Chapter 3 THE HOMELESS HOPE

Cherish walked out of her father's house, tears streaming down her face almost entering her mouth.

" Where will I go ? She thought aloud. All her life, she had never felt so much rejected and abandoned this way. As she walked, Cherish wondered about the next thing to do with herself.

She eventually found herself standing in front of the Wood's family home. That was the last option for her.

"Hello, Cherish," Mrs. Woods said, opening the door. "It's been a while. How about your father? Why is he not with you? Neither did he tell me that you're coming. Hope all is well? Mrs Woods continued.

Cherish couldn't say a word, all she was doing was staring at Mrs Woods. Shortly tears started streaming down her eyes, she tried controlling it but couldn't and bursted out.

Mrs Woods was confused and cuddled her inside..

Mrs Woods allowed her to cry on her shoulders.

"Cherish, please talk to me. What's the problem and why are you here alone? She asked, this time her voice is firm but low.

Cherish hesitated, then took a deep breath.

"Aunt, please don't condemn me if I tell you what it" She said, amidst sobs.

"No, my dear. I won't.

Cherish heaved a deep sigh of relief.

"Aunt, my dad threw me out of his house and disowned me because I'm pregnant. I don't have anywhere else to go. Please help me ma.

"You're pregnant" Mrs Woods shook her head and stood for a few seconds.

"I have a lot of questions to ask you on how you allowed this to happen when you know that your father is a disciplinarian and wouldn't want to see you but that'll be later".

"Well, Come in. We can offer you a room and a place to stay.

"Thank you so much," Cherish replied, on her knees feeling a sense of relief.

As they were walking down to Cherish's room, Mrs Woods stopped.

"Cherish, I never knew you to be promiscuous. How did you get pregnant?

Were you raped?

Cherish was surprised hearing this from Mrs Woods as they've concluded about this.

"Aunt, I'm not promiscuous. I.....

I.......

Just then, an elderly man walked in .

"MW, (acronym for Mrs Woods). Please can I see you briefly" He said, his voice very low.

Mrs Woods signalled Cherish that she's coming.

"Mr Gerald, Greetings. Please what can I do for you? Wood had gone for a business trip and had not been around.

She quickly wrote her husband's number on a piece of paper and gave it to him.

The elderly man turned and left.

Mrs Woods rushed back to Cherish, forgot what he was asking her and took Cherish to her rCherish accepted her fate and started living with the Woods' family and what she started seeing things she never believed she will see but she was not bothered provided there was a shelter over her head and food for her and her baby.

Cherish was barely two months in that house when Mr Woods started making advances on her .

Impossible!!!!!.... For a pregnant woman?

It started when Cherish went to serve him food because his wife travelled and it was just both of them.

"Sir, your food is ready" she gently tapped him in the living room.

Mr Wood looked up and it was Cherish, his joy could know no bound.

"Oh! my dear. Thank you. Please come....come closer. Do you know you're too beautiful

Cherish nodded her head but did not say a word.

Mr Wood stood up from his seat and grabbed Cherish's waist trying to make love to her.

"Sir please stop this. I can't do this" Cherish pushed him away.

After that incident, Cherish kept to herself everything that happened and decided to move on.

The Woods family were very supportive to her. They all loved her and took her like a member of the family. Cherish healed from the depression she slipped during her father's and Richard's rejection. Everything was going so smoothly that she never believed she was not in her father's house.

One day, Mrs Woods took her to the market to buy her some items she would need to use and give birth.

"Cherish, dress up quickly. I want us to go the market* she said calmly

Cherish couldn't predict what they were going to the market to do until they reached the market. She could not believe her eyes.

While coming back, Mrs Woods met one of her friends.

"MW, it's been a while. What brought you to the market today? I thought you travelled." she asked.

Mrs Woods took a deep breath.

"I came to buy some items for my daughter. My daughter is getting married and will soon be a mother. I'm so excited " She said, wearing a very contagious smile.

That struck Cherish so hard. At one point she wondered what she meant by "getting married " and on the other hand, she was so happy she was once accepted after the incident of her father and Richard.

"Congratulations MW. Please once everything is set, try to get in touch. I"ll be available during her marriage" She responded, so excited.

"Congratulations darling" She said, turning to me.

I nodded and smiles

"Thank you ma"

They were showing me so much kindness but something kept telling me that I would have to pay for this act of kindness. That the kindness they woods are showing me is coming with a price.

As soon as this thought kept coming to Cherish over and over again, she decided to pay close attention to it.

Cherish is melancholy. She's very sensitive. Once she puts her heart into getting information or something done, she does it stresslessly.

After some weeks they came back from the hospital, Mrs Woods took her to the hospital to register her for her delivery.

Mrs Wood's doctor owns a very big hospital and it's one of the renowned doctors in New York.

"Doctor, how have you been? My daughter and I want to see you?

The Doctor raised his eyebrows

"I think I know all your children but I don't know this one. She's very beautiful" The doctor said, winking at Cherish.

Mrs Woods felt on top of the world and raised her shoulders

"Yes, she is. She's my lookalike and she's getting married. I'm overjoyed. She'll soon have a baby and I'll be a grandmother" she gestured.

The doctor smiled and shook his head.

"Please run some check-up on her to ensure my grandchild is fine".

Cherish was lost. Where are all these coming from?

Getting married? This was the second time she was mentioning it. Getting married to who?

Do they have plans for me to get married? If they do, I'm pregnant. Can't it wait till I have my baby?

Why is she calling me her daughter? Have she adopted me?". Something is off and I must find out" Cherish thought aloud.