PROSPECTS

"Say no more, you will not have this child", Mr Miller spurned.

"Please, she's just a child. Please let her live", Grace begged her husband.

"You will get rid of that mess in your womb and that's final", He clarified.

Mr Miller has no regard for children, talk less of fathering a female child. If he had his way, he would not have gotten married in the first place. To him, a real child is a career.

Just when he was warming up to Grace and getting used to having her around, a female child shows up to ruin all the progress they had made in their relationship.

"It's just the first child. The second may be a boy", Grace reasoned

"May? How I hate the word. You will get rid of that mess in your womb and that's final!"

"Please Paul, think of this child. Let it live and see the beauty of life" She begged desperately

He laughed bitterly,

"Beauty in life?"

"Please Paul. Let us keep this child. Life is not always about money and riches"

Massaging his forehead, he spoke "On a second thought, I do not need an heir or a child or whatever they are. To hell with it!"

Grace wept as Mr Miller left angered. Her pregnancy has been the topic in their household for days. He would not accept the child but Grace pledged to save the life of her unborn child

...

"Mother, father please do not do this to me. Please I-"

"Listen to your husband and stop all this nonsense. It's a lost cause!" Grace's father told her.

Her mother seemed unhappy too but could not say anything as she watched her daughter beg for her baby's life.

Grace had been coming to her childhood home to beg her father to spare the life of his grandchild but he seemed adamant, like her husband.

"Grace, look at me, I know what it feels like to lose a child but you have to let this one go and pray for a male to come next time,hmmm? Wipe your tears dear"

Graces cried harder, her mother gathered her in her arms consoling her. "Sorry my dear. It hurts me too that I am about to lose a grandchild as well but there's nothing that can be done. We have no other choice but to do our husband's bidding. That's how we survive". Her mother said the last part with a fat tear rolling down her left cheek.

Life is tough even for the rich and powerful. Even though they had everything they could ever want, why would they not keep this child?

Grace cried and cried as she made her way to a friend's place. She had written down a long list of acquaintances and had been visiting them one after the other. Getting rejected constantly with no one to take her in. It seemed like nobody wanted to be on her father's blacklist.

After visiting four different partners and still got rejected, she made her way home.

She went to her room and extracted all her expensive jewelry as well as clothing and other accessories that could fetch a substantial amount.

Raising the bag to her shoulder and making her way downstairs, she was stopped by her husband.

"What exactly is wrong with you? Now you sell your valuables? Let's see how this goes' ', he said as he made his way to his study.

Grace came home tired that evening after selling her things at a cheaper price.

Walking into his study, she spoke "I want a divorce-"

Paul hummed and chuckled "I did not expect you to be this foolish but I think we can start from a separation before a divorce, don't you think?"

Ignoring him, she resumed her speech, "I am leaving tomorrow. I will not take the life of my unborn baby. I would rather live an average life with my baby than to kill her"

Unlike her, who was busy throughout the day, selling her possessions, he worked hard at his office and was greeted by the sight of a nutritious dinner.

"Very well then. You have my blessings" he mocked.

The next morning she packed her bags and decided to travel as far as she can, away from her family. After driving for ten straight hours, she settled in a small town.

For the first few days, she lived in a hotel before she was able to rent a tiny house which housed a bedroom, a small kitchen and a bathroom with no living room.

The whole place looked unkempt but she managed to tidy the place to the best of her abilities. The sink in the kitchen and bathroom seems to be leaking.

She was used to living in luxury yet, she still tried to feel comfortable, even though the room smelled damp and stuffy and the kitchen floor and tiles were faded.

The biggest problem she's going through is that she has not been able to get a decent job. Nobody was willing to employ her. The town treated her like some plague.

At some point, she had exhausted all the money she had on her and had no other choice but to return back home since she could not afford to buy foodstuffs.

Paul accepted her with open arms, "Welcome back. See why I said a divorce was a bad idea?" He winked.

With all that's left of her pride, Grace fell on her knees and begged Paul.

"Please save my child. I will do as you please but do not kill this child. Please I beg of you"

After giving things a second thought, he agreed.

"We will keep this child only if you will give the child out, once it is born. I have no use for a female child"

"Okay" , Grace sniffed as she cried, relieved that the child gets to live, even if she would not be the one to breastfeed her child.