Abel had always been a man of conviction, standing firm in his beliefs and principles. Yet, on that fateful day, the seed of doubt took root in his mind, nurtured by whispers that trickled down the neighborhood grapevine. His eyes, once soft with love for his wife, Helena, and their son, Joseph, hardened with suspicion.
“Helena,” he said, his voice a low murmur, “we need to talk about Joseph.”
Helena looked up from the kitchen, her hands dusted with flour, the scent of freshly baked bread filling the air. “What is it, Abel?”
“I want a DNA test for him,” he declared, the words slicing through the domestic tranquility like a knife.
“How dare you!” Helena’s voice rose, disbelief etched across her face. “I’m a faithful and devoted wife! An idle mind is the workshop of the devil. Is that why you’ve become so averse to our son?”
Abel’s jaw tightened. “I’ve heard things, Helena. Things that make me question everything.”
Helena’s heart raced her mind racing back to the joyful moments they had shared, the laughter that filled their home. “You can’t be serious. You’re letting rumors get to you! Joseph is our son. He looks like you in ways you don’t even see.”
But Abel was unyielding, consumed by his suspicions. He took Joseph to the clinic, the young boy unaware of the storm brewing around him. The results came back, cold and clinical: no match. Abel felt the ground shift beneath him, rage boiling over as he stormed home, fists clenched, heart pounding.
“Helena!” he shouted, entering their home as if it were a battlefield. “I’ve done the test! He’s not mine!”
The words were a dagger aimed at her heart. “You’re wrong! There must be a mistake. I have never been unfaithful!” She knelt before him, desperation in her eyes. “Please, let’s talk this through.”
“Talk?!” Abel spat. “You’ve betrayed me! From now on, take care of your son. I want nothing to do with his upbringing!”
With that, he left, slamming the door behind him, leaving Helena shattered, her world collapsing around her. The echoes of his insults rang in her ears, cutting deeper than any physical wound. She sank to the floor, the weight of his accusations pressing down on her.
Days turned into a blur of sorrow and confusion. The house felt empty, haunted by memories of laughter now replaced by silence. In her despair, Helena turned to prayer, clutching a bottle of holy water as if it could wash away the turmoil in her heart.
Yet, as the days passed, a gnawing sense of dread took hold. What if Abel was right? She decided to take a DNA test for herself, hoping to find solace in the truth. When the results arrived, they shattered her world anew: Joseph was not her biological son either.
Panic set in. She called Abel, desperate to share the news, but he diverted her call. Alone, she reached out to her sister-in-law, who listened with a heavy heart. “We need to find out what happened,” her sister-in-law urged. “You can’t go through this alone.”
Together, they began to dig deeper, peeling back the layers of a mystery that felt more like a dark cloud hanging over them. They remembered the day Joseph was born at the Excellence Medium Clinic, where two other children had entered the world alongside him a boy and a girl.
With determination, they visited the clinic, searching through old records. Their fingers trembled as they found the file: a mother named Christina, who had given birth to a baby boy on that same day. But tragedy had struck; her husband and son had died in a car accident shortly after, leaving her alone in her grief.
Helena’s heart ached for Christina, a shared sorrow binding them in ways they could not yet understand. She reached out, her voice trembling as she explained the circumstances, the need for answers.
After much persuasion, Christina agreed to a DNA test, the weight of loss heavy in the air as they hoped for a connection. Days passed, each moment stretching into eternity as they awaited the results.
When they finally arrived, the truth hit hard: the test proved a match. Christina collapsed into tears, cradling Joseph as if he were her own. “My son,” she cried, “your father didn’t see you grow up.”
Helena stood frozen, tears streaming down her cheeks as the realization dawned on her. This child, whom she had loved and nurtured, was not hers biologically, yet the bond they had formed was undeniable. They both mourned the loss of their true sons, the boys who would never know their mothers.
In that moment, a profound understanding blossomed between them. They were both mothers, bound by love and loss, unwilling to let go of Joseph. As they wept together, the air thick with sadness, they found solace in each other’s presence.
“Let’s raise him together,” Helena suggested, her heart aching but resolute. “He deserves love from both of us.”
Christina nodded, her tears mingling with Helena’s as they forged a new path forward. In a world filled with confusion, they found clarity in their shared grief, a bond stronger than blood.
Together, they would navigate the complexities of motherhood, proving that family is not solely defined by DNA but by love, sacrifice, and the unbreakable ties of the heart.
Take away of the short story
The story revolves around themes of trust, identity, and the complexities of motherhood. It highlights how rumors and doubts can unravel relationships, leading to painful discoveries. Ultimately, it reveals that family bonds are not solely defined by biological connections but by love, compassion, and shared experiences. Through the journey of Helena and Christina, the story emphasizes the power of empathy and collaboration in overcoming life’s challenges.
Family bonds are essential for fostering empathy and collaboration in overcoming life’s challenges
The ties that bind
In cozy homes where laughter soared,
A whisper grew, a heart was floored.
Abel’s doubt, a shadow cast,
Innocence lost, a love amassed.
With clenched fists and stormy cries,
Helena knelt, beneath cruel skies.
“Not my son!” the echoes rang,
In the silence, their hearts sang.
Files scattered, a chaotic mess,
In the clinic’s depths, a hidden stress.
Two mothers searching, paths entwined,
In grief’s embrace, true love they’d find.
A child of fate, not blood, but heart,
Together they forged a brand new start.
For in the end, what truly binds,
Are the love and care that each one finds.
BY ALEM HAILU G/KRISTOS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 26 JUNE 2025
