Give me a grandchild.

Benard sank himself into his sofa. With his head between his hands, he waited for his mother's call before going to the motor park. On the table in front of him was his phone and car key.

"Baby! Baby!! Babyyyyyy!!!"

"Yes sweetheart," Benard was brought back the moment by the call of his wife, Margaret who had been standing for a few minutes imagining what was draining her husband in that manner.

"What's the problem dear?" Margaret moved closer and held his cheeks with both hands. "Why do you look so disturbed?"

"Oooh baby, I am fine. Aren't you aware that Arsenal FC lost their league match this afternoon? That club is giving me high blood pressure."

"You better don't kill yourself because of football. Have mercy on me and mama. That reminds me, have you called mama to enquire where she is now?" Margaret asked.

"In a few minutes, she should be in the motor park. I spoke with her about 10 minutes ago and her bus was just a few kilometers from town."

"Let me conclude my cooking before Mama's arrival," Margaret returned to the kitchen.

Soon after, mama called to inform Benard that she was in the motor park.

"I forgot to ask you earlier. Hope you are coming alone?

"I am coming with only a picture for now."

"Well, I don't need that either." Benard responded to mama.

"Sweetheart, mama is at the park. Let me be on my way to pick her." He informed his wife before departing home.

"Okay baby. Please drive safely."

As he was driving to the park, his head was full of many imaginations.

"Is mama coming to pursue my wife from her matrimonial home? Why is it so difficult to convince mama that when it comes to conceiving pregnancy, patience and trust in God is needed?" Benard asked the questions aloud but no one was in the car to respond to him.

---

For the past year, his mother had been quarreling with him about the failure of his wife to conceive. The issue took another turn when she moved from advising his son to seek medical solutions to telling him to marry another wife that could bore her a grandchild.

"Mama, what if I am the one with the medical challenge? Not all cases of barrenness are the faults of the women involved," Benard had told his mother on the phone when he was being advised to marry another wife.

"We don't have that history. Your case won't be different. Be it as it may, let's confirm your potency with another lady. In fact I have someone for you. A pretty girl with a family history of ladies giving birth to children in double figures. I am bringing her to you next week. She is more beautiful than that barren woman that you called a wife."

Benard was confused. He could feel the mixture of mess and salt in his mouth. He couldn't swallow the mess nor split out the salt.

"Mama, don't you think that you are being too fast in this case? Please, don't come over with anybody else I will run away from home."

---

Haven confirmed that his mother was coming alone, he drove to meet her at the park.

Immediately Benard sighted his mother, he jumped over her with a hug.

"How is everybody back home?" Benard asked mama.

"Everybody is fine. Your friend's wife delivered a baby boy yesterday.

"Their second child."

"Which of my friends?"

"Your childhood friend, Lucky. The one that got married a year after your wedding."

His eyebrow lowered and pulled closer together. His face depicts sadness. "There is no need to bring my wedding into this conversation," he'd thought.

Benard opened the boot of the car and arranged Mama's luggage.

"I am happy to see you mama. Take your seat and use your seatbelt. Margaret has cooked your favorite. She can't wait to welcome you home."

"I am not hungry for her food but seeing her conceiving and giving me a grandchild."

"Mama, we need to talk before going home," Benard turned on the car AC after locking the doors. "We are concerned about the situation and we have consulted medical experts several times. Each time we did, we got a clean bill of health for both of us. We were told to keep trying and be hopeful.

"God is the giver of children. Let's be patient."

"When do we start to have important discussions inside the car? Are you afraid of taking me home?" Mama responded.

"Please, be kind to my wife. Our predicament isn't her fault."

"I am not your wife's enemy."

---

Benard drove for about 30 minutes and arrived in the waiting hands of Margaret.

"Mama, welcome," Margaret went to her mother-in-law with open arms.

Mama turned his attention to the security guard that was offloading her luggage.

"How are you doing my son?"

"I am fine, mama. How is everybody in the village?"

"They are fine."

Margaret's face crumpled like a used tissue. She shook her head sadly.
She joined the guard to pack the luggages inside.

It took the intervention of Benard before his mother ate the food prepared by Margaret.

"I didn't come here because of the food. Give me a grandchild and not a balanced diet." She had told Margaret when the latter, on her knees, invited mama to the dining table.

Complete hopelessness converted into tears that rain down her face at lightning speed.

Benard later knelt and begged his mother before she agreed to have her dinner.

Margaret couldn't stomach the pain. She went to her room with a hot torrent of grief coursing down her face. Benard joined her immediately to plead with her to overlook his mother's excesses.

"Benard!!!" Mama screamed his name.

He ran quickly to meet her at the dining table.

"Have your seat and let's talk about Sandra."

"Who is Sandra?"

"Your wife in the village. Let me show you the pretty picture," he drew her handbag closer to bring out the picture.

"Mama, I don't have a wife anywhere else. I am tired and feeling dizzy. Can we discuss this tomorrow?" He gave a wide yawn to convince his mother.

---

Mama took her shower after the meal and went to bed.

She woke up the following morning to meet Benard doing house chores. He was mopping the living room when mama emerged from her room.

"Is this what you have become?" She asked with both hands on her waist.

"Margaret! Margaret!! Margaret!!! Come out from that room now," she screamed on top of her voice.

"Mama, can you allow me to explain?"

"Explain what? I am all ears."

"Margaret was sick over the night. We need to visit the hospital this morning and I can't leave the house cluttered. I decided to arrange things and clean the house before going to see our family doctor."

"Good morning, mama," Margaret came out of her room and greeted them with a trembling voice.

Mama murmured in response to his greetings.

Margaret was feeling dizzy. She reached out to the pillar in the living room to support herself. She missed her step and slumped. Benard and mama rushed to grab her. She was supported to sit down on the cushion in the living room.

Benard picked his key and off they went to the hospital.

The doctor examined Margaret closely and some tests were recommended.

The tests were carried out and the results brought back to the doctor.

"Congratulations Mrs Benard, you are four weeks pregnant."

Margaret rubbed her hands in glee and flashed a broad a broad grin at her husband. The couple screamed and hugged each other.

The doctor gave them some advice and transferred Margaret to the antenatal section.

Their joy knew no bounds as they drove back home.

"Today is the happiest day of my life," Benard said as he drove into his compound.

"No word can describe how I feel right now. God is turning my public shame into grace. I am happy that the vilification from someone that is supposed to render physical and psychological support will stop," responded Margaret.

They got home and wasted no time to break the news to mama.

"Congratulations, my daughter. This is what I have been waiting for. As from today till you put to bed, no more stressful work for you in this house. Whatever we can't put in order in this house, your husband will hire someone to help out." Mama drew her closer and hugged her tight.

Mama kept to her words. She took care of Margaret in the best way she could till she delivered.

---

Benard organized a befitting naming ceremony for his son. It is in the culture of the people to invite family, friends and well wishers to have some drinks and celebrate the coming of the baby.

The people that were present raised their glasses to toast the happy couple and their baby over the course of the evening. The celebration continued for days.