Clem was in his house when Dera ran in excitedly. She was smiling broadly.

“Babe I’m so happy to see you. I have been so worried about you. But seeing you smiling has wiped my fears,” Clem told her.

“My dear I received good news and my sickness disappeared. I want you to guess,” Dera informed him.

“You just won a visa lottery to America,” Clem guessed.

“That is not a good news naa.  Afterall  you  promised me that I will give birth to all my children in America,”Dera told him.

“Of course my dear. I promised you that,” Clem confirmed.

“So guess the good news. It’s something that you have been wishing for,”Dera said excitedly.

“You know  that I am not really good at guessing. Please tell me the good news”

“Okay. I am pregnant!” Dera announced.

” Dera please, I am not ready for a prank now.”Clem told her.

“Did you just call me Dera” she asked in shock.

“You caused it. You like pulling my legs,” Clem tried to defend herself.

“I’m not joking. I am pregnant ,” she said and presented the test result to him.

Clem scanned through the test result and discovered that she was telling the truth.

“In that case, you have to visit a hospital for them to monitor you, because of your health.”

“I am not visiting any hospital. I am not taking any medicine or injection. I don’t want to lose this baby,” Dera said firmly.

“Even if you lose the baby, does it matter? Is the baby more important than your health?”

“Clem I don’t understand. Are you by any means suggesting that I should abort this baby?”

“What else do you expect? So, you want me to be taking care of  pregnant woman  when I’m yet to do my project defense?”

“Clem, this is not fair. you encouraged me to get pregnant.”Dera challenged him.

“Can you listen to yourself? This is something that other students are doing just to enjoy themselves. It got to your turn, you started getting pregnant everyday. How am I even sure that I am responsible for this pregnancy?”

“Clem, you met me as a virgin. How can you say that?”

“The Dera that I met is not the same Dera that is talking to me now. I met and fell in love with a Dera that is God fearing and reserved. But who is the Dera standing before me. It is the Dera that is not ashamed to get pregnant for a man that has not paid her bride price. You are even telling me that there is good news. so getting pregnant for a man who is yet to marry you is good news for you. Your parents will really be proud of you I guess,” Clem scolded her.

“Clem what is going on? Is this a prank?”

‘Who is doing pranks with you. Listen, this relationship is over. We all enjoyed it while it lasted. I played my part very well by spending money on you.  You played your own part well too. My challenge is that I am not sure that this pregnancy is mine. If you want to keep it, no problem. After you have given birth,  we can go for a DNA test. That is all I can say for now,”Ckem said firmly.

Dera had to pinch herself to be sure that she was not dreaming.

“Clem, please have mercy on me. Remember the love we shared, ” Dera pleaded.

“I still love you. I really do.   But you have to leave now. I need time to think properly” Clem told her.

Dera left Clems house and went to meet his friend Mekus. He was surprised to see Dera weeping and demanded to know the reason.

“Please, I want you to help me talk to Clem. I’m pregnant for him but he is not willing to accept the pregnancy.” Dera narrated.

“No Clem can’t do that, I trust him. You know that Clem loves you so much.” Mekus told her in a bid to comfort her.

“That’s what I thought but I don’t understand what he is doing,” Dera cried

“He is just shocked at the news. Just allow him to digest it.”

“How can he be shocked? He was the one that encouraged me to get pregnant “

“Really” Mekus exclaimed.

“Yes. He was crying when I lost the first pregnancy “

“What kind of deceit is this,” Mekus thought to himself.

“Dera listen . Clem is not your husband yet. You are just dating him. I would have talked to you before now but you might misunderstand me. Until a man pays your bride price and takes you to the altar, he is not your husband. The way you were following him around was really annoying”

“But he wanted it so,”Dera tried to defend himself.

“Listen Dera, I’m advising you as a brother. You might need this advice when you go into another relationship. If a man want you to give birth for him, he should pay your bride price first.”

“I don’t understand. Are you trying to say that Clem will not marry me? Which other relationship I’m I entering?” Dera asked in tears.

“I never said so. I am only advising you on what to do. Let Clem go and pay your bride price”

“Thank you so much. What do you think I should do now?”

“Give Clem some space. He needs it. Allow him to miss you. When he does he will come for you,” Mekus advised.

“Thank you so much,I will do as you said”

Immediately after she left, Mekus called Clem on the phone.

“O boy your babe came here?”

“Which of them?”Clem asked.

“Dera. “

“Don’t mind that girl. What was she looking for?”

“She wants me to talk to you. I don’t know how you are going to handle her. She is in pain.”

“How is that my business?” Clem asked and hissed.

“O boy I don’t like the way you are sounding. You know that Dera is not as exposed as other girls. Why were you leading her on? Why did you promise her marriage?”

“Mekus, did you just call me on the phone to judge me?” Clem asked in anger.

“Guy, I am not judging you. All I am trying to say is that you shouldn’t have promised marriage, when you know that you are not interested in marrying her. What do you want her to do at this point?”

“She can go to hell. I don’t care. Why is she the only one getting pregnant? Is she the only one that I am dating? Why must it be she?”

 “Clem go and sort things out with that girl. Don’t abandon her in that condition,”

“I hope you don’t want Dera’s matter to bring problems for us?”Clem asked in anger.

“I don’t care. Just do the right thing.”

Dera waited for some days but Clem did not come for her. He decided to  check him at his lodge. She opened the door with her spare key and discovered that his load was not there.

She tried to reach him on phone but could not. He left  Clem’s house and was weeping on the way  when she met her friend Cindy. She tried to quickly wipe her tears but Cindy still noticed that she was crying.

Immediately Cindy asked her what the matter was, she started crying again.

Cindy tried her best to comfort her. Afterwards, she encouraged her to say what the matter was.

“I am pregnant for Clem but she is not willing to take responsibility of the pregnancy”

“Is that why you are crying. That is a small matter. I thought you said that her mother knows you?”Cindy asked.

“Yes.”

“Go and meet her. She will accept you,”Cindy proposed to her.

“I don’t want to do what will offend Clem,”Dera told her.

“You are not serious. You better go and meet his mother now. Delay is dangerous.”

When Dera got home. She thought about what Cindy advised her to do and decided to comply.

In the morning, he set out for Clem’s home. When she got there. The security personnel allowed her in. She asked Clem but was informed that Clem went out.

“What of his mum?” Dera asked.

“She went out with her husband.”

“Please, can I sit and wait for her?”Dera pleaded.

The security personnel showed her a chair to sit and wait.