The half-light at dawn seeped into my room. The dawn chorus of melodic morning breeze drifted in. Waking up that morning felt like a duty. Well, that's the feeling I get every day except for weekends when I would have to rest and spend time with Damon. The morning was bright and fair as usual.

About twenty minutes after waking, I had prepared his favorite desserts: buttermilk pancakes and butter cookies with chilled minty-flavoured lemonades. I brushed my long, red hair, sticking at the back of my ears with tiny, black pins and for the first time in forever, I wore a simple nude makeup and red, wrapped gown he recently bought for me.

It hugged my body, and I made sure everything looked heavenly before going downstairs to serve breakfast. Damon stepped out of the guest room, dressed in a navy blue suit and light purple sleeved shirt. He jelled his black hair to the back, and he looked charming as ever.

"Hello mum, I'm leaving for work."
I turned back to see Damon beside Mrs. Smith. She was eating breakfast while I served.

"Okay, my lovely son. It's weekend. After work, visit your friends and go clubbing. Do whatever you want, but please, be careful, okay?" She warned.

"Okay." He whispered and smiled. Seeing both of the smile gave me a good feeling. Damon placed a soft peck on his mother's cheeks. "See you later." He said before turning away.

"I've set the table. Won't you eat before leaving?" I smiled and their smiles dropped.

"No, I don't want to eat." He raised his gaze without even looking at me.

"I prepared your favorite, honey. And why are you avoiding me?"

"Are you stupid or deaf?" He turned to me with a glare. "Didn't you hear what I just said? I said I don't want to eat and you're insisting. Do you want to force me to eat? Why are you so daft? Don't you ever think that it's not only food a man should live for? Are you going nuts?"

I watched him speechlessly. I wanted to say something, but the words didn't come. My fingers just trembled, my legs stiff to the ground, and my my eyes were filled with tears. My clenched jaws swallowed down the tears.

"I said I don't want food and you're trying to... See, I married you to make babies, not cook. And besides, if I so will to hire a cook, I can as well do that!" Damon hissed at me and said to Mrs. Smith. "Bye mum."

"Bye, my love." She replied him and continued her meal while he left.

"Drive safely and have fun. She thought my son is a glutton or a food monger like she is. All she's only concerned about is food. We married you to make babies yet, what she talks about is food. FFO, for food only! Adelaide, I need to see my grandchild! I know you've eaten so much food that your intestines have blocked your womb, but not your ears, at least. I know you can hear me, you're not dump. Glutton! Get me a grandchild! Get me clean drinkable water. I'm not a fan of these herbs you serve!"

I just walked back into the room. Insults and thoughts filled my ears. It was a good idea that Damon was going out today. I don't mind how he spends his weekend, but he humiliated me again in the presence of his mother. With no remorse in his eyes or words, I couldn't help but to remember our first meeting. It was in a club we met. Elvira forced me to go out, and we coincidentally met her boss. Although I walked away after we exchanged greetings, he couldn't take his gaze off me. Reverse is the case now. I feel so useless. Why I'm enduring their drama is because I don't want to leave. There are many guys out there, I'm not a heartbreaker. I still love Damon so much and I'm willing to help him, even if he doesn't acknowledge me.

I opened my laptop and tried writing, but the ideas weren't coming. It knotted my brains in the thoughts of Damon. 'Oh God, what's my offense to you? What did I do? If I've committed so many sins to deserve this punishment, then have mercy on me. Is this what I get for giving love a chance?' I walked to our bed, lost in thought, and took our wedding framed picture on the bedstand. 'It's been seven years now. I have a hundred reasons to reason with my husband, but I know there's nothing you can not do. You're more powerful, the merciful. Let me have a child to cuddle. Bring shame upon those that mock me. Let me also be addressed as a mother. Don't make me the snake that slithers on a rock without a trace. Help me God and make my husband, mine again.'

I held our picture to my chest and cuddled up in tears. All I could feel was my universe crumbling before me. I wanted to be patient. To give love a chance over again.

A Month Later. I got a call from doctor Kenny, and he asked me to pay him a visit. It was something important. I rushed to the hospital with hope in my heart. For the last two years, I have been on medication. Something positive came up in my prayers.

