Swapping Places Chapter 47

Read Chapter 46 here.

Delphine threw herself on her bed with a deep sigh. She had told Kobby that she needed time to think about his proposal and it was obvious he was disappointed with her answer. But the dinner was great and they had parted in good spirits. 

With her memories and her old self back, she knew she couldn’t blindly accept his proposal. She had been so dazed by her sister’s appearance that she didn’t even ask Daphne how she was doing and where she had been. But why hadn’t she come home? What was keeping her away? She sobbed herself to sleep.
Daisy’s first birthday was coming up and Delphine wondered if Daphne remembered that. She and her mother decided to get cupcakes instead for her birthday since she was too little to appreciate anything. She kept checking her phone for a missed call or text but found nothing. She was still using her old number and wondered why Daphne hadn’t contacted her yet. She had tried Daph’s number and found it inactive. Doreen noticed she was distracted and not usual herself.

“Kakra, are you alright?”

“Yes mum. Just stressed out a little.”

“You’ve got to take it easy, dear. I may have lost a daughter but I can’t lose you too.” Del’s heart sunk upon hearing those words. Should she tell her Daphne was alive? Or should she wait for her to make her grand appearance whenever she deemed fit?

“So I hear you are still thinking about Kobby’s proposal. I thought that was what you wanted all along. Why the hesitation now?”

She shrugged as she chopped the vegetables. “I guess taking over your missing sister’s husband is not as easy as I thought.” Doreen nodded. She left the matter alone.

*

Baby Daisy was adorned in a beautiful ivory dress for her first birthday. The family gathered after work hours to celebrate. A cute candle was put on top of a cupcake and lighted. Daisy giggled as the family sang the birthday song for her. 

“Make a wish, baby,” Kobby said and kissed Daisy’s cheek. He blew the candle and they clapped. They sat and ate the cupcakes over a glass of chilled cider whiles they chatted. The doorbell rang.

Delphine got up and walked to the door. She opened it.

A minute later, Doreen called her out.

“Kakra, are you still at the door? Who is it?” No response.

Kobby got up and walked to the door. Delphine stood rooted at the door, her back blocking his view of who stood at the other side.

“Who is it, Del?” He approached the door. His hand touched Del’s back as he drew closer. His heart missed a beat when he saw Daphne.

“Hello Kobby,” Daphne said when she broke eye contact with her sister.

“Are you going to invite me in?” He held Del’s hand and drew her away from the entrance. Daphne took in a deep breath and stepped into her parents’ house.

“Who is it?” George asked. Both parents stood at the sight of their long lost daughter.

“Panyin?”

“Yes, mummy.” Doreen rushed to her and hugged her.

“My daughter is back! Thank you, Jesus!” Kobby could feel Delphine trembling. He held her hand to steady her.

“I just couldn’t miss my baby’s first birthday. Hello sweetheart, come to mummy.” Daisy stared at her, quite unsure. She turned her head and saw Delphine.

“Ma…” she called out, hoping the mother she knows would answer her.

“Oh you’re talking already? Come and give mama a hug,” Daphne said and carried her.

It took her fragrance for the little girl to know that she wasn’t the one she called Ma. She began to wriggle herself out of Daphne’s arms. When Daphne tried to hold on to her, she started to cry.

“Let me,” Kobby said and took the baby from her. Daisy stopped crying.

“I know you all have questions and I wish I had all the answers but…Del, I know springing up on you at work…” Her parents and Kobby turned to look at Del.

“You knew she was alive and you said nothing?” Doreen asked in unbelief. Tears filled Del’s eyes.

“I’m sure the shock prevented her. She may have thought she imagined it…” Daphne said defensively.

“How long have you known?” Kobby asked. Del looked at him.

“Two weeks,” Del replied softly.

“Two weeks and you kept it to yourself? When I proposed, did you know?”

“Wait, what, you proposed to Del?” Daphne asked, shocked by the news. Kobby turned Del to face him and held her by the arms.

“Tell me, did you know?” Del broke free from his grip and ran to her room.

“Wow…what a way to look for your missing wife,” Daphne said sarcastically.

“As far as I can tell, you seem perfectly fine. You weren’t missing. You just decided to stay out. All this is too much for me to handle right now. I think I need some fresh air.” Kobby picked his car key from the center table.

“Kobby, wait!” The front door slammed shut behind him. Daphne turned to meet her parents’ questioning gaze and gave them her most charming smile. She took a cupcake and bit into it.

“Delicious.”

“Panyin, are you going to tell us where you’ve been all this while and what happened on the day of Kakra’s accident?” Doreen asked.

Daphne sighed. She had rehearsed the tale more than a dozen times. She hoped it would fly.

