The Awakening

Twenty Six

"How do you feel? You okay now?" Bryan asked for the umpteenth time while we were in the bathroom. He stood behind me while I puked my guts out.

"I think so, I probably ate something the baby doesn't like." I said as I wiped my mouth with my towel and we stepped out of the bathroom.

"It could be part of the pregnancy, who knows?" He asked and I shrugged.

"I just keep having these back aches, waist pain. It's been happening for some hours now but it's not so serious." I said as Bryan helped me around the bed.

"We should probably go see the doctor. Besides, you're in your nineth month already."

"No. We'll have to wait." I said and he shook his head, strongly disagreeing. Just then, I felt a liquid rush down my legs and I was sure I didn't pee on myself.

"Babe. I think the baby is coming." I said and Bryan looked down and his eyes widened as he rushed into the room to get the delivery bag we packed a month prior. A sharp pain hit me and I winced.

"Sorry. Let's go to the car." Bryan said and he helped me out of the house, my whole weight on him.

"Call Timi." I said as he helped me into the back seat of the car.

"Sure." He rushed and ran to Timi's door, knocking profusely on it. In no time, both of them were running in the direction of the car. They got in and Bryan drove us to the hospital while Timi consoled me.

✨

"Ma'am, you're 8cm dilated. You'll have to take a stroll while we wait for you to be fully dilated. You may feel more piercing pains but don't fret, it's due to the labour." The doctor said and wrapped up his stethoscope. I had been in the hospital for about two hours and I was not about to give birth yet.

The pain was so sharp and excruciating, I always held on to Bryan whenever the pain started. My parents had arrived and Bryan's parents had arrived also. Everyone wanted to see the baby.

"I'm tired." I said with little tears in my eyes as Bryan, Timi and April walked me to the hospital garden and back.

"You'll be fine." Timi said and just as I was about to nod, another pain started. The intervals for the pains were getting shorter and the pains were getting sharper and harder.

"Can we go back and check again? This pain is killing me." I said between hitches.

"Let's walk down to that end and we'll go back. I promise." April said and we continued walking. I felt heavier than normal. It seemed like the baby was going to drop anytime soon.

"Gosh, let's get back. The pain isn't getting any better." I cried out again and they walked me back to the room. I was placed on the bed and the doctor asked me to open my legs which I did. He checked some things and looked at the nurses, telling them something before looking back at me.

"You're fully dilated. It's time to see your baby." He said smiling and I nodded. He changed his gloves and a nurse placed a cannula on my hand and connected it to a drip.

"We're all set." The doctor said as the nurses finished connecting some things to me.

"Can I have my boyfriend here with me?" I asked and the nurse nodded and went out to call Bryan. She came back with Bryan and the girls and Bryan stood beside me on my right and held my hand.

"You can do this. I love you." He whispered and I smiled, a tear escaping from my eyes.

"I love you." I whispered back and a pain hit me again.

"You're going to push at the count of three okay?"

"Okay." I breathed.

"One, two, three, push." I started pushing and shouting for the next one hour before I finally heard the cry of my baby.

I was so exhausted and worn out but the cry of my own baby brought life and strength to me.

"She's so beautiful." I said when I was given the baby to carry. It was a girl. Bryan stood beside me and kept caressing and pecking my head.

"Our baby." He said and I nodded and started breastfeeding her. The nurse showed me how to position her and after sometime, I gave her back to the nurse and felt very tired again. I lay my head back on the pillow and sleep immediately overtook me.

✨

I woke up to the sound of people talking.

"She's finally awake." Someone said and they all turned to look at me. The room was fuller than I had expected.

"Hey." I said with a weak smile to everyone and they grinned back.

"Congratulations, dear. I'm so proud of you." My mum said as she hugged me. Everyone kept congratulating me and to say I was grateful to God was an understatement.

"Where's she?" I asked as I looked around the room for her.

"She's been in her father's arms for God knows how long. He doesn't want to give her to someone else and he doesn't even want to sit." Bryan's mum said and I couldn't stop laughing.

Just then, Bryan came in with the baby all wrapped up. He handed her over to me and I pecked her face and smiled at her closed eyes.

"She has your nose." I said to Bryan and everyone concurred.

"So...about our deal...when do I get my bracelet?" He asked proudly and I rolled my eyes before handing the baby to Bryan's mum.

"Get. Out. I'm giving it to you whenever I feel like."

"Yeah. That's how losers sound." Bryan said and I opened my mouth in shock, not knowing what to say before he said again, "don't worry, there are more to come. You may win for the next baby." He said and I laughed.

"You guys actually placed a bet?" April asked in disbelief.

"Yeah and apparently, the ego king won; thereby boosting his ego more." I said and she laughed.

Timi came in with food for me, chicken pepper soup and boiled rice. I ate to my satisfaction and after about an hour again, I changed my dress and we were discharged, even if the doctor said I should go the next day since it was already evening.