MR SENSUAL, MISS SASSY

ROBYN.

⚠⚠Sensitive material, read at your own discretion!⚠⚠

I was lying in the hospital bed and Chike was pacing as my favorite song on his album played in the background.

"Mom, tell him to stop pacing," I said to her.

She got up and whispered to Chike. He came to my side and I could see the worry in his eyes, at some point during my pregnancy the baby had been breech. It had been corrected and she was back to the right position, but Chike was still worrying.

Dave sat near the entrance and he was holding a video recorder waiting for the moment to start recording, he had showed up at my hospital room as soon as Chike told him I was in labor. My friends and sister couldn't make it to the labor room because my water broke in the middle of the night. It was dawn already and I was still waiting for my cervix to fully dilate. My mum had decided to spend some weeks with me before my due date, and she and Chike had been around when the contractions started, they'd helped me get to the hospital.

I told Chike to pass me a bottle of water and I opened my mouth as he poured water down my throat. The nurse came in to checked my vitals then went out. I wasn't feeling any pain because Chike had insisted I took epidural immediately I started moaning out in pain as the contractions intensified. He was a bundle of nerve and I squeezed his hand when I heard him sigh.

"It's going to be okay," I said to him.

"I know, sweet face," he said.

He, my mom and Dave were all dressed in barrier gowns, gloves and caps.

"Stop worrying then, she'll be here in your arms soon."

He nodded and took my two hands. The doctor came in thirty minutes later dressed in the full protective gear.

"Are we all doing alright?" Dr. Nasr asked.

"Yes," I said.

Chike squeezed my hands harder when the doctor announced that I was fully dilated.

"Babe, you're hurting me," I said to him and he let go of my hands.

"It's time to push," Dr Nasr said and my mom came closer to coach me.

I slowly breathed in and out and got ready to push. I pushed the first time and broke out in sweat, it felt like my vaginal was on fire. I paused and and took a deep breath then pushed again, I bit on my lips as I pushed harder. Chike was mopping the sweat off my forehead and was saying, 'you can do it'. I just wanted to scream as the contractions got stronger.

"You're doing great, you're so close. I see the head, push harder," Dr. Nasr said.

I pushed harder and Chike held my hand. I smiled a little when it was announced that the head was out. I slowly exhaled as I pushed again, my eyes had been popped to their limits and my lips were sore from accidentally biting on them. I could no longer hear my mom's coaching instructions. I felt so weak, and I just wanted to put my legs back on the bed.

I closed my eyes and Chike said, "Babe, look at me. Just one more, one more time. Babe, you can do it."

I opened my eyes and tears rolled down my face. "Okay," I said and pushed.

I pushed harder, then pushed and pushed again as the doctor and my mom urged me on. The baby eventually came out and I saw the doctor's face come up. Chike was asked to cut the umbilical cord and I gave a tired laugh. I just did the hardest workout of my life.

"A girl," the doctor announced and I smiled.

"You did it," Chike said.

I heard the baby cry out loud and I stretched my hands out to collect my child. She looked red from all the troubles we had gone through, and she was still covered in blood and mucus. I looked into her dark eyes and I was already obsessed with every part of her. The doctor told me to push one last time and the placenta came out.

"I love you," Chike said and he cleaned my face as we watched the baby in my arms.

My mom helped me with my hospital gown and I placed the baby's naked body on my chest, the nurse placed a flannel over her body against the cold air. I positioned her mouth near my breast and she latched on immediately to my nipple.

I looked up and noticed Dave still holding the video camera. I smiled and he smiled back then turned the camera to his face to document that he was smiling. Chike got into bed with me and helped steadied my tired body, we both watched as our baby suckled. The nurse came to take the baby one hour after the skin-to-skin contact.

I was wheeled to a post-partum room after the baby had been weighed, measured and cleaned. She was brought back to my arms and Chike left my side and took off his shirt when it was his turn to connect with the baby. I watched him place her tiny wrapped form on his bare chest when he sat well positioned in the recliner, I closed my eyes as I heard him coo to her.

I had a baby and a husband, my own little family. Things fell into place in the end, and the future was looking brighter than ever.

"What's her name?" my mom ask.

"Robyn Adaeze Orji," Chike answered.