Chapter 2

" You are finally awake"

" Yes, thank you for coming"

" It's okay. It's part of the job"

" So mmh.. how long have I been here?"

"Around 28 hours give or take. Is there something I can help you with?"

" So what was the problem?"

" You were severely dehydrated so we had to give you fluids" She explained.

" Oh! Thank you. Are the people who brought me here around?"

"Ah! Yes, they are outside the hospital waiting for a text from me. The woman didn't want to stay here as she hates hospitals. So they opted to wait in a restaurant nearby" she rambled on.

" Can you text them? I would like to see them" I requested.

" Sure no problem. Do you need anything else?"

" No am okay for now ,thank you"

She took out her phone and sent a quick text to Zuri, I assume. She put her phone back in her pocket and left the room quickly, leaving me alone again. Alone with my dark thoughts. I didn't want to think ,I needed a distraction.

While I waited for Zuri and John, I took my phone from the table and started looking through my texts and calls. No missed calls, no texts. Basically no one was looking for me. I felt so lonely and alone at the thought.

I was always surrounded by people and when I was not, it felt different, more lonely. I never had a problem of being on my own before. In fact I craved the silence but now all I wanted was to be surrounded by people and the noise that came with them.

One, two, three, four.... I kept my mind busy by counting. I preferred counting to analyzing my thoughts and feelings. I was already emotionally exhausted as it is. I had no further energy to channel into what I felt or what I didn't feel.

I heard a soft knock on my door.

" Come in" I responded quickly almost cheerful to finally have some company.

The person behind the door hesitated before they opened the door. The door opened to reveal Zuri wearing different clothes. I suppose she had to go home ,take a bath and change her clothes at some point before she came here. Her left hand was securely placed on her baby bump.

She came in and settled on the sofa near the bed. She looked tired and frustrated.

" What's up with you?" I asked puzzled by her behavior.

" The baby has been kicking all night. She or he wouldn't let me sleep"

" The joys of motherhood. That is like a taste of what will happen once they are out of your body"

" I didn't think that far"

" Ooh honey, you are pregnant and you didn't think that far?"

" Hell yea, you know those tiktoks with like a mom and a small baby, they are the cutest with the matching clothes. I thought it was easy based on those videos."

" Ha! Ha! Ha!" I clutched my belly as I laughed out loud.

" Stop laughing it's not funny" she pouted.

" Of course it's funny ,as a matter of fact it's hilarious. Those are just videos, not to mention they are heavily edited."

"So?"

"So, you won't see the child creating a fuss because he doesn't want to be dressed or maybe they are being changed for the thousandth time because they have diarrhea."

" Do you have something against kids?" She asked watching me closely like a hawk.

" No I have absolutely nothing against kids. They are the cutest ,that is until they are not. All I want to know is if you are prepared for the responsibility a child comes with?"

We have been best friends for a few years and I like to think that we know each other like the back of our hands. This pregnancy came as a shock to me. Of course I was happy for them, but at the same time I was concerned for her.

This was the first relationship she has stayed for this long and she was actually in love. All the other relationship she would dump the guy if she didn't like something and moved on. I was afraid that she was not ready for a child. She had not thought it through completely as it seemed.

" I know raising a child is a lot of work. But I have John to help me out and we can hire a nanny if I feel overwhelmed"

I was wrong for the first time ever. Maybe she had given it a lot of thought. She sounded ready. I just hoped she was not trying to convince me as much as herself.

" That's great, having a nanny is not a bad idea. She will help when you need to take naps and other things mothers do" I smiled thinking of her as a mother. Who would have thought that she would be the first one between us to get pregnant.

" I was talking about a nanny one day in the office and some women started saying it's a sign of laziness"

That statement seemed to have struck a nerve as she looked sad and afraid. Being the best friend, I had to cheer her up even if I was the one who needed cheering.

" Fuck those women!"

" What??"

" Fuck those women. Zuri it's okay to need help. And it's wonderful that you are already thinking about it. You are a woman with so many responsibilities, you will need all the help you can get" I assured her.

" But it's true though ,I will seem lazy in their eyes" her eyes were staring at the ground while she nervously caressed her tummy.

I didn't think that statement would affect her that much. Normally she would never let anything put her down, so this was new territory for us. Possibly it was the hormones amplifying her insecurities which was perfectly normal.

" You will be an awesome mum. Don't worry about anyone else except for you and your beautiful baby. The rest of us don't matter . Okay?" I insisted.

I raised my hand towards her so that she can come closer. She came closer and sat on my bed away from my legs. I needed to know what happened after I left. As humiliated as I still felt, I needed to know everything.

" So what happened after I fainted?" I asked nervously.

" We don't have to talk about that"

" No! I need to know" I insisted.

She took my hands in hers and softly tapped on them. This was going to be bad, I could sense it.

" When you fainted, there was a lot of commotion that Marcus himself came down from the stage to find out how he could help"

Jesus! He saw me like that. What the hell was wrong with me? Wasn't I humiliated enough?

" When he saw it was you, he was shocked and he hesitated only for a minute before he took you in his arms and rushed you to his car" she stated

" What....what do you mean his car?"

" Could you stop interrupting me while I tell you the story. " She gave me a serious look.

I took a deep breath in and out before I motioned for her to continue.

" John and I tried to take you from his hands but he glared at us. So we didn't ask again and shut our mouths. He told us to follow his car with our own. He drove you here and had you admitted" she finished.

" And why would he do that?" I asked because I genuinely had no explanation for his behavior.

" I don't know Zee. I don't why he does the things he does" she resigned.

" Why would he save me? He hated me"

" Zee I wish you could have seen his face. He was so worried about you that he left his girlfriend on the stage alone"

" Why would he do that?"

" That I don't know my love" she whispered.

His actions always had a way to confuse me. He never did what was expected of him. The last time he looked at me, he broke my heart and my dignity. I had nothing left in me when I left that house.

It took all this years to build myself up . From my confidence to my self esteem. He really did a number on me.

" Are you okay?"

" I will be okay. I have to be"

" We all understand what you are going through. Not many people get to face their ex especially when they have built a life with someone else"

" He went back to her" I whispered so softly that if she was not next to me ,she would not have heard it.

" Am so sorry Zee" she was apologizing for someone else's sins.

" Was I not enough for him?" I asked out loud without realizing it.

" Zee listen to me" she capped my face in her hands " you are enough. One day you will find someone who will truly love for who you are. No games, no hidden agendas, just love. "

I could hear her words but for some reason I couldn't comprehend them. I was sinking in a dark hole that was my mind. Showing me everything that was wrong with me.

" Zee!"