Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Will it be safe?

Will it be safe to try?

Tacha Williams

For a few seconds, Tacha stood where she was, angry.

At no one else, but her Mum.

She was not prepared for this. She was not told at all. She was not mentally or emotionally ready to decide on anything else aside from the life she was living now.

She only came here for a few weeks. To work. Not what she was currently facing. How could she focus on her work when she had no peace in her heart?

When Anna walked back into the living room, her stares towards her broke Tacha's heart.

Was she being selfish?

.

Gwad!

Was she thinking of her feelings alone?

Regardless, how can her Mum forget she could have lost a daughter to the cold hands of death? Yet, she easily took sides with Nathan and told her to take Anna to him.

Everyone was watching her. Everyone was waiting for her to open the card in her hand. Especially Anna. Her daughter's smile was the brightest.

Tacha's heart beat with fear. She wondered what he could have written on the paper she had with her. Could he have demanded for his daughter?

Since he had seen her behind her back, he could have been plotting something else and decided to inform her before she started having some visitors.

Tacha opened the plain card.

And the first few words came to Tacha so fast that Tacha's heart rushed with emotions that made her weak in the knees. They made her heart flutter. Oh gwad! It says...

'To the best Mum. Thank you for being there all through these years, and for being the best Mum to Anna. No one would have raised her better.'

Those words made Tacha's heart beat in an unusual way. Her left hand slowly reached to her heart as if to stop it from disobeying her. Those emotions. They were rushing back to her so fast. She was surprised herself by how she had reacted to the words Nathan had scribbled down. They were the sweetest thing ever. She was so proud. Never been so proud of being a Mum. She could not deny it. They made her suddenly aware of how blood rushed through her veins. But she didn't like it.

The feelings that warmed her heart while reading the texts.

But she was glad she made one of the best decisions of her life. To have Anna.

Tacha called herself to order.

They were just mere words.

She shouldn't be reacting this way, she told herself.

Yet, emotions she thought were long gone and forgotten were beginning to swim around her heart slowly. As she continued to read, the rest of the words on the paper brought Tacha to the edge where her eyes were glistening with tears.

They were tears of pain. The pain she had experienced in the past. The words were captioned so well that they made her heart wept from memories. Tacha read them again.

'It must have been so hard. But God gave you the sweetest Anna, the beautiful yet strongest baby to be with Mama in her journey. Thank you for raising her with all the love you have. And I'm proud you came out stronger, beautiful, and awesome after all these years. I wouldn't have wanted a better Mum for my children.'

This time, Tacha's heart beat so fast as if Nathan was right before her, saying those words directly at her. She imagined the thick, calm voice that once made her shiver countless times. Did she just imagine him saying those words to her? Tacha came back to her senses.

But those words. The words Tacha had read were not what she was expecting.

Instead, it was full of his praises for her.

He didn't demand that she bring his child.

He didn't get mad at her for raising their child without him.

Tacha's heart almost stopped breathing. Unbelievably at what she read.

She swallowed.

Whatever was building up.

She fought back.

The familiar feelings that rose to her heart. She knew it had been there, but she had done a good job all through these years telling herself she had moved on and those feelings were nothing special anymore.

But now...

They became so strong.

But how?

How did they suddenly become so strong just by the letter she had read?

"Sorry, I left this out."

Tacha turned to her mum. Another piece of paper again.

This could be where he wrote them. Tacha thought, collecting the piece of paper from her Mum with uncertainty in her heart. Whatever anger she felt for her, they had disappeared a long time. The truth was, her mum had been the best thing that had ever happened to her.

She had her life to live but stood with her and her baby.

She had no right to get angry at her but be grateful.

To a mother who had taught her what it means to be the best Mum to her baby girl.

Immediately, her Mum left the living room with Anna whose eyes were becoming curious seeing the pain in her mum's eyes.

'Can we make things right, again? I miss us. I miss you.'

Those words...

Made Tacha's heart raced like never before.

Her breathing almost ceased. She didn't want to believe what she just read. What he meant was, he wanted to see Anna. That he missed Anna. Yes, that was it. Tacha told herself what to believe. And never jumped the gun because nothing was ever going to happen between her and this man.

He could be the best choice, but his family was not.

Tacha's mind replayed the last words to her over and over again, interpreting them in different ways.

He said he missed us.

That was exactly what she had read. He missed her. He missed him with her. He wanted to see her.

Tacha looked down to confirm the number he included to chat him on.

I'm only going to let him see his daughter. Tacha, just his daughter.

