Divine, seeking refuge, had embraced the cocoon of the James family's small, snug home. A haven emerged when they opened their doors, providing her not only shelter but a respite from the storm of her tumultuous past. In the span of a month, a rare and precious sense of stability had nestled itself within Divine's heart—a gift she had yearned for, unburdened by the weight of uncertainty.
Within the embrace of the James family, Divine found a nurturing warmth that transcended mere hospitality. Their gestures resonated with a deeper connection, as they wove her into the fabric of their lives. Divine's heart swelled with gratitude, and her appreciation was especially reserved for Mrs. James—the beacon who had guided her into this haven of acceptance.Yet, the intricacies of life often veer into unexpected directions, and Divine's newfound equilibrium was poised on the precipice of change, an unexpected challenge waiting to test her newfound sanctuary.Knocks echoed softly through the quiet of Divine's room, stirring her from a restless slumber. She groggily opened her eyes, still haunted by the memory of Mr. James's unwelcome advances. With a yawn and a stretch that seemed to release the tension in her body, she sat up in bed, grappling with the surreal blur of reality and the shadows of her dreams. The cold fingers of fear gripped her heart as she realized the truth—Mr. James's actions had been all too real, a nightmare that seeped into her waking hours.A more insistent series of knocks reverberated through the room, this time accompanied by the voice of Adam, Mrs. James's second child, whose playful nature often belied his sense of responsibility."Divine, are you planning on sleeping through the whole day?" Adam's voice rang out, a mixture of teasing and concern.Divine's response was swift, laced with a mixture of annoyance and humor. "I'm not a bear, Adam! Just give me a few minutes."Amusement colored Adam's reply, his laughter dancing through his words. "Alright, but it's nice to make sure you're still alive, you know!"With renewed energy, Divine untangled herself from the bedsheets and embarked on her morning routine. A cascade of warm water embraced her as she stood beneath the shower, and her thoughts drifted between the past month's journey from despair to sanctuary. She emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel, her reflection in the dimly lit tiles offering a glimpse of her changing body—four months along, a secret she held close.In a flurry of movement, Divine readied herself for the day, the rhythmic application of lotion becoming a comforting ritual. Her gaze lingered on her reflection in the mirror, her thoughts a tapestry of hope and uncertainty woven with each heartbeat.Bag slung over her shoulder, she performed the familiar ritual of checking for money, a tangible connection to the outside world. Satisfied, she embarked on the walk down the corridor, a mixture of anticipation and apprehension settling in her chest.In the midst of the morning's bustling routine, Divine's arrival at the coffee shop was met with a mix of humor and reproach. Ruth's voice cut through the air, dripping with mock incredulity."Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence at the splendid hour of 10 am. Quite the early riser, aren't we, Divine?"With a wry smile, Divine leaned in, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "You won't believe the night I had, Ruth. But let's save that story for later and get to work."And so, the day unfolded, a tapestry of moments woven together by Divine's interactions with patrons who found solace in her laughter and warmth. Time seemed to stretch and contract, carrying Divine through the ebbs and flows of human connection. The clock's relentless march heralded the approach of closing hours, a reminder that time, no matter how bittersweet, continued to flow.As Divine wiped down tables and folded napkins, her thoughts spiraled through the labyrinth of her past, her present, and the tentative future she was forging. In the quiet of the coffee shop, surrounded by familiar faces and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, she found herself both anchored and adrift, caught between the beauty of the present and the shadowy corridors of her past.With a sigh of mixed exhaustion and fulfillment, Divine stood amidst the closing preparations, her heart a mosaic of emotions as she reflected on the day's journey—a journey that, despite its challenges, was uniquely her own."What a day!" Divine exclaimed, her words carried on a sigh as she reflected on the rollercoaster of experiences. Her disposition was one that could momentarily sink into the depths of adversity only to resurface, buoyant, once she became engrossed in the rhythm of life's demands. With her workday concluded, a swell of contentment enveloped her—a sentiment further amplified by the knowledge that tomorrow, her day off, awaited her. Contemplating her to-do list, Divine mentally mapped out her journey from the clinic to the mall, where she planned to gather supplies for her impending arrival.In the midst of her thoughts, Mrs. James materialized before her, a gentle presence that tugged her back from the labyrinth of her musings. Divine blinked, momentarily startled by the unexpected