It had already been three months since the incident at our house and so much had changed within that space of time. I decided I was going to visit Mr Ajayi and leave him with his own gift and when his wife ushered me into his house I couldn't even hold the laughter when I saw his outfit.

"I see we've turned to the pole in the flag again, what's the issue this time?"

He strode across to where I stood and gave me a hug
"well some of my colleagues are beginning to visit me here, so my wife thinks it is safer to look old and undesirable" he added the last word with a whisper

"hugging your patient is quite unprofessional Mr Ajayi" I said with a huge smile

"not the patient who calls me an angel"

We talked for a while about how things were between my husband and I. Even how I had begun to warm up to Nasa and Esther. Nasa was divorced and when she told me I felt really bad. "it was because we couldn't make babies, I think he was frustrated already you know Chris, after the incident with Charles he just wanted out and i just had to let him go" She had told me

My daughter practically lived in Esther's house and my sisters kept spoiling her with gifts, now I didn't have to worry about her betting with Christian.

Christy took the news quite well and understood her new relationship with Aaron. Which meant he could have as many shirtless geometry classes with her without their uncle slicing of his scrotal sac.

Mother was practically living with the old woman because her granddaughter was busy with school registration process. I had laughed so hard when she called me at night to tell me so about her tales with the woman.

"she wouldn't even use the water system, she says it is too cold for her butt. Unu ahula Ihe m tinyere onwe m? Have you seen what I got myself into? Two days ago Veronica visited and as usual prepared her foreign dishes, she started screaming of how she was going to be poisoned, I just couldn't hold it in I was laughing so hard. Veronica kept speaking English for the woman who didn't even understand a word out of what she said. This house has become something else"

I was relieved that mother was not alone and that she sounded happy.

Charles had been so wonderful to me that I just could not resist making love with him at any chance we got. He spoiled me with gifts and love and I could tell it was the over pampering  that made me gain extra pounds.

"So I take it that you're not mistrustful of your husband anymore" Mr Ajayi said pulling me out of my thoughts

I nodded with a huge smile.

"you've blushing ever since we started talking about him, I am very happy for you Mrs Vic.. Sorry Victoria." he paused then spoke again with a smile"Patricia "

Yes, yes I am and it is all because of you. Thank you for everything Mr Ajayi"

I stepped into the car and got the gift that I had brought him and when he opened it he was very surprised.

"it's a painting"

Yes " I replied

" of your family, your whole family"

I nodded
"anything else?"

In a garden surrounded by butterflies "

Yes! I thought about the blank canvas and I realized that I needed to paint my future. So I painted the product of our second chances. It did cost me more than I expected but I loved the outcome. When the whole family got together for Thanksgiving in church two months after dad's burial, I got a photographer to capture the beautiful moments we shared on the field and that was what I wanted on the blank canvas. This "I gestured to the painting" is the island beyond that storm " After I got the painting I decided to reproduce it,i realized that you need it too. A reminder of what a good therapist you are."

He smiled and took the painting to show his wife. I could hear them whispering from where they stood.
"did she also tell you she's pregnant!, the old woman was squealing when she made the statement. She's so lucky! After what happened and so soon!

I laughed silently at her misconception, I put on weight I wasn't pregnant. Even onyi had hinted the same thing when we had lunch the other day.

"so I lost all the weight so that you can get it abi akpi. Maybe I should be giving you little rations of food from now on. But think about it Vicky don't you think you are.. Pregnant"

Pregnant ke! I miscarried a baby not too long ago maybe my body is still trying to adjust. Besides I don't feel pregnant and I don't even feel any form of fatigue, plus I've been seeing my period. Trust me, I am not pregnant. I just have to work on my weight "

Or Charles could help you work on your weight on that bed" onyi said winking

"really!"

"sex is a good form of exercise" she said laughing

Mother had also hinted the same thing last month, maybe I should get a proof from the hospital that'll shut them up. They pair walked me to the door and thanked me,while Mr Ajayi left me with a book.

I drove to the hospital and went for a pregnancy test just to prove everyone that they were mistaken. And as I sat waiting for the results I began to flip through the pages.

