Chapter 58 CHAPTER 58: The Weight of Uncertainty
Hazel
It was the morning of my birthday. I had been having some bouts of searing pain in my lower abdomen, but I did not want to alarm William. I rolled over in bed with eyes closed as the rays of the morning sun streamed in through the curtain, but William was not there. Instead, my hand touched my phone. It was just six forty A. M, but there were a series of missed calls from my mother, father and Funke and messages from lots of old friends and family. I weaved through them all trying to find the one from Adam, but there was none, no missed calls nor messages anywhere - my heart sank and tears pricked my eyes as I realized I had finally lost him. My heart squeezed, and I instinctively raised my hands to my chest.
It was my birthday, a day I should be overjoyed and happy, but I couldn’t get out of the foul mood I had been in since I learned of Adam's engagement. I was his best friend and his rejection hurt more than a physical blow. Despite Williams’ best efforts to lift my mood, I had remained distant and withdrawn. As I lay there curled into myself, I heard voices singing.
“Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Wifey, happy birthday to you”. The voices echoed in sync.
I turned as William walked in holding a cake and all the staff followed behind singing. A smile split my face and the tears that I was trying to hold back fell freely.
William dropped the cake, came close and sat on the bed. He took my hands in his.
“I hope they're happy tears” he asked. I nodded aggressively and engulfed him in a hug.
“Thank you so much my husband” I said, holding him to me as much as my protruding stomach could allow.
“I love you baby” he said fiercely.
“I love you too”, I replied, as he used the back of his hand to wipe away my tears. I pushed aside the thoughts of Adam from my mind and tried to stay happy for William. To my surprise, William had organized my birthday all alone without my knowledge. After the birthday cake and the singing, a tray of breakfast was wheeled into my room, and he assisted me to the bathroom to freshen up. I was given the complete princess treatment and I saw a side of William I had never seen. He was the most loving and most thoughtful person I knew. His plan to make my birthday a memorable one was carefully crafted, and I was grateful to him.
I had not gone down to the living room or kitchen the whole day, as William made sure I was treated to anything I wanted, which made the pain bearable, as I didn’t need to do anything for myself.
Later that afternoon, William asked to help me have my bath and get ready for the final surprise for the day. I smiled, wondering what he had planned this time.
“Are you alright babe” he asked as another bout of pain wracked my body, making me wince.
“Ah yes, I think the baby just kicked” I replied as he smiled and placed his hand on my stomach and I guided his hand to a random place on my stomach to mask what I was feeling.
“Ah, he is shy,” I said and forced a smile.
“You think so, but I’m sure it’s a girl. My little angel” he said. I smiled again.
As I got out of the bathroom, there was a beautiful maternity gown on the bed. I smiled and moved over and fingered it. It was an off-white gown with purple flowers printed all over it. The fabric was soft and cool against my skin as I donned it with the help of William. I decided to endure the pain that I felt in my lower abdomen and stay happy for William. He had put so much effort into making my birthday a memorable one. He was also dressed impeccably in an off-white striped shirt and black shorts.
“Seems this surprise is in-house” I asked, looking up at William.
“Yes babe, I didn’t want to stress you” he replied, which made me beam with smiles.
A gasp ripped from my throat as a sharp cramp jolted through my lower belly. It was unlike any cramp I'd felt before – a deep, insistent ache that seemed to squeeze my insides. Instinctively, I reached down, my hand cupping the sudden pressure building in my abdomen.
Then, warmth. A rush of wetness trickled down my legs. As I bent down, the reality of the situation hit me like a wave: my water had just broken. Panic washed over me in a cold wave. The baby was not supposed to come until after a month, I thought, as a fresh wave of pain, stronger this time, doubled me over. My breath hitched, a strangled gasp escaping my lips.
"Hazel! Are you alright?" William's voice sliced through the haze of my panic. He was at my side in an instant, his hands steadying me. I tried to respond, to reassure him and me, but the words got lost amidst the pain that gripped me again, fiercer this time. “William," I gasped, clutching his arm tightly, "something's wrong…I…I think the baby's coming," I managed to gasp out, my voice laced with fear.
