Continued…
Zac: (shocked) is she having twins!!?
Fatima: (panicking some more) nooo this can't be happening!!
Dr Athena: remember what I said about staying calm? I need y'all to please stick to that.
Fatima: that's easy for you to say! You're not the one who is–
Zac: Fatima that's enough! Baby, please just try to be calm and let the Dr do her job.
Fatima: (shoots him a death stare) Zachary, please don't talk to me right now. This is all your fault!!!
Zac: my fault??! Aren't you the one who doesn't like it when I pull–
Dr Athena: (sighs) oh my goodness, can y'all please stop!! (Looks at Zac) Mr Taylor, can you please leave the room, I'll call you if I need you.
Zac: leave? If it's twins then I want to be present! I want to be the one who cuts the umbilical cord.
Dr Athena: we don't know if it's twins for sure. Hence I said, I will call you if you are needed. In the meantime, please go take a breather in the waiting room or just go out and get some fresh air.
Zac: (looks at Fatima) you gon be cool if I leave you?
Fatima: –doesn't speak but nods–
Zac: use your words Ti. I need to hear you say that you are cool with it. Because Lord knows I don't want you to hold this over my head for the next coming years.
Fatima: (getting frustrated) yes Zac!! You can leave damn!
Zac: (frowns) that tone?.. but you know what, this is a stressful situation, so you get a pass. (He kissed her forehead before leaving out).
Dr Athena: (looks at Fatima while she's grabbing an ultrasound machine) how are you feeling?
Fatima: (teary-eyed) I don't know… I'm feeling a lot of mixed emotions, but the most prominent one is fear. I never planned to have a kid at such an early age, let alone two! I literally just started my first job months ago. I'm not even a permanent employee, nor have I even begun to climb the corporate ladder, and then here I go popping out babies! (Tears falling).
Dr Athena: hey! Don't put all that pressure on yourself. This is not all on you. Pregnancy is a two-way street. And you're still very young Fatima! Who says that you can't be a badass mom and climb the corporate ladder at the same time? God created us women to be multi-efficient. I know you're scared, but all these feelings are absolutely normal for a new mom– especially one who had a cryptic pregnancy.
Fatima: (wipes her tears) can you please just tell me what my fate is?
Dr Athena: -applies some gel onto Fatima's stomach and then turns on the monitor-.. (relieved) I have good news for you! You are definitely not having twins, so you can rejoice.
Fatima: wait really??! (exhales) thank God!! So what's going on?
Dr Athena: (chuckles) it's actually something minor. Have you ever heard of a term called afterbirth?
Fatima: -shakes her head no-
Dr Athena: it's a term that basically describes everything that happens to a woman's body after she has given birth. I'll give you a detailed rundown later so you can be prepared. But at this moment you only have to be concerned about one and that's giving birth to the placenta.
Fatima: (eyes wide) give birth??! Again??!
Dr Athena: -nods- but I promise you that this time around will go smoother, and it's actually a very quick process, so just listen to my voice, okay?
