HEREMAKONO ( AWAITING HAPPINESS )

Chapter Twenty. Part One

Abdullah and his mom sat worriedly outside the door of the ICU. Nnadia had been rushed in about an hour ago but to him, it felt like forever. Restless and scared to the core, Abdullah got up to pace in front of the door. 

" Relax, son, she will be fine Insha Allah. Let's just continue to pray." His mom said. 

" Why won't they allow me inside? I need to know that she's fine. I... I need to be by her side." He said, recalling the scared expression on Nnadia's face when he had carried her in his arms. The fear in her eyes was so intense that Abdullah had to push his own fear aside just to soothe hers. 

" Don't be afraid, everything will be fine. I'm here right?  I'll take you to the hospital and all the pain will go away. I promise you, my love." He had told her calmly. Even though they had just been in the worst fight their marriage has ever faced, he felt her relax a bit by his words. 

The sound of the door opening broke Abdullah out of his thoughts. Just then, the doctor came out and both mother and son rushed to meet him. 

" Doctor. My wife." Abdullah paused with fear and anxiety. " My wife and my child." He started speaking again but the doctor cut in. 

" Calm down. They're all doing fine. You are lucky to have brought her own time. Her pregnancy is twenty-six weeks and she was going into early labor. The children wouldn't have survived." The doctor said. 

" Children?" Both Abdullah and his mom asked at the same time. 

" Yes." The doctor replied. " I just did a sonogram and your wife is having twins. A boy and a girl to be precise."

" Twins," Abdullah muttered to himself. Still not believing his luck. First, his wife was fine and now she was going to give him two kids when he was only expecting one. 

" Allahu akbar. Mom,  I'm so happy." Abdullah said, taking his mom in an embrace. When he released her, he turned and shook hands with the doctor who was grinning at him. 

" Thank you, doctor, thank you so much for giving me such good news." He said excitedly. 

" You're welcome. But please take very good care of her. Make her eat and rest on time. And she must not undergo any form of stress." The doctor replied. 

" I'll be extra careful this time around. Can I go see her now?" Abdullah asked impatiently. 

" Of course." The doctor replied. 

Without further ado, Abdullah and his mom rushed in. 

" I still can't believe that she is carrying twins mom." He said, still stunned for words. 

" Well, I'm sure it's you who gave her twins to carry." His mom replied in a teasing manner, and Abdullah chuckled shyly. 

His happiness soon died down a little the moment his gaze fell on Nnadia's pale face. Her eyes were shut but one could still tell how unwell she is. He quickly rushed to her bedside as his heartbeat accelerated in fear once more. 

" Oh, my baby girl. She looks so weak. She has been through a lot today." His mom said pitifully. 

" Mommy," Nnadia said, slowly opening her eyes. 

" How are you feeling, baby." Abdullah and his mom said in chorus. 

" Alhamdulillah. The pain has stopped. I just feel tired." Nnadia replied weakly. The physical pain, she though. Not the one in my heart that will never heal. 

" Thank God." Her mother in law sighed from relief. 

" Please don't ever scare me like this again. I would have died if anything happened to you." Abdullah said, taking her hand in his. When she realized what he was doing, she withdrew her hand abruptly from his hold. Abdullah felt bad but he did not let it show. Not when they had so much to be happy about. Instead, he caressed her face lovingly and spoke. " The doctor said that we are having twins. I'm so overjoyed, I don't know what to do."