I remember the day Lionel overdosed. I came with Zion to visit, just like we had initially planned, only to find him unconscious, face down on the floor, with a needle plunged into his arm.
I called the emergency line immediately to come over to the house. I didn’t let Zion in, and neither did I let him see Lionel when the medic came to take him away because I feared that would leave a negative mark on him.
We were, fortunately, able to stabilise him, and the doctors told us he had injected more doses of heroin than his system could carry. I told them he was clean, but they told me he might have stumbled back into abuse and felt too ashamed to tell me. The doctor told me he wouldn’t have made it if I had gotten to him later than I had.
Lionel pulled out of the state of unconsciousness a few weeks later. I went with Zion to the hospital to visit, and there I met Betty, Tatiana, and Owen for the first time in years. I will not forget the look Betty gave me and Zion that day, and all she said was, “Who’s the unfortunate fellow that knocked you up?”
I was furious, and I wanted to respond with something equally nasty because, for someone whose son almost lost his life to an overdose, she had all the venom in the world anyone could think of. She didn’t deserve respect, and I didn’t want to give it to her. Then I realised Zion, my son and the only one I cared about, was with me. He didn’t deserve to see that throw-down, and Lionel would not have wanted that either.
I saw Owens and Tatiana at the hospital, and I caught Owen staring once in a while at me. I ignored every one of their attempts to rile me up and kept visiting until Lionel regained consciousness. He checked himself into rehab the same month he left the hospital and has been there ever since. I kept a close eye on his progress and health, and he promised to get better. I had seen none of my family in the past six months, nor had I contacted them. They weren’t worth it five years ago, nor were they worth it then.
Godiya told me a few months ago that she had run into Owens at the store with his arms around another woman, and all she did was chuckle as she walked past them. She told me to rejoice that I dodged a bullet, which I do every day. I want to feel sad for Tatiana, but that was what she did to me when she thought I was the one with the problem. Hopefully, someday, she will realise who she is married to.
Lionel was discharged two weeks ago, and Zion and I had gone to visit. Zion expressed sadness that he had missed his Father’s Day event at the school. Lionel apologised and promised he would never miss it again. Zion believed him, but he remained moody. Hearing he was getting better made me happy.
“There is a notice in his bag, and he has a little homework as well. Please ensure he does it,” Loretta informed me in a friendly tone.
“I promise I will supervise his homework today,” I said, grabbing his lunch box from beside him as I took him into my arms.
“See you tomorrow, Ms Adams.”
Zion waved at her as we exited the classroom, and I brought him into the car and strapped him in.
“Can we get ice cream, Mommy?” he asked, his eyes lighting up with his question.
“We can, but you have to promise you will eat the vegetable I’ll add to your meal tomorrow.”
He nodded, “I promise.”
“Then it’s a deal.”
I drove us to Domino’s Restaurant, a few miles away from where we lived, and once we parked, I helped him out of the car.
He hopped in excitement as we approached the restaurant’s entrance. We stepped in, and I approached the young man at the ice cream counter, flashing him a quick smile. “Can I please get two medium cups of ice cream, chocolate flavour and strawberry?”
Zion has always liked the vanilla flavour ever since we started coming here two years ago, but three months ago, that changed, and he switched to the chocolate flavour. Wawi had given him chocolate flavour at his place, and he loved it and has since made that his favourite.
“Alright, Ma’am.” He said this and turned to the freezer behind him to grab the order from inside while we waited patiently.
Once I paid, I handed the medium cup to Zion without fear that he would make a mess because the boy might be just four, but he already knew how not to make a mess of himself whenever he ate. That was self-taught.
He mumbled a cheerful thank you, and I smiled at him in response.
His smile always made my day and warmed my heart.
My smile faded when my eyes flew across the road and landed on none other than the man I left five years ago.
Aaron Hart.
My face paled, and the smile I had on disappeared.
He stood across the road in a white long-sleeve shirt tucked into a pair of trousers. Unlike four years ago, he no longer had a beard on his face, and his hair was longer. He had a grimace on, and that wasn’t a look I was quite familiar with. My heart doubled in beat, and my brain immediately shut down for the next few minutes that passed. Many thoughts flew through my head about what his sudden appearance would mean. Yet, I couldn’t think of the next move to make.
I felt a tug on my hand, and looking down, I met Zion’s worried eyes.
“Are you okay, mommy?” he asked with a concerned look in his eyes.
My eyes travelled across the road from where I had seen Aaron a moment ago, but I did not find him there. I glanced around, trying to find where he might have gone but couldn’t find him.
My attention returned to Zion, who still had a concerned look on his face. My hands tightened around his, and I led him towards the car. I opened and strapped him in before entering and leaving the restaurant.
All the while I drove home, I wondered if I had seen Aaron across the road or if my mind had made him up to mess with me. It couldn’t have been him. If it had been him, he wouldn’t have disappeared so fast.
I couldn’t afford to have him back in my life, and the silly jokes my mind played on me weren’t funny. It’s been five long years, and I’ve moved on and built my life. The last thing I wanted was for him to bring himself in and ruin everything. I knew the first thing he would like to know was Zion’s paternity. Once he finds out my son is his, he will want to take him away.
He could do that. He had all the power to do so, and it would be within his rights as a father.
I didn’t want to share my son with anyone, not even Aaron.