interruption, her cheeks tinted with a subtle blush. Meeting Mrs. James's patient gaze, she offered an apologetic smile, her voice regaining its steadiness. "Oh, Mrs. James, please forgive me. It seems I allowed my mind to wander for a moment there," she said, her tone a mixture of contrition and self-amusement.Mrs. James nodded understandingly. "Well, it's time to wind down for the day. How about we go home and relax a bit?"As they walked out of the coffee shop, Divine couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in Mrs. James' company. She had come to rely on the James family's warmth and support. Yet, the events of the morning still lingered in her mind.As they made their way home, Divine vowed not to dwell on what had transpired and chalk it up to a drunken mistake. Upon their arrival, the entire family was already there, except for Mr. and Mrs. James. The children warmly welcomed Divine and embraced their mother, who had been away for two days. The evening was filled with joy as they headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.Around 7:30pm, Mr. James returned. He entered the house, loosened his tie, and removed his suit jacket, draping it over his arm. As he began to head upstairs, Divine unexpectedly emerged from the kitchen. Although she knew he was present, seeing him at that moment caught her off guard. Mr. James smiled in a way that unsettled Divine, but despite her discomfort, she cautiously approached. He deliberately lingered, seemingly attempting to brush against her clothes inappropriately, just as he had done the previous night. This confirmed Divine's suspicion that his actions were intentional, dispelling any notion of a mistake. Swiftly, she darted past him as if searching for something, while Mr. James casually continued upstairs.By 8pm, the family gathered for dinner, and Divine found herself unsure of how to avoid eating. Skipping her meal might raise concerns from Mrs. James about her well-being or the baby. She chose to join the dinner table. The arrangement consisted of a six-seater table with two seats on each side and one at each end. Divine and Alan, Mrs. James's eldest son, sat on Mr. James's left side. The family engaged in conversation about their daily activities, yet Mr. James seized every opportunity to intrude on Divine's personal space. The meal was uncomfortable for Divine, but her restraint kept her from confronting him. At times, she fantasized about confronting him or expressing her frustration, but her emotions remained unvoiced. The discomfort extended from that night to the next, gradually evolving into weeks and months.Divine's heart had grown heavy with the weight of her trials, each misfortune compounding upon the last like a relentless storm. She had come to believe that bad luck was her constant companion, a shadow that refused to let her go. It was as if the universe itself had singled her out for suffering.The memories of that fateful drunk night with Mr. James haunted her, leaving scars on her soul that time couldn't erase. From that moment, Divine's life had spiraled further into a nightmare. Mr. James, once a figure of trust, had morphed into a sinister presence that lingered in the corners of her existence. His actions left her feeling violated, helpless, and trapped.Days turned into a haze of dread as Mr. James continued his torment. His unwanted advances, crude remarks, and lecherous touches robbed Divine of her sense of safety. He wielded his power over her like a weapon, a reminder that her vulnerability was his to exploit. And always, the threat of eviction loomed if she dared to sp
The rhythmic cadence of the train's wheels resonated through the cabin as Divine found herself in the company of the kind stranger who had aided her in her hour of need. They sat facing each other, two pregnant women bound by an unexpected twist of fate.the stranger introduced herself with a warm smile,stretch forth her hand while saying "hi! I'm Sarah Kádàrá Aimo and this is my Husband David Kádàrá Aimọ and It's a pleasure to finally get to know you more.""Likewise, Sarah,my name is Divine" Divine replied with a grateful nod. "Thank you again for the VIP ticket. I honestly can't express how much it means to me."Sarah waved off the gratitude with a gentle laugh which was accompanied with her husband's chuckle. "It was the least I could do. Besides, I've been craving some company for this journey,to think I was against getting this Family Combo ticket.."As they spoke, Divine learned more about the intriguing woman before her. Sarah was newly married to Mr. David Kádàrá Aimọ, a m
"Coming!" Liam called out to whoever was banging at the door impatiently as he rushed towards it. There were no intervals between each knocks delivered to the wooden surface and that was a telltale sign of the urgency behind whoever was knocking's situation.He pulled the door open to the sight of his girlfriend, Divine, looking anything but pleased as she dodged his advances when he leaned in for a kiss."Babe, we need to talk, we are in deep sh*t" She spoke, the small space under his arm serving as an opening for her to walk inside the house, taking a few steps before she rummaged through her bag, pulling an envelope out before turning to look at Liam, who walked in after her, still dissatisfied at the fact that he hadn't gotten his kiss."What could be so serious that you wouldn't kiss me, I mean, it's not like anyone's dying from a terminal disease, right?" He asked, still edging closer.Divine let out a frustrated sigh, hands almost going to grip at her hair as she resumed walkin
