AKINWALE

It was wet, warm and slimy; he swam around with great cheer. This had been his home for eleven months now. The commotion that had been going on for the past two weeks are more persistent this day. “I wonder what that this means” he thought to himself. A strange force kept pulling him down and the noise from outside was getting louder. There was hullabaloo in and out.

“Nothing is going to move me from my home, nothing!” he said to himself.

The room had a touch of class previously ascribed to private hospitals. The walls were beautifully designed with a gentle assurance to claim even the greatest fears and the room was spotless. Not a cobweb in sight. The new government had been true to their promises. There was transformation in many sectors; the air-conditioning was silently saying it got to the hospitals as well.

There were tears in her eyes. She had been in there for four hours. The nurses kept telling them it wasn’t time. The initial composure and confidence had giving way under the back-wrenching pangs. She looked into Mymar’s eyes for the first time in over year “Are you sure I can do this? I am scared.” Mymar squeezed her hands and reassured her, “You are strong woman, you can do this. Be strong.”

Mymar was her childhood friend. They did everything together. They went to the same schools, lived in the same neighbourhood and even planned to get married on the same day. It would have been if that lewd fellow had not left her at the final minute. What a wicked world! It’s nine years since that ugly incidence, Mymar had stood by her and here she is again showing how good a friend she is.

Some would have castigated her after she came with a rounded belly with no father to claim it but not Mymar. She had wished her friend left her after the pregnancy. She felt she deserved to be alone! She had done some terribly things when they were younger, she never forgave herself.

“Maybe God is punishing me.” She said. The tears began to pour out as she spoke in unsteady voice “I wish I have a husband”. Mymar bent low to hug her, 

“All will be well.”

She continued to writ I pain. She shouted louder and louder. Mymar held her more firmly rubbing her back with her palms.

The nurse came in to examine her, “she’s at full dilation” she announced. She 

showed Mymar the door as she pressed the bell.

 “Be strong my friend, be strong”, she said with a confidence that showed reassurance and experience.

………………………………

It’s been two hours and no word has been heard from inside. Mymar’s husband had arrived; she was so relieved though surprised to see him. She held on to his silk shirt wetting it with her tears.

“That’s why I have come” he said, as if answering the deep question in her heart.

“I know she is family to you.”

He held her close and pressed her head on his chest as if cuddling a baby. “She will be fine.”

“She’s been long overdue and the delivery is taking too long. I’m scared!” she held him tighter.

He said in a low voice, “I know, God is in control.”

He guided her to the sofa in the waiting room. He began to tell her of their next door neighbor who had bought a car. She listened with slight attention as she focused on the tag on the door which read, “Delivery Room. Do not enter.” 

Thoughts of her own experiences in similar rooms began to fold her mind. She knew that deliveries required the mercy of God. She mumbled a few words of prayer.

She glanced at Bryan who was now at sleep. He had been so supportive; he had come to appreciate her friend as part of the family. Only a few men would tolerate the numerous late calls she made to her house. Initially he was skeptical but time changes everything. She planted a kiss on his cheek and whispered “You are a good man.”

It was now dark and silent. The sound of speeding cars on the road had faded off into the night. Not a sound could be heard from the delivery room, she pressed her ear to the door. “If I didn’t know better I would have thought there was no one in there” she said to Bryan who had joined her at the door.

There was a clank on the door. The doctor came out. Her face was as straight as a bird. She glanced at both of them and finally settled on Mymar, 

“Congratulations! Mother and Child are alive and well.”

Now smiling she said, “You have a beautiful boy. You should be able to see them in a few minutes.”

Mymar broke down in tears, “Thank God! O! Thank God!”

***

It’s the morning of the naming. She had insisted on having the naming at six am. The moon was almost completely gone. It was chilling, the cold harmattan wind still found its way into the sealed sitting room.

Brother Jim motioned for all to sit after the prayers, “We thank God for the weather, and everything is working together for the good of this pure and sinless child.”

“Pure and sinless!”

Those words kept ringing in Mymar ears; it was the crux of the sermon. She couldn’t help but notice the shared stolen glances between Bryan and Anthonia. She wondered if the father of the baby would have accepted her had he know the baby is a boy. “If I were him I would! It’s hard to get boys these days.” She said to herself.  Mymar had three girls already and they had agreed not to have more children. She wished she had a boy. “Maybe we can try one more time.”

When it was over, Mymar carried Akinwale in her hands. “Pure and sinless baby; so cute!” She said as she brushed his cheeks with the back of her index finger. “I wonder if your mum knows you share my husband’s third name.”

Bryan got up to leave. He presented the brown envelop to Anthonia and began to mumble some words to her. Mymar looked at the child in her hand. He bore very little resemblance to the mother; her mind had been picking similarities between Akinwale and Bryan. The baby opened his eyes. He had brown eyes just like Bryan’s.

Her hands began to shake, water was filling her eyes.

“It can’t be!” she said out loud.

Everyone in the room turned to her. There was silence.

Author’s Note.

Trust is a precious quality. It is very costly. The one in whom you trust can make or mar you. In Bible book of Judges Chapter 16, Samson the strong man of Israel placed his trust in the laps of Delilah and his hair was shaved. Psalm 118:8 says “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man”. It is a true saying that “the best of men are but men”. Wouldn’t you rather put your trust in God?

Love everyone,

Be kind to all,

Trust God only.