Doubts

Doubts


Ana’s POV

"How the hell can you say that about my daughter!" Dad howls, staring at him pointedly.

"Well, at least this time I'm not just making it up, right?" Senator Okwu taunts.

"Dad it's okay," Ike urges, the look on his face giving nothing about his emotions away.

"I warned you, Ana," Dad blows up, anger evident in his existence. "I told you to stay away from this son of a gun but you thought it best to disobey."

"Sir, please do not call me names," Ike grumbles, flexing his arms.

"I will call you any name I like because you do merit it," Dad asserts, gaping at him.

"Still sir, I don't think it's good to cuss in front of a child," Ike opposes.

"Oh now you care," Dad insults. "Your father has been busy calling my daughter all sorts of names and you've just been quiet."

"I don't know what to say," Ike confesses, rubbing his nose in confusion.

"Sure you don't," Dad laughs. "But when I argue you know what to say."

"We will leave now," the doctor announces and exits through the presently ajar door, pursued by the lab scientist and the nurse.

"Thank you," Senator Okwu appreciates, and slams the barrier after they depart.

Amid their fight, I'm silent, wondering how my well-composed life took a drastic turn when I observe how Ken has been unusually quiet like me. 

It amazes me more as I see he is already looking at me, or precisely his glance shifting between me and the position of my baby. 

So many indications run through his eyes which I can see regardless of the space between us, probably because I've been with him for a certain period of my life and can easily decipher his emotions, hence he is not one to hide it.

I note a sad sign, opposite of the triumphant one I presumed to sight him wearing, proving to be odd and fishy. He should be gloating over me and my misfortune, if possible scoop up the infant and order me to follow him home, rather his reaction is different.

"Ken, it's time to carry your child," Ike's father lets out in joy, triumph apparently in his orbs.

"Excuse me, I think I'll need to wrap my head around this," Ken answers and departs, the door making a banging noise after he exits.

"Doesn't that show you something?" Dad interrogates, motioning to the place Ken just strode out from, blinking his eyes as he chuckles hysterically. "Someone sure the baby would be his, wouldn't walk out just like that. The dude is totally freaked."

"He's in shock, which is normal," Senator Okwu insures. "Would you tell me you weren't shocked the moment you saw your firstborn?"

"Shocked is different from freaked," Dad upholds. "Ken was certainly scared out of his skin."

"Fear comes with shock, they go hand in hand,"  Ike's stepfather contends.

"I want to have a talk with him, excuse me," Ike blurts, and shoves my dad out of his path.

"Ike please come back here," I say, my voice unsteady as dread claws at my throat. 

"I have to follow up on something," he explains, swerving to peep at me, and his hand on the doorknob. "I'm not abandoning you, though I see no reason why I shouldn't."

"You see!" Dad bellows. "This is exactly what I knew would come. I told you that boy wasn't the right fit for you, instead, you thought you knew better."

"Same way I knew this would come," Senator Okwu counters. "Daniel deserved better than this, he has been through a lot to go through this extra humiliation."

"You mean the hell you put him through?" I taunt, my lips curling as I have no idea of what has come over me. "Or the way you always strived to control his life?"

"Shut up young woman!" He commands, rather, I insult him with a laugh, my dad silent and watching our exchange.

"If somebody should feel sorry for Ike, I don't think you are in the right position to," I declare, throwing my feet across the bed to touch the ground as I stand.

"Ana, careful," Dad advises but I wave him off.

"I know the whole story, Mr. Senator," I beam, walking to him in a short loose-fitting long-sleeved red dress with black polka dots all around it. "Of how you treated him, I had no idea someone could be so cruel to a little boy, after all, he did to make you proud."

"Let me not also forget about what you did to your beloved wife whom you blackmailed into marriage," I go on to say, noticing the rush of panic that glides through his body. "Yes sir, I know it all, and many more."

"I can't stand here and listen to this!" He spits, clanging the stick on the tiled floor, and twisting in the direction of the exit.

"The truth hurts huh?" I tease, watching him go. "I marvel at how your wife and Ike have not come out to the press with this, maybe if they do, it'll put an end to all your manipulations."

"Don't let me smack you," he swirls to me, his jaw shaking as his fingers tighten on the stick to help restrain his rage.

"I dare you to do that in my presence," Dad challenges.

"Then you should make her shut up, it appears they must have done something to her brain while in the theater," he utters.

"Exactly how the devil initiated you into his kingdom the day you were born," I smirk. "If no one decides to put dirt on you, I will, because I've got a whole lot that I need somewhere to dump it."

"What is she saying, Senator?" Ike implores, returning with a baffled look.

"Don't mind her," he lies, patting Ike who shrugs his fingers off him. "The only thing you should mind is the realization that the truth has been revealed and that she didn't succeed to pin that bastard on you."

"Again, no swearing in the presence of a---"

"Who the hell is he calling a bastard?" Joe queries, as he arrives, an angry mood that is the same as the one Oluchi is donning as she comes in behind him.

"Yeah, we didn't quite hear correctly," Oluchi mumbles, her tone deadly as she takes a serious stance, her attire of jean jacket and mini skirt complementing her attitude.