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"Hey, how are you feeling?" Koffi whispered in the room when I opened my eyes to the light spilling in through the curtains.
"I think my body is still in shock, but I'm okay." I said, sitting up and fixing my eyes on the baby in his arms. "How is she?"
"Keziah's fine." Koffi said, sitting down next to me so I could properly see our daughter sleeping snuggly against his chest. She was beautiful, her skin was light like her father's, head full of hair under the little beanie the nurse had put her in.
She was about to complete one full day of being in this world, and part of me couldn't fully believe this was really happening for Koffi and I.
Years ago, when I hid the loss of our baby from him, I had fears that I'd never get the chance to carry life inside of me again. During my pregnancy with Keziah, there was still a part of me that worried about the possibility of losing her. Nella had helped me through that, constantly reminding me she'd been through the same thing and was blessed to be a mother of three.
Sometimes, though, the doubts were louder than my hope. But now, my baby was here. Disaster hadn't struck. We'd really been blessed with a beautiful little girl.
Hours before I'd taken my nap, Keziah and I had been visited by every important person in our lives. Everyone was happy to see her, happy we were both healthy. Several tears had been cried. Her cousins had made me laugh with all the questions they asked about her. Her aunties and grandmothers had come in with so many balloons and gifts to welcome her, Koffi had to take things to the car to create some breathing room.
Things had been chaotic from the moment she came out of me, and I really hadn't had time to soak in her presence. Now, in the peaceful presence of my husband and daughter, I finally had time to take it all in. I rested my head against Koffi's arm, my hand gently rubbing my baby's stomach. My baby. My baby.
"K?" Koffi said, trying to get a look at me. "Are you crying, chérie? What's wrong?"
"I'm just so happy, K." I whimpered, my tears dropping rapidly even though I was trying to compose myself. "She's real. She's here. I'm so full of love for her I don't know what to do with it."
"Aww, chérie," he said, kissing my temple and putting an arm around me, rubbing my arm as I let the tears fall.
When I'd finally composed myself, I took the baby from him, my heart swelling when her tiny mouth covered my breast and she began to suckle on it, her eyes closed in sleepy concentration.
Koffi's facial expression changed to a silly scowl as he complained, "What a lucky girl you are, Keziah."
"You're so silly." I giggled, swatting his arm with my hand.
"I'm just being honest," Koffi shrugged, "I'd also like a titty in my mouth, but I'd be considered a freak if I did that here."
"Again, silly." I laughed as I shook my head.
"Whatever. You love me." he said confidently, planting another kiss on my cheek.
I stared at my baby's dad and memories of how far we'd come together emerged, making me smile. "You're right, K. I do love you."
~~~
Baby name:
Keziah ~ Biblical name. (Name of Job's second daughter after his life was restored.)
