Reginald! I should have listened to Shalani when she warned me. I should have realised she was trying to protect me, not acting out of jealousy. But I was too much in love to accept the truth – until the day it hit me full in the face. Ouch!

It began at the doctor’s office. I sat opposite Dr Carey, trying to understand how I could possibly be pregnant.

“But I take my contraceptive pill regularly. Every day, always at the same time,” I said.

Dr Carey didn’t look surprised.

“This happens more often than you think,” he said. “If you’ve had a day or two of diarrhoea or vomiting, it can stop the chemicals being absorbed. Or if you’ve left them in the car or in the bathroom where they overheat, that can stop them being effective. Sometimes it can be other medication you’ve taken that interferes …”

I left the doctor’s office a little shaken, but not too upset. Reginald would be happy surely? We’d been together for many months now. On Valentine’s Day, he’d given me a card that read: ‘You’re all I want and all I need.’ Sometimes he even spoke about the future, about the fine strong sons and beautiful daughters we would have together.

Well, to be honest, that was usually after we’d been to a party and he’d had a few too many Black Labels. But still …

How wrong I was! Reginald was not happy. First he went silent. Then he went into a total state, slamming his fists into his thighs.

“You told me you were on the Pill, Jane! How many times did I ask you? And you kept saying yes, yes, yes. You were the one who said we don’t need to use a condom any more, after we had both been tested.”

“But Reginald–”

He didn’t give me a chance to explain. He went on yelling. “How could you lie like that? You planned this, didn’t you? I’ve heard about girls like you, trying to trap guys! Well, I’m not falling for your tricks! I’m too young to settle down. I don’t want to know.”

He stormed out then. And just before he slammed the door, he gave a parting shot. “It’s probably not even mine. I bet it’s not mine.”

That was the last time I saw Reginald. When I tried to phone, all I got was his voice-mail. When I visited his room, all his clothes and personal things were gone.

It was Shalani and her family who gave me the help and support I needed, since I have no family of my own. Her elder sister, Reginah, found me a job that provided for maternity leave. Her cousin, Tumi, gave me a cot and baby clothing she no longer needed.

And Shalani came with me to my scans and doctor’s appointments – well, until DK arrived on the scene. After that she was too busy making sure DK fell for her as hard as possible – too busy to worry about me as well. But I didn’t blame her.

“So when do I get to meet this DK of yours?”

“Soon. Soon.”

“Why are you hiding him from me, Shalani?”

But she just laughed and looked embarrassed.

I finally got to meet DK two days after Leila was born – my beautiful, amazing, heart-stopping little baby girl.

***

Tell us: Do you blame Reginald for feeling tricked and trapped?