William's eyes widened, a mix of concern and swift determination taking over. "We're going to the hospital, now," he declared, his tone filled with determination as he gently guided me towards the door, supporting my trembling frame.
Every step felt like an eternity as the pain intensified, the reality of our situation sinking in. I was scared—scared for our baby, for myself. The birthday celebrations, the carefully laid plans, all faded into insignificance as we rushed into the uncertainty awaiting us at the hospital.
William had earlier called Dr Priya, my gynecologist, to inform her of the latest developments. As we arrived at the hospital, she was already waiting for us. As the door of the car opened, I was whisked away in a stretcher, the obstetrician barking orders. William held my hand and followed behind. As we got to the emergency ward, he was asked to step aside, all his pleas to be with me fell on deaf ears. I tried to squeeze his hand as much as I could for reassurance, but I doubted he felt it.
I looked up at him, trying to muster a smile and reassure him with my eyes that I would be okay. He nodded and stepped close and kissed me on the lips before I saw him clench his fist and turn back to the reception. As the pain intensified, I felt herself slipping into darkness, my consciousness fading with each passing moment.
William
My legs felt like they were led as I returned to the reception. Today was supposed to be a beautiful day for Hazel, not her ending up in the hospital. I immediately dialed Mrs. George’s number and informed her of the state of affairs. She promised to be with us soon.
About an hour later, Dr Priya came to find me and by then Mrs. George had gotten to the hospital. As she came out of the emergency ward, we both jumped to our feet.
“Mr. William, your wife has suffered from preeclampsia, a dangerous complication that threatened both her life and the life of your unborn child. We did everything we could to control the bleeding so we could see how to keep her pregnancy to term but to no avail. Preeclampsia is a condition that disrupts the proper blood flow between the mother and baby through the placenta. This was what triggered the early labor as her body tried to expel the fetus before it suffered further”. She explained. My stomach churned, a pit of cold dread settling in. The doctor's words echoed in my ears. I gulped and clenched my fist.
She continued “She had a premature birth; the baby has been kept in an isolette, and we are doing everything we can to control the bleeding.
“Will she be okay?” I asked, my voice shaking.
“Mr. William, I'm afraid it's a 50-50 chance, '' she said in a grave tone. Mrs. George whimpered as tears filled her eyes and she clutched my arm in a death grip, her nails digging into my flesh, but all I could feel was a gut-wrenching pain as my heart pounded in my chest.
“What do we do now?” I asked, trying to stay composed for both of us.
“All we have to do now is to wait,” Dr Priya said.
“Can we please see her?” I asked.
“She is not out of the woods yet; however, you could see the baby now. As soon as it is safe to see her, I will let you know”. She explained.
“Okay” I said and followed her as Mrs. George held onto me tightly. I put my hands around her as we both followed the doctor.
I hesitated at the doorway of the neonatal intensive care unit as a symphony of beeps and whirs hummed within, punctuated by soft cries of newborns. I felt a tremor of fear as my gaze was drawn to the rows of clear plastic incubators that looked like miniature spaceships protecting fragile cargo. Dr Priya, spoke in hushed tones to the nurse in charge of the ward as she handed us over to her, then stepped out.
As I approached, the harsh fluorescent lights glinted off the plastic, momentarily obscuring my view. Then I saw him – a tiny miracle, swathed in blankets and cradled within the confines of the incubator. He was very small, like he could fit my palms, his skin, delicate and translucent like the petals of a flower, seemed almost too fragile to touch.
Tubes and wires snaked around him, connecting him to machines that monitored his every breath, his every heartbeat. His eyes, still sealed shut, were masked by translucent pink eyelids. But even beneath the eyelids, a faint fluttering seemed to suggest they were already working their magic, learning to navigate a world they had entered too soon.
I felt a lump rise in my throat, he was fighting for his life, but I could see the undeniable fierceness in his tiny clenched fists, a will to live that tugged at my heartstrings. My eyes stung with tears as I felt Mrs. George was weeping beside me. I pushed her close to me as she buried her head in my chest. A tear slipped down my cheeks.
"I'm here, little man," I murmured, my voice thick with emotion. "I'll be here every step of the way.