One month later.
Maggie was happy. Her marriage seemed to have gotten a second lease of life. She couldn’t believe that her marriage had taken a turnaround like that. The last 2 years her marriage had been strained. She wanted a child and Daniel had become very distant knowing that he was the problem where the baby was concerned. But since the time she decided to fight for her marriage things had changed. Daniel was walking around very proudly telling people that he was going to be a father. It’s like he felt he was no longer a failure and that he was a total man.
Daniel would come home early. They would spend quality time together and the romance sparked between them. Everything was good in paradise. If only the happiness wasn’t based on a lie. Maggie could feel the guilt weighing down her happiness.
Maggie was hosting a party this weekend. They were supposed to formally announce that they were having a baby. Some family members already knew. Like Daniel’s mother.
Daniel’s mother had called her 2 weeks ago. His mother had never liked her. She had already picked the daughter in law that she had wanted. A girl from the same kind of family like Daniel. She was well educated, polished and a perfect addition to the family. She was a banker and her family owned a chain of hotels.
Daniel’s mother had objected to the marriage. Maggie was a nobody. A girl who had grown up in one of the poor city estates. She wanted a daughter in law who marched her status. Daniel had been so in love he had insisted on getting married. After they got married Daniel had paid for Maggie to do a degree at one of the local private universities. Maggie had loved Daniel more for standing up for her.
In the last couple of years though the tension between her and her mother in law had become unbearable. First her mother in law didn’t like her. Then she wasn’t getting a grandchild. She could be “forgiven” for being common but the fact that in 7 years she hadn’t given Daniel’s parents a grandchild was unforgivable. It’s like having a child would blot out her transgressions. Daniel’s mum had started trying to sabotage her marriage, inviting him to family functions without her and introducing him to women who she thought would make great candidates for a better wife.
As Maggie looked at her mobile phone which was ringing. When she saw it was her mother in law she debated whether to answer the phone. Then she answered it.
Daniel’s mum Ruth didn’t take time even for greetings.
Ruth “is it true that you’re pregnant?”
Maggie “yes I am?”
Ruth, “how many months?”
Maggie said “about two months”
Ruth “finally you are good for something. That child had better be a boy. It took you long enough to get pregnant. I always told Daniel that you were not a suitable wife. Now that you’re pregnant I guess there’s no getting rid of you. Arrange a party. We need to announce it to the rest of the family.” She didn’t even say goodbye, she just cut the conversation.
Maggie had called Mary
Maggie “the dragon lady called!”
“What did she want? asked Mary
Maggie said, “she found out that I am ‘pregnant!’ she called to confirm it.”
“Ha ha that witches. She has made your life stress. I bet now she wants to be best buddies.” said Mary.
“Not really. She has made it clear she doesn’t like me. Imagine she told me it had better be a boy. Like I am the one who decides the sex of the baby” said Maggie.
Mary asked “have you considered what I told you? You need to do it soon.”
Maggie said, “Daniel and I are doing really good. I love him. I don’t want to hurt him.
“Really. What was he doing with his PA? So it’s ok for him to hurt you by sleeping around with another woman?” Mary said.
“I didn’t …” Maggie said
Mary said “you don’t have options. You can’t pretend to be pregnant forever. If you were pregnant for real then it wouldn’t matter because you will inherit through your child. But you’re not so if Daniel divorces you we lose everything. Get yourself together. Killing Daniel is the only option. It wouldn’t be painful. We discussed what you should do, do it.” Then she also cut the phone without saying goodbye.
:
Maggie sat on her bed and cried. There was so much pressure from everywhere and she didn’t know what to do. She was caught between a rock and a hard place.