She was all drenched by the rain by the time she got home. The pain in her chest that still felt like it was squeezing tightly, numbing the one from her feet that had been walking for an hour in the rain."Now she stood in front of that same house, the first home she'd ever known until she walked out of it like it was nothing, just a few months ago. She realize now that it had been a bad decision, the worst she had made all her life, no doubt. How would she face her uncle now that she was proof that all those words he'd said were no lie. Coming back home after going to live with a man after the first date, carrying his child, how depreciating"-A Few Months Ago-It was quite obvious that she and the guy, Liam had hit it off, at least at the last few seconds of their first meeting. She was a bit giddy when they spoke again after school, thankfully biting back an overly excited 'Yes' when he'd asked if he could see her outside of the school setting the next day, being a weekend.She was
In just a few hours my life came crashing down. The person who had once given me the world, took it all away without an ounce of pity. Just how cruel can this world get? I was beginning to feel a lot like the words my uncle spat at me whenever he got a chance. I was a whore after all, used and discarded like some kind of trash. I cried some more, my mind trailing back to what had been some of the best moments of my life with the man who had just broken my heart into pieces.When Liam parked in front of a small apartment, I took a while to scan the surroundings before his hand landed on the small of my back again, leading me in with one arm, while the other held my bag in a firm grip.Every other day that came afterwards, had me wondering where Liam had been all my life. He was perfect. A gentleman, respectful and never for once made me feel uncomfortable, even though sometimes I felt bad due to the fact that I was a kind of liability, he was quick to brush it off with reassurance.We'
Standing before the door of the house that was once hers, Divine once again wondered how she managed to make all the wrong choices that led to this point.How does one even start? 'Hello uncle, I should've never disagreed with all those names you called me, because I am exactly everything you said?' Or 'I'm sorry, I should've listened to you, now I'm pregnant and homeless, please take me back'?She thought of a thousand words to say after she knocks on that door and it opens to reveal the only person she could call family. At one point, she blamed him for everything but even that didn't seem right. She walked out on her own two feet and trusted Liam all on her own.She unconsciously held unto her still flat stomach protectively "Would they even let me in if I mention the pregnancy?" She took another shaky breath before straightening her back and pressing the doorbell with a shaky finger, nerves a mess.After waiting for a while and getting no reply or even hearing sounds of movements,
Kathleen, as Divine has now found out, was a very empathetic and kindhearted woman, seeing as how she was almost in tears by the time she was done telling her story.She took a breath, her hand never leaving where it held unto Divine's in a comforting manner as she immediately offered to get her a place until she gets back on her feet, find a job or probably try to find her uncle.Although it was almost dawn by the time they were done, Kathleen apologized for keeping her late, ushering her to bed and promising to introduce her to her husband and kids, especially the kids later into the day because her husband was out of town.Divine returned to her newly assigned room, blanket held tightly against her chest as she finally took the time to scan the cozy, dimly lit room. Was it really possible that she'd found another person who would take her in, seeking nothing in return? Or was it just another trap to throw her back into despair in a few months to come. She wanted not to trust so eas
The news of her uncle no longer being in the town, hits her a lot more than she had expected, but she had a firm zeal to start all over again. "Mrs James" she called out all of a sudden, "I am going to start Afresh, I'll put the past behind me and charge into the present like never before" she said while holding on to Mrs James hands. "will you help me?" she asked with her eyes all shinning and filled with new founded hope , "of course, that's why I brought you here" Mrs James said as she called out for the girl in uniform that she served then before. she quickly rushed out and was in sight of Divine and Mrs James. "Take her to the back room, give her a uniform and show her what to do" Mrs James said as she gave Divine a reassuring look and stand to leave. " I hope you girls get along just fine, I have somewhere I have to be right now see you later" Mrs James left immediately she was done and it was just Divine and the girl left. "Stand up, we have a lot to do" the girl said rather un