The Secret Shrink

At all costs

          When an old friend of mine called me about one of her many daughters that I had assisted get attached to our community program, I never expected her to give me the news that she did. It was not impossible in fact we had a few earlier cases of premarital pregnancy with our employees, but none had ever involved two employees.
         Our policies are very strict since we are a Christian organization and any relations between employees have to be declared by both parties for chaperoning as premarital sex is highly discouraged in ACO. We try our best to teach Christian morals to the community and encouraging our employees to carry these Christian morals is very pertinent. Mrs. Janet sounded really worried about Sharon when she came to my house and explained her situation.
           After sharing Sharon’s childhood story, I understood her worries. Sharon was an excellent intern in fact one of the few whom the management had already decided to offer a job. She was right to be worried even though she did not know Harry as well as I did. He was a great boy who had come from a spoilt rich child to a very dedicated community trainer. However, he was a bit of a player and was known to woe all the new girls.
          I accompanied Mrs. Janet to speak to Sharon and we decided that we would be present when she broke the news to Harry to support her. We also decided to bring up all possible situations on how to handle pregnancy and give Harry an option in case he was not interested in raising the child. The abortion was entirely our idea with Mrs. Janet as we both felt they were both not ready for a family and they needed to hear all options at the time to assist them to make the choice that was best for them.

          When Harry walked out of my office after choosing abortion, I knew we were all wrong. I have been a counselor for many years and Harry was more hurt that Sharon had decided to talk to someone else before him and the choice to abort was not well considered. Nonetheless, the damage was already done. Sharon did not want to hear anything about him and Mrs. Janet only saw a man who was toiling with her girls’ heart and was glad he was out of the picture. I tried to get them to talk again but Harry was no where to be found for an entire week.

           After calming down Sharon made it clear abortion was not an option and promised to think about having the child adopted as she was not in a position to raise her child alone.
           
          A week later, Sharon had made up her mind she would have the child and give it away for adoption. She would decide later if she wanted an open or closed adoption. On the same day, she made her choice, I received two letters from the priest at the chapel left for me by Harry and a package which changed everything. The package contained two baby suits and a baby apron. One letter was addressed to me and the other to Sharon. I read both letters and made a choice that would change my life but at the time I hoped one day to make up for the role I played in manhandling their situation.

Dear Sharon,

My love, I know this is a difficult situation and time for you. I write to let you know that even now I still love you. I have noticed a few changes and correct me if am wrong but am almost certain we are expecting a child. If not, then it’s worse and you are no longer interested in our relationship and am sorry for my assumptions. If it is so, and we are pregnant, you have my promise of love and care for you and our child. I have waited for you to break the news all week and I decided to write this to try and make it easier for you my love. I know we are young but it’s no longer about us but also about the new life, we are about to bring into this world. I want our child to feel our love for him or her and that they will always know and learn from how much I love you. I do not want to write too much I just want to let you know am here, am ready and I do love you and the child you carry. I value you and hope to raise a family with you now or later I will be here when you are ready.

With love Harry.

         I read that letter twice Jenny just to be sure. I could tell the letter was written before we had that meeting when he was told about the pregnancy since no one had seen him ever since.
          Then I read the letter addressed to me and tears flowed my dear I had made a terrible mistake...

Dear Sister Anna,

Am not sure why but Sharon came to you before she came to me. Maybe she was confused or overwhelmed and it’s understandable she is young, and we have only been in this relationship for six months and even then, it was informal. However, I never expected you to encourage her to find avenues to get rid of our child before giving me a chance to discuss it with her. I know you were trying to help but with all due respect sister, you were never there through the growth of our relationship you should not have been the one to break such news to me but Sharon herself. We should have had a chance to discuss it alone without third-party interference and if we don’t come up with a way forward then we would ask for help. I get that she needed support, maybe she did not know how I would react but still, you should have ushered her in and give us some privacy to discuss the issue then tell us what other options we had. To me, it seemed you had already discussed the issue with her and her aunt Janet and I was just there to be informed of the situation and the solution selected. I also never expected with the Christian morals being encouraged in this organization for abortion to be one of the solutions you would offer but since you did, assist her to get through with it so she can get back to her life as soon as possible. Use the card I left with this letter to cater for all expenses in case of any more just ask. I had a gift for my baby, kindly donate it to a needy family. Give my apologies to Sharon for setting her life off course with all this.

Sincerely, Harry.

           Jenny, I could feel his pain and disappointment through the words he wrote. Sharon had decided she did not want to see Harry ever again but they both worked in the same projects meeting was inevitable. I tried to consult with other counsellors on how to handle the situation but Sharon could hear none of that she just wanted to be as far away as possible. I spoke to a few people and organized for her to join one of our community projects in Voi then come back and sign the contract offered for work in 12 months’ time.

       In Voi, I knew Sister Margret would take good care of her. I also spoke to her not to seek adoptive parents for Sharon’s child. I would resign and adopt the child myself not as a parent but as a guardian to a child who was not adopted and is in waiting. I rendered my resignation and was to serve 10months in the organization as I oriented a new counselor to take over my duties. However, I needed someone who could take care of the child as though he had been adopted so that Sharon would not know of my arrangement with Sister Margret, so I called my blood sister Ruth. Ruth had just gotten engaged and was moving to Mombasa where her fiancé worked to start a new life and settle in a new job before the wedding.

        She spoke to her husband to be Josphat, and, he agreed to help where he could at least for the first two months before I was free to take the child. I just had to work out a good plan to ensure I took care of that baby at all costs. I was not sure how, but I knew one day they would talk, and they would want their child back the best I could do to make up for not handling the situation better was make it possible when that day came, their child was close enough and was still theirs even by law.”
         Jenny smiled and gave sister Anna a hug. She needed one and she deserved one.
“That was a huge sacrifice you made for them. Why didn’t you just tell Sharon of Harry’s desire in the child?” Jenny asked.
“How could I at the time? She did not want anything to do with him and they were both not ready they needed time to process and calm down." Sister Anna recalled.
" I understand, and to be honest it was a difficult situation, you needed to be there for Sharon. The miscommunication is what led to that outcome," Jenny comforted sister Anna.
"When your project came to ACO, it was a great avenue to get both of them together again, for their love to come back naturally and I hoped you would notice and come to their aid,” Sister Anna said, “ I mean your reputation as a family therapist may be well hidden but I happen to know many who say you are a natural.”

          Jenny and Sister Anna laughed at her last comment and that bid each other goodnight. They had a long day ahead they needed their rest. Jenny now understood the timing of Sharon’s opening up in her office, it was Ros’ birthday and the emotional pain was too much to bear alone.