CELEBRATIONS

All my hope is torn. "Ajay? What happened to ‘I will wait until she becomes of legal age’, huh? Didn't you promise me that you would wait for her as long as it took?" I fume at them.

"I am sorry, Gia. I failed you, and I failed her. I am sorry." Ajay pleads.

"Sorry? You are sorry that you couldn't keep that." I control myself before I say something inappropriate or disrespectful. But, God, seriously? "I am sorry. I just didn't expect this from you, Ajay. Bernie..." She is about to cry, so I try to be soft. "Didn't you promise that you would never make her cry? Why is she crying now?" I snap.

He envelopes her in his chest, shushing her, while I take a seat to digest this pregnancy thing. Men, couldn't they wait? She is not even sixteen, yet she is pregnant. This is... how do I handle this? What do I tell you? Congratulations? Goodness! "I will take care of her, Gia. I promise, and I won't fail you on this one." Ajay says this after calming her down.

Me? Leave alone failing me because he has failed, although somehow I want to understand him. Just somehow. "Have you two thought about what you are going to do about this? You both are in it together." I softly say this, masking my disappointment.

"I will take responsibility. I love her so much, and I want her to stay with me." Ajay says. He seems beyond doubt. He seems so sincere; it is not like I doubted his intentions toward her from the start.

"Ajay, being a father, being a parent, isn't that simple! It comes with a lot of huge responsibilities," I say.

"I know Gia, but I am not afraid of taking that responsibility. I am ready. I have a decent job now. My wife and my kids will never lack anything." He states.

"Ooh, you two! I should knock your heads, but I won't do that. I am not so happy with this act you just did, but I am proud that you both are ready to take responsibility. Come here." I give them a hug together.

A child has a child! God, please help these two. They need you on this journey more than anyone else.

"Thank you, Gia, for not being mad at us." Bernie says when we pull away.

"Who am I to get mad at you, huh? But Bernie, you are not a child anymore. You are about to become a mother, and a mother needs to be responsible. That starts now, Bernie." I say.

"I understand. I will be a responsible mother. Promise!" She says it so confidently.

"Good. And Ajay, my promise to you still stands. If I ever find out that you are neglecting her in any way, you will not like it." I warn.

"That will never happen. Never!" He says.

"I know. Just kidding. Take care of each other, okay? And I will always be here for both of you and the baby. Remember that trust and honesty are the core aspects of a healthy relationship. True love is based on the foundation of trust and honesty." I advice. See who is giving advice, huh?

"Copy that."

"Let's now join the rest before they finish the pizza. We should as well share the news with them." I tease, wiping off the foul mood.

"Sure. We would also like you to be the godparent of our child." Bernie speaks, and Ajay concurred with her with a smile.

Ooh, it was just a while ago when I made that mental joke while speaking to Sheryl, and the heavens dropped that blessing and responsibility right away. "My pleasure, and thank you for giving me that responsibility. I won't fail you or my godchild." I say this as we head inside.

We join the feast inside. The pizza is tasting better today due to all the mind-boggling and heart-stirring news that I have received today, and everyone seems to be enjoying it. When the drinks are served after eating, I stand up with my glass, asking everyone to join me on their feet. I call my sister, Sheryl and Paul, and Bernie and Ajay. They stand in a line in front of us. "I propose a toss to these five people in front of us. First, to my elder sister, Grace, for being strong despite everything she was going through and for coming back to me. Life was not the same without you, big sister." She gives me a bright smile, raising her glass to me. I love her so much.We click that, with cheers filling the room.

"To Sheryl and Paul, cheers to their profound love and the new journey they are about to undertake. We wish you all the happiness that your heart desires in this world. May your souls be united until forever and ever." I raise my glass to them, and again, clicks of glasses couple the cheers.

"And to Bernie and Ajay, this young couple has never ceased to amaze me. They are the true definition of love, which knows no age nor boundaries. In the dark pit of hopelessness, their souls found each other. Cheers to their love and to their unborn child, the newest member of this family." We all raise our glasses to them, cheers filling the room. I think this is the highlight of the day. Everybody seems to be happily shocked. "Last but not least, cheers to us who have refused to be defined by our past. All of us who have decided to smile at this new chance that life has given us. Cheers to our strong will and determination to be happy, because we deserve this happiness. Cheers?"

"CHEERS!"

Life is a journey of losses and gains. It's not so much about how much we lose, but how much we are willing to fight for what we have left and how much we are willing to give to get the gains.