Chapter 7: Confrontation

Mr. Jackson gazed at his son with a mix of sympathy and frustration. "Jerry, I understand that you're upset, but we’ve to consider what's best for everyone," he said, in a tender tone.

Jerry felt a wave of resentment towards his dad. He couldn't believe that his own father was willing to sacrifice his future for someone else's. He wanted to scream and shout until his dad listened to him, but he knew it wouldn't change anything.

“Creak!”

With a heavy heart, he stormed out of his dad's room, feeling more alone than ever before. He didn't know how he was going to cope with being stuck in this situation, but he knew one thing for sure: he wouldn't give up on his dreams.

He considered going to my room to confront me about how I was holding him back from going to the university. He was mad at me for making him wait longer before he could chase his dreams. But then he remembered that I was still not feeling well due to the incident earlier. He decided not to go because he didn't want to stress me out more.

Jerry walked back and forth in his room, his mind boiling with frustration and resentment towards me. He couldn't shake off the feeling of anger that had been building up inside him. Every time he thought about his dreams of furthering his education at the university, he couldn't help but blame me for holding him back.

As he stood there, contemplating whether to confront me or not, memories of my recent weakness flooded his mind. He remembered how weak I had been, how fragile I looked lying in bed, barely able to have the strength to speak.

Despite his anger, he couldn't ignore the compassion he felt towards me. I was still recovering, still fragile, and he didn't want to do anything to make my condition worse. With a heavy sigh, Jerry made the difficult decision to postpone the confrontation for later.

"I'll confront her when my dad isn't home," he said, trying to convince himself that it was the right choice. "She's lucky he's here to keep me in check."

There was a knock at his door. He felt annoyed because he was already upset.

"Who's there?" he asked, sounding frustrated. He didn't get an answer, which made him even angrier. He decided to open the door forcefully, and to his surprise, it was me standing there. "What do you want?" he asked angrily, but then he realized he was being too harsh. So, he took a deep breath and asked again, this time calmly, "What can I do for you?”

I stood at the doorway, looking at Jerry with a mix of apprehension and concern. I had summoned up the strength to leave my room just to see him, hoping to mend whatever had caused the disagreement between us. However, Jerry's initial reaction only fueled my fears that he was still angry with me.

Feeling a sudden pain of hurt at Jerry's harsh tone, I hesitated for a moment before summoning up my own courage to speak. "Jerry, I... I just wanted to talk to you," I began softly, my voice stained with uncertainty. "I know you're upset, and I understand why. But I want us to talk things out, to find a way to move forward."

Jerry felt a sharp pain of guilt as he looked at me standing there, his eyes filled with concern. Despite his anger, he couldn't ignore the genuine concern I had for him. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he softened his expression and asked me to come inside.

"Come in," he said, summoning me to enter.

But I shook my head gently, my lips forming a small smile as I declined the invitation. With a nod, I turned away, my steps deliberate as I went back to my room.

As I walked, my mind drifted back to all that had happened today. The day had been long, filled with different drama.

Each step brought me closer to my room, my footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. I sighed softly, the tension melting away with each passing moment.

Outside, the world was bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, the darkness spotted by the distant twinkle of stars. The night held a sense of calm, a calmness that wrapped around me like a blanket.

Finally, I reached the door to my room, my hand reaching out to the doorknob. With a gentle push, I stepped inside, the room embracing me in its warmth.The bed lured me, its soft blankets inviting me to sink into their enfold and surrender to the embrace of sleep.

But before I could submit to sleep, I took a moment to observe the stillness of the night. I crossed the room to the window, pulling back the curtains to reveal the world outside. The night sky stretched out before me, a wide expanse of darkness marked by the soft glow of distant stars.

As I gazed out at the night, I felt a sense of peace settle over me, a quiet contentment that washed away the scenario of the day. Tomorrow would bring its own challenges and triumphs, but for now, I was content to simply rest, to let the gentle rhythm of the night lull me into a state of blissful sleep.

With a final sigh, I turned away from the window, the events of the evening fading into the background as I allowed myself to be carried away on the gentle currents of sleep. And as I drifted off into dreams, I knew that no matter what tomorrow brought, I’d face it with courage and grace, strengthened by the knowledge that I was never truly alone.

It was a new day, and I was awake. I headed straight to the kitchen to assist the cook make breakfast.

Jerry woke up and went downstairs. He saw me cooking, even though I wasn't part of his family.

"So, why’re you doing this?" He asked.

"Are you trying to make my father love you more? Remember, you're not part of this family! And that thing you're carrying isn't mine," he said, pointing at my stomach.

