Miracles

Chapter 11

"Me? Mystery girl? Haha, you're kidding right?" I ask Amen with an amused expression.
"No, I'm serious. The guy clearly likes you and he wanted to change for you." He responds.
"Wow!" I smile.
"So do you reciprocate his feelings?" He asks. "You don't need to answer right away I-"
"Yes." I cut him off.
"Woah! That was fast." He smirks and I blush.
I sigh, "So what do I do now?"
"Apologise to him." He simply says. "You might have hurt him. It's the least you can do."
"Thanks for the advice noble knight." I hug him.
"Cadmus is your noble knight, not me." Amen chuckles.
"No, he's my Prince Charming." I blush. From devil to prince. Nice.

I spent the night talking to Amen. He dropped me home around ten pm and I sneaked back in. The place was really quiet.  I checked my brothers' rooms to see if they're in bed but no one was there, not even dad or Charlie.
What's going on? Have they gone out to look for me? 
I walk to the kitchen and spot a hastily scribbled note which says;
Emergency! We're at Dr. Halsey's hospital. Mom is in pain. Come ASAP!

"My eyes widen. Oh, No! Did she poison herself because of me?
"What have I done?" I murmur running my fingers through my hair.
I won't be able to live if that's what happened. I hope nothing bad happens to her.
I rush out of the house into the cool night and board a taxi to the hospital.
I pay the driver and run out of the car.
"Hey, miss. Your change?" The driver shouts.
"Keep it," I shout back.

"Dad?" I call out to him once I reach the reception.
"Eloise, thank goodness." Dad hugs me. "Where were you?"
"What's happening?" I ask.
"We're yet to find out." He responds.
"I pray it's nothing bad. Dad, I don't know what I'll do if she-" I say but dad covers my mouth with his hand shutting me up.
"Nothing bad will happen to her." He assures me.

"Dad, the doctor asked for you," Eli calls. We turn to the doctor quickly.
"What is happening to my wife?" Dad asks desperately.
"It's a cryptic pregnancy." The doctor announces.
"Pregnancy?!" We all say at once. "She didn't even have a baby bump."

"What is cryptic pregnancy?" I ask.
"Cryptic pregnancy is when a woman is unaware that she is pregnant." The doctor explains.
"Charlie? Pregnant? Baby?" Dad pinches himself, smiling widely.
"You're not dreaming dad." I smile and hug him.
"This is a miracle." Dad cries.
"Your wife has some difficulties when it comes to childbirth. She could have lost the child but thankfully, she and the baby are both fine." The doctor says.
"She's just shocked that she has a baby and has been put to sleep. You have a strong wife and a healthy baby girl. I'll let you see her soon. Congratulations sir." The doctor smiles and leaves us.

"Baby girl?" Dad smiles and tears start streaming down his face. I hug him tightly trying to comfort him.
"Finally, we can get rid of Eloise." Elliot high-fives Eli.
"I'm offended." I put a hand on my chest.

We spend time reading more about cryptic pregnancy.
The condition is described as a pregnancy where there is no detectable hCG (Human Chronic Gonadotropin) in the mother's system due to a hormonal imbalance, resulting in an extremely long gestation period, that is typically three to five years. Both urine and blood pregnancy tests will be negative during a cryptic pregnancy.

"Wow! Mom carried a baby for that long without knowing?" I ask no one in particular.
"I guess that explains all the mood swings and weight gain." Dad smiles.

A nurse finally calls us. She lets all four of us in since mom persuaded her to.
"Is this a dream that I'm going to wake up from?" Mom asks smiling at the baby then at us.
"Honey, I've pinched myself several times and have concluded that you have given birth." Dad smiles at mom and the newest family member as he takes her into his arms.
The boys go closer to mom and hug her.
"Thanks for giving us a sister who looks exactly like you."
"Thank God," Mom says.

She smiles at me. I look at her nervously. She gestures for me to come closer. I do so and she hugs me.
"Lo siento mamá (I'm sorry mom). I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have said all that I said earlier, I-I I was sad that you weren't there and I- I'm sorry please forgive me." I cry hugging her tightly.
"I took the pregnancy test and got a negative result. I was very hurt and extra hurt when you said all those things about me cheating but don't worry about it. I'm fine now. I'm with the people who mean the most to me." She rubs my back.
"I'm really sorry. The baby is more important than my teenage drama." I apologize again.
"It's alright." She says. "I hope you learned something from all this."
"Yes, I learned to never ever disrespect anyone and to never judge without knowing the main reason." I pull back and smile at her. 
"I'm glad." She smiles too.

The next day at home, the boys and I clean and decorate a room for Avisha Skylar Stone; that's the name of our newest family member.
Avisha means Gift from God and Skylar means Scholar. We have a Scholar from God in our family. She looks so much like mom. She has bright dark hazel eyes, a mixture of mom, and dad's eye color. She's so cute.

Cadmus. I really need to talk to him. I'm just amazed by how I happen to like him. Who would have thought I would fall for him?
"Are you okay?" Mom asks.
I nod yes but still ask the question which has been bothering me. "Is it possible for two haters to fall for each other?"
"Yes, it's possible. Tell me everything." She smiles at me.
"What about Sky?" I ask.
"She's sleeping and the boys are keeping her company. Now spill." She demands. I chuckle and start talking.

"His name is Cadmus. Our first encounter wasn't so good. He used the b-word on me and I took it as a compliment. I became friends with his sister, who happens to be the reason why I talk to him in the first place. He asked me to help him win a girl's heart. He hasn't told me who the girl is and I feel jealous of her because I happen to like him. Yesterday he said the mystery girl doesn't see that he's changing for her then he kissed my cheek and left." I touch the spot where he kissed and smile.

"Don't you think you're the mystery girl?" Mom asks.
"That's what a friend told me but why would he ask for my help to win my heart?" I ask, confused.
"That's because no one knows you as you do," Mom says and holds my hand. "You are beautiful, brave, intelligent, and above all my baby girl. If you like him and he likes you, I'm permitting you to go for him." She kisses my forehead and stands up.
"I'd like to give him some rules," Mom says. "This isn't the 80s mom." I laugh.
I send Cadmus a short text telling him to meet me at Central Park.

I hope I'm not getting mixed signals.