leisurely in its own world. She definitely won't give the stubborn baby the joy of giving her sleepless nights, slapping her abdomen softly she settled back to sleep. On a normal night, the child would stop moving, but this time around its momentum soared.
"stubborn thing." she hissed slapping her bulging tummy again.
"Honey?" she searched the bed with her hands.
"your baby is disturbing again o." she complained sleepily.
No reply. She stopped searching with her hands and sat up, her husband was no where around the room.
Where on earth is this man? - she mused getting off bed.
"Tunji!" she called out sharply putting on her bedroom slippers.
"Hey baby, whats up." Tunji walked into the room
"The ceiling! Where did you go to?"
"I was kinda hungry, so I went to the kitchen to grab a bite." Tunji explained.
"grabbing a bite? And the thing you put in my womb is bent on giving me sleepless nights." she continued to rant.
"awww...sorry..." he laughed keeping his phone on the dresser.
"when did you start taking your phone with you to the kitchen? Or it was grabbing a bite too?" Kemi asked with sarcasm.
"Nothing really." a shadow of guilt passed across his face.
Kemi stared at him doubtfully, her hand reached for his phone, but he took it from her.
"Tunji lemme have that phone."
"Its not yours."
"Tunji, I won't repeat myself."
"c'mon, what do you want my phone for?"
"see what you wanna see." he pushed the phone into her hands.
She scrolled through his text messages, then to his call log.
"well so? Did you happen to find anything?" Tunji teased.
"No.." Kemi started to smile but her smile was a shortlived one.
"Cassie? What are you discussing with Cassie by this time of the night?" she asked.
"You guys even talked for almost an hour?" she faced him squarely.
"Nothing really much, just chatting...you know its been long I saw my sister in-law." Tunji winked.
"But its still an ungodly time." Kemi stated-unsatisfied.
"Okay sorry...ema binu."
"which reminds me, its been long I spoke to Sasha, mum didn't mention her when we spoke this morning, did Cassie say anything about her?" Kemi asked walking back to bed.
"Yea, she's very fine. She's still savouring the Port." He smiled, though he knew it was far from the truth.
Kemi cackled "missing her, Can't wait to have her back here."
"Not after I give you some massage." Tunji grinned, pushing her gently to a lying position,his hands proceeded to work on her waist.
***********
Kenny fixed his gaze on the sky from his hotel room; it was beautifully garnished with stars of different sizes, one was bigger than the rest- shining proudly as if to tell the others 'you aint my level'. He pressed his head against the window pane as soft breeze caressed his face- thinking about the events of the day before.
The doctor had said 'its just a reflex action.'
"Reflex action? Now c'mon doc, she tapped her fingers! You call that reflex?" he had cried with unbelief.
"my boy, its reflex okay?" Doctor Krishna patted his head before proceeding to refix some tubes on Sasha.
Kenny sighed heavily, shifting from one feet to the other; he was filled with joy and great expectation, but the doctor soiled it all with the word 'reflex'.
He tapped his own fingers on the window panes.
"Now this aint reflex, I did it intentionally." he mused to himself.
A car zoomed past, catching his attention, some cars too were moving on the tarred road.
"oh my! Don't tell me its day break." he turned to the wall clock.
"my my!" he exclaimed when he saw the wall clock read 4:30am.
"I didn't sleep today again." he hissed, returning his gaze to the sky. The smaller stars had disappeared, only the large one was still blinking dimly.
"Come-in." he muttered as he heard a soft knock on the door.
"Ken, you aren't ready yet?" Jide strolled into the room.
Kenny rolled his eyes.
"Ken, we've got a flight to catch by 5:30, we've got to see Sasha before leaving."
"Daddy, I don't wanna go back home without Sasha, lemme stay till she's fine, please." Kenny tried again, he'd been pleading with his father not to take him back to Nigeria all in vain.
"Kenny! Get ready now."
"But dad..."
"Kenny!"
"Okay then." Kenny frowned pulling himself from the window.
"I wish I have my own money, I won't have you bossing me around cos you paid for my ticket and lodge." Kenny grumbled to the bathroom.
