Chapter 29: Chapter 29

TWENTY NINE- NEWBORN BABIES AND MARRIAGE PROPOSALS

Louisa dashed towards the reception area of the Danpong Hospital. "Hi, I'm looking for a Naa Larley Hooper, she's been admitted here for labor reasons." She told one of the nurses who promptly checked to see if someone had been admitted under that name.

"We do have one Naa Larley Hooper here ma'am, but I'm afraid visiting hours are over, so you'll have to go and come back another-"

Louisa leaned in menacingly, her nose almost touching the highly frightened nurse's. "Listen to me carefully, miss..."

She glanced at her name tag. "...Felicia, I get that you're doing your job and all, but my sister is in there... and she needs me. This is her first pregnancy, and her husband is in there all alone with her, with no idea of what he could possibly do to help her out, and he's freaking out!"

William reached for her and pulled her back gently. Turning to the now subdued nurse he begged sheepishly, with a dashing smile. "Please forgive her, you must understand that she's worried. It's her sister after all." He sighed in relief, when the nurse gave him an understanding smile and then directed both of them towards Naa Larley's ward.

William was ecstatic. He had thought at the very least the nurse would allow only Louisa in but she had asked for him to follow her too.

He smiled back at his lovely fiancée when she gave him a grateful smile, and then told her he'd be waiting outside the ward if she needed anything. With a grateful nod, Louisa entered the room.

"Oh thank goodness, you're here... I don't know what I'd have done without you." Mike gushed out in appreciation as Louisa rushed to her best friend's side. The fair beauty was drenched in sweat, and it seemed she had just overcome another contraction.

Louisa squeezed the woman's hand tightly. “How far are you?" She asked.

"About five centimetres." Naa Larley replied, groaning in pain as another contraction hit.

"Breath, breath, easy there, easy." Louisa soothed.

Naa Larley's eyes opened as she recovered from the momentary pain and she took in Louisa's appearance.

"Why are you wearing a T-shirt that smells like male perfume?" She asked inquisitively causing Louisa to roll her eyes.

Trust Naa Larley to be looking for gist while in labour. "It's a long story." Louisa summarized conclusively right when another contraction hit.

Good. They were becoming more closely paced now. Louisa couldn't help but admire her sweet best friend. The brave woman wanted the whole natural experience and so had refused the C-section alternative, agreeing to do that only in the case of an emergency. Her husband had been against the idea, but he eventually came around.

It wasn't like he had a choice really.

Naa Larley recovered again and then glanced at her husband, a tired look on her face. "Honey, I think you should go and get the doctor, it's time."

Mike dashed out of the room like he was the Flash much to the laughter of his wife and Louisa.

Naa Larley smiled weakly at her friend. "I know it's Will's shirt you're wearing. Does it mean you people finally did the dirty? With Isa and your mum in the house? God, you guys are slick." She muttered thoughtfully, laughing when Louisa rolled her eyes. The laughter quickly turned into a cry of pain as she squeezed Louisa's hands till the poor woman couldn't feel them anymore.

The doctor came in just in time, Mike closely on his heels, two nurses trailing behind them. He looked at Louisa. "I'm afraid, you'll have to leave ma'am, you can't be-"

"She's not going anywhere. She stays right here with me." Naa Larley interrupted in a tone that bred no room for any further discussion.

The doctor gave a subdued nod and then proceeded to check Naa Larley, and it seemed he was satisfied with how things were looking down there, for he said. "Alright. You can start pushing now."

****

William placed the hallway in anxiety. He had heard how dangerous giving birth could be sometimes and he desperately prayed to the heavens that no harm will befall his friend.

It hurt to know that he hadn't been there for Louisa in her time with Isabel, but he tried to seek consolation in the fact that his sacrifice hadn't been for naught. He smiled as he reminisced how scared Mike had looked as he sped past to go get the doctor only pausing for a second to say hi.

He was so deep in thought that he barely heard the words, "Dad?"

He turned to see his daughter and mother-in-law-to-be behind him. The young girl rushed into his arms. "Dad! It's really you."

He laughed with joy and scooped her up in his arms. "Princess!"

Isa laughed too. "I'm happy to see you, so I'm going to ignore the horrible nickname... Only mum can call me that."

William's eyes shifted to Mrs. Mensah. "What are you guys doing here, and how come they let you in?"

"Well, Mike couldn't reach Louisa, so he called the landline back home and I told him we were on our way. I know the nurses over here too, so..."

She explained to him.

"Grandma used to be a nurse here, Dad." Isabel clarified.

She then turned to her father, a mocking smile on her face. "So Dad," she smirked.

"This is London, huh?"

