Remember To Forget

33

The events unfolding infront of Jonathan were superfluous to his expectations when he decided to call a family meeting.

His ears were listening to words his brain couldn't comprehend.

Frankly, Jonathan understood it all, he just couldn't get himself to succumb to this numb reality.

He felt out of control and Jonathan being a very wealthy and influencual man was always in control.

He pulled his arms from his wife's torso as she moved to meet his guest, her godfather.

No one made a move to speak.

Then his mother who he noticed to be very Inquisitive towards the wall clock began to speak up. She gave an excuse to leave, her words seemed like gibberish but her movement towards the door in a frightened haste gave them a clue.

Jackson, who had decided to sit still and observe only, called her to a stop, "Where are you going mom?"

"I have an appointment with my doctor honey, I have been having contrasting pains." She rushed out the door before another question could surface.

John picked on her lie immediately, he shook his head slightly at his elder brothers.

Sandra observed her friend's fidgety flee and remembered the strange phone call. She had totally forgotten, Mathew meeting their daughter had occupied her mind.

"I don't think she's okay, maybe I should follow her?" Sandra wanted to tell them about the phone call but she didn't know what her friend was trying to tell her and she didn't want to raise a false alarm.

"I will go. I don't think the rest of the meeting concerns me." Bola spoke up.

"No no, you can stay. I'll give Micheal a call to follow her. He's right outside watching the perimeters." Jonathan made a call to his adopted son and gave out strict orders before giving a reassuring nod to everyone.

Everyone's mind was a muss, they tried to pitch the pieces of the puzzle together.

Yinka observed, being a man who could understand the wavy meaning of various body language.

He could understand the nostalgic feeling that he sensed. When he found his goddaughter alive, he had been filled with glee but then she couldn't remember him and then his heart had shrunk.

He had found her washed up by a river bank after her fall from a cliff.

At first, he had sort for ways to bring her memories back but failed.

Then he had prayed to his ancestors earnestly. It was then he began to understand that her illness was an opportunity not an obstacle.

He was able to give her a chance to start a new life with a new family and all that was possible the moment he met Sandra.

After spending weeks looking for the right woman, he had found none. Till he met Sandra at a bar.

She was drowning in her sorrows and so was he. He had listened to her talk about her life, her homosexual ex - husband, her need for another child and several personal Information that he didn't need to know.

The truth was, Yinka had known Sandra was the one from the moment he saw her. Apart from being the chosen foster mother for his goddaughter. Yinka had felt drawn to her in an explicit manner. Her short frame was amusing as she was an indiscrete drunk. He had tried to stay on his mission only, but she had kissed him and his libido lost every self-control.

They had made love in her hotel room severally and he never forgot how slowly she kissed and what a passionate lover she was.

He had left a note and his goddaughter in her safe arms. He knew his strange act might have confused her but after watching them for a while, he relaxed knowing that his only family was safe with a woman he couldn't bring himself to stop dreaming of.

Yinka folded his arms to his hard chest as he relaid this part of his life to his attentive audience.

He finally focused on a face he has been avoiding. He wanted to know what she was thinking but her face held no expression.

"Sandra. Say something." Hearing his voice took her back to the night at the hotel room, back to a night she relived every day.

"I..I don't know what to say."

"Are you angry? I had no choice Sandra, I am sorry for putting you in an acute situation." Yinka was ready to kneel if he had to. She had saved the future of a whole village without realizing it.

"When I saw Lau.. I mean Margaret.."

"You can call me Laura, in a way I am both of them and they complete me." Yinka smiled with pride at his goddaughter's statement, he squeezed her palm slightly.

Spoken like a Queen, he thought.

Yinka's action triggered a memory of the first day she had met Jonathan and how he had squeezed her hand to calm her.

Laura glanced at Jonathan but his eyes were on Sandra, attentive but she could see him struggle about an emotion she didn't quite understand.

Finally she could understand the reactions her body and mind had towards him, Laura thought as she felt an urge to get closer and hold him.

Sandra cleared her throat and continued nervously, "When I met Laura curled up in my hotel bathroom and the note, at first I was scared and confused but looking into her eyes. I knew I had to take care of her. I had done all the legal proceedings. Six months after no one came to claim her, I became her legitimate mother. At first I thought Lola would oppose but it was like fate. Lola and Laura became close and no one could doubt their relationship as sisters with the way they played with each other, looked out for each other and love each other. I am not mad about what happened. You gave me a gift when my life was in shambles. I and Lola needed a win and Laura was the best we could ever get. Thank you so much. Nothing that happens after this will change the fact that we love Laura. Isn't that right Lola?"

Lola nodded with a smile as she walked to her mother and gave her a hug. Laura made a motion to do so but wasn't sure, then she felt Jonathan's gaze on her. He nodded with a silent smile. Encouraging her to wrap her arms around her mother, which she did.

Sandra held her daughters close and tight. She had been scared of rejection and because of her fear she had lost sight of what really mattered.

Her two angels being safe and happy.

Laura and Lola whispered praises to their mother's ear as they teared up. A woman who had protected them and had given up her life to make sure theirs were intact.

One daughter had been protected from the ridicules of the society at the expense of seeming fatherless for years. The other had been protected from living a lonely, depressed life at the expense of never knowing about her past.

Together they understood what has been sacrificed for a greater good and everyone sitting with a sober expression understood that more would be sacrificed and perhaps there would be a greater good in the end.

    

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To every woman, you are extraordinary to no fault, keep every version of yourself, it is beautiful.
Happy women's day.💞