For the next few days, Reyona settled in the private VIP suite of the hospital.
Dr. Murphy had given her the most secluded section she had requested, and she knew she couldn't ask for anything better.
Things were going according to plans as well, just as her body was also cooperating with the treatment.
She no longer winced every time she brushed her back against something, and she could easily hold herself up in the routine mini-walk she had started taking on the terrace connected to her suite.
As agreed, Dr Romano, Dr Blair and Nurse Killian were the only ones attending to her, and Dr Murphy also checked on her constantly.
She still didn't know the gender of her child yet because Dr Romano had advised that they hold on till her fragile, bruised stomach was healed.
Dr. Murphy also agreed with the man and Reyona had no problem waiting.
The gender of the child didn't matter to her anyway.
What mattered was that the baby was hers.
Hers and nobody else.
Over the course of a few days, Reyona had given good thought about the only thing she had a pause about.
Denying her child the knowledge of his or her paternity.
She had concluded that she was doing her baby a favour by keeping her away from that vicious cycle.
She would not expose her innocent child to such people.
Or allow him to use the opportunity to play another fast one on her.
Yet she knew she couldn't keep things from him for long.
Not while they were still in the same city.
His incessant calls and messages over the past few days had made her know that it wouldn't be easy for her to break free as easily as she would have wanted.
The audacity he had to be pestering her like he gave a damn about her.
She was going to get away from him, and it would be as clean as possible.
She had learned her lesson the first time.
This time, there would be no messiness.
"I am going to protect you, baby. You can be sure of that," she said as she cradled her stomach while looking out at the scenic view of lush gardens from the window of her room.
Thank God for her family.
After she had hastily disconnected her call the other day when they asked her to video call, Reyona called them back separately later to explain how things stand to them.
The first call was to Toria and the message was clear.
She was not to tell Celia, Andrew or anyone, for that matter, about her condition.
They shouldn't know that she was in Kayooma at the moment too.
As far as anyone was concerned, she was still in Bermuda dealing with the complicated issues of her client's account.
And that was how she wanted it to stay.
Until she and her baby were ready.
She later called her parents with varied requests for what she wanted too.
When they asked in bewilderment about what happened, she gave them a brief version and informed them that she would explain things better when they met.
"Should we come to Kayooma?" Carlisle asked immediately.
"Yes, you need us at this moment, baby. This is a very fragile moment for a woman, and you shouldn't be alone, especially based on the circumstances." Gladys quickly added.
"I am not in Kayooma, remember? How would anyone believe that if you were seen here?" Reyona had called their attention to that fact.
"What can we do for you then?" Gladys asked in exasperation.
"Just be patient with me, mom. I will see you soon and explain better, okay?"
"Does that mean you are coming for the graduation?" Gladys asked.
Reyona had been expecting her mom to ask that, so she smiled and said "Yes, I will be coming for the graduation."
"That is fine then," Gladys said with relief.
Then she launched into the things she would prepare for Reyona and started giving her tips on what she should do and what she shouldn't do.
As Reyona recalled the conversation and how her dad had come to her rescue by subtly changing the conversation, she couldn't help but muse about how lucky she was in her family.
Yes, the world out there might be shitty and all, but she was never going to forget the most important fact again.
Her family was going to have her back no matter what.
There might have been a strain between them from the beginning of her life till the most significant part of her developing years, but she wouldn't let that subconsciously stop how she reached out to them anymore.
They were the main people she could rely on right now, and she was going to do it more and more.
If for nothing else, at least for her baby.
Her baby was going to have big brothers in the twins.
Her baby was going to meet her dad's stepdaughter too.
Her baby was going to have the most doting aunt in Toria.
Just like her, her child would have the most loving grandparents in her parents and extra love from their spouses.
The child would have a mother who could go to the end of the world and back for him too.
That was more than what some kids get to have.
It would be enough for her child to thrive.
It had to be enough.
She wished she could involve such a soothing nature as that of Celia in the child's life too, but as things stand, that would be unwise.
As sorry as she was about that, she knew it was how it would have to be.
Just as her crashed dreams had shown her, we can't always get what we want.
She was glad that Celia was away from Kayooma at the moment.
She and her family had decided to take a maternity trip.
They wanted to start showing their daughter the world as soon as possible.
Reyona mused as she imagined holding her child in her hand one day to travel the world.
She could even imagine the feel of his soft skin and his amused laughter as she held him high above her head and swung him around.
The wrong thing about that image was that when she pictured the face of her baby, she couldn't help but see a familiar face on him.
Even when she tried to adjust the image to a girl, the familiarity stayed.
Just as the smile held the element of a certain roguish smile that had come to lodge itself in her mind.
Reyona shook her head and opened her eyes as she reached for the cut-up, mixed fruits on the table close to her open laptop.
She chastised herself for engaging in a silly pastime.
Daydreaming was for the idle, and she was anything but idle.
She had things to put in place.
Things that would ensure that her baby arrived in this world in the most sane environment.
She heard a ping from the system just as she speared the fruit mix into her mouth with the fork.
She looked down at the loosely wrapped Anti-electromagnetic-radiation pregnancy band she had wrapped over her stomach.
She patted it into place before moving closer to the laptop.
The message was from Phil.
It was a picture of a mega office complex which's size rivalled that of the ReyDexter building.
Reyona smiled as she zoomed into the overview picture, then clicked on the album of specific spots and layouts of the building.
Her phone rang, and she picked it up automatically as she saw the caller.
"Hello, boss. Have you seen it?"
"I have," Reyona said even as she continued clicking on the images.
Her smile widened as she said, "I love it."
"I know, right? It is perfect. The agent in charge of it is an acquaintance, and he has given me the full details about it. It is the exact fit, boss. Even better. It is just that…"
"What?" Reyona asked as her smile dimmed. "Please, don't tell me someone else is about to pay for it."
"No, not at all. It is very much available. But the price is stiffer than what we had in mind."
"I want it. Make the arrangement with Lane."
"Yes, boss."
Author's Note
Thank you dear reader for turning the pages up until this point.
You are my source of motivation.
I really do appreciate your time and interest.
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Take good care of yourself.