Chapter 17

HENRY'S BROW DIPPED TOGETHER IN A FROWN, wondering what could be causing the commotion outside his door. He did not have to wonder long when his door was pushed open with Martha trying to stop someone from entering. He raised up his head and his gaze clashed with a face he thought he will never Cross path with any time soon— a past.

"Ma, I told you, you can't see him without an appointment. Sir I'm so sorry" Martha said, glaring at her.

"It's alright Martha, you can go" waving Martha off, his voice laced with a hint of steel.

"See I told you, he will see me" Jennifer said with triumph, flicking her hair before sashaying towards him. Truthfully, she's a true sight, in the black body hugging dress she wore. She's still very much beautiful. She perched on his table, facing him. "Hello Henry, miss me" she purred.

"What the hell are you doing here Jen? How dare you come to my office" he demanded after Martha has left.

"I tried calling you darling but you didn't answer me, and when you did you were rude to me, that's why I'm here. You can't still be angry with me till now, after all this year's" She reached out to run her hand over his chest.

"Please get your hands off me." Pushing her off his desk as well. "As you rightly said, it's been years, we are done. Now leave before I call the security to haul you out" rising from his seat.

"Don't be like that, I Know I hurt you but you can't forget how good we were together." She lamented.

"Oh really? What I remembered was how you destroyed my life, my career, just because you can't close your legs! You disgust me, and to think I almost made the mistake of proposing marriage to you. Just leave my office."

"Please Henry, you can't blame me like this—"

"You know what? You are right. I can't blame you, I blame myself for being stupid and losing my head when I should have been focused. Everything is in the past now, and so are you"

Henry scoffs at her plea, it's funny that it's now he realized that he did not feel anything for her again. Not hatred, not love, nothing. He wonders what he saw in her in the first place, she's beautiful that's true but he realized Kezia is all he could think of. He was not fast enough to push Jennifer away as she dives in to kiss him, just as Kez comes in.

"Hey baby, I brought you lunch" Kezia stood stunned at the sight of Henry with a very beautiful woman kissing each other. "I'm so sorry for bursting in without knocking" she mumbles, staggering out with the food basket clutched in her grip.

"Wait baby!" Pushing Jennifer away, before she tries kissing him again. He ran after Kezia but was not fast enough as the elevator closed after her.

He returns to his office, Martha was just coming back in.

"Where were you?" He demanded.

"I was in the ladies, I'm sorry is there a problem?" Confused with her boss attitude.

"Never mind, get me the security now" turning to his office. He picked his car key from the table. Not giving Jennifer audience. Two broad shouldered men came into his office.

"Sir you called?"

"Yes. Get this woman out of my office. I don't want to ever see her around this premises again".

"Henry, wait. I still love you please"

"Well I don't love you, now get out". He watched them escort her out. Satisfied that she's been handled He picked up his mobile to call his wife, but she didn't answer. This is bad; he mutters to himself, it’s obvious she thought something is going on between him and Jennifer. He switched off his computer and left his office.

****

Kezia could not believe how stupid she is, how she can think for a moment that he cares about her. He married her because she is pregnant obviously, not because of any other reason. She was a fool to think he at least care about her. Brushing the tears away angrily, she pulled her newly acquired car into their driveway. She storm into the house, heading into the kitchen to dump the food basket there, and to think she went to all that trouble in other to do something nice for him, she was the one that got surprised in return. Now she knows why he did not want her to come back to work.

Thankfully their housekeeper is not around, she has the day off. Kezia just wants to be alone to lick her wound. Kezia wished she did not love him this much or at all, it wouldn't have hurt that much. She's been deceiving herself all along, tears streamed down her eyes. Kezia could not stand being in the same house with a cheat, she needs time away from him, so with a new resolve she packed a small bag with few clothes quickly before Henry gets back.

A wave of nausea hits her again; she rushed into the bathroom to vomit. It's getting consistent now and it's not a good feeling. Her stomach feels like it's turning on each other. Sweat breaks out on her forehead, feeling faint. That was how Henry met her, bent over the toilet bowl retching.

"Darling what's wrong with you" he bend over her running his hands across her back.

She shrug his hands off weakly, "leave me alone"

"Sorry I can't do that; we need to get you to the hospital. You look pale." He didn't listen to her weak argument, as he guide her out of the house into his car. He placed Sean's number on speed dial on the hands -free. Telling him to send the address of the obstetrician he recommended to him earlier in the day when he called him.

Kezia was feeling too weak to even put up any argument again. She closed her eyes, resting her head on the seat headrest. They soon got to the obstetrician office Sean recommended for them, it’s a private clinic.

The obstetrician is an elderly woman with a sweet smile on her face, she welcome them. Assuring Henry that Sean had called ahead to inform her of their impending visit. One of the nurses led her to a room, which Kezia presumes to be where they carry out checkups for the pregnant women.

Kezia lay down on the reclining bed, as the obstetrician who introduced herself as Kate, prepares to check her. Asking her different questions, as she touches her still flat stomach. She puts on a glove, by now her legs were open in other for the doctor to check through her cervix, she frowned a bit.

"Have you experienced any pain, may be in your lower back or cramp lately" Kate asked.

"No pain of any kind, in fact I just started experiencing morning sickness. Apart from that I'm fine. I think."

"I will need to perform a vaginal ultrasound to check for the fetus’ development and heartbeat. To also know how far long you are." She explained gently to both of them.

"Go ahead please" Henry mutters.

"Is my baby, okay?" Getting nervous. She can't help but feel like something is off, Kate tries to downplay it but she can still feel it, call it intuition.

"Relax we will know shortly" connecting the ultrasound machine. Her worried look deepens as she could not hear the baby heartbeat.

"What is it doctor" Kezia, didn't even realize she was gripping Henry's hand.

"I can't hear your baby's heartbeat."

"What does it mean?"

"I'm afraid, you've suffered a miscarriage. We need to evacuate the fetus right away." She said, sadness feeling her eyes "I'm so sorry"

"But that's not possible, I didn't even bleed. I'm even experiencing morning sickness" Kezia whispers.

"Vomiting, nausea or even diarrhea are part of symptoms of miscarriage, and you don't have to bleed. You are still in your tenth week, and miscarriage are common at this stage. I'm so sorry. We need to prep you up immediately to evacuate the fetus like I said, excuse me" Kate step out to give the couple room to mourn their loss and to also prepare for the operation.

"Tell me it's not true Henry, please" Kezia moans falling apart in tears. Allowing Henry to hold her in his arms as she mourn the loss of a baby she will never see or hold in her arms. It's truly been a terrible day. "It's all my fault. I should have registered with an obstetrician soon"

Henry did not know what to say to make her feel better. He was truly shaken but he has to be strong for her. He sat down in the waiting area, as they pushed her into the operation room, to evacuate. He's used to being the strong one in the family among his brothers but this time he did not feel strong, he needed to hear his brothers voice, so he place a conference call. The moment they picked, they knew something is wrong even before he told them. Hearing their voice calms him down.

****

Henry watch Kezia sleep, the evacuation is done. He can still see tracks of dried tears on her cheek, she looks so vulnerable and frail. The pregnancy may have not been planned for but he realize how much he wants it. The doctor has assured him that they can try for a new baby as soon as possible. She stirred in her medication induced sleep, whimpering. He caress her hands in his, hoping it will calm her down.

He wish he can spare her from this pain she is going through, protect her from being hurt.

"I'm sorry" he whispers to her sleeping form.