William laughed.

His daughter could really tease. "I'm guessing grandma explained things to you." He stated in amusement as she nodded in affirmation.

The thing was, Mrs. Mensah had advised William a long time ago on how to win Louisa back but he had found her method too harsh so he had been quite hesitant.

He had gotten fed up as the months passed by and their relationship was getting nowhere.

Then he had tried the old woman's approach out of frustration,

And it had worked! He was engaged!

The saying, "mother knows best", never seemed more true for the jubilant man.

They all proceeded to the seats opposite Naa Larley's ward to sit and await the doctor's emergence.

*****

Everyone stood up when the door to Naa Larley's private ward opened. The doctor stepped out, but the expectant crew couldn't gauge his reaction because of the mask that hid his face from their view. The tall man took off the mask, his face still unreadable.

"Say something, doc." Mrs. Mensah snapped testily causing the doctor to let out a small laugh.

"Everything went excellently ma'am, she had a boy. The nurses are cleaning up, then the child will be sent away for a bath."

Everyone hugged at the good news. It really was a miraculous story,

A forty-something woman successfully delivering a child especially after several miscarriages wasn't really common and they all gave thanks to God for everything.

"Congratulations." The doctor concluded and took leave of them.

Meanwhile, Louisa and Mike were weeping tears of joy at the sight of the handsome baby boy lying on his mother's chest.

Naa Larley gave a tired laugh. "The way you guys are going at it, someone will think I died or something." She whispered.

Louisa let out a small laugh as she wrapped one arm around her friend and caressed the little bundle of joy with the other. "I've never been this proud in my life, Naa." She whispered back.

Naa Larley's gaze shifted from her friend to her baby, and that was when she noticed the sparkling jewelry on her friend's finger.

She looked up at her friend in shock and excitement. "When did this happen? Oh my goodness!" She whispered silently so as to not wake the child up.

The nurse interrupted their moment to take the sleeping handsome away from his mother's arms for a bath, and Michael followed to oversee everything, after a kiss on his wife's forehead.

He had heard stories of how babies were stolen sometimes, and he wasn't going to leave anything to chance.

Naa Larley turned to her best friend. "Tell me everything." She ordered.

****

Louisa joined her family at the corridors of the children's ward where they stood observing Naa's baby and the many others that were in there. Naa Larley had finally fallen asleep, but not before getting the full gist.

Of course they weren't allowed to enter, but they were okay with just looking at the child through the glass windows.

The baby was really handsome, and though they say you can't tell who a baby looks like in the first weeks of birth, it was really obvious that he was a total carbon copy of his dad, with the only difference being his eyes.

Those, he definitely got from his mother.

Everyone was calling him Kwame, since he was born on a Saturday, and they were yet to hear the other names his parents had gotten him.

Louisa had crushed her daughter in a hug when she saw her, apologising for what had happened back at home but the young teen had brushed her off in understanding.

She had stepped back, and that was when she had noticed the ring on her mother's finger. She let out an excited shout that got the attention of her grandmother who had also burst into screams of joy.

Mike stood there observing the scene with pride. He was honestly very happy for his friend Louisa, and William who he had gotten to know pretty well over the past months.

Everyone kept quite at William's signal, watching as he slowly approached Louisa.

She stood before him, an absolute mess in the baggy shirt and sweatpants with no make up on her face, but never had she looked more beautiful to him.

"Louisa," he whispered.

"I never got to give you my proposal, so allow me to do it right here, right now, with everyone present."

Louisa watched, her eyes slowly tearing up, as the handsome man knelt down before her.

"I know Louisa, believe me, I honestly do, that I absolutely don't deserve you. I have made some serious mistakes in the past, mistakes that almost made me lose you, but something... call it fate, or God's plan brought us back together again, and now that I have you here with me... you and-" his gaze shifted to Isabel.

"-my beautiful princess, Isabel... I can assure you that I'm never going to let you go. I promise to stick with you, to be by your side for as long as you'll have me, which will hopefully be till death do us part, and I solemnly pledge to be with you till the very end." He gazed up at her beautiful teary eyes, his own eyes watering at the sight as he continued.

"You already have my ring Louisa, but I'm asking you the same question again, with my mouth instead of my eyes this time... will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Louisa flew into his arms. "Yes Will, yes. I'll marry you." She replied, laughing, with tears of joy streaking down her face. They both stood up, still hugging, and were joined by Isabel and Mrs. Mensah.

Mike stood there, capturing the wonderful moment on his phone for his wife, a huge smile on his face

He knew how she'd feel if she were to have missed it.

He looked up to the sky and said a silent thanks to the heavens. Today really was a wonderful day.