Chapter 50: Moving On

Tacha Williams

Move on even when you can't. The best option even if your heart hurts. You will heal.

Four years, in a twinkle of an eye, went by so fast. Tacha Williams was living her best life. If not, at least, she was living a life she was proud of. She was happy.

A thriving skill she could boast of. In a new state, with new friends and the people she considered family.

One of her new family members who had very tiny legs but was very good at running around the house must have notified their new neighbours since they arrived in the city of Lagos.

Tacha unzipped the travelling box before her. She found herself the easiest way to stay focused on the assignment she came to Lagos for and fully settled down in their new apartment. The few days' break she was about to take from yelling about the house made her even happier and also guilty at the same time. She was preparing to dump her wild princess to the one who was always outside on a Friday night but fed cookies to a four-year-old girl some days for the past four years. This time, it will have to be some weeks and she was glad both teams were very excited for this mission.

Tacha's laughter filled the whole room as she stared at the one she was having a Facetime with. "Trust me, Kenny. It's the grace of God."

"Nigerians! Ahhh!" Kenny shook her head in disbelief.

She wasn't prepared to take that as an answer. Her dear friend was glowing that even her phone screen understood she wasn't joking, but Kenny knew that has always been a general response when you ask Nigerians how they are doing so well. "So, you are telling me all the pictures I'm seeing on my green app, it's the grace of God sending you manna for that body. Your grace must be a baddie, Tacha. She sent you the correct skin care and Zara bags. Hmm!" Kenny ended with a chuckle.

Tacha couldn't hold her laughter this time. She had missed Kenny a lot. It's so funny how they went from seeing every day to once a year. Everyone should really be prepared for life. One or two things happen, and it doesn't feel the same way again. One day, the people who care so much for you and make your life less stressful will no longer be in your life for a reason. The lie we tell ourselves is that we can't do it without them. Until we begin to do much more. Tacha missed those days, but she lived even better than then. Tacha quickly changed the discussion. "Where are you? It's late already."

"My dear, you are in Lagos," Kenny emphasised on the last word and changed from her front camera to back camera. One after the other, cars maintained a long queue that one would think the government had called for free fuel. So funny that even fuel scarcity could command this long queue in her beautiful country. "God knows we will get there and we won't see what's causing this terrible traffic. Besides, by this time, you and I know the day is just starting. I should get to your place before twelve."

Tacha's eyes roamed the sitting room before bursting into a quick laughter. The day is just starting by this time of the day. What Lamba is Kenny giving her?

Tacha found the wall clock. Unlike where she had lived for the past four years. No car would be seen roaming the street at twelve in the morning if not an emergency. But not Lagos. Any unfortunate circumstances could keep Lagosians in the traffic till the following morning. She wasn't surprised though. She was back to the place where she lived her whole life.

"Anyways, has your bride visited? Cause I know you weren't planning to arrive today. And I thought they are the ones travelling down to Ib to take their measurement and keep to appointments if they want your branch sewing their wedding dress."

"Money." Tacha smiled at Kenny. "Special clients get this treatment. Money runs an errand."

"At least the ones in Lagos here can even send their measurement to you guys. But since she picked your design on IG and wants you to be with her through the whole process, it's a plus for you darling. Just save up quick so this travelling can stop." Kenny added very quickly. "I will join you guys soon. I can't wait to see my little baby."

"See life." Tacha shook her head. "No more big baby."

"Dey play. Do I know you?" The call ended abruptly.

Tacha couldn't contain her laughter. It lasted for a while before it slowly faded away. Five years ago, this was not her life. How a life you have planned suddenly took a drastic change was something Tacha couldn't even understand, talk less of explaining the whole situation to herself. Could she have avoided that?

Maybe, if she had never met him.

Tacha closed her eyes and moved her head from left to right to stop whatever was building up in her head.

"Mummy."

"Yes, baby." Tacha turned to her little girl. She knew she had a question for her and was about to ask her...something like her usual self. Tacha smiled down at her. The way she confesses her love to her almost every day reassured her she was her mother. Not when she doesn't look twenty per cent of her at all. Reminding her of one thing. He needs to know about me, Mummy.

That fear.

That fear took Tacha out of Lagos.

If he knew, he was going to take her away and there was nothing she could do. She would never be able to fight him. A whole Nathan Brown. Not to talk of, the Brown family itself.

That family. She never wanted to have anything to do with them, again.

Tacha's smile was gone again.

Replaced with fear of losing the one whose smiles never run out.

"Mummy, what about you? What is that thing you will never do again, Mummy."

"Never go to a club and dance your ass off after a hot breakfast," Tacha said slowly. She sincerely didn't plan to say that. The words came just by staring at those eyes.

"Tacha! What is that you are teaching her!"

She expected it. Tacha expected her Mum to attack her. Her voice was so aggressive that she could be taken as the mother before anyone changed the narrative.

Tacha's facial expression was ready to laugh, but she held it in seeing her daughter's confused look.

Anna paused, looking at Tacha's face which was consumed with soft chuckles. For another few seconds, Anna looked at the woman whom she grew up to love as her mother. "Mummy, I dance after breakfast. Is it bad? You know I like dancing."

