Written By Smile Bright Ihuoma
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Days turned into weeks, and Femi was still wrestling with the decision. Each night, he lay beside Odera, wondering if introducing another woman into their marriage would bring healing… or destruction.
Odera remained calm — too calm.
She busied herself with daily chores, smiled when necessary, and even encouraged Femi to spend time praying and talking to Amaka. But deep down, her heart ached. Every time she imagined another woman carrying her husband’s child, a silent war erupted inside her.
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A New Conversation
One afternoon, while they were seated on the veranda, Odera finally asked:
> “Femi… what have you decided?”
Femi looked at her, startled by her directness.
> “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I feel like either choice is a betrayal — of you, of us, of everything we’ve built.”
Odera reached for his hand and held it gently.
> “Then let’s not look at it as betrayal. Let’s look at it as rebuilding what was broken. Not for ourselves only… but for the family we still hope to have.”
Tears welled up in Femi’s eyes.
> “You are more than I deserve,” he said.
> “I’m just a woman in love with her husband,” she whispered.
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The Meeting with Amaka
The next Sunday, Odera invited Amaka over to the house.
Amaka came in modestly dressed, her hair tied back, her eyes lowered in respect.
She knelt briefly in greeting and then sat down, her hands neatly folded in her lap.
> “I don’t want to cause division,” she began. “I prayed before coming here. If this is not of God, I will walk away.”
Odera nodded.
> “It won’t be easy. But if God is in it, we’ll survive.”
Femi remained quiet through most of the meeting, observing the two women — one, his wife of many years, worn by pain but strengthened by grace; the other, a potential new chapter, stepping into a story already scarred.
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In the Community
Rumors had already begun to spread. People in their compound whispered. Neighbors noticed Amaka’s visits. Some looked at Odera with pity, others with judgment.
One day at the market, a woman approached her.
> “You’re strong, my dear. But are you sure? Most second wives tear families apart.”
Odera smiled softly.
> “God is the head of our home. Not the number of wives.”
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The Breaking Point
One night, while alone in the kitchen, Odera broke down.
She clutched her chest and sobbed uncontrollably. The thought of seeing Amaka pregnant with Femi’s child haunted her. She didn’t hate Amaka — in fact, she respected her courage. But her heart felt betrayed by life, by fate, by her own womb.
Femi walked in quietly and saw her crying.
> “Talk to me,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her.
> “I’m scared,” she sobbed. “Scared that once she gives you a child, you’ll forget me.”
Femi turned her face to him.
> “No one can replace you. No one. This is your home. This is your heart. And Amaka knows that too.”
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Decision Made
By the end of the month, they had made a final decision.
They would proceed with surrogacy through Amaka.
She would carry their child, not as a second wife, but as a surrogate — under medical supervision and legal agreements. Odera would be part of every process. She wanted to hear the heartbeat, attend the scans, and be in the room when the child came.
They had finally found a middle ground — one that didn’t erase Odera, but included her.
The day they signed the agreement, Femi held Odera’s hand and whispered:
> “We are about to become parents.”
And for the first time in years, Odera smiled with hope.
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TO BE CONTINUED…