*

Kobby tried calling Delphine’s number the third time. No answer. He sighed and threw the phone on the couch. He downed the contents of the glass in his hand and sat down. He was filled with anger at first after finding out Del knew Daph was alive and not missing; but he realized he was perhaps a little too harsh on Del. He didn’t think of how she was feeling after meeting a twin she didn’t even remember. Now that Daphne was back, perhaps Del would start to recover her memories. He now understood Del’s hesitance to give in to his proposal. Daphne just had to show up now, huh? Why wasn’t he surprised? He laughed at himself. You must be living in fantasy living if you thought Daphne would let you move on from her, he thought wryly to himself. 

Where had she been all this while? Did he even care?

*

There was a knock on Del’s door and it opened. 

“May I come in?” Daphne said, letting herself in. When she turned from closing the door, a pillow hit her squarely on the head. 

“Ouch!”

“Get out!” Del screamed at her.

“You just had to make me look like the bad guy back there, didn’t you? You were the one who made us all think you were missing and presumably dead and yet being the master manipulator that you are, you turned the table on me. How dare you?!”

“I’m sorry; I admit the way I said it made you look a little bad and I apologize. I’ll make it up to you. But seriously, you were going to marry my husband?”

“Get out, Daphne.”

“I guess Tasha was right then.”

“Tasha?” She remembered the scene at the mall. 

“Oh so you had your sidekick follow me around, huh? Did she tell you I was abusing your baby too?”

“On the contrary, she told me you were taking great care of her and for that, I’m grateful. I want to apologize for how things went down on that fateful day…”

“I was finally getting my life back together in the UK and you had to draw me back here only to screw me over again and again. I have to be honest with you, I feel every ounce of love I used to have for you gradually turning into pure hate and trust me, I’m not mincing words here.”

“I deserve that. But before it comes to that, there’s something I need you to know.” Daphne sat on her bed. She touched her tummy.

“The unthinkable happened to me after the incident that day. I’m afraid I’m pregnant…but it’s not for my husband.” Delphine swallowed.

“Well, since we’re in the moment of confessions, I’ve one to make as well: I’m afraid I’m pregnant and it is for your husband.” The air froze in the room for the next minute. Daphne chuckled, drawing circles on the bedsheet with her index finger.

“Oh so you finally opened your cookie jar, huh?” she said mockingly.

“Get out, Daphne. I need to sleep.”

“Yeah, I think we both need some time to rest our minds. Goodnight, twinnie.”

“Go to hell,” she said under her breath.

“Missed you too,” Daphne said with a smile she knew would irritate her sister the more. She got up and left her room. Del buried her face in a pillow and groaned.

*

Del stared at the ceiling blankly for a long while after she woke up. The sun was shining differently, she thought. It was teasing her face; mocking her for thinking she could have it all. Since her memories returned, she had felt like a stranger in her own body. And she had dreamt of Robert of all people. She felt remorse for how coldly she had treated him. Would he ever forgive her? She was nervous to find out.

A sudden knock on her door startled her. Before she could answer, the door opened and Daphne entered. Delphine groaned and covered her face with a pillow.

“God, kill me now before she does!”

“Good morning to you too, sis. I hope you slept well because I didn’t. I was thinking of how we can salvage our mutual problem.”

“Which is?”

“Our pregnancies.” Del took off the pillow and sat upright. Okay, this might be interesting, she thought. 

Daphne sat on the bed. 

“I think we can manage the situation without us losing our beloveds. If we can successfully swap our babies…”

Delphine couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Daphne looked puzzled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh you’re serious? Now, it’s official: you’re messed up in the head. You want to curse the unborn with the misfortune of your freaking swapping games? Really?!”

“Well, my baby should look like Kobby and me and since you look like me, it’s the perfect substitution. As for the father of my baby… I think Robert will be…”

“Robert and I are not together. Haven’t been since the accident.”

“Oh, that’s bad. Well, I’m sure we can spin a story…”

“No, Daphne, no! It is enough. We are not spinning any more stories and I’m not giving you my baby!”

“Hey, you betrayed me by sleeping with my husband. I’m only giving you a chance to make it up to me.”

“I never asked for such a chance. I’m keeping it. You better sort your fetus out with whoever the father is.”

“Do you want to lose your baby? Because if I tell mum, I’m sure that will be her decision. You having my husband’s baby is an abomination.”

“And yours isn’t? Listen, I won’t allow you to bully me into giving you my baby.”

“Okay…no need to stress myself out. I know you’ll come around. First, I have to clear things with my husband.” Daphne got up and turned to leave.

“What if I told you your marriage has been annulled?” Daphne turned sharply to look at her.

“That would be a fat lie!”

“We’ll see about that. Now leave my room.” Daphne kept glaring at Delphine.

“I said, leave!” Delphine shouted, throwing a pillow at her. Daphne pounced on her and a struggle began.