"Today I meet the lady I am supposed to handle. She looks scared and nervous but not as nervous as I am. Can I handle being a fake therapist?
She doesn't remember her name! She must be really scared of me. Her name is Patricia and she's a victim of betrayal "

*****
Today Patricia is better than she was the first time. She's uncomfortable with my silence but I don't even know what to say to her. She thinks her husband is the cause of her problem. She's beginning to figure out her past. I just told her what I made up and she believes it. I can't even peel an onion without crying.

******

She wants to go through the things I scribble, how embarrassing it'll be for her to find out that I'm an amateur at this. I have just told her what my blind grandfather told me about storms and captains. The blank black canvas is not mine, the real owner of this office is a painter.

***''
I've decided to become a psychologist, Victoria helped me discover that I can be.

By the time the nurse attended to me I had gone through all the pages and I laughed to almost anything Mr Ajayi scribbled

She handed me the test results and I was stunned to see what was written.

It says I'm pregnant! But how! I just saw my period two weeks ago. Is it not too early to detect pregnancy? "

Most women also menstruate while pregnant Mrs Victoria we've seen similar cases. But you are not two weeks pregnant, you are four months pregnant ma'am."

Did you say fo... Four! That's not possible I, I miscarried my baby. They told me he died. I watched myself bleed. I.. I don't even walk like an old woman"

"It doesn't seem like you miscarried your baby Mrs Victoria, on the contrary the baby is safe and sound. We'd advice you to come for regular check ups, it's a late pregnancy and it comes with risks. Just be careful and congratulations madam"

The nurse walked away leaving me speechless. I didn't miscarry! He didn't leave me, father was right. He didn't leave me. The tears that came to my eyes were tears of joy and I just couldn't wait to tell Charles.

********

I pretended to be asleep when Charles walked in and I was very wrong to have chosen the wrong side of the bed again.

He didn't speak to me he just kicked off his shoes and came to me on the bed. After he snaked his arms around me he kissed my cheek.

"You are horrible at pretending, the right side Vicky, the right side"

I stood up laughing and I threw my hands around him pulling him on top of me. "you know me so well Charles Chinedu"

"I try my best" he replied kissing me. The taste of his lips almost made me forget why I was trying to get his attention the first place.

"we're having a baby Charles" I murmured against his lips.

"yes we are, right after we.... What!"

He jerked off after he processed what he heard. "did you say we're having a... a.. Baby? " he asked

"yes we are, this time the tears came again. We didn't lose our baby the first time. He didn't leave, It wasn't a miscarriage Charles!."

He reached out and placed his hand on my belly." How is this possible? They said you lost the baby. Your belly is so flat, I mean you just saw your period two weeks ago"

I can't explain how it happened, but I just know that I'm four months pregnant! We'll be having another child!

Charles pulled me up and locked me into in an embrace while he rambled of how much he loves me and how he'll protect the baby.

"he's one strong baby if he has been there the whole time safe while we..we" the words didn't come out

Peeled the onions" I finished

"yes"

"makes me want to name him Thor after all" he laughed at this.

"can we name him.."

I was cut off by Charles " don't say Christian or jude"

I could not stop myself from laughing. "why would I name him Jude?"

"I don't know it just came to my mind, probably to punish me. Plus I saw how you were at her funeral, Grace"

"now that you mentioned I might consider the name Jude. I was thinking of Philip my father's English name , you know because father did tell me about him before he died. Is that okay?"

He kissed me again on the lips and smiled "much better!"

I pulled him closer, tasting his lips and gently peeling off his clothes.

"peel the onion" we said it at the same time and it only amused us.

Much later that after we had finished Charles remembered about safety.

"don't worry the baby will be fine, besides peeling the onion helps pregnant women, you should know that"

It was not until Charles dozed off that I realized that I had been holding up my four fingers. I rolled to the side where Charles lay and wrapped his hands around my waist. I didn't care if I didn't sleep on that side of the bed or not, I just wanted my husband to hold me. Life had taught me so many lessons in a short while and the most important of all, is to love and forgive.

I made a short prayer to God thanking him for how my life turned out to be and prayed for an even better future.

We were going to live ha-peely ever after, and we did.

The End

##########
Hey everyone

It has been a wonderful journey watching Victoria find her way to happiness while overcoming her past.

I'm really appreciative of the reads, the comments and the votes. Thank you for reading second chances (my first completed book on Wattpad) i love you all❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Michelle