I had this girl reach out to me a long time ago, she was at a crossroad and didn't know where to turn. She was pregnant for her boyfriend, and they were homeless at the time because her stepmom and her father threw her out and she could not squat with her boyfriend at his friend's one room apartment.
They were both unemployed, broke and could barely feed. She needed advice, she wanted to get rid of the pregnancy and leave the guy.
I do not know her, but she's on my Facebook and after listening to her story and how hard the guy is trying to make ends meet, I advised her to hang in there.
“But I see no future with this guy, what am I hanging on to?” She texted back after reading my advice to her.
“You see no future, but I see prospects. He puts in effort and I believe he would pull through and in the end you'll enjoy, just hang in there.” I urged.
“Babe, the suffering is unbearable, how do I go about baby things? Delivery? At least now the pregnancy is still tender, it would be easy for me to get rid of and move on with my life.”
Seeing that her concern was delivery, I promised to assist her when the time comes. She was reluctant, so I requested for her account details and sent her some money to start up a petty trade, at least to make ends meet. Being that she said someone gave them a temporary accommodation, I felt she could start up a food business at the front of the compound.
After that conversation, I did not hear from her again.
One evening, after a long while, I was on Facebook and someone commented on my post to check my dm. I did and saw a wedding invitation, I was confused because it's been a while and it was another profile. I went through the wedding invitation and reacted with a question mark.
“Oh pardon my manners, I'm not sure if you remember me, but I contacted you some time ago when I had some challenges.” She went on to jog my memory and I immediately remembered her. I screamed and asked her how she was and how's the baby because I assumed she kept it. She laughed and responded the baby was fine thanks to me.
I was super excited and without asking her, she started filling me in on all that they went through.
“Do you know we started off a dry cleaning business?” She informed me.
“Really?” I had responded because I did not see that coming.
“Yeah with the money you sent, we got some big rubber basins, detergent, other laundry items and told everyone who cared to listen that we do laundry. Occasionally we'd get little data and go on YouTube to get more knowledge on the laundry business and how to step up our game. We were not professionals, but we wanted to stand out, and trust me we did.”
“Wow, but that money I sent wasn't much, so how did you guys go about electricity and the ironing?”
“Well for starters, my man have really supportive friends, and they came through for us especially with my condition, so he would go to iron over at their house and package there too”.
I was short of words because I thought she'd probably start up some small food business, I never knew they would think that big. Funny how their business grew, and they got a place and even some employees. She said they are doing really well and her man didn't have a second thought going to see her people and marry her being that she stuck with him through thick and thin.
“I bet your stepmom would be shocked”, I teased.
“Someone who kicked against the marriage? My sister it wasn't easy, the woman just do not want my happiness, but I'm glad God did and gave me the strength to go through what I went through. I was heavily pregnant and slept on cartons, on the floor with my man. Some days, we'd go without food and I could not even afford antenatal. At that moment, I felt I made a big mistake.” She narrated.
“Wow! You should have called me at least because I remember I told you then to call me when you are about to have the baby”.
“Yes, but my phone got stolen and I lost all contact. This evening as I was tending to my child, you just came to mind and I decided to search for you, hope you will make it for our wedding?” She inquired.
At that point, I paused because I would rather not disappoint her as I knew we were not in the same location. She even offered to book a flight for me as her special guest, but I asked her not to stress that on a good day we would meet, and I will make it up to her.
I asked for her account details to gift her for the wedding but instead, she asked for mine that she wanted to bless me. Not to offend her any further, I sent and boy! The money that lady sent me was indeed proof that she and her man did hit it big.
