Chapter 1: Chapter 1

YEAR 2001

Grace recollects her moment with Austin and her heart sank the more.

"I love you Grace, I really do." Austin said to her.

His eyes bored hers and she get a jolt of electricity down her spine.

"There is nobody on earth who can change the way I feel for you. You are the only one I think of. I can't eat without thinking about you or sleep without hearing your voice. I love you."

Those were the words Austin muttered to he trailed fleeting kisses on her neck to her shoulder, slowly pulling her dress down.

"Do you love me?" He said, looking deep into her eyes and she nodded. She felt as if her boy was on fire. His hands on her body sent shivers. She felt like a volcano on the edge of combustion.

She loved his touch and the way he kissed her. How he took his time to make her feel good. She moaned when he bit her nipple. "I love you." She muttered.

Grace wept once it dawn to her the situation she had put herself in. Her heart beat heavily in her chest as her head began to bang hard.

She placed her palm on her mouth to stop herself from making noise. She was done for and she knew it.

She bit her lips hard, repressing the sound that attempted to come out from her mouth.

"I'm done for!" She said in her mind.

She wondered how she'd tell her father and her mother she was pregnant just a few weeks after her graduation from secondary school. See wondered if Austin would accept her and love her just as he had always claimed.

She placed her head on the wall, as she thought of every possible outcome that was to happen once they found out she was pregnant.

"You are finished Grace!" She exclaimed, her heart was heavy. She didn't know what to do. She was so confused and lost.

At that moment, nothing seemed right in her head. Everything was wrong and her situation wasn't helping her.

She came out of the bathroom after a while, wiping her tears before going into her room. As soon as her back rested on the surface of the bed, she heard her name.

She flinched from the harsh sound of her mother. "Grace!" Her mother shouted again.

She got up from her bed in a hurry and stood on her feet, trying to act as if nothing was wrong.

"Yes mummy," she replied.

"So you were counting my voice right?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"No ma. I didn't hear," Grace replied.

"Mtchweee!" Her mother hissed. "Okay then, what's wrong with you? Why are your eyes red?" Her mother asked.

"Nothing ma. something got into my eyes that's all." She explained to her mother.

"It better be oo. It better not be what I'm thinking or else Grace."

Grace's heart skipped from her mother's word the mother had been insinuating she was pregnant but she kept denying and now that she had confirmed, she knew she was in for something she wouldn't escape easily.

Grace woke up the next morning and ran into the bathroom to throw up. Her morning sickness was starting to be frequent. She quickly washed her mouth and flushed the toilet before he might come.

Not too long, her younger brother came into the bathroom. "Are you sick?" He asked her, scrutinizing her.

She forced a smile on her face and shook her head. "Nothing at all. Running stomach," she lied.

"Sorry." He whispered before he left.

A drop of tears rolled down her cheek. She wondered how she'd break the news to her mother that she was pregnant. She wondered about their reaction.

She had tried reaching Austin but it was unreachable. She placed her palm on her forehead, she could feel slight pains on her head.

She wanted to cry out loud but she knew it would only get the attention of her mother and bring unwanted questions she wasn't ready to answer. She looked at herself, wondering if any slight changes had started to occur.

She left the bathroom to go and do her house chores. After she finished, she went to take her bath. She dialed Austin's line once again and it directed her to voicemail.

She groaned Frustratingly and then she dialed Trisha's line. Trisha answered the phone after two rings and she heaved a sigh of relief.

She opened her mouth to say something but lost every zeal in her. She was scared to tell Trisha. She didn't know how she would break the news to her. She wept.

"Grace, hello?" Trisha voice spoke from the other side bringing her out of her reverie.

Grace sniffled a little, wiped her tears before speaking. "Hi baby girl," she said, praying within her that her voice was good to go.

"Hey baby girl. Is there a problem?" Trisha asked.

"Nothing. Just felt like hearing your voice," Grace lied.

"Anyways guess what? Desmond just sent me money and I'm planning to go shopping!" Trisha's voice was laced with excitement.

Grace truly was happy for her friend but her recent state wouldn't help her fake her excitement.

"Wow. That's good." Grace's reply was firm and simple, taking Trisha by shock.

"Baby girl is there a problem?" Trisha asked her.

Grace smiled, "Nothing." She lied.

Trisha scoffed, "Grace are you telling me nothing is wrong with you? You do know I know you very well right? And why does it sound Asif you are crying? Did you dad hit you again?" She asked.

Grace wished from the bottom of her heart that it was truly her dad that hit her but she knew it wasn't. The situation that hit her was far more worse than her dad's touch.

She licked her bottom lips, exhaled and she said, "I'm truly fine. I'm feeling cold."

"It's a hot season and I'm feeling hot right now. Are you sure it's not Fever? Have you taken any medicine?" Trisha asked.

"I haven't but I will."

Just as she was about to end the call, she remembers something. "Trisha, you heard from Desmond right?" She asked.

"Yes, I did. Any problem?" Trisha asked her.

"Nothing. I haven't heard from Austin for a while, that's why I was asking. Kindly tell him to tell Austin to call me." She pleaded.

"Is something wrong? Did you two fight again?" She asked.

"Not at all. We are really fine. I miss him," Grace said honestly. She missed him yet she was nervous.

She wondered if he was the type who was ready to settle down. She cursed herself mentally for not knowing what he wanted and the kind of person he was before letting him sleep with her.

"Aww. I'm sure he is fine. Do not worry, when I call Desmond, I will ask him Austin to cheer up the baby girl. Talk to you later and I love you."

"Thanks so much. Love you too." Grace said to Trisha. Immediately the call ended she wept. It became a normal habit of her to cry every minute whenever she thought of her current situation.

She was just eighteen with a child. Her dream of going to college and getting a degree would come to an end. Her father would almost kill her when he finds out and her mother would be disappointed. She would be the talk of town and everything will be on hold.

"Grace, it is finished for you!" She exclaimed. Her heart pounding in her chest, her head banging so hard that she felt pains at the back of her eyes.

She took in a deep breath, exhaled, took another deep breath, exhaled. Closed her eyes, opened them but the situation was the same. She was in a situation where she would have to carry the cross on her head alone.