Tacha thought of his kind words to her again. It was such an amazing word that made her feel so proud of being a mother.

If not because of anything, Anna deserves to have her father in her life. The two deserved to know each other.

Tacha dialed the number Nathan had included.

'Anna's Dad ' she saved.

Then she went out of the living room, wrapping her hands around her body. Fresh air blew on Tacha's face. She closed her eyes and said in her heart. 'Dear God, I can't afford to make another mistake at thirty-one. Please put me on the right path with my daughter.' Tacha prayed, and then she found him on WhatsApp.

'Hi Nathan, this is Tacha. Would you like to meet Anna? As her father."

She sent.

She knew it wasn't going to deliver because her data was off, and she wasn't sure if that was how she wanted to start off again with Nathan.

••••••

"Say hi to Daddy."

"Daddy." Anna's smile was beyond beautiful. The excitement on her face made Tacha smile so big that she was almost in tears. "Mummy, you are not looking at the camera?" Anna turned to look at Tacha whose only side could be seen. Her half smile could be seen and her eye which almost gave birth to a teardrop could also be seen.

"It's your Daddy, Anna. Let Daddy see your face very well. Daddy has seen mine plenty of times." Tacha smiled.

And then she chuckled.

The surprise look on Anna's face was so sweet to comprehend.

"Mummy, you see Daddy all the time and you did not take me. My mummy, you hurt my heart."

Tacha couldn't help the chuckle. "Of course, no. I'm saying I have seen Daddy many times before I gave birth to you. Since he travelled, we haven't seen."

"Okay."

Anna faced the camera again. "Daddy, when will you come and see me and Mummy?"

"You." Tacha corrected her. "You want me to steal Daddy away again?"

"No, no." Anna quickly faced the camera again. "Daddy, I miss you. I love you. Thank you, Daddy. You will not die in Jesus' name. God will give you plenty money. So you can take me out. And my Mummy too. And Grandma too. And Aunty Kenny too. And my Aunty in school too. And my friends in school too."

Tacha couldn't contain her laughter in the video.

It was the sweetest video Nathan had ever watched.

Listening to the sweetest voice he ever knew existed. And the familiar laughter he had once enjoyed completed his day.

He never knew having a child could be this sweet. The smiles they bring to your face without knowing. How special they become to you without having to do anything should be questioned. In five minutes, he had fallen in love with his daughter over and over again. The love building up in his heart was something he had never felt for any child before. And suddenly, he loved a child he had only spent few minutes with.

As much as Nathan wanted to watch Anna as many times as he wanted to, he couldn't help but fast-forward the clip over and over again to where Tacha eventually turned to the camera to stop the video.

She was gorgeous.

Even more beautiful after becoming a mother.

He saw her closely, watching her short clip and of course, she was gorgeous in her round, low-neck black spaghetti top. Her natural cornrows look like they were just plaited.

The truth is, Nathan was not expecting anything from someone who hid a child from him for four years. He only obeyed his cousin. Yes, he was mad when he got to know, but a cousin like Alade whom you think had nothing but sense to crack jokes turned out to be wiser than one could ever imagine.

"That's just a five minute clip cous. You've spent more than an hour."

Nathan turned to Alade.

"I'm your real G." Alade boasted. He knew why his cousin's moment was so precious to him that his broad smile never faded. He had wanted this for him for a very long time.

Nathan laughed so hard.

This time, Alade was the shocked one.

Nathan got up, and his face spread into a very big smile Alade had not seen on his face for months. He looked genuinely happy that he would agree this type of happiness had never been expressed by Nathan for years.

"Yes!!!"

That word. Except that the men weren't watching football. Nathan was the one displaying his happiness in a cute way before his cousin. And it seemed whatever meeting they were waiting at the hotel to have had ended before it started.

Nathan turned and grabbed Alade's shoulder. "Thank you for your advice, Alade," he said with a smile. "You just welcome your---"

"We are still expecting bro."

"Oh!"

The two men laughed.

"Okay. I know you can afford this but---"

"Cousin, give me what I can't afford. You have this money than me."

"Alade!" Nathan chuckled. "I still don't know what that could be." Nathan placed his index finger on his mouth. "Not now."

"I promise," Alade swore with his eyes. "Your Mum won't find out."

Nathan threw a wink at Alade."Thank you, bro." He muttered again before he disappeared into the large bedroom.

Nathan stared above the video he just viewed to read the same message he had read many times already.

"Hi Nathan, this is Tacha Williams."