I walked briskly, then ran up the stairs and pressed the bell.I could barely contain my excitement.An unknown robust black middle-aged woman opened the door with an infectious smile. She looked too groomed to be the house help but did not look like my friend’s mum.
“Good afternoon madam, Mummy twins will join you,” she announced leading me to the living room on the west wing of the house.
I settled into the familiar living room and could notice the little changes here and there.Was it so long ago we had worked with the interior decorator designing the house while running around for the wedding? How true the saying “time flies.”
“Mummy twins would soon be with you”, said the woman I now presume must be the house help and served me a cup of orange juice with chopped pieces of dried spicy beef.
I eyed the meat hungrily. Threw cautioned to the wind and settled to devour it. I was still savouring the delicacy with much ecstasy when I heard the voice.
“I hope you enjoyed my peace offering.”
“It’s truly a peace offering,” I concurred rising into a warm hug.
“Mummy twins” I teased.
“You have barely been here five minutes, and Madam Rose has indoctrinated you.”
“I was first taken aback when I heard, but I love the sound of it. Please where are the young men I came to see?”
“They are being dressed and drilled to be of good behaviour. They are meeting their godmother for the first time.”
I felt both honoured and elated to receive such role, and I took it seriously vowing to be the best godmother who ever lived. Madam Rose came with the boys, and I lost my heart to them at first sight. They would be the cutest pair of babies I have seen.
“Jason and Jaden meet your god – mummy,” cued Peju on what I presume was baby talk. I held Jaden first and then Jason.
“I am so glad to meet you and feel very honoured to be your god- mummy,”I cooed in the new baby language I seemed to have acquired by instinct.
What a shame, she can’t risk getting pregnant. She will never carry a child” I heard the voice of one of my family members, and it kept echoing. “She will never carry her baby.” I also heard my mum’s voice refuting the declaration but I still heard it in my head days without end, and today, it was ringing loudly.
A tear dropped. “They’re both lovely and so identical, you can hardly tell them apart,” my voice cracking and betraying my emotional state.
“Yes Lana, I bawled like a baby when I first laid eyes on them. How could these precious tiny cute beings have come out of me? You can hardly tell them apart, but I know although Phil always confuses them.
I played with the twins till Madam Rose came to take them away from me for their nap.
“Motherhood looks good on you. See how more beautiful and radiant you have become.”
“Is that to say I have been the ugly duckling?”
“You have always been pretty, but you look breathtaking now.”
“Please tell her,” Phil came in, giving his wife a full kiss on the mouth and turning his attention to me.
“I must seek your forgiveness for whisking your friend away. She had a difficult pregnancy, and we had to move her out to a calmer place without the drama of family and friends. I have been apologising to almost the whole world since we came back. No one told me I married the town’s sweetheart.” He had a twinkle in his eyes, drawing Peju closer to him.
“You are forgiven. I cannot be upset with those two cutie pies I just held in my arms.”
“The easiest and fastest forgiveness ever. I now know why you are Peju’s closest friend.”
He chatted with us and took his leave.
“Please give me some time to attend to him. I will be back. And please don’t go away. Please,” begged Peju hilariously batting her eye lids.
“I will advise, you keep that for Phil. It has no effect on me but if you send more of the dried meat my way. That should suffice.”
21stcenturybelle 