Both Tacha and her Mum filled the entire sitting room with their laughter. Of course, Anna didn't know what type of breakfast her Mum was talking about. An unexpected breakup in your relationship when you've planned the whole of your life around your partner can disrupt someone's life completely.

And dancing with a total stranger was never the best option.

At least, she knew that now.

But it was hard to forget those memories whenever she stared at those eyes that dug many emotions inside of her. Out of everything, she took his eyes.

"Don't mind Mummy." Tacha's Mum said, saving the poor girl who was confused. "My love, come to Grandma."

Anna took her notebook to her grandma who was holding her school bag for her. She dipped the exercise note into the bag and turned towards Tacha's direction again. "But Mummy is it bad?"

Both Tacha and her Mum burst into laughter. Now, Tacha regretted saying whatever she had said. She must have forgotten how curious Anna could be.

"Anything else you want Mummy to pack?" Tacha waved Anna's question. She got up and walked towards their new bedroom.

"Mummy." Anna hurried towards Tacha. Her small hands hugged Tacha's legs, forcing the two to walk awkwardly, and slowly, that they almost fell. "Mummy tell me why it is bad now."

Tacha's Mum laughed from the sitting room.

Good for her daughter for not holding her tongue.

"My Mummy, nau..."

"My Baby, nau..."

Anna responded with a broad smile. She suddenly found Tacha's response funny. Her rosy cheeks bounced. She was irresistible with her smile, and slowly, she put a smile on Tacha's face too. Tacha pointed two of her fingers to her eyes, then moved the same fingers to point at Anna's. She was trying all she could to cover up answering Anna. "You didn't take Mummy's eyes."

"Because I will be too pretty, Mummy."

"Aww." Tacha broke into a big smile. Her pink lips curved. Anna's words filled her with warmth and pride. Her little girl can be very sweet. One blessing she would welcome again. But not sooner. Not even soonest. Suddenly, both mother and daughter shared a cute laugh.

"But Mummy are you not going to..."

The doorbell saved Tacha Williams.

She chuckled and ran out of the bedroom. "That must be Aunty Kenny."

"So eventually this bride is never coming despite how we rushed down here today." Tacha's Mum mumbled while the rest of her family hurried to the door.

••••••

5 years ago, Tacha thought her whole life was coming to an end. She thought her life was completely messed up. No family support. Never had been. All her relationships were a complete mess. Involving herself with one of the wealthiest bachelors in Lagos was her biggest regret.

For someone like her, it took her a while to accept such a relationship with a man like that was never going to be possible. She told herself she was never going to face the shame she brought upon herself again.

By his smell, she knew Nathan was the one who carried her that day. The day she almost lost her life. Those strong hands were so warm and comfy, but not her life in his hands. Never again.

She understood...

He was never going to defend her.

He was never going to speak up for her.

He would always believe his own family and not even a word she told him.

Love was never enough. Tacha learnt that even in a hard way.

His family was never going to accept someone like her.

She understood it wasn't really about Nathan, but his family. His family had issues with every decision he took, including her. And he wasn't ready to take the wheel from them. Being with such a man would be dangerous for her.

And she decided to choose all possible options that would help her never to set eyes on Nathan again.

The first option was to lie.

The second was to leave Lagos.

The conversation she had with the doctor that day changed all her plans.

"You are in a very critical condition." The Doctor said to Tacha who had managed to open her eyes. "You are three weeks pregnant. You are lucky that you survived. I will have to see the men that--"

Tacha grabbed the Doctor's cloth before he could finish his statement. When she moved her head left and right on the bed, Kenny understood everything.

Having a child out of wedlock was something she never wanted for herself. She was very much against it. But here she was, lying with bare minimum strength and being told she was pregnant for Nathan Brown.

If she ever breaks this news to Nathan.

What Kenny's cousin said about her would eventually turn out to be true.

And she would never be able to have a say in her child's life.

The only option left...was to lie.

•••••

Tacha swung the door open.

Instantly her feet were frozen.

Her heart thundering against her chest.

Fear was squeezing the air out of her lungs as she stared with wide eyes. Dear God. She could not feel her knees. Tacha couldn't breathe either. Her face was masked with uneasiness and her throat was choked with sudden panic. Why. Was. He. Here.

How?

"Aunty Kenny! Aunty, Aunty Kenny! Mummy is--"

Those eyes. Those eyes slowly found Anna who had kept quiet, now standing next to Tacha.

Then he started at her.

Tacha could hear the fast beat of her heart. It was sprinting. The weight of anxiety rested on her face and she was suddenly growing sick, a glint of fear still in her eyes.

"Are you Tacha Williams from fairy tale store?"

Tacha swallowed the bile in her throat. Her mind was still roaring in panic. She managed to smile. Completely faked, but the bride-to-be deserved one. "You must be Miss Maria?"

"Hi."

Tacha jumped in fear.

She wasn't expecting him to speak.

She was about to act like she didn't know him, but he spoke again.

"Nice seeing you again, Tacha."

Tacha's chest tightened and she could barely breathe.

Anthony Brown was at her doorstep.

Tacha held Anna's hand so tight. "Hi, Anthony."