“Mummy!” The door opened a minute later.

“Hey, get off her! What the hell is going on here?!” Doreen pulled Daphne off her sister. Both of them were panting.

“Are you trying to kill each other barely 24 hours after last seeing each other several months ago? I’d be justified to drive you both out of this house. Do you want to kill me before my time?”

“Sorry, mummy.” She glared at both of them before leaving the room, dragging Daphne along.

*

Daphne came out to meet Kobby when he arrived with baby Daisy who was reluctant for Daphne to take her out of her father’s arms.

“Come to mummy,” she coaxed and kissed her cheek.

“Are you going to tell me where you’ve been all along and how come you weren’t in the car at the time of the accident?” he asked.

“Memories of the incident are still fuzzy. I suffered amnesia for some time and when I recovered, I decided to come back.”

“When was that exactly?” Daphne swallowed.

“About a month ago.”

And you still decided to stay away till now? How could you knowing you have a baby? If it weren’t for Delphine and your mother, I don’t know if I could have handled it by myself.”

“I can see my sister did a great job playing wife and mother. Is that why you annulled our marriage?”

“What, who said that?”

“Is that a no?”

“Regardless…the two of us are done. I can’t spend my entire life trying to keep up with your silly games,” Kobby said and walked away. Baby Daisy started crying seeing that he was leaving her behind. 

“It’s okay; don’t cry. He always says that,” she said and gave Daisy a sloppy kiss.
Kobby entered the kitchen. Delphine was preparing a cup of tea.

“I knew I would find you here.” Delphine avoided his eyes.

“Hey…I’m sorry about yesterday. I was so overwhelmed with Daph’s ‘resurrection’ that I reacted impulsively when I heard you knew all along.”

“It’s fine.” She sipped her tea. It burned her tongue.

“We need to talk. Now that Daphne is back…”

“I know. You go back to her and things return to how they were before. I get it.”

“I’m sorry…if only you could remember, Daphne loves to play games…”

“I remember,” she said, looking at nothing.

“What? Since when?”

“I believe you can guess that.” Delphine walked past him, holding her cup of tea.

“You’ve been lying to me too?!”
Mr. and Mrs. Coleman called for a family meeting. 

“Now Daphne, you were gone for quite a long time and to know you stayed away for some time saddens us when you know you have a baby to look after. Things began to happen in your absence and I must say, I’m glad you showed up now. I’m sure you and your husband have a lot to discuss but a least, your marriage will remain intact. Delphine, I’m sure this is all confusing for you. Losing your memories, bonding with Kobby and having your sister back must be overwhelming but I need you to know that everything is going to be fine. God is going to give you your own beautiful family soon. Kobby, you must be feeling torn between the two sisters but when you said your vows, it was a covenant till death do you part. I hope that you would be able to forgive Daphne for whatever she has done and do your bid to honor your commitment,” George said.

“Thanks, dad; just so you know, my life was so much better when I had no sister or past memory. Now, everything is just messed up,” Delphine said, got up and walked away.

She felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen as she slammed her bedroom door shut. She felt wet and groaned.

“No, no, no, please don’t go….no, no!” She grabbed her midsection tighter.
George and Doreen asked Kobby to take Daphne and the baby home and work things out. Daphne felt a slight discomfort when they arrived home. She quickly rushed to the bathroom and saw blood. She sighed in relief.

“Thank God…”

*

 Robert was putting his living room in order with Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’ song playing in the stereo when he heard a knock. He walked to the door and opened it.

“Del. What a surprise.”

“I remember,” she said, tears in her eyes. He gasped.

“For a moment, I doubted this day would ever come. I kept praying to God that if we were meant to be, He should bring you back to me and here you are. Come on in, I’ve been waiting,” Robert said, pulling her inside the house.

“Thank you for not giving up on me,” Delphine said sincerely.

He touched her face.

“Love is patient and kind. Love does not give up easily or hold a grudge. And I love you, Delphine Coleman.”

“I love you too, Robert.”

“Got you a new ring since you lost the first one in the accident. Do you want to see it?” She nodded, overwhelmed with his acceptance.

He led her to the living room and took a tiny box in front of the TV. He opened it and showed it to her.

“It’s lovely, Rob.” He took it out and slid it on her finger.

“Perfect,” he said, admiring her hand.

“You’re perfect.”

“No, I’m not. I’m just in love.” He kissed her. 

“My life just got back on course,” he said happily.

“That makes two of us.”
The end.
© Josephine Amoako 2017

Thank you for keeping up with the twins to the very end. You kept me writing and stopped me from giving up when life got in the way. Your constant support is what is keeping this blog alive and I can’t say I appreciate that enough.

Another year has come to an end and I would love you to help me make this blog even better. So kindly give me your honest feedback by completing this survey. Gracias! And catch you with my next story soon.