Four weeks down the road, Rachael had attained her health and was absolutely in good physical and mental conditions.
Rachael was hating Maya's delay.
"We are late" she said
"Surely we are, let's get moving" Maya supplemented, He had developed intense love for the baby and usually reminded his wife to pay it a visit in the hospital. Dr Deo Do's was there to take care of the baby. He had instructed the couple to go back home as the baby continued to gasp for a maneuver while in the incubator machine.
On reaching the ward, the baby moved its hands as if in a sense of approval that it was already aware of it's parent's presence.
He remembered the story of his own mother about his past. His mother had been very happy she had said. Maya had even looked to be happier than his mother. He had moved his hands heavenly when he had his mother speak.
"He is greeting us " Maya blissfully said
"She's struggling for life" Rachael interjected in a worrisome tone, Maya couldn't understand if for the baby, or continuous reminder that it was female.
"She is already a person now" the doctor reminded, "she has every thing required for survival on her own" . As if the doctor would say nothing else, "the reason why you are picking her the next week".
Their happiness was skeptical, they had expected to go back with the baby that very day. Maya smiled to the doctor in expression of appreciation.
"You can now open and touch the baby". Maya hurriedly attempted to open.
" cautionary" came the emphatic directives from Rachael.
The baby reacted differently to the touch of Rachael,
"Maya?", it made Maya inquisitive.
" The mothers touch, she has been with her for Seven months, she still remembers her body feeling and texture" the doctor explained.
Maya stood in awe reminding himself of how he had Carried the sperms that had fused to form Kevin for his lifetime, wasn't this good enough for this baby to remember his body texture. It was a stupid argument he couldn't raise to anybody, most especially a person like Dr Deo Do's with all his experience and seniority in biology.
He had attained a scholarship in Oxford university where he had attained he's Masters degree in Medicine and surgery. He was a man with all moral authority to talk about medicine in general and science issues in particular.
At the time of biding farewell to the doctor, Maya and Rachael had gained a lot of hope that the baby would continue to live.
"Why are you crying?", Maya asked while the car left the hospital's paved courtyard for the road. Rachael couldn't say a word, so nostalgic at the moment, gasping to catch a breath.
"Maya I can't believe we tried to end Kevin's life!"
Maya instantly brought the car to a halt amidst the fleet on the road.
" Rachael, forget that" Maya said remorsefully "every one wrongs, you remember when Jesus instructed those who had never sinned to cast a stone at the adulterous woman, no one did" as if by this act, Jesus had declared sinning as something okay.
However, though the source of Comfort to Rachael, Maya was himself haunted by this ugly past, tears were involuntarily rolling down his cheeks.
The alarms from the fleet behind Mayas car were increasing now, with all the drivers carrying dismissive looks on there red faces, throwing all obscenities to the ape on court. Maya's hands reached for the hand brake and they moved on. The rest of the intercourse in the car was casual and jovial.
The months had receded to hours now. Rachael had never settled until she would carry her baby on her laps and breast feed her. Could she even breastfeed? was the question in her mind. The day was at hand, Kevin had to be picked from the hospital.
Maya drove above his speed limits, he had made it lucid to every passenger that he didn't drive above 80km/hr. On a contrary Maya this time round ranged between 130km/hr to 180km/hr. The matter that attested his presence was more than urgent. Rachael had several times prayed to him to reduce speed, but he had only peddled the accelerator and seemed to have forgotten all about this.
"Thank God we have reached safely" Rachael folded her palms in front of her chest, as if a sign of reverence to God.
She grinned
Maya stared at her and she looked similar to a caricature on Madam Jeanie's sweater. She had been his English teacher. It smiled while it carried a billboard with an inscription YOU CANT READ ME. They surely couldn't and had several times wondered its sarcastic smile.
"Wait for me" Rachael said a she hastened up her glides to catch up with him. All her efforts were vain. His strides were so masculine. Within 30 seconds, Maya had reached Mulago lobby.
"Good evening sir ", the receptionist greeted with a smile from ear to ear. She was a demur young lady of arguable beauty. Her teeth were as white as a clear sky and reflected the sun rays on sunny days. Her plump, round face rendered her a nymphet She was hesitant to smiling though, she had lost her front pair of teeth in a scuffle with her father who had tried to rape her years back.
