His greatest love.

Chapter 24.

Gio paced outside the hallway for about thirty minutes when Dr Malik raced to him.

"How is she??" Dr Malik said worried as he caught a breath.

"I don't know they haven't said anything to me!!" Gio said trying to control his agitation.

"And the baby?? "

"I've just checked on her she's okay. The doctor said once the mother is stable they'll bring her to the room with her."

Dr Malik walked away either way to go see the baby leaving him there silently recognizing the unfamiliar pain his heart was going through with the fear of loosing Diana. He knew exactly what he needed to do to win her heart over but he saw the baby. She was the prettiest tiny human being he'd ever seen. He had taken the father milestones in her life already without him even having biological claims on her. Cutting the umbilical cord, holding her tiny body against his muscular body was the best feeling he had ever had. He had never considered the thought of being a father to anyone but at that moment he wished more than anything that it was his baby in his arms. The thought of him and Diana having a baby together relaxed his thoughts. He was going to be for that baby what his father had not been for him but first things first, he had to prove to Diana that he is worthy enough to be a father to her baby. This is the only way to make her fall in love with him.

Suddenly the doctor stepped outside and he was on alert.

"How is she Doc??" Gio said as the doctor approached him.

"She had a few after birth complications but she's stable, " The doctor said calmly.

"Thank God!!" Gio said relief flooding his body.

"We've started her on some fluids so she'll be fine."

"What made her pass out earlier??"

"Fatigue, it's not easy to push out a baby. She had been nursing a migraine that flared up during labour. We are closely monitoring her because she's in active risk of hemorrhaging so keep an eye out... Incase of anything let us know."

"Can she die from it?"

"Not if it's caught early... Excuse me.." The doctor said before leaving.

He stood against the door frame and watched as the nurses did their job until they were done. He stepped inside as they left and shut the door behind them. He pulled a chair beside her and sat down holding on to her hand placing light kisses on it.

"Don't you have a home??" She said in almost a whisper and he smiled against her hand.

"A house, yes! A home not so much," He said calmly placing gentle kisses on her hand.

"Either way you have a bed so why are you here??"

"I want to be here."

"You shouldn't be here..."

"But I am, "

"You should go..." She said and he sat on the bed beside her realizing the whole time they were talking her eyes we're closed. He couldn't understand how even after such a crazy moment she would still look so breathtaking.

"You wanted me to stay earlier..."

"Thank you for that but I don't want to keep you here anymore so you go home!!"

"Wow... Even when you are physically drained you won't stop pushing me away!!"

"Whatever floats your boat..."

"Am not leaving you and we're not having this discussion!! Besides the doctor said you were at risk of hae.. hermo..." He playfully struggled to recall the name of the condition and she chuckled lightly finally opening her eyes gently to look at him.

"Postpartum Hemorrhage..." She said as she chuckled lightly.

"That's the one!!" He said and she laughed lightly. "It is a serious word you know..."

"Yes of course!!"

"I never liked Biology,"

"Oh yeah?? What did you like then??"

"Am more of Math and Business!!"

"And I am not surprised,"

"Why?? Because I have a firm??"

"Naah not really..."

"Tell me!! "

"That's my secret."

"Oh wow!!" He said as they laughed.

"You know it's four in the morning..."

"I didn't notice."

"You should rest you kn–" She said when suddenly there was a knock at the door and Dr Malik walked in pushing a baby bed with some nurse following in.

"I bring in Baby Mariana Pierce!!" Dr Malik said and a smile lit up her face as she struggled to sit straight.

"I got you babe," Gio said helping her sit straight.

"My baby... " She said happily as Doctor Malik gave her the baby.

"Thank God she looks like you!!" Dr Malik said silently and she chuckled lightly.

"I wanna feed her sooo..." She said and Dr Malik covered her chest and she started feeding the baby.

"How are you feeling??" Dr Malik said calmly.

"Tired honestly, the painkillers kicked in so am just tired... How was your surgery??"

"I would have you know, I flawlessly repaired a valve like the master that I am... " Dr Malik said gloating as she chuckled lightly.

"Master you say..." She said mockingly turning to Gio who hadn't stopped looking at her like she was the only person that mattered. "Did he just call himself a master??!" She said laughing looking back at Dr Malik.

"You might be the best of the best in the world but guess what mama bear..." Dr Malik said mockingly holding on to his stethoscope.

"What??!" She said narrowing her eyes at him.

"I will do surgeries for the next three months while you are changing diapers!!"

"No you didn't!!"

"Yes I did!!!"

"Stupid fool you don't know who you're going up against!!" She said chuckling lightly turning to Gio who was now typing something on his phone. The conversation went on for a while until the baby fell asleep. Gio placed him on the baby bed as Dr Malik was paged away. She watched as Gio quietly changed the baby's diaper and putting her back to sleep gently.

"Where did you learn all that??" She asked silently after he put the baby to bed.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you!!" He said smiling lightly.

"Try me!!" She said calmly and he sat on the bed beside her gently rubbing on her hand.

"So I had a girlfriend in my say....early, very early youth who one day walked into my dad's house and said I got her pregnant!! I was forced to stay with her and take care of her until she gave birth... Best believe when she gave birth it was always me with the baby until we confirmed that the child was never mine to begin with!!" He said calmly and she laughed lightly careful not to wake the baby.

"Baby trapped!!!" She said laughing lightly.

"The relief of not being a father to someone at that time was the best feeling..!"

"I bet it was!!"

"But now am a grown man, things are different."

"Now they are different??"

"Yes!! I want to show you how!!" He said maintaining eye contact with her. "I really want to be in you and baby Mariana's life... Just let me... " He said lightly as he leaned in to kiss her, "Let me be yours..." He whispered against her lips before kissing her slowly and gently yet with so much emotion and passion.

In that moment,

Nothing mattered.

Just the two of them.

And the baby that was sound asleep.