Scars of pain

It was a cool evening in Lagos, but the air inside the cramped apartment was heavy with heat and worry.

Feliz, returned from work, his shirt soaked with sweat, and the dust of the construction site clinging to his skin.

Entered his apartment.As he stepped inside, His wife Grace, who hurried up to greet her husband,as her swollen belly led the way .

Grace is heavily pregnant, almost time for her to put to bed,she welcomes her husband with an affectionate hug.

"Welcome back home my love, Grace whispered"wrapping her hand around his waist.The hug was warm but her body felt fragile like a bird held too tightly.

Her eyes were tired and her face pale.Her once neatly plaited hair,had loose it life, now pulled back loosely in a tired knot.The faded top she wore clung to her like a memory worn thin and stained from so many washes.

Grace sat down on they're worn couch slowly.

Feliz lowered himself beside her.

How are you doing? Feliz asked, looking worried and tired at the same time, "I'm not fine, Grace replied bluntly"since morning I haven't eaten, which is not good for the baby inside me.I can't take any medicine either because we don't have money to buy them.

She looked away,her voice dipping lower, "I can't get a job because I don't have a certificate, I can't do any menial jobs because no one in Lagos will hire a pregnant woman for anything . I feel useless.

Feliz sighed, rubbing his head over his face. "I know",he murmured."l know all this.

He stood up and began pacing the small room.

"Babe. it's almost time for you to put to bed,"Feliz said pacing.

But we don't have anything prepared ,not even money for the hospital."

He stopped and looked at her,pain flickering in his eyes.

For the past six months now I have been using my salary to settle up our debt.Feliz works for a building company as part of they're labourers in the site.

We can just give birth like this: What are we going to do?

Grace didn't respond immediately, the silence lingered like an old wound.

Feliz sank into the worn out couch, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Grace, please....could you bring me some water?

he asked softly.

She rose slowly,her swollen belly leading her every move.moments later,she returned with a plastic cup filled with lukewarm water.He took it, nodded his thanks and sipped in silence .

As he continues to ponder on the issues.

The sitting room breathes with the weight of survival , small, crapped and worn thin by the passing years.The walls, once painted in hopeful colors, have faded into a tired beige , now cracked and flaking like the skin of an old story.

A low wooden table stood stubbornly at the center,its corners bruised,the rug beneaths,it was more thread than fabric.

Every chair in the room told its own tale.

Yet all was arranged with care as though

expecting a company that never came.

The air held a quiet ache:a mix of kerosene, yesterday stew and the mustiness of long forgotten rain.

A rusted standing fan stood in the corner

humming with a loose screw, while a curtain stitched from three different fabrics

danced gently in the breeze sneaking through a cracked window pane.

On the wall,a faded calendar from a year

long gone hung askew,the day's frozen mid promise.There was no longer elegance here just the soft, stubborn dignity of a place that had seen too much

and still remains standing.

Feliz drinks out of the water his wife brought for him,he knows there's no food to eat so he doesn't bother asking,he crosses his leg on the wooden center table and continues thinking about the delivery date.

Grace sat down opposite him,her eyes serious and unreadable.

"I have been thinking about something", she said quietly,

Feliz look up, "what is it"

"You remember Mr and Mrs Ezeal?, the richest person in my hometown.

He nodded slowly.

" They don't have a child", she continued. "What if..... what if we made them an offer to buy our baby after delivery.They will take care of it, give it a better life.

"And we will use the money to start something and we can finally escape this life.

Feliz froze.

What...?He said " voice cracking ", Grace you want to sell our baby

Grace didn't flinch

"It's not like we can afford to raise, " she said sharply."Let's not be poor and emotional fools.Look around,we can barely feed ourselves.We will sign an agreement just like surrogacy.We give birth and hand over the baby and we get paid.A lot"

Feliz stood up in shock, rubbing his hand pacing up and down the room again.

That's too extreme, even if we're broke, even if we had nothing that doesn't mean we should sell our child like a piece of property."

I'm not saying it lightly,"Grace replied.

Her voice is lower but firm.But desperate time demands desperate action.You think I don't feel something? I do.But feelings

won't pay hospital bills or feed this child. Money will"

There was silent again, thick and suffocating.

Feliz sat back down, his head buried in his Grace stared at him unblinkingly.

"Just to think about it",she said, you have 24 hours to think about. Tomorrow evening,I want your answer.And feliz..it better be yes.

That night, Feliz couldn't sleep

He tossed and turned haunted by his wife's proposal.The thought of selling they're child gnawed at him.But so is the unpaid bills.The hunger.The reality.

He also thought about what people will say if they find out he and his wife sold out they're baby for money.After so much pondering on the issue.

Eventually through tears, exhaustion and bitter clarity settled in his chest.

In their present condition they needed the money more than the baby.

And with heavy thought feliz finally drifted into sleep.