Shout-Out to my Ex [✓]

Twenty

Art by Jaydara

Tilewa carefully padded across the tiles floor, careful to make no sound and helped herself to a glass of orange juice in the kitchen.

The sound of a piercing scream startled her, causing her to spill juice on the countertop. With a sigh, realising her best efforts at making no noise were in vain, she wiped down the table, cringing as the baby's wail got louder. She brusquely padded out to the living room where she had just left her little nephew lying in his portable crib.

"What is it again?" she lamented, picking the tiny child up and rocking him on her chest. Gradually, his wails subsided and he soon went back to a sweet slumber.

Tilewa sighed exasperatedly as she admired the baby boy. She had barely settled little Nathan into his crib when he started to scrunch up his face; they had been back and forth like this for the past 30 minutes. Picking him up with a sigh, she held the baby to her shoulder and headed back into the kitchen; her orange juice was not going to drink itself.

The sound of the doorbell made her set her juice down again.

"Who is it?"

"Egbon mi, we're back," Maria called out.

Deftly, balancing the child in one arm, Tilewa proceeded to unlock the door.

"Oh, look at my little prince," Maria cooed as soon as she stepped in, taking the child from her sister. "Hope you didn't give aunty Tilewa too much trouble."

Tilewa had to refrain from rolling her eyes at her sister. This past week, staying with Maria and her husband had opened her eyes to the joys-and horrors-of parenthood, but as Maria kept gushing a waterfall of cuteness at her child, a warm feeling tugged at her chest. If Maria had delivered this child half a year ago, this excessive show of maternal affection would have triggered not just jealousy but bitterness and resentment.

However, she had done a lot of learning and unlearning since her break-up with Jerry and although the pain of being dumped in that manner still stung, she was majorly over it. She had made peace with what Jerry had done to her; forgiving him was a whole new ball game though. After convincing herself that she could never forgive him for what he had done, time had begun to do what it did best and she saw that what he had done was for the better. The two of them would never have enjoyed a happy marriage, so on some days, she felt as though could bear no grudge in her heart toward him and imagined calling him just to check on him and make him understand that there was the possibility of a future where they were friends, while on some other days she felt extremely bitter and resentful; what he had done was unforgivable and God was going to judge him for it. This cycle had persisted for over a month and carrying so much pain around was such a burden, so she had begun to pray about Jerry and had made it her prayer point for the past month to be able to forgive him wholly and completely. She was ready to move on with her life without having to carry such baggage around with her. Her ex had already moved on; it was only fitting that she did same.

Wole, Maria's husband came in a few moments later with two grocery bags in each hand.

"Maria! look how much stuff you left for Wole to carry all by himself!" Tilewa exclaimed, rushing to her brother-in-law's aid.

Wole gave her a toothy grin, appreciating her effort. "Don't mind her, that's how she does."

Leading the way to the kitchen, the pair began to unload the groceries while Maria kept on with the baby.