Chapter 7

"Miss Wood, You are twelve weeks pregnant," he said.

"What" Catherine shouted.

"How is that possible? I mean, how come?" She asked no one in particular.

"I don't know how, however, your results showed that you are pregnant," the doctor replied and handed her over the result.

With trembling hands, Catherine accepted the result and opened it. She looked at the place it was boldly written Pregnant positive gestational period twelve weeks.

She left the hospital without thanking the doctor that attended to her. She was filled with different thoughts.

Immediately she came to the restaurant, she intentionally allowed her body to sink onto the cold floor, wishing it could cool her hot soul.

Holding the result of the test in her trembling hands. She recalls coming to the clinic with the hope of getting treated for malaria because that was a common sickness they suffered in the slums due to the incessant mosquito bites. However, she got the shocking news of pregnancy.

"Is it possible that I am pregnant because of the one-night stand affair I had with that strange boy.?" She queries herself.

It was indeed devastating news for Catherine because she did not even know the boy in question. Neither did she know his name nor where he came from. With a heavy heart, Catherine walked down to her home because she had lost the energy to work.

Catherine did not know what to do. She thought she had It all from the party when Claudia chased her out of their home and now this, Fresh tears came down again from her eyes.

"How can I cope, with my sick mother and the burden of a new baby? She asked. "Things will be more difficult from now". She murmured.

Catherine got home to behold a small crowd that gathered around their little house. Her heart skipped, and the thought of her mother came to her mind. She sprinted inside shoving those at the entrance away.

Catherine saw her mother lying motionless on the bed immediately after she came in. She quickly tugged her lifeless body and buried her face in her mother's bosom. She cried bitterly as she held her close to her chest.

For the first time in six years, Andrew touched her and pulled her up. She allowed him. She leaned on his shoulder and cried her eyes out. She needed the little comfort his weak body could offer to her.

Catherine had missed Andrew as a father. He was once a great father and a devoted husband. He stood by her mum even to the death. The least she could do was to mourn with him. Besides she had more than enough problems with her already to consider Andrew and the pain he has caused her.

The next day, Evelyn was buried at the town cemetery. Those of them who lived in the slums do like relatives. One man's problem becomes everyone's burden. That was how Evelyn was able to survive those six years without her daughter.

Catherine had no more strength to cry, she was exhausted by the time she got home from the cemetery with Andrew. She went to bed and curled her body in her little corner on her mother's bed. She left her mother's space for her and put her hand across the space like she always did when her mother was still there.

" I missed you, Mom," she muttered as tears gushed out of her eyes again.

Andrew can not withstand the pain Catherine is going through. Unfortunately, he can't come closer to her. He was too afraid to scare her away.

He wanted to comfort Catherine but he dared not move an inch closer. Andrew can't bear it anymore so he storms out of the house.

He left the house and went to the bar. He drank into a stupor and vomited all over his body. As he stagged toward his home, he fell into a dirty gutter and slept off.

Catherine! Catherine!" Ruth shouted while bumping into Catherine who had already slept off.

The awful screaming of her name woke her up. She rubbed her tired eyes and looked at Ruth who banged inside her room without knocking.

"Ruth, why are you screaming my name like that? I hope nothing bad has happened" she asked not that she cared, after all, nothing will be as bad as the death of her mother.

"I am sorry to you wake up like this. Your father fell inside the gutter and he vomited all over his body. You know it's snowing out there he may catch a cold" Linda said.

Cathy's heartaches, why is she suffering too much lately? She asked in her mind.

" Have I not suffered enough already?" She muttered and followed Ruth outside to rescue her useless stepfather.

With the help of some neighbors, Andrew was brought home. Immediately after he got home he vomited again and urinated all over his body.

Catherine cleaned him up with warm water. Andrew woke a minute later and met the disapproving eyes of his neighbors. He felt so ashamed of himself. Each of the neighbors left the room in silence.

Catherine gave him hot herbal tea, he drank it and felt a lot better. She prepared hot water for him to bathe with. Andrew sobered up after bathing. He was grateful for what she had done for him.

"She did not deserve all this pain," he thought in his mind and settled himself on the couch where he usually sleeps.