Chapter 4 THE NEWBORN

It's been three months already, and with my MBBS exams in full swing, I managed to navigate through the difficulties, though it hasn't been easy. As soon as I finished my exams, I reached for my phone and saw four missed calls from Mrs. Helen and two from Mrs. Smith. There was a message from Mrs. Helen informing me that Mrs. Smith was in labor. I couldn't believe it. Her scheduled C-section wasn't supposed to happen for another two weeks. My goodness! I hurriedly made my way to the hospital, thankfully it's where I work.

My belly isn't very big, so my clothes still managed to cover it up. But I knew I couldn't hide it much longer, and I'm sure some people might have noticed but pretended not to. I was already formulating a backup plan, just in case something went wrong when my pregnancy was finally out in the open.

When I arrived at the hospital, I quickly made my way to her ward. I asked Mrs. Helen where her husband was because I didn't see him. She informed me that he had left early in the morning for another state for work, and due to the weather conditions, there were no available flights back until tomorrow.

Shortly after, Mrs. Helen received a video call from Mr. Smith. "How is my wife doing?" he asked. "Put her on for me, let me be there with her." He sounded like he was on the verge of tears but was trying to stay strong for his wife. "Sweetheart, how are you holding up? I'm so sorry." He continued, "I've already given the go-ahead for the operation, but the doctor told me you wanted to see me, and until then, you're not going in."

He was talking to his wife, "My love, please don't do this. First things first, I'm the one you're going to see. Don't worry, nothing is going to happen to you, okay? Please listen to your doctor and do it for our baby that's coming and the one waiting for you at home." Mrs. Smith said, "Okay," and immediately the doctor took her in for the delivery.

Mr. Smith kept calling all through the process, and when his wife finally delivered, he was in Maitama at the hospital within the next five hours. The baby was placed in the incubator, and Mrs. Smith was taken back to her ward.

After some time, Mrs. Smith woke up, and her baby was placed in her arms. My goodness, she looked so pretty. Her husband wouldn't let go of both his wife and his newborn daughter. The baby started crying, and Mrs. Smith breastfed her before deciding to get some rest. When the doctor came, they were informed that the baby would be kept in the incubator for about three weeks.

Mr. Smith kept his promise; he showed up before his wife woke up and stayed with her in the hospital. While his wife was feeding their daughter, he thanked her for staying strong and told her he loved her dearly. He emphasized that he wouldn't have it any other way than marrying her. She smiled, too tired to speak, but managed to mouth back, "I love you too."

Their relationship was something truly special, and I was grateful to have met them, witnessing that unconditional love still existed. Mr. Smith mentioned that he was going to step out to let his wife rest, but he assured her he'd be back. It was clear he cared deeply for her well-being.

During my nursing duties, while attending to a patient, I noticed the doctor and some nurses rushing around. I didn't pay close attention to where they were headed as I was focused on my patient. Suddenly, I heard my colleague mention that a patient in Ward 6 was experiencing hemorrhaging. It struck me that this was Mrs. Smith's ward. I asked the nurse what was happening, and she explained that the patient was bleeding excessively. Apparently, Mr. Smith hadn't been told the whole truth, which was why she was so insistent on seeing him before giving birth. The C-section was a 50-50 chance for her, and she knew it.

What? 50-50? What are you talking about?" I heard Mr. Smith's voice, and his face registered shock and pain, as if he was hearing this for the first time. "Please, what are you saying about my wife? No, just no!" he protested, demanding to see his wife.

I was stunned. Mrs. Smith had never mentioned any of this to me. It was my first time hearing it as well.

The revelation about Mr. Smith's reaction left me in a state of disbelief. It seemed evident that he had no prior knowledge of the situation, despite having signed the consent form. I couldn't help but wonder if Mrs. Smith had purposefully kept him in the dark. How did she manage to do it? We had grown close, or so I had thought. I had confided in her fully about my pregnancy, so this discovery left me feeling a mix of shock, sadness, and anger towards myself, and a sense of betrayal towards her.

In that moment, I couldn't help but question if Mrs. Helen was aware of the truth. Could she have known and chosen to keep it to herself? The thought crossed my mind that she might have confided in someone, anyone, about this delicate matter.

I want to see my wife!" Mr. Smith shouted, growing increasingly agitated.

"Sir, please try to understand. You can't see her right now," a doctor tried to explain.

"What do you mean I can't see her? Presently, the doctors are attending to her," the doctor replied, trying to convey the urgency of the situation.

Finally, the doctors emerged from the room. "Sir, can I have a word with you in my office?" one of them asked.

Mr. Smith's eyes widened with fear. "No, no, no," he repeated, clearly not wanting to leave the hallway. "Doctor, just tell me what you need to say here so I can see my wife."

The doctor insisted, but Mr. Smith was resolute in staying where he was. "How is my wife?" he asked anxiously.

The doctor took a deep breath, bracing himself for the difficult task ahead. "I am deeply sorry to say this, but we lost her."

Mr. Smith's initial reaction was disbelief. He let out a shaky laugh, unable to process the devastating news. "Doctor, don't be ridiculous. You said what? No, it can't be. She was just fine a few minutes ago."

The doctor tried to gently remind Mr. Smith that he had signed the form, indicating that he understood the risks involved. But Mr. Smith, tears streaming down his face, continued to protest. "No, no, no, it can't be. Khloe cannot leave me like that," he choked out. Khloe was his wife's name. "My wife can't leave me like that. She has her baby waiting for her at home."

As I stood nearby, the weight of the situation pressed down on me, and I started to feel light-headed. The next thing I knew, someone was urgently calling out for help, their voice filled with panic.

I found myself on a hospital bed, finally awake. It all seemed like a bad dream, but reality came crashing back when I saw Mr. Smith with swollen eyes, clear signs that he had been crying. Then, a doctor approached me. It was Dr. Lando, the friend of Mrs. Smith with whom I had attended my antenatal appointments. He asked how I was feeling, and I was momentarily confused. Obviously, I wasn't feeling good. I had just lost someone so dear to me.

You have to be strong, okay? For yourself," he said gently. "We tried everything in our power to save the baby."

Wait, what was he talking about? The news hit me like a sudden wave, and I struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

I was in shock. "Sorry, doctor, what are you talking about?" I asked, hoping against hope that I had misunderstood.

He looked at me with a sympathetic expression and gently said, "You had a miscarriage. I'm truly sorry to have to tell you this."

My heart sank. I instinctively touched my belly, as if to reassure myself that it couldn't be true. But reality hit hard – my baby was gone. I couldn't hold back the tears; they flowed freely as I tried to process the devastating news. It felt like all the bad things had happened in a single, crushing day, taking away the people I cherished the most.