“Are you Ms. Afor?”
“Yes,” I answered hesitantly.
“Ms. Afor, please have a seat in the wheelchair for your safety. We’ve already received the call. We have your room set upand ready for you. Dr. Bloom has also been notified and should be here soon,” she spoke softly wearing a smile.
“I’m sorry, but who called? My water just broke like thirty minutes ago.” I was confused by the sudden attention I was receiving.
“Your brother-in-law, Royce Atkins. If you’ll have a seat, we can get you and baby situated and comfortable,” she said gesturing to the wheelchair behind me.
When my water broke, Royce was the first person I called. He’d somehow become my lifeline and the person I could rely on for male support. He’d become a new father again to their daughter Porsche who looked just like Klarity. It was like she birthed the same baby twice. They made some beautiful kids, there was no denying that. Nonetheless, he stepped in simply because Black couldn’t. I appreciated him being there.
I looked at Toneshia and she gestured to it as well with a lil’ attitude saying what you waiting on. I did so while Nesh carried my bags. We hit the elevator and made our way up to the maternity ward. Once the doors opened for us, I was in awe. It was so nice and warm. The vibes were completely opposite of the ones from the ER.
We bypassed the nurse’s station going down a long hall. We turned the corner one more time where the vibe changed once more. It was another set of doors that required a key card. I grew nervous feeling like this wasn’t the normal routine others went through when it was their time.
“Uhm, excuse me but where are you taking me?” I inquired.
“To your private room. Mr. Atkins has arranged for you and baby to be secluded so you could have a peaceful delivery,” the nurse replied.
“Mean ass just be blowing a bag ‘cause he got it. Don’t decline it though, best friend. This might be what you need. You been stressed a lot lately. At least my godson will bring you somepeace and happiness now. He’ll be a fresh round of dopamine,” Nesh teased.
Being able to hold him would more than likely cure so much within me. I couldn’t wait to hold his tiny body in my arms. That new baby smell was missed. Toneshia hadn’t given me a new baby in a while. I guess it was my turn to hand out the god mommy ticket. I was giving her, my father, and mother the one thing they’d begged me for. The list of important individuals in my life was gaining a member.
Finally entering a room, my eyes grew big as saucers. That room had no business being so big the way it was. There were two beds with one on each side of the room. I immediately assumed one area would be where I’d give birth while the other would be where I’d rest. As we passed by the bathroom, I noticed it was damn near another bedroom. I didn’t need a fuckin’ condo just to give birth. Royce knew he could’ve dialed it back just a little.
“What I tell you? Blowing it just because,” she mumbled.
“Okay, Ms. Afor, if we can get you changed into this gown first, that would be great. Once you’re done, we’ll put you in this bed here.” She pointed to the bed that held all the necessities for delivery on each side of it.
Nodding, I took the gown from her and took that stroll to the bathroom. My contractions had yet to slow down. From the ER to the maternity ward, I’d endured the pain, but it seemed as if it was gradually intensifying. The one that hit me right then had me clutching the metal bar on the wall. I was butter ball and had to pause all activities until the contraction subsided.
Once my body gave me a moment, I slipped on the gown and made my way to the designated bed. I got as comfortable as I could with the nurse putting all kinds of belts across my stomach. Malachi’s strong heartbeat could be heard throughoutthe room causing me and Nesh to react the same way. Tears came to mine within seconds.
“I’m about to join the mommy club, bestie,” I cried.
“I knooowww,” she sang. Her arms were around me giving me a hug that was needed. I’d give this girl everything I had if that meant permanently having her by my side.
“God, how did I get here?” She reared back giving me that look saying I knew how. I chuckled because I indeed knew how. “That’s not what I meant, and you knew it heffa. Like, am I really about to birth a baby boy? Is this my reality?” I was still very much in shock to this day that I let a complete stranger knock me up.
“It is. I’m so happy for you, it’s crazy. Ain’t no more being in that big house by yourself anymore. Finally, you gon’ hear something other you in that thang.”
“Girl, I can’t tell you how glad I am about that. Have you called my mama and daddy? They’ll never forgive me if I give birth to their grandchild and they’re nowhere around,” I questioned.
“I did and they are on the way. Who do you want in here while you pushing?”
“How many can I have?”
“Two. I say have me and Mama Chinara. My spot was solid, so I felt it was only right to give the other to her,” she expressed with a straight face. She was serious about every word she spoke.
“Okay,” I laughed.
“Well, with the private room, as long as they stay on that side of the room, everyone can stay in. You can only have two on this side,” the nurse corrected her.
“Thank you,” I voiced.
Nesh walked away getting comfortable in one of the recliners while the nurse stepped up and began to run down everything from the IV she hooked me up to, to the call bell that sat nextto me. She was very helpful and informative. So far, I had no complaints other than the pain. She checked my cervix to see how far I was dilated.
“Right now, you’re six centimeters. You’ve got four more centimeters to go, but Ms. Afor, when did you go into labor?” she questioned with dipped brows.
