Chapter 5: The Decision to Leave
The final days of Naomi's two-month stay became a whirlwind of quiet despair, deepening love, and firm resolve. Morning sickness worsened, forcing more careful hiding. Zion's channel reached 1,700 subscribers, but his focus was entirely on Naomi—caring for her, holding her during emotional breakdowns, and planning their escape.One evening, after another tense dinner with Mama and Aunty Bola (who kept eyeing Naomi's subtly changing body), they knew they could no longer stay. In Zion's room, Naomi broke down fully once more. "I regret how we started, Zion. The passion, the secrecy, the way we kept fucking even after knowing it was wrong. We're siblings who got pregnant. The shame will kill Mama. We have to leave before she finds out."Zion nodded, tears in his eyes. "I regret it every day too. One mistake on that balcony changed everything. But I choose you. And our baby."They made one last passionate yet sorrowful love session—mixing deep kisses, tears, and intense thrusts. Naomi came shaking in his arms; Zion filled her while whispering eternal love mixed with apologies.The next morning, before Mama returned from her early shift, they packed light bags quietly. Naomi left a short handwritten note on the kitchen table:"Mama, we had to go. We're so sorry for the pain we will cause. We love you more than you know. Please don't hate us. We will explain one day when we're ready."Zion added some money he had saved from small editing gigs.They slipped out of the flat into the bustling Ikeja streets—okadas zooming past, street vendors calling "Roasted corn! Bole! Groundnut!", the humid air thick with exhaust and the aroma of frying food. Zion carried both bags, his arm protectively around Naomi's waist. Her hand rested gently on her belly.As they boarded a crowded danfo heading toward the mainland in search of a cheap room far from family eyes, Zion looked back at their home one last time. "We made one mistake," he said softly, voice thick with emotion. "Now we have to live with it… together."Naomi leaned her head on his shoulder, fresh tears falling. "I regret how we started… but I choose you. And this baby. No matter what comes next."They disappeared into the noisy, chaotic Lagos crowd—two young lovers carrying a forbidden secret, heavy regret, deep love, and an uncertain future.To be continued… (Season 3)