Chapter 23

“You can't smack my ass like that when Ray is the room.” she whispered.

“She wasn't looking this way. How was your day?”

“Quite a handful. We had some cases to handle in the ER.”

“Here's what's going to happen. I'll cook dinner while you go and take a quick shower.” he said as he smacked her ass.

“Aiden!”

“She's so engrossed in her movie she wouldn't even notice if a dragon passed by. Now go and take that shower before I change my mind and join you.”

“You wouldn't dare,” she said as she giggled.

“Don't test me.”

“Fine!”

Dinner was ready in no time and they were all seated at the table.

“Ray honey, would you please bless our food.”

“Lord Jesus, thank you for this food and for my family. I pray you provide for those in need and comfort those without a family. Amen.”

“Amen.” they both chorused.

“Babe, are you aware your mum paid for a ticket for Ray to travel to Disney land?”

“She did?” he asked looking everywhere except from her.

“Why do I feel like you are aware?”

“I am actually. She kept on saying she wanted to go so the other day my mum called she told her and she informed me yesterday that she had paid for the ticket.”

“Babe? We both agreed she couldn't go now. Why would she travel in the middle of the school year and who's going with her? Baby you and your mum spoil Ray alot. Now she's going to think I'm the bad one.”

“I'm sorry. She gave me those puppy eye look We can cancel her flight.”

“You mean the usual one? Fine.”

“You should wear this nighty often. I like it.”

“Aiden get your head out of the gutters. We promised Ray we would watch her animation video with her tonight. You promised her and now I don't have a choice but to watch it. That's what you get for trying to paint me as the bad one.”

“Come on babe. I could go and tell her the flight has been cancelled this very instance.”

“It's too late.” she said as she threw the kitchen napkin straight at his chest.

Few minutes into the movie, Rachel and Ray were already fast asleep. It was evident that Rachel was quite stressed. She loved her job so much that even if she got a call from the hospital at 3am, she would dress up and head out. He gently stood up, brought out his camer Czecha and took a picture of both of them snuggled up close to each other. Ray was turning four in a couple of days and he intended to mark it in grand style.

He woke up to a shivering Rachel. His eyes cleared as fast as the speed of lightning.

“What's wrong babe?” You were doing just fine yesterday.”

“Lately, I have been feeling funny.”

“Babe you should have told me. You know your health is priority. You do know you don’t have to put yourself in the fore front always. You should take a break. You looked so stressed out.”

“I will be fine. The hospital needs me.”

“All the more reason you have to rest and stay alive to fulfill that purpose. I'll take you to see a doctor.”

“I am familiar with my symptoms. I think I’m pregnant. I was going to get a pregnancy test trip yesterday but then it skipped my mind.”

“This calls for celebration.”

“Aiden don’t get your hopes up. I said I think.”

“Don’t move I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

Marrying Aiden was the best decision she had ever made. He treated her like an egg. During the period when she was heavily pregnant with Ray, he wouldn’t let her do any house chores. After a long rest that Aiden insisted she had, she woke up to find that he had bought the pregnancy strips. She removed the strip from the nylon and peed on it. While she was waiting for it to read, Aiden brought up a conversation probably to distract her.

“Ray wouldn’t be going to Disney land any time soon.”

“Really? How did you pull that stunt?”

“Let”s just say we had a father and daughter discussion. She tried the puppy eyes look but it didn’t work this time. We can give the ticket to any of the children in your ward.”

“What would I do without you. You add glow to my life.”

“I love you.” He said.

“I love you more.”

“Baby the lines indicate positive. I can’t wait to tell my mum and also tell Ray she’s getting a younger brother. We can check the number of weeks with the doctor tomorrow. Now that we know I was right, who’s guessing the gender? And you can’t cheat this time. You did an ultrasound for Ray and bought unisex clothings. ”

“I was eager and I didn’t want you to win me. You were so confident about the gender but this time I know it’s a boy.”

“Whatever makes you sleep at night.”

“Aiden you can’t say that. Please say it’s a boy.”

“Fine, it is a boy.”

7 months later……

“Oh my God! Babe my water just broke.”

“What? The baby’s delivery date isn’t due anytime soon. What’s happening? Should I call my mum or the daughter? Should I increase the Air conditioner? Do you want me to help you seat? Babe, you are panting so heavily. Tell me what to do I am lost.”

“Call an ambulance.”

The ambulance arrived in no time and she was rushed to the ER. It’s been 6 hours and he still hadn’t heard from any of the medical team that was operating on his wife. He was told he had to sign for a cesarean section. That had to be the scariest decision he had ever taken in his life. He had heard some women don’t make it out alive. He had made an emergency call to his assistant to look after Ray while he was gone. A female nurse ran out of the ER without even saying a word to him. The moment she came running back to the ER, he lost it.

“Let me in I need to see my wife this moment. Can someone at least tell me something? Anything at all. The silence is making me lose my mind.”

“Sir, your wife is losing a lot of blood. Kindly let us do our job so you can go home with her and your child.”

Losing a lot of blood was the only thing ringing in his ears while he was pacing the hospital corridor then it dawned on him that instead of him worrying, he should be saying some prayers for her in the hospital’s church. He kept on telling God he wanted to go out of the hospital with his wife and child. While growing up, his mother had constantly told him that the smallest application of faith could move mountains and now was the time he needed those mountains moved. He needed God as he has always. If he could help him overcome his dark times, this he could do without even breaking a sweat. He was a strong believer of miracles. Rachel talked about some of the children in her ward who everybody had given up their hopes on on making it out alive but how they did left everyone in total shock. He was on his knees when a hand tapped him. He raised up his head to see the nurse from earlier. She was smiling which only meant one thing. His wife and child were doing okay.

“Your wife has just given birth to a baby boy. She is doing great and so is your boy. You can come and see her now but she is currently resting. God really works miracles. That of your wife was one.”