GENOTYPE: A THIN LINE WITH HEARTBREAK

For those who date with purpose, not because they are lonely and just need company - or as you guys call it, ‘a special person to be sending me special good morning and good night messages so I can sleep well’ - the genotype issue can cause a raised blood pressure when not handled at the initial stage of the relationship.

I have no idea what boyfriend read on the net or the discussion he had with his buddies – because I’m sure something must have necessitated it – but it was somewhat frightening and at the same time chilling that he called that late evening inquiring of my genotype.

Frightening it was because I wasn’t aware of my genotype and he was AS. So many thoughts rushed down my memory, giving me cold shivers and goose bumps. Oh no! no no no! Chilling because the thought of boyfriend inquiring of my genotype made me feel he found me worthy to be a life partner. Hey! He was indeed very lucky to have me too. Come on! Do you know how many suitors I wade off daily? Oh you haven’t heard or read about me? The queen of Sheba! The beauty of beauties! The brainiac! The good luck charm! Should I go on? That should do for today.

‘Sweety, I haven’t checked my genotype before but my blood group is O+’ I responded in an effort to sound consoling.

‘Blood group ni’, he retorted. ‘Can I book an appointment to the doctor’s tomorrow so we can conduct the test together? Kindly clear your schedule honey’ he requested in a sexy baritone.

‘Sure Macho’ I answered in a jittery voice devoid of emotions.

That night we both experienced sleepless nights. Having known boyfriend was AS, I felt the burden shift on me. The mandate had fallen on me. I had to salvage the relationship by being AA but it wasn’t for me to say.

I knelt down, ‘oh Lord, do you still perform miracles for sinners like us? I need one badly. I promise to be good’

We chatted all night consoling each other and making efforts to talk about what our fate will be if we both turned out AS. Boyfriend didn’t want to talk about such possibility but we couldn’t run from it. We combed the internet looking for articles and genotype stories until we slept off.

It was the D-day and boyfriend picked me up at our agreed time as we drove to the hospital with solemn gestures and bowed faces like convicts.  On arrival at the hospital we ran the necessary test and was told to come the following day for the test results.

I prayed in my consciousness all day as all my characteristics and bodily features pointed to one thing, I am a replica of mum who is AS so I had no hope of being otherwise. I checked and rechecked and squeezed my body in want for evidence that might give me the slightest hope of being AA like dad. I was so pathetic.

The day of the test result came and I was too afraid to call boyfriend. I knew he was perhaps on his way to the hospital as I wasn’t courageous to join him. Minutes later a call from my phone startled me as I rushed on realisation that it was him.

‘Hello boyfriend’ I beckoned from my end straining my ears to pick up the slightest glitter of hope in his voice

‘Baby’. He called in a solemn tone.

My heart shrunk. Boyfriend never sounds like this, ‘so just like that our labour of love will be washed down the drain. Am I being a drama queen?’ I thought to myself. A tear dropped.

‘Oh my God!’ he screamed. ‘Girlfriend you are AA’ jubilation drowned his voice.

I felt hot tears of joy roll down my face. Very hot one.

We screamed and yelled into the phone in excitement and lack of what to say. That gratitude moment that words can just not express adequately. We stuttered, we stammered, we giggled, we laughed, we everything. It was a huge relieve. Well, we broke up years ago. But I felt like sharing the story.

You know when you’ve found someone so compatible with your spirit, body and soul, someone who is a perfect match for you, someone who loves you at your worst and best, then suddenly you realise you could lose him or her in a twinkle of an eye? That feeling is worse than heartbreak itself. Who says love is not sweet?

Share your genotype story with us if you have any. Do you know your genotype? Are you compatible with your man or woman?

@PENNITT