Birthmark

Birthmark
Author: Ike's stepfather and Senator Okwu are the same people. I only use them alternatively to prevent steady repetition.

Ana’s POV

"The pleasure is greatly mine my dear," she utters in a warm voice, her expression welcoming. "It is undoubtedly a good pleasure to meet you in such wonderful circumstances. This is the day the Lord has designated and handed to us for our taking, so we will rejoice and be glad in it."

If only she knows what I've been through I think, leaning into the embrace she tugs me into despite the gap in our positions.

"It's nice to see the woman who got my brother off Emily," Mirian beams, stretching her palms to me for a shake as her mum lets go of me. "I'm Mirian."

"I'm Ana," I respond in the same serious tone as she and to my surprise they all break out in a laugh, making me dumbfounded. "What's funny?"

"You took the bait," Ike titters, placing the baby on my lap.

"She's a good one bro, you chose right," she conveys, grinning at me. "No offense Ana, in time, you would know I'm the trickster."

"Ah, you and my brother will make good friends," I see the point now as she and Max are cut out of the same clothing.

"The bulky one?" She quizzes and I give a sign of affirmation. "Good, I like him already."

"I want to see my Grandson," Senator Okwu shows up, pushing the door with force as he strides in, his fat body disguised in a wine-colored flowing agbada and a red cap similar to the one my Dad was wearing, a black walking stick with the head of a lion carved on it.

"I informed him," Cecilia raises her hand sheepishly at Ike's questioning gaze.

"I'm asking to see my Grandson," he repeats, and regardless of the bitterness and contempt pouring through my veins, I offer the child to him and he takes Miracle from me.

Before I know what's going on, he places the child on the mattress, unraveling whatever clothing the infant has on.

"What are you doing?" Ike asks as I can't utter a syllable.

"This is not your son Ike," he pronounces, holding the now crying baby in his arms and turning him backward for us to his bareback. 

"This child isn't yours Ike," he continues, his fingers pointing at the spot below Miracle's shoulder. "There's no birthmark."

"What are you hinting at?" Ike's mother requests, gawking at her Ex-husband as if he has grown two heads.

"Exactly as I said," he reinstates, resting back the wailing baby on the bed. "This is not my grandson."

"Of course he isn't, there's no way he could have taken your stupidity!" She rasps, aiming to stand, rather Cecilia rushes to hold her back.

"Look here woman, watch how you speak to me, I'm a titled man, and a sitting legislative member, so caution yourself!" He commands directing the walking stick in her face.

"Be calm dad," Mirian urges, bringing down his arm.

"You tell your mother to be respectful, then at least I can be calm," he growls, his Adam's apple bobbing in his neck.

"What the fuck are you trying to say, sir because at this moment I can't discern the rubbish you are belting out," Ike speaks, the tone of his voice astounding each of us. "How in God's name can you have the guts to gaze me in the face and tell me this child ain't mine?"

"I can see you and your wimp of a mother have no respect whatsoever for a man of my status," he argues, appearing offended by his stepson's statement.

"I dare you one more time to call my mother a degrading name and I swear I will personally haul you by the arm and fling you through the window," Ike threatens, the vibrations of his body an indication that he isn't bluffing.

"That isn't my business, what I'm trying to say is to ask this slut laying right here how that child isn't yours after all your sacrifices and misbehaviors," he defends in a grimace.

"Don't you fucking call me a slut you old hag!" I spark in fury, forgetting all the manners momma taught me. 

"Ana, be cool," Ike rubs my shoulder.

"No, no, my time to be cool is over," I decline, recalling all that Emily told me about his hand in my kidnap. "You think I don't know what you planned? You think--"

"Shut your trap!" Senator Okwu scolds. "All I want to hear from you is an explanation of how you want to pin this bastard child on my son!"

"For the record, I am not your son!" Ike exclaims. "And what other evidence do you need huh? What other evidence apart from the distinct similarity I share with Miracle."

"Oh you've named him already," he scoffs, eying the infant who is in Mirian's hold, now fully clothed and about to sleep when I remember he needs to eat.

"Hand him over Mirian, please?" I invite, gesturing to her and she obeys. I take him and reveal my left breast, channeling it into Miracle's mouth.

"Yes, we did, a problem with that?" Ike taunts, walking to him.

"No," he chuckles. "It just goes to prove how insignificant my family has made me.

"We are not the only family you have, or did you forget about your other wives and children already?" Cecilia queries, folding her arms.

"Besides, they had both given their son a name before we showed up," Ike's Mom explains. "You hear that? Their son."

"There is no way that bastard thing," he motions. "Is Daniel's child."

"What is going on?" My father inquires, showing up in the perimeter, my brothers and mother behind him. "What did I hear this nincompoop say?"

"What this nincompoop said," Ike's stepdad retorts. "Is that your daughter is a slut, hence Miracle, or whatever you all are calling him is not Daniel's son!"

"For real?" Dad beams in query, his lips tilting to the left. "So you mean, when I saw your son in my daughter's home early one morning, they were praying all night?"

"No, clarify me," Dad urges, cackling hysterically. "He didn't have sex with her?"

"That is not what I'm implying," Senator Okwu defends.

"As I said, clarify me," Dad sneers.

"It was not his sperm that fertilized the egg," He explains.

"Look who's teaching biology," Dad mocks, gesturing to him, and I clamp in my laugh, though not as Mirian, Max, and Ike's mom as they giggle, thus we see the humor in Dad's utterance. "If you know biology so well, then explain how Miracle isn't Ike's son when they share the same black eyes, the shape of the nose, and oh, the lips?