My heart sank at Jerry's hurtful words. I had hoped for a peaceful morning. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I met his gaze with a mix of sadness and resolve.

"Jerry, I'm just trying to help. I care about your family, and I want to contribute however I can," I said, my voice calm despite the storm of emotions raging within me. I refused to let Jerry's words wound me any further, though his rejection pierced more deeply than I cared to admit.

"If you truly want to help, just leave my father's house!" he shouted. "You being here is holding me back from going to the university. I can't stand seeing the woman who's delaying my dreams. Please, just go!”

I felt a wave of sadness wash over me, knowing that my presence was causing him such distress. But beneath the hurt, I also sensed a deep-seated fear and insecurity in Jerry's words.

Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I looked Jerry in the eye with determination.

"Jerry, I get that me being here bothers you," I said calmly, even though I felt upset inside. "But I want you to know, I'm not trying to delay your dreams. I have my own dreams too, and I won't let this pregnancy stop me from chasing them."

I paused, trying to find the right words. "If me staying here upsets you so much, I can go back to my aunt's place," I suggested. "But you need to stop denying that you aren't responsible for my pregnancy. It hurts to hear you say that. I've never been with anyone else but you, and you know that," I added, my voice filled with sadness.

Jerry grabbed my arm tightly, wanting to make me understand, but then he stopped himself. He remembered his father was at home, so he let go of me. Feeling furious, he stormed out of the kitchen, hearing his fathers voice.

As he left the kitchen, his heart pounded with anger. He couldn't believe what I had said, and he didn't want to deal with it right then.

I stood there, feeling the weight of Jerry's departure. I sighed, realizing that getting through to him would be harder than I thought. With a heavy heart, I decided to give him some space and time to process everything. Taking a deep breath, I began to tidy up the kitchen, hoping that things would eventually get better between us.

As I cleaned, my mind raced with thoughts of the future. I knew I couldn't force Jerry to accept the reality of our situation, but I also couldn't let his denial hold me back. Determined to stay focused on my dreams, I resolved to take things one step at a time, even if it meant facing them alone. Deep down, I hoped Jerry would come around, but for now, I had to stay strong for myself and my unborn child.

"Good morning, sir," I greeted, as I helped the cook set the dining table. Mr. Jackson looked surprised to see me assisting the cook.

"Good morning, my dear. Hope you slept well?” He asked.

I smiled warmly. "Yes, thank you, Sir. I slept well," I replied politely, though my mind was still troubled.

Mr. Jackson nodded, his face frowning slightly as he observed my behavior. "Is everything alright, Vivian?" he asked, feeling concerned .

I hesitated for a moment, debating whether to talk to him. "Oh, everything's fine, sir. Just a bit tired from helping out in the kitchen," I explained, offering a reassuring smile.

Mr. Jackson nodded understandingly. "Well, I appreciate your help. But please, you don't have to do this, you know… the doctor said you should rest.”

I nodded in agreement, "Yes, sir. I thought I could assist the cook, instead of not doing anything," I replied. “Do you want more food?"

Mr. Jackson shook his head. "No, thank you, Vivian. You've done enough already.

You can sit back and dish your own food.”

"Where is Jerry?" He asked, noticing Jerry was not on the dinner table.

"I don't know, Sir. He meant probably be in his...," before I could complete my sentence, Jerry was already at the dining table.

“Good morning, Dad,” he greeted.

Jerry took his seat at the dining table, his expression unreadable. He avoided making eye contact with anyone as he began to serve himself some food.

I glanced at him, noticing the tension. I exchanged a quick glance with Mr. Jackson, both of us silently acknowledging the awkwardness of the situation.

Mr. Jackson cleared his throat, attempting to break the uneasy silence. "Jerry, how was your night?" he asked, trying to engage his son in a conversation.

Jerry, still avoiding eye contact. "It was fine," he replied, as he continued eating.

As we ate in silence, the atmosphere at the dinner table remained tense. I stared at Jerry every now and then, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

But Jerry remained focused, lost in his own thoughts.

“Would you like some more food? I can dish more for you,” I asked, feeling concerned and attempting to engage Jerry in a conversation.

Attempting to rise from my seat and serve Jerry more food. “I never asked for your help. I have hands, if I want more food, I can get it myself. This is my Father's house, after all,” Jerry responded to me in a harsh tone.

“That's enough. Both of you should just focus on your food, no more talking,” Mr. Jackson declared firmly.

“Jerry, get ready. You'll be taking Vivian to the hospital to register and start her antenatal care immediately,” Mr. Jackson instructed him.

Jerry objected, clearly frustrated. “Dad, do I have to be the one to go with her? Doesn't she have friends or something? Perhaps, I'm very busy.”