As I got to his office, he offered me a seat and opened his drawer. I did as he requested, noticing the smile on his face. He brought out a white envelope and fixed his reading glasses.

"Mrs. Adeline Smith." He started with a clear voice.

"Yes, doctor." I replied.

"There are many times we doctor try our best, but God almighty friend out efforts, a success. As a doctor, I only care and God cures. Your case is very rare, based on the last test we carried out. We discovered that you're 8-weeks pregnant."

"W... What? I didn't get you Doctor Kenny. Please come again." I stuttered.

"In the test we carried out yesterday. We discovered that you're 8-weeks pregnant." The doctor announced.

"What? I'm pregnant?" Tears filled the space of my eyes as my heart limped out for joy.

"Congratulations ma'am." He gave me a handshake before handing me the envelope. It was my test results in it.

I felt different, speechless. I just cried in gratitude. Although it took long, I never believed that I would become a mother.

From the hospital, I dropped at Elvira's apartment and showed her the good news.

"OMG! You're pregnant?" she asked. I saw the tears of joy in her eyes.

"I still can't believe I'm with child, Elvie! The doctor confirmed it. I'm so excited right now, I just give gratitude to God."

"We should celebrate, bestie! It is when the world thinks an end has come that God would start his wonders! It troubled human beings for not knowing God's time, but patience pays." She explained.

"Yes, my dear. I almost gave up." I confessed, shedding happy tears.

"But you didn't. You have a strong heart, Ally! I admire you so much! Never give up! OMG! This calls for celebration! I need to get us champagne and wine. It's worth everything!" Elvira stood up to her bar parlour and something clicked in her mind. She turned back to me with curiosity and my eyes met hers.

"What's it, Elvie?" I asked.

"Girlfriend..."

"Yes."

"How many weeks old?" Her eyes squinted at the question.

"8 weeks." I replied with relief. "Hope no problem?"

"8 weeks?" She muttered and counted her fingers with a serious face. "Wow, that means you've been pregnant before leaving your husband's place."

"Elvira! Why are you going to the past? You should be happy that at least I'm going to have a child too. That I won't be a barren for the rest of my life. After drinking, let's pay Damon and his mum a surprise visit. I can't wait to see the amazement on their faces when they finally get to know. Please, get me a drink. I'm thirsty!"

"Yes, whatever happens, I'm just happy that my friend is finally pregnant!" She flipped her black hair with excitement. "Just give me a sec! I'd be right back."

"Thank you bestie! Well said." I muttered to her and held my stomach. I couldn't feel the baby yet, but I felt a ball of excitement in me. Like a new person, I felt honoured. "Thank you God, for not disappointing me."

Later that day, Elvira and I paid the Smiths a visit.

"Impossible! Adelaide, you heard me right! Impossible! You can not bring a bastard child in here and expect me to accept it open heartedly." My mother-in-law started.

My heart dropped to the words as I turned to Elvira. She looked startled, too. Damon was on his phone, chatting as if the three of us were ghosts. He didn't even look at me. A gaze at his finger, I noticed he had removed our wedding ring. I felt hurt once again. I never knew I married a jerk until now.

"Is it because I told you I want a grandchild that you went to bed with someone else? Were you pregnant when you left this house? You must think of us as fools. This is an insult to our faces. I thought you're more than this. You packed your bags willingly and left this house. And now you're telling me you're pregnant? Impossible! Even if I want a child by all means, that doesn't permit me to accept a bastard child. Between all of us seated here, you know you are barren. You cannot get pregnant! Why are you lying?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Smith." Elvira intervened. "We don't mean to disrespect you, but you're sounding really harsh, ma'am. We are women like you are and only a woman can know who authenticates the father of her child. Ally is an adult. She's your son's wife and definitely, she's pregnant with your son."

"Let me explain something to you, Elvira. Nothing is impossible and anything can happen. Your friend spent seven years with her husband without getting pregnant? Why is it that she got pregnant when she started living with you?"

"Not this one!" Elvira defended.

