𝟑𝟎 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥

~~ 50. ~~

Since then, she had determined to become strong for the family. Her father and her brother.
   
Her aunt - father's younger sister, had come to stay with them two years later from the village. She became their big sister and their mother. She was nice to them and they didn't feel the void of mother love for a while.

She was fourteen when her aunt begin to drift away. She began to change. She had fallen in love with an unknown man and she had been so happy. She once overheard her telling her brother - her father that she will be getting married soon. She was so obsessed with him.

But they never met the man and two years after, she became pregnant. And it seems it was then her so-called boyfriend left her after knowing about the pregnancy.

She became a ghost of herself after then. She couldn't take the fact that the man she loved and was ready to spend the rest of her life with will leave her. She had to take the role of a mother again. She had to take care of everyone and also take care of the house. And around that time, her grandmother was bought from the village because she was getting sick. She was diagnosed with a kidney problem and her father had to find a means to pay for her treatment coupled with his own family problem.

Her aunt was another problem they had. She couldn't eat or do anything. She was always alone, crying her eyes out for a man who had abandoned her during her pregnancy. She was taken to the hospital a lot of times. Sometimes to the point of almost losing her babies.   

A neighbour had come to call her from school that fateful day. Her aunt had been rushed to the hospital. And she was forced to have to give birth prematurely because of her condition. She couldn't carry the children anymore. And she had to undergo a CS.

She remembered running from school to the hospital that she had been taken to. She can remember the fear she had of losing another mother figure. And also from losing the baby in her womb that she watches develop every day. She was scared for her younger brother who was acting so strong and mature for his age, pretending nothing was wrong but was afraid inside of him. She was also afraid for her father who was at the point of breaking down and being wrecked emotionally and financially. She knew he was tired of everything but he didn't want to give up either.
Those were the worst days of her life.

She had her first panic attack that same day when she got to the hospital. All the pain, confusion and fear seems to choke the air out of her and she feels the air inside of her seized.
 
She closed her eyes as the memories flooded back.

Despite all the stress, the long night, the words of assurance that everything will be fine, the loans that had been borrowed for hospital bills and all the prayers, she still lost her aunt during surgery. She stopped fighting for her life and only her babies were able to survive. And they came into the world without a mother or a father.

Something died in the family that day when her aunt Abigail died. Her father lost another sibling, her grandmother another child, the twins their mother and she and her brother lost an aunt and a mother figure.

But there were still able to gain something. Other children were added to the family. The twins were born and they were able to heal the wounds in their hearts.

Although it was really hard. She was just sixteen years old then and was in her final year in secondary school. She had to struggle to take care of the twins and also struggles to keep her grades up. Many times she will have to skip school and borrow notes from her friends to read at night. Her father hired a woman who help them to take care of the children for some time when she was about to write her exams. But most responsibilities at home were still on her because she couldn't bare to watch her father struggle to do everything and she can't do anything to help. And she had grown attached to the twins and the thought of leaving them for long was very hard.

Fate had made her become a mother at an early age.

Although, it wasn't always sweet, she didn't regret anything either. And they meant the world to her.

She sat there, deep in her thoughts not knowing how long she was there. And she didn't hear when Mrs Jolaoluwa called her name over and over. She finally woke up from her reverie and looked up at the woman.

"Are you okay? You're crying." She said gesturing to her face.

We've got a glimpse of Lola's life. Although this story is more of Demilade story than hers. But I love to give clarity in my books. Because I love books like that too.

And many of us were thinking this chapter will be about Lola and Demilade's date and anticipating how it will turn out. But you should know Demilade can be so unpredictable, and so can I.

But don't bite me o. The date and the rest of it will come sooner. I have a lot of people who want them to get together already. But don't worry, we are almost there.

I will appreciate all those who read and appreciate my work. It's not easy thinking and putting it into words and to have people who appreciate it is amazing. So thank you all.

Until we see again. Have a lovely day, guys.

Please do not forget to leave your vote. Pleaseeeee.