Dear GhanaWeb: I had twins during my time as a prostitute, now my children are asking about their dad

Dear GhanaWeb,

I’m a 39-year-old woman who has done things in the past that I’m not proud of. I lost my parents at a very young age and was abandoned by family members.

Growing up as a woman with no help or support from anyone, I became involved in many illegal activities just to survive. Professionally, I worked as a prostitute.

I’ve always envisioned myself as a successful woman, so no matter what I did, I felt I needed to succeed. That mindset alone haunted me, but I did what I had to do to survive.

Even the money I received from the men I slept with wasn’t enough to support the lifestyle I desired.

I wore a bead around my waist, which I obtained from a herbalist. It caused my clients to fall into a deep sleep after intercourse, allowing me to steal their valuables and leave.

I did this for nearly ten years. I made some money, paid my dues, and eventually stopped. I did a lot of wrong, I'll admit that, and I’ve since repented.

I didn’t trust men because I had been raped a few times while growing up. When I turned 21, I started thinking about starting a family. But then I asked myself: who would want to settle down with a woman like me?

Eventually, I decided to have an affair with one of my clients without using protection. I found a good-looking man, got pregnant by him, and fortunately, I had twins, a boy and a girl.

The kids are now 18 years old and preparing to enroll in university. I’ve been taking care of them single-handedly, and we lack nothing. I run several businesses that generate a steady income.

Their father doesn’t even know I still exist, let alone that he has children. I prefer it that way because I didn’t want any drama.

My problem now is that my children, especially my son, keep asking about their father. I know who he is, but I have no idea where he is now, and I can’t bring myself to reveal the truth about my past.

I’ve raised them to believe I was a good woman growing up, and I expect them to live by those same values. I honestly don’t know what to tell them about their father.

How would they feel if they ever found out about my past? How do I handle this situation?

FG/EB

Meanwhile, watch the trailer for GhanaWeb’s upcoming documentary on teenage girls and how fish is stealing their futures below: