Chapter 70

JADESOLA COKER

This world is really a small world. Who would have thought I would have seen him so easily like that. He was looking more ravishingly handsome. His little smiles during the whole time Mr. Philip cracked jokes made my heart melt like old days. They were still there. The feelings. His quiet, and gentle face was still there. It was the same like that of my girl. The more I tried not to look at him, the more I wanted to. The moment he entered the hall, I recognized him. His look was still there. He really didn't change except that, he had grown so manly, still tall, and extremely handsome. His beards was shaved reaching down to his ears. He was on low cut, and he had his dark shades on as usual. He appeared really handsome. I wasn't the only one who admired what I saw. Some of the senior girls expressed their thoughts out without any concern.

'He's really handsome.'

"Somebody's child is just cute anyhow." "Oh, my ovaries."

I smiled at how innocent they were. It brought back the memories of how I once had a crush on him allowing such feelings to almost crushed my life. I glanced at them, they were just like me back then. Fantasizing about.

I was happy he was doing well. Never had anything bad against him except from those times I went through a lot of struggle and really hated him. But then, I knew he wasn't to blame. It was all my fault from the beginning. But did I really hate him? I didn't bother to answer that. I was doing well now, and my life was shaping so well before me. So, I forgot about it all. When Bella was called out as the overall best student in her class, I was struggling to stand as my knees were shaking. I could feel his eyes on me all through. I almost cried right there when Bella said she loved me so much. It reminded me of the pain had gone through, and I couldn't help reminiscing the past and how far I had come with this child.

The time I felt ashamed of myself. The time I was mocked. The time I became my friend's favorite topic, and almost everyone wanted to know the girl who came back with pregnancy. When I had to wait and was delayed because she needed me. But yet, despite everything, I was a testimony, and I could see how I carried myself with so much dignity, and respect. It was Grace. Grace for grace that God has given to anyone who will, and is ready to pay the price for his or her choices, towards one's destiny.

I just couldn't hold the tears, but I managed to cover it up with a smile. I was beyond happy because ever since she recovered from the sickness that befell her during the time she was one year old, she had been my joy, and happiness. I never regretted she lived. I never regretted she survived. I never regretted she made me a mom. She

became a testimony, joy, blessing, and the best gift God gave to me. How could I have survived without my supportive parents who in their hearts forgave me, and decided they were going to help me in this journey.

Sometimes, they were angry, but I couldn't react because they love me still, and I knew that.

Not all parents would go out of their way to support their teen child like they did, and still went ahead to make me have the life I dreamt about after having failed at my first stage of my life. But I wasn't a failure after all. I only missed a step. I was glad I made them proud when I proved to them I was going to make my studies my priority, and had been doing so.

Bella was extremely brilliant more than I could ever imagine. Cute, calm, and playful too. She was free, and could talk like me. She was a blessing to me, and my family.

Both mom, and Dad saw her as their second child. So funny how she had gotten the love of my parents with her beautiful heart. While thinking about how things would go now that Gori was back, Bella's voice interrupted me.

"Mommy, why didn't we wait for the party. You know I would have loved to stay. It's my birthday nau," she whined.

"That's the more reason we are going home. To celebrate," I winked. That was a big lie because it wasn't true. I left because I knew Gori wanted me to talk, and I wasn't ready to. What would I say? That hey, this is Bella, your child.

Or, hey we have a child, and this is her. I wasn't even ready for that in the first place. How would Bella handle it too? All her life, my Dad was her Daddy. I never thought he could appear there of all places. I could read the shock on his face when he saw me. They require answers, and were curious to know something. To save myself from falling or over reacting, I decided to look away like I didn't see him. It was the best decision I made for both of us.

"But mom, why was Mr. President son looking at you like that?" I knew Bella wouy eventually ask because she was too brilliant for her age, and must have seen him staring at me. But hearing her called her Dad that way really made me worry. Mr. President son. Not even Mr. Adams. Sincerely, it bothered me. "Mommy," she called when I didn't know what, and how to answer. "Mommy now..."

I tried not to smile seeing the puppy eye she was giving me. She was up to something. Little children and the way they think. What does she even know? I just knew I needed to utter something because she wasn't going to let go easily. "Well, Bella how do you expect me to know."

"May be.... Hmmmmm..." She was smiling, looking at me with one eye.

"Hmmm what!" I removed one hand from the staring and threw her a small playful blow. She was trying to act naughty with me and I caught her.

She started laughing like she swallowed a dosage of laughter since birth. It was something she does a lot whenever she was with me. "Mommy, I'm not saying anything now. What did I say now? Is it that you are thinking what I'm thinking?" Then she laughed again. I got that. Naughty girl. She stopped laughing, and continued. "But who knows if Mr. President son likes you. Mom, he was really looking at you."

I looked at her, and I couldn't help laughing. How did she come to that knowledge that someone likes someone when they stare too much? Well, I guess he liked my hair. That was another lie I didn't bother to spit. So I tried to close the conversation, and with that, I wasn't using a playful voice. "Bella--"

"Mommy..." She dragged it, laughing as she stared at me. "Someone can not even play with you. Don't you want people to like you like they like Jesus."

What are we saying, what is she saying? How has Jesus entered this matter?

"But Bella. I'm not Jesus. I'm your mom okay. No more word about Mr. President son."

She stopped like I instructed and kept quiet. It sometimes baffled me how little children thinks. But I knew I should get prepared because she was still going to bring up the topic anytime soon. When children starts saying something, it doesn't die down immediately.

I drove in right into our street and the moment I got to the front of our gate, my phone beeped.

"Mommy you have a message." Bella announced. I collected the phone from her, and clicked open.

'Jade we need to talk please. I'm really going crazy.' From Goriola Adams.

Happy going crazy! I thought to myself, putting my phone back beside me as I drove in Mom's car into the compound. But wait Who gave him my no?