Jide shook his head, he wasn't happy leaving too, but work demands, there are issues he needed to help Williams settle at his company. No choice at all.
" ...Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; ..." Barbra fought back tears as she read her Bible aloud. If only God would look at her trouble and save her and her family.
Kneeling by her bed side, she prayed silently. All she needed from God was forgiveness, if He could forgive her then she was sure her daughter would live.
"...thank you Father, thank you Jesus, and thank you Holy spirit. I believe my prayers are answered. Amen." she sniffed wiping her tears.
Her heart raced as she heard her phone ring, who could it be? Maybe her husband called to tell her Sasha's 'gone'. God forbid- She muttered picking up her phone.
The caller Id only increased her heart beat, Kemi? She mused. Did Tunji make the mistake of telling her about Sasha.
"Hello? Kemi?" she cleared her throat.
"Mummy, ekasan." Kemi greeted.
"Bawo? How's my grandchild?"
"I'm fine, your grandchild is kicking." Kemi cackled.
"That's good."
"your voice is so low, what's wrong?" Kemi noticed
"Nothing at all, I was praying when you called." Barbra cleared her throat once more.
"Okay o, hope its not Sasha o, how is she ma sef? Naughty girl." Kemi laughed.
"Oh Sasha? She's very very fine." Barbra said quickly.
"This one you're saying 'very fine', I just hope she aint dishing out trouble ehn? Meanwhile how's Joyce?"
"Joyce?" Barbra echoed.
"She might undergo a C-section this evening, she've been into labour for days and you know what that means."
"Hmm, what has dad got to say?"
"Your father travelled nao" Barbra replied giving herself away.
"to where?"
"Er...just some business trip...you know." Barbra stammered.
"Okay, mummy its like I'm gonna have twins o, the doctor said so. Mum you won't believe it, Tunji jokingly named them Sasha and Kenny if its a boy and a girl or Sasha and Kemi if they're both girls o. That shows the battalion of troublesome grandkids you should be expecting o." Kemi rattled on.
Barbra felt a lump rise in her throat at the mention of Sasha.
"Mum, are you there?"
"Kemi can we talk later, please, I promise to call you back." Barbra manage to say, ending the call she let the sob escape her throat.
***********
Williams trembled like a dried leaf blown by the harmattan wind, as some nurses wheeled Sasha past him in a stretcher; he was having breakfast at the hotel when he received the call that something went wrong with his daughter, and here he was shaking as his lifeless daughter was wheeled into a room.
"Dr Krishna!" he called out, as he saw Sasha's doctor among a team of doctors hurrying after the nurses.
"Mr Williams, thank God you're here." the doctor wore a grim look .
"I hope all is well?" Williams quivered.
"The oxygen tank fell out of place,.. Her heart's at the point of not pumping out blood atall when the nurses got there this morning, there wasn't enough oxgen in her system...as you can see Mr. Williams...I'm not sure." Doctor Krishna summarized folding up his lab coat.
"so?"
"There are no chances at all, Mr. Williams I would suggest you let go."
"What?!" Williams cried
"we would still try our best." the doctor hurried on.
Williams slumped into the waiting chair beside him, he was too exhausted to speak- all his energy drained by the news.
Why should he go through all that? He'd promised his wife that he'd go back to Nigeria with Sasha- alive, now the news is trying to be different.
This wasn't the kind of life he planned, living a life to bury your own children? Was God punishing him for cheating on his wife and impregnating another woman?
If God wanted to punish him, his kids shouldn't partake in it, they're not present when he went so low to commit adultery.
Sasha was a special kid, different from all her siblings. The only child who would never ask for anything from you, except you give her yourself. The child that started to act independent before she clocked ten...
"Mr Williams please?" A nurse stood before him, , peering at a paper she was holding.
"yes?" his voice was just a mere whisper.
"could you please come with me, there are some papers you need to sign, thank you."
"Okay," Williams struggled to his feet, his stomach tied in a knot. Papers? He mused, he prayed its just ordinary papers.
