With heart pounding, Alice pulls out of her house. Then she beckons the security man who is about to close the gate.
She winds down and tells him, “When you are through with the food, wash the plates and drop them on the rack near the kitchen door.” “Thank you madam. God bless you,” the security man responds. As Alice drives a few metres from her house, she feels a twitching pain around her lower abdomen and her heart misses a beat.
She slows down. As she drives slowly towards the estate gate, she feel a cramp in her hips. She brings the SUV to a halt in front of a supermarket, alights and enters the shop. “Alice!” The owner calls out. She lives within the estate. Alice walks towards her. “Good evening Betty.
Been a while,” Alice says. “Yeah. How are you doing? Haven’t seen your husband for sometime now. Guess he travelled. He should be around you now. Going by the shape of your stomach, it’s obvious you are getting close to your DD,” Betty says, moving close to her. “James is out of town but he’ll be back soon. I want to pick a bottle of cold drink.
I’m actually on my way out,” Alice says, moving to one of the fridges. She feels the cramp again and stops momentarily, until the pressure eases on her right thigh area. She picks some bottles of cold drinks. She waves at the shop owner and moves quickly to the checkout counter. In her car, she does a quick calculation and decides she should get back home, return the soup she left in the sink to the freezer and go straight to the hospital. Her already packed bag has been in her car for close to a week now.
Like the Boy’s Scout, she’s been ready for emergency! She drives back home, does last minute checks and is back on the road in less than half an hour. She needs to talk to someone. Kiki is in the hospital. Should she call James? He could be sleeping…Dave? She is yet to know why he seems upset at her. She dials James’ number and it doesn’t connect. She tries Dave’s and it rings. Well, whatever may be the problem, Dave is the father of her unborn baby, and Dave she will call to tell that it seems his baby is set to arrive the world.
The signs are unmistakable. She has read up every literature on pregnancy she could lay her hands on. Her call to Dave rings out the first time. She puts it on auto redial and concentrates on her driving. ***** “Your wife’s blood pressure is high but there’s no cause for alarm,” the doctor tells the two men. “Is she in labour?” Dave asks. The doctor, noncommittal, says, “She’s due.”
“Let’s go see her,” Dave says. Kathryn turns on the bed as the door opens. Shocked to see her hubby and James led by the doctor, she gasps, “How did you know I’m here? James called you?” James face turns ashen. “You can see she’s okay. We’ll observe her for some hours. If labour persists, it’s okay. The nurse will be looking in at short intervals,” the doctor says and excuses himself. Dave’s phone has been ringing. He checks it and drops it in his pocket. It rings nonstop. “How could James have called me?
Is he the doctor?” Dave asks Kathryn. “She must be hallucinating. Pregnant women are full of surprises,” James says, trying to steer Dave’s mind from Kathryn’s blunder. “Are you okay, my love? Why didn’t you call me? I was almost out of my mind. Your phone was switched off. What happened?
You should have called me to take you to the hospital. How are you doing?” Dave is all over Kathryn. “I’m okay sweetheart. The pain started on the way and my phone battery was down,” Kathryn says weakly.
She has almost fainted on realising how close she’s been to giving herself away.
“Why not pick your phone? The ringtone is giving me headache,” she tells her husband, wishing he would step out of the room. She needs to know how Dave knew she is in the hospital and what James has told him.
“Oh…ok. It’s a business call,” Dave says without thinking, wondering why Alice is calling him nonstop. “Then pick it,” she tells him, praying the call will be long enough to give her enough time to get herself together.
She shifts a bit on the bed to get a clear view of James’ face. Somehow, she will glean enough from James’ facial expression to have an idea of what Dave knows.
“Okay, I’ll take the call outside,” Dave says, stepping out…mercifully! “What did you tell him? Where did you meet him? I almost fainted when I saw you two here,” Kathryn blabs immediately the door closes behind Dave.
“I didn’t let anything out. Told him I came to see the doctor. Don’t know whether he believes though…” James says, barely above a whisper. They both let out a deep breath.
****
The phone must have rang more than eight times. All calls from Alice! What does she want?
After using me! But did she? Having known Alice as a young girl and now as an adult, something tells him Alice is not capable of what his mind is accusing her of.
They have discussed her childless state, she had shown him results of her numerous medical tests and not once did she suggest that her husband could be infertile. Moreover, if James just got to know, how would she have known? And James was supposed to have fathered kids by another woman! The phone rings again, jarring into his thoughts. “Now, what is the meaning of all this? Do you want to drain my phone’s battery?”
He barks into the phone without thinking. No response. He checks the phone. It’s obvious Alice is on the other end. “Hello….hello,” he says, voice mellowed. “Hello,” Alice says, tears in her voice. It tugs at Dave’s heart. What’s the problem dear?” He asks gently. “I think I’m in labour,” she replies and Dave’s heart does a flip flop. “Holy Moses!” He exclaims. “How do you know? Where are you. James is here in the hospital with us. He will come and get you while I stay with my wife,” he says.
“I’m on my way to the hospital already. I’m driving,” Alice says. “Driving? No, lemme come and get you…no…Oh my gosh! I’m so confused,” he says. “Listen, you stay in the hospital. How will you explain to James that you left him in the hospital and came to pick me?
I will be okay. Just wanna let you know,” she says calmly. Dave feels she’s too calm. Phew! What’s happening? Are the two women having their babies, his babies, the same day? Can he bear the emotional strain of watching the two women he loves go through labour at the same time? This is plain torture. He wishes his mom is alive.
At a time like this, only a mother understands! He longs for his mother. He walks back into the hospital but his mind is far from being at rest. **** “Alice is in labour and is on her way here,” he announces. Kiki and James stare at him, disbelief on their faces. “Joke of the century!” James declares.
“No joke here. She called. Your line is not going through. Kiki’s phone is dead so she called me and I told her we’re all here,” Dave says calmly. “And you left her to drive here? You should go bring her. How could you let her come here all alone?”
Kathryn says, looking her husband straight in the eye. “I offered to go pick her and she refused. But you drove yourself here. You haven’t killed me for not being around to take you to the hospital. Really, we have strong women these days,” Dave says, turning to James who blanches. As if on cue, Kathryn let’s out a scream. The labour pain is here. They rush off to get the doctor.
**********
Are Dave’s children coming on the same day? What happens to James?
You won’t know if you don’t join me here on Sunday!
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