"Then which one? Were you there when they were copulating?" Mrs. Smith questioned Elvira.

"No ma'am. Just like you were not there too. Adelaide is 8 weeks pregnant. She left here 2 weeks ago. That means she got pregnant before leaving here."

"That's nothing but a smart lie! She left this house as a barren woman and nobody sent her out! Or were you divorced?" She asked me.

I looked at her with bleeding eyes, she only rolled her eyes at me. "My son isn't responsible for your pregnancy." She pressed.

Elvira looked at me, pained. "Say something..." she whispered to me.

"Mrs. Julia Smith. I've known no man except your son. As it is, I'm still his legal wife."

"Are you here to fight or what?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

"I'm not here to fight, ma. Just to clear things out. I beg you in the name of anything dear to you. I want you to be compassionate to me as a mother would. There is no one for me to run to." I fell to my knees and begged.

"You didn't offend me, Ally! Please, get up before someone sees you like this and start calling me names. You're a good girl and you didn't offend me. We know I was obsessed about having a grandchild, but not this."

Elvira held me back to my feet as we sat.

"Mrs Smith. Your prayers for me are finally accepted. This is the pregnancy we have been praying for all this while and here you're rejecting it."

A bitter grin formed on her lips while I raised my gaze to her. She just watched as if I was acting up the role.

"Mother, if there's anything I've said to wrong you like I said earlier. Please forgive me. This baby is Damon's flesh and blood. I won't lie, I'm not a lier." I cried.

"You didn't offend me at all. I'm only trying to protect my son and our family name from going astray. I'm sure that if you were to be in my shoes, you'd do the same for your child." She defended. "Damon is my only child."

"Mr. Damon, why don't you say something? After all, this is about the two of you. Your wife is back to you. Shouldn't you be happy?" He raised his gaze at Elvira, looking confused like someone who had just woken from sleep. Watching him, I had already stabbed him in my head.

"Say something, huh? I know how much you love Adelaide."

"My mother has spoken."

Elvira's jaws dropped to the ground at her boss's words. As if he was under a spell or something. Elvira never believe Damon would reject. She just held herself back not to hit him hard across the face.

"My mother said I'm not responsible, that means I'm not responsible for the pregnancy."

"Perfect!" Mrs. Smith defended.

"I can not be what my mother said I'm not."

"Your mother said. But was your mother there when you last made love? I don't get." Elvira stuttered in puzzlement.

I just grabbed my purse, tired of their rejection. As usual, they did not want me. I am not surprised.

"Talk to them, Adelaide. Convince them." Elvira begged, but I stood up and adjusted my dress.

"Mrs. Smith. I won't come here begging anymore. I thought being forgiving you realized, but no." I stared directly into her hazel eyes, though she still eyes me. "Remember something. That no one plays evil pranks and won't receive the reward accordingly."

"Oh, no way! You can't say that to my mother!" Damon defended. Before he took a step, I got to the door. Elvira pulled him back to calm him down.

"No, she can't! You've gone too far, Adelaide! How can you tell my mother that no one plays evil pranks, and not receive the reward accordingly? For what?" He blurted out and Elvira walked out of their house, slammed the door right behind her.

"I won't forgive you for that!" He yelled and all the veins in his neck stretched out in fury. "Adelaide! Come back here!"

"Don't mind them." Mrs. Smith called him back while he opened the door. Elvira and I got into her car and she drove out of their compound.

"What nonsense! Never come back here again!" He hissed and banged on the door, shot. "How dare she say that no one plays evil pranks and won't receive the reward accordingly? She lacks respect and humility!"

"No, they're hurt, that's why."

"She don't supposed to say that!"

"I can sue that girl in court and nothing would happen." She reminded him.

"They want us to accept a bastard and that would not happen."

"Mummy, if you say I'm not responsible. That means I'm not responsible."

"But you are a responsible child. Don't mind them, they're pained."

"Mum, what if I'm responsible for the pregnancy?"

"Why are you acting like this? You're not a bastard, so stop acting like one. You're a proper son. They just planned that and thank goodness, we defeated them. Just relax, my son. Have fun and forget Adelaide. She's the past."