I was the first to wake up the next morning. I looked at the wall clock and the time displayed 9:15am. I tapped my mom lightly and she woke up. We prayed and cleaned up before the woman from the previous day came in with a tray. She urged us to eat and left. The meal served was tea, bread and egg. Mom prayed over the meal and we ate.
At exactly 11:00AM, we heard a knock on the door. I quickly sat up just before the door was opened. A man walked in. My mouth went dry when i saw him. He was an older version of me,he had dimples just like me and he even smiled like me. I could not help but murmure “Waoh”. The man closed the door behind him and said “Oh mary! Where have you been” immediately he saw my mom. My mom went into his arm and they hugged for some minutes. At that particular moment, i realised my mom was in no way angry with my biological father. I stood rooted to a point and watched the elders do their reunion. My biological father came closer to me and said “Is this the boy?” my mom noded and he moved closer to embrace me. I moved away from him and stood in a corner. He shook is head slowly and said “I know you are mad at me. I owe the both of you an apology and a long explanation. I will do that now and make up for the lost time. Please listen to my side of the story”. My mom bestowed on me to sit on the bed and i did. My biological father sat beside my mom and said “Its been more than twenty years………..
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PRESIDENT SMITH
Mary, son. Am so sorry about what the both of you might have went through over the years, please do forgive me but i want you to know that i also tried my best to find the both of you.
After sending you that text, my mind told me you would never give up the child and knowing fully well that taking care of the child might cost you your life, i decided to come over to your apartment and put up the child for adoption myself. I got to your apartment but i met your absence, i noticed some of your belongings were gone as well so i opted to calling you. I tried your line from that afternoon till late at night but it was not reachable, i had no other choice than to go back home. I went back home dejected and came back the following morning, hoping you would be back. I could not bare the guilt of putting your life at risk and incapability of taking care of my own son. I continued to visit your apartment everyday, until the house was rented by a new occupant. I became a shadow of myself drastically, i could not function well at home and at work. I was always lost in thought, at home, at work, even at any gathering. It got to the point that people started to ask me if i was sick but i could not open up to any of them.
I became a dead man living. My wife somehow blamed herself for my predicament and this made her confess her sins. She also asked for my forgiveness. I forgave her and she asked if i could bring back the child and mary. I told her i lost track on you and she took it upon herself to search for you. My wife sent search teams to the whole of Kogi but they all came back negative. We had to start searching states out of kogi. It never for ones cross my mind that you could be in kwara state, talkless of Ilorin. With the help of my wife i gradually gained my life back. When she brought the suggestion of me going fully into politics in order for you to locate me if i could not locate you i accepted because i was so desperate to find the both of you. I as well love politics and power. Gradually i became important in my political party. I contested for the governorship election and i eventually won. I held that sit for eight year. Every night before i sleep, i ask for forgiveness from Ada’s spirit and i pray you will come back to me in good health. When my tenure expired, my party nominated me for the senatorial post. With the help of my party members and my wife i got elected. Along the line my wife adopted a female child (10years) and i gradually forgot about having a child. After spending eight years in the house of representative, i won the primary election for the presidential sit. My life was going smoothly, my adopted daughter was already a teen, i felt like a worthless father, having an adopted child under my roof and a biological child somewhere far away. Few months after winning the general presidential election, my wife was down with cancer. She traveled all over the world to get a cure but all was in vain. She died of cancer on the day i celebrated my one year in power. It was a terrible event for me. Before she died her last word was for me to locate my child no matter what, she said i was fortunate to have a child of my own when she doesn’t. I promised her to do as she said that very day. I went through some time of trial after my wife’s death before i finally licked my wound and got back on my feet. I came back with full determination to find you. I shared your picture all over the thirty six states security services and i told them to notify me if they find any young man around the age of 20-25 that shares a physical resemblance with me. It took them a year to locate my son and i was notified,they furtherly got pictures of you and i immediately recognized you from the past. I had you followed for the past six months without suspicion and finally i decided it was time to meet again.
This is all that have happened. I know the pain I went through is nothing compared with yours but a sorry father is hear begging for forgiveness. Mary, Son am so sorry for all the pains i caused you.
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KELVIN
I realised my dad was not totally wrong and i decided it was time to quite the hustle and live a better life with family. With my determination and the urge from my mom, i accepted my father back and ever since then we have been together as a family. Immediately after the reconciliation i traveled out of the country with my mom. I searched for you before leaving and when i returned but i was unlucky to find you, am sorry pretty.
So, My mom is now legally married to my biological father and we have been together with my sister( adopted daughter) for the past five years. This is my story Ma’am. From grass to grace. I hope you can make a beautiful article with it.
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Kelvin said teasingly and i hitted his playfully.
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Click 5 below to read episode 12
