Chapter 40~ Forbidden

She opened her eyes to see her angry mother standing at the door with her arms crossed across her chest.

"Isere!" She shouted once more making Isere get up from the bed in an haste

"Ma," Isere spoke standing up on her feet. She was extremely tired, she was feeling dizzy too.

"Do you know what the time is?! You didn't come downstairs for morning devotion and I let that pass believing you were in the toilet only to realise you are still sleeping at past 10!" Isere eyes widened upon hearing her mother's word.

She slept till passed ten even though she slept really early yesterday? She was shocked that she had to look at the wall clock to confirm.

Isere eyes widened when she confirmed what her just mother said. She has been sleeping early this days and getting weak unnecessarily.

"I'm sorry ma," she spat out trying to appease her angry mother.

"Isere be sorry for yourself! Be sorry for yourself! Get dressed soon and let's go to church, I don't know what your problem is?!" Isere mother said, she hissed and walked out of the room.

Isere sat down on her bed at ease. She face palmed herself, she was tired but she knew her mother was waiting for her still.

Isere was tired, she had to do follow her mother to pray for a sick member in the church, then she returned to the church and practiced with the choir members, her mother made her join them at all means.

Her legs hurt and she needed rest but her choir master wasn't giving them break, she was hungry too and  what she craved for was something she had no money to buy as she didn't get allowance from her parents like other children.

She wished she was in school, knowing well, she'd have gotten what she wanted easily without much stress. She heaved a deep breath after straining her voice to get the perfect pitch needed by the choir master.

Isere excused herself to use the restroom. When she was done, on her way back to the church auditorium, she bumped into Mrs Williams, a deaconess like her mother.

"Good afternoon ma," she greeted with a smile. Mrs Williams has been a very nice woman to Isere.

Isere loved Mrs Williams, she was a good listener and a counsellor too. "Kate, how are you?" Mrs Williams asked smiling whilst looking at Isere.

"Fine, thank you ma," Isere replied.

Mrs Williams took a closer look at Isere in a way that baffled her. "Kate, are you pregnant?" The words shocked Isere as he heart raced upon hearing Mrs Williams statement.

Pregnant? How? Isere thought, looking at herself.

Isere feigned laughter, "No ma, why would i be?" Isere asked her still staring at herself.

"I know what I am saying, are you?" Mrs Williams asked again and this time, Isere began to bother.

She was getting lazy this days and lagging around, craving a lot and eating a lot too but she hasn't puke.

"Ma..." Isere chuckled. "I'm not, I'm definitely not and besides my parents told me to stay away from men," Isere said to her, taking a look at herself, trying to convince herself more.

"I know your parents teachings and I know everything but my eyes can't be deceiving me, let's go to my office," Mrs Williams said to her.

Isere followed Mrs Williams to her office, she was scared of the outcome for she could be Pregnant and that too for Kelvin.

Isere took a seat opposite Mrs Williams, she was nervous. She bowed her head down as she played with her fingers, if she was really Pregnant, that would be an issue for her, she thoughts.

"Kate, speak to me, you know you can talk to me right?" Mrs Williams began. Isere was nervous, she didn't know if she was pregnant.

"You are pregnant right?" Mrs Williams asked again.

Isere heaved a sigh, "i don't know ma," she retorted.

"So you are not a virgin?" Mrs Williams spoke making Isere feel ashame suddenly.

Isere said nothing, she kept playing with her fingers thinking of the possibility that she might be really Pregnant.

"You will have to see a doctor, when was the last time you saw your period?" Mrs Williams asked.

It dawn to Isere that she her last period was last two months. She began to panic but refused to show any sign on her face.

"Kate, I am talking to you," Mrs Williams spoke getting Isere's attention.

Isere eyes were welled with tears already, she could be pregnant. This was an emergency and she was in trouble.

"By tomorrow, I want you to come see me, we will go to the doctor."

Isere heart raced when she heard they were going to be seen a doctor, she was done for.

How would she break the news to her parent if she indeed was, would Mrs Williams tell her parents, would she be able to go back to school?  She was disturbed by those thoughts, a drop of tears rolled down her cheek and she was quick to wipe them off.

"You will have to tell me everything tomorrow, have a good day," Mrs Williams said, ushering Isere to leave.

Isere couldn't feel her leg, she didn't even know how to stand up and walk away, how would she break the news to Kelvin if she indeed was pregnant? How would her parents react, what was bestowed for her? She thought.

She held unto the arm chair tightly, trying to get up back on her feet. She had an unsettled feeling in the pit of her belly. She took slow steps out of the office, trying to dry her eyes before going back to the church auditorium.

"Isere!" She jumped up slightly when she heard her name. She looked up to see it was her mother with a very angry expression on her face.

"Where were you? Where did you go to?" Her mother asked.

Isere was in short of words as she had nothing to say considering that she was bothered by another issue.

"Answer me!" Her mother raised her voice making Isere flinch. Isere wanted to cry, she just didn't know how. She wanted to cry not because she was yelled at but because of her worries.

"Isere! Isere! Isere! Pray the Lord helps you, pray! Because if the hunch I have been having for the past few days is proved right, you won't like me!" Her mother spat out.

Isere heart raced, hunch about what? Does her mother also know? She was done for!