Joyce forced a smile to cover-up her teary eyes as Barbra walked into the room alongside Ashley carrying a basket-full of food and fruits.
"Congrats" Barbra beamed.
"Thank you, God bless you" came the weak reply.
"awww....so cute, so this is the baby that nearly made you go through knives? Stubborn pretty girl." Barbra joked picking up Joyce's baby from the bed.
"Aburo? Isn't she cute? Who does she look like?" Barba nudged her sister who looked bored already.
"Her mother nao!" Ashley snapped. She felt like snatching that baby from her sister, throw it into the air to die there, then throw punches at her sister till she starts behaving normal. Her anger was kindled when she learnt earlier from Cassandra, that her sister was the one paying the hospital bills and all, which 'normal woman' would do that?
"Thank you for everything, God bless you." Joyce said in a voice close to whisper. The woman before her was indeed an angel, she still showed her love and care after all she made her go through. That woman does not deserve what she went through. For the first time, she regretted all her actions. But that isn't her delima, her main concern is how her child turned out to be a girl- plan number one failed, what if Williams come back from his so-called business trip and decides to do a test? The child definitely isn't his, and he sends her packing?- plan number two failing, or what if John refuses to accept her and her child? That would be a disaster.
"when are they letting you go?" Barbra's excited voice startled her.
"This evening."
"Wow, so we came on time then, its past four already."
Joyce's heart missed multiple beats. Going back to that house was a dreaded motive, having Sasha and Cassandra taunt her continuously for giving birth to a female child wasn't a good idea. The look of triumph plastered on Sasha's face when she'd be sent out of the house was not imaginable. Only God could see her through- she thought.
:::::::::::::::::::
All the medical team in the room turned to look at Williams as he strolled into the room on shaky legs, they had sent for him to come have a last glance of his daughter before they take her away.
"I'm...we're very sorry Mr Williams." Dr Krishna spoke up.
"Okay."Williams whispered his eyes on the doctor that was busy on his daughter. He took a position close to Sasha's head, her face was pale and her lips pursed. Her dark long dreads looked neat and set, her face still held that subborn look of a rebellious child who had no respect for anybody except her Creator. Slowly he wiped the tears stealing down his cheeks.
"she doesn't need them anylonger, take 'em off." He mumbled, he was referring to the tubes and wires going in and out her body.
"I was about to do that when you came in." Dr Krishna replied as he started to take off the equipments.
"Doc, but you gave me your word." Williams said accusingly.
"But I said I was not sure." the doctor paused, how was he going to convince this man who knew nothing at all about Medical terms?
"It was all your fault, how professional does it sound that the oxgen tank fell out of place?" Williams snarled, he really felt like giving the Indian a complete 'red head'.
"Nehi,- no, it wasn't..." Dr Krishna stopped talking when they heard a machine beep.
"What was that?"
The beeping sound came louder and faster indicating abnormality, Dr Krishna darted to the machine fixed to Sasha's chest. His eyes popped out when he saw the indication that her heart was beating faster than normal with an approximation of 250 beats per minute.
He turned to glance at his Medical team, each face had turned red; he felt something push his hand off, next he saw her struggling weakly-mouth opened gasping for breathe, one hand holding her chest tightly- the whole team rushed to her.
"Oxygen." he cried rushing to grab the tube almost colliding into another doctor trying to get at the same time.
Soon they were fixing it to her face, but her free free hand yanked it off, she was still gasping for breathe. It turned into a battle of the strongest as they struggled with the gasping child, for seconds that seemed like hours, they were able to fix it on.
All the Medical team including Williams were thrown into panic as they watched the machine indicate her heart beat was reducing drastically, they all let out a sigh in unision as the indication read 'Heart beat- Normal'.
Williams gazed at his daughter's face, it was no longer white- he could see life flowing back into her entire being, the drama that just played before his eyes was indeed a Miracle.
"What is a Miracle?" He muttered.
"A Miracle is your daughter is going to live Mr Williams" Dr Krishna smiled patting his back as he led Williams out of the room to enable the Team do their job.
TBC AT 10PM