Soon after she had realised that she had smiled, she covered her mouth in vain attempts to hide her teeth gaps that had already been seen.
" How may I help you please? ", she asked.
" Can we talk to Doctor Deo Dos?", Rachael answered.
"Do you have an appointment with him?"
"She won't help us Rachael" Maya moved to the staircase up to the ward in which baby Kevin slept. Rachael followed him as they both complained about the " incompetent toothless lady".
"You are welcome please" the doctor had awaited them in the ward. "good morning" he added
"Good morning doctor" the couple replied simultaneously. They looked at each other and then offered a long cryptic smile.
"Its explainable" the doctor gasped, "its happiness, come and carry her"
Rachael couldn't Wait to her prime touch of healthy baby, it really looked healthy
"Go slow", the doctor was concerned by what looked to be fatal speed.
" Hmmm eee she's kicking" Rachael astonishingly said.
"She is very normal now" the doctor said, "but" he hesitated to continue, the happiness on his face was not enough. He owed them the life of their daughter, he had to be happier than he was. This happiness had receded the more, his small face only depicted his seriousness and pity.
Why is he like this? He must be happier Maya thought.
"But what doctor?" Maya inquisitively stared at the eyes of the medic.
"Nothing" the doctor thought it was wrong time to bring down the happiness of family that has been very sad with his medical observations.
"Nothing, never mind"
"Doctor tell us please" Maya demanded.
"Okay first bring her" the daughter accordingly decided to spill out a secret to them, a secret he had himself kept for two months as the baby fought with life in the incubator, he had hoped for changes in this, but as an experienced medic, he as of now saw no hope of reversing this by this couple.
"The baby was affected by the abortion chemicals" the doctor sorrowfully stated, "she therefore is going to be diagnosed with cancer in a few years, and she won't live for so long" he stared at them and added "sorry, but she will have few years on earth"
Maya felt the top parts of his toe nails freezing, as if placed in a drum of freeing water, Rachael's heart slapped her chest, pumping at a terribly abnormal rate. The doctor's statement had extinguished all the happiness in them, like non oxygenated water turns out fire. The chemical had not only stopped at ending Rachael's conception ability but had affected the baby as well. She would die soon, and yet Rachael couldn't conceive again.
"What's the solution doctor?" Maya asked.
Rachael had already burst into loud whips that seemed so horrific to the little thing she now carried in her arms. It started to cry louder than her as if in competition with her.
Maya embraced Rachael and hugged her, he had been culpable for these health hazards both to his child and his wife. If he hadn't advised Rachael the wrong way, this would have no ground to happen. He seemed to have a catalogue of problems about which he was responsible.
Rachael held his hand and caressed it, as if in repayment of the price of Comfort earlier given to her.
"This is normal" even with no attempts of abortion babies are diagnosed with cancer " reminding them that theirs was an exception. All his efforts went futile. What could they do about this?, obviously nothing. The doctor's explanation was definite. "The child would be diagnosed with cancer in years to come". They had a task, to learn how to live with this baby though excruciatingly.
There was dead silence in the car as the couple drove down the Makerere streets. The baby seemed to have already known the mood of it'd parents. It didn't cry, smile or even say a word in its language. The baby could keep in this for long, as the couple reached the Makerere street lights, the baby clenched its jaws, as if choked by a scream down its throat. It gave a very loud cry, as if in plea for its parents' attention. It was a hero whose heroism had to be recognized what ever the situation. Rachael pulled out her breast the African way and the baby begun to suckle vigorously as it swung both its arms and legs.
" Haa haa, she is tickling me"
"Simply because its your first time to breastfeed" Maya explained.
The baby's cry had changed the entire mood in the vehicle.
That night, the baby was placed in the middle of the couple, though it was out of his making, Maya was regretful. He had not known that this would be a curtailment to their romantic relationship. They couldn't make love before it slept. They looked to have slept before it slept. Making love that night was put to an immediate suspension.
Dedication to Kato Shanon, big up brother your efforts do not go unappreciated.
