyes. “This isn’t the man I married,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “It can’t be you speaking.”
I spent the night silently weeping, the pain too deep for words.
Two weeks later, the nightmare deepened. Mama arrived unannounced, bringing with her a woman she introduced as Judith. Her praises for Judith were endless.
“This is the real woman, not you who is nothing more than a man,” Mama said cruelly.
Judith stood beside her, radiating false humility. But as she entered, something caught my attention—her perfume. It was unmistakably the same one Jide had snapped a photo of, claiming he wanted it for a “friend’s birthday.”
It all clicked. This is the friend. This is the woman I unknowingly referred him to my plug for.
I felt my heart sink as the realization hit me.
“Mama,” I said, my voice trembling. “What have I ever done to you to deserve this? I served you diligently when I lived with you, and this is how you repay me?”
Mama sneered. “Repay you? You seduced my son into marrying you—a poor, wrétched nobody. I wonder what he saw in you. Six years and no child! Now here is a real woman. Just a few weeks, and she’s already pregnant. If Jide had listened to me years ago, we wouldn’t be here today.”
I stood there, frozen, unable to speak. My head spun with disbelief.
Later that evening, Jide walked into the house. The moment he saw Mama and Judith, he froze, his face pale.
“Mama, what is she doing here?” he asked cautiously.
Mama smiled, unfazed. “Ehee, my son. Thank God you’re finally back. Judith is pregnant with your child. We couldn’t hold the good news anymore, so we rushed down to tell you ourselves. After all, it’s time for this barren woman to leave your house for good.”
I couldn’t bear the humiliation any longer. I ran into the bedroom, tears streaming down my face as Mama’s words echoed in my ears.