FATE

92 - Christening

Lilly's POV

Today is my baby's naming ceremony. She is just eight days old. Based on the Igbo tradition and the church belief we are supposed to name our child on the eighth day. So here we are!

Of course, the whole house was busy. Our friends, Charlie and Nancy were around to help us get a few things. There wasn't much to do because we already hired people to cook and decorate.

I was seated on the bed, my baby lying on her back. She was wide awake, giggling and smiling as we played. I held her hands, moving them playfully as I made a playful sound , that made her laugh. Then I placed my forehead on hers, she was still smiling, that was before I tickled her and she laughed.

Her laugh was so contagious, that it made me smile. My baby is a smiling baby, she's also very playful. I love her more than anything in this world, I can't out into words how much she means to me. She's a beautiful baby, with a beautiful smile and contagious laugh. She barely cries, only if she's hungry or soaked or needs attention. Now that am getting to understand her needs, motherhood is a little easier.

"Hey." A voice said from behind me and I knew it was Lemuel.

He gave me a kiss on the cheek before picking our baby and throwing her up, she giggled loudly. Her laughter and giggles melted my heart, causing me and Lemuel to smile.

"Have you found a name yet?" He asked me, holding Kora in his arms carefully, so delicately.

The way he looked at her, the way he held her, like she's a gift, a precious gift. Like something of inestimable value.

"No not yet." I shook my head.

We've been on this even before she was born, yet we couldn't find a name.

He shrugged, kissing her forehead. "Me too." He started to rock her, when  she  yawned   softly,   slowly itching her eyes with her folded palm.

So we are on the same page.

I looked over to paper which lay on the bed, it had a list of names, so many names but I didn't like any of them. My two friends worked hard to come up with them, they were beautiful names but I had to choose carefully because a name is for a lifetime. I was looking for something unique, something that would tell the story of my love to her, something that sounds nice.

I sighed. Emily, Hazel, Hailey, Kaylen, Kayla, Emerald, Precious, Ziva, Rose Heaven, Elisa, Elena, Clarissa, Athena, Julliet, Amara, Amanda, Charlotte, Cherish, Starr, Pearl, Naomi, Jasmine, Gold,...

The list goes on.  Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful names but the only ones that I might consider are, Emerald, Cherish, Heaven. They are beautiful and unique, but still, I needed something more.

My baby is more. I smiled, looking at her as she slept peacefully in her father's arms. She's beautiful, a beautiful gift from God. I don't want anything more, just her. She's everything, she's my Pearl, my Precious Pearl, my inestimable Jewel. A Jewel that...

Wait a minute!  Jewel, Jewel, Jewel.

I smiled widely.   "I found it, finally!" I sighed, smiling in triumph.

"Jewel is the name." I grinned and Lemuel was stunned.

He smirked, smiling at me proudly.  "That's a beautiful name. You came up with that."

Smiling, with a little bit of pride I placed my hands on my chin.  "So we are left with you, you have to come up with the Igbo name."

Getting up slowly, he walked to the crib which was almost next to our bed and carefully lay her.