My water broke two months later, on a Thursday afternoon. After a long bout of pushing and screaming, I heard it—The cries of a baby, my baby— I was extremely exhausted but just that brought me comfort.
"He's a bouncing baby boy!" I heard Dr. Brown say happily.
"Can I hold him?"
"Of course." She wiped the blood off him with a clean towel and put him in my arms.
I couldn't describe the way I felt holding my baby in my arms, he had caramel skin and beautiful brown eyes just like mine. He really was a gorgeous baby.
"What's his name?" A nurse asked with a register in her hand.
"Niguez." I said without thinking. It was as though the name had been on my mind forever. But I liked it. "His name is Niguez Dias."
She nodded, wrote it down and asked me for Niguez so she could check his weight. He weighed exactly 3.2 kilograms.
I waited patiently for her to finish so I could go back to holding my baby in my hands.
"You'll have to rest, Alina." Dr. Brown said when she saw me watching the nurse curiously. "The baby also needs some sleep, then later you can breastfeed him, but now you need your strength.
"I can't sleep and I don't want to sleep." I argued, frowning slightly.
"You will have to try to. Or do you want your new son to have a sick mother so soon?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
I pondered it over. I was exhausted actually, but the rush of holding him was just too satisfying. But if she was right about it affecting me, then that was a risk I wasn't willing to take. I looked at her and shook my head slowly.
"Good. I'll give you something to help you sleep."
"Pass the doxylamine, Claire." She said to one of the nurses and gave me the injection.
It had an immediate effect because I got knocked out almost immediately after.
I stayed in the ward for about two months after my delivery. You'll need to regain your strength. Dr. Brown had said.
When it was time to be discharged, I signed the necessary papers
"You now qualify for the government grant." Dr. Brown said, handing me a little paper where she scribbled the drugs I would be needing from the pharmacy.
"Grant? What do you mean?"
"It's part of the government's project to help new mothers like yourself, with low income jobs with a little money so they can still provide for their children."
I stared at her. I had never heard about it. I had been having some doubts about the free treatment but now I was assured, and now I was hearing that I was going to receive a grant? This was more than a miracle.
After waiting and signing some other things, I received a little cradle and a two thousand dollar cheque from the hospital. I was so grateful. I had been thinking where to start buying the things my baby and I needed, but this was a start, a good start.
I left the hospital that afternoon. I had been a bit anxious but I knew I would have to leave eventually, staying in the maternity ward for all this months hadn't been the most fabulous experience but it was warm and lively with women that were experiencing the same things as me, it was fun to listen to Gwen and Jennifer chat nonstop.
But now it was over. It was time to go back into the cold world, again. But now it was different. I had hope. Something to fight for and that was enough.
I went back to the lodge I was staying on Gordon's Drive. As I tried opening the door with the key in my bag, I heard a sound from the room beside mine. The door swung open and the a tall, dark, rough-haired man jumped out.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" My landlord barked at me.
I was taken aback. I really wasn't expecting this.
"Hello Michael, is there a problem?"
"Is there a problem?! Yes there's a problem. You don't just disappear for half a year and come back whenever you feel without telling anyone. I could've given this place to someone else, you know? Your rent was due last week." He said in a strangled voice.
I sighed and opened my purse.
"Here's your rent." I said handing him the dollar bills in my hand.
He took it and wanted to say something but was distracted when Niguez gurgled in his cradle beside me.. Michael stopped and stared, finally noticing the baby.
"I… didn't know you had already…" He blurted.
"Yes. I was at the hospital all this time and I gave birth to my son two months ago." I said, as he kept on staring at the little blue and white wooden cradle. "So if you had given this place to someone else then you would have rendered me and my child homeless." I said coldly and watched his countenance change.
"Look, I really d-didn't know you w-were there. Umm, congratulations dear.." He blurted scratching his head.
"Can I go inside now?"
"Huh? Oh y-yeah sure." He nodded stupidly.
"I smiled dully and went inside."
After trying to clean up the place, I went to the store with Niguez to get the things we would be needing; some powder, oil, diapers, tissues, baby food, milk, some beans, some vegetables and other things for the house. Niguez just needed to be well fed and clothed and that was exactly my plan. After that,I branched to the pharmacy and got the drugs Dr. Brown had prescribed for both me and the baby.
Niguez had already started crying by the time I got back home because he was hungry so I had to breastfeed him first. I was so exhausted, even married couples complained all the time about how stressful having a baby was. But look at me; a single twenty-three year old living alone with a child and with no sign of his father at all. Not even a text. It was incredibly pathetic.
I adjusted Niguez so he could suck more freely, I brushed his face lightly with my fingers, he had Gomes jet-black hair, there was no denying that, no matter how much I tried to ignore it. But I was glad that he looked just like my father, the only difference was the eyes, instead of a dark shade like my father's, he had brown eyes like me.
Merely looking at my son like this gave me the strength to keep moving. Either or both of us could have died during delivery but we didn't, God had kept us alive till this far, now I would try my very best and see what the future had in stall. I could do this shit!
*****
I noticed that Niguez's body temperature had gone up when I last fed him. He even rejected breast milk, which was very strange. He had been fine all these months. Where was this coming from? I thought it was a little fever so I gave him some of his syrupand put him to sleep, but by morning it had significantly increased. Now I was freaking out, not knowing what else to do, I rushed him to the hospital.
I was sitting anxiously in the waiting room when I heard someone's voice beside me. I turned around and saw Dr. Brown's green eyes staring back at me. I didn't remember seeing her come close.
"How is he?" I asked, ignoring the fact that my voice was now a strangled whisper.
"He's stable now Alina, he'll be fine." She said. "But what's the matter?" She asked, staring into my eyes like she always does. Sometimes it felt like she was trying to read my thoughts.
"What do you mean, Dr. Brown?"
"You can call me Audrey, Alina, I've told you many times already. And I know there's something bothering you other than your sick baby."
I heaved an exhausted sigh and faced her. She was a doctor after all so I could tell her pretty much anything.
"I was just so scared when I brought him in, but now I think I'm even more scared, it's just— if something like this happens again, I can't take care of him.— I haven't been able to leave his side for all these months to look for a decent job, and I don't have any friends or anywhere I can keep in during these times so I just tried not to think too much about it. But I can't live with a child without a source of income, I want to be able to protect my child."
"I understand how you feel there." She said, holding my hand.
"No, it's not that easy." I shook my head. "Nobody agreed to employ me when I came to San Jose because I was pregnant, but now I have to work for the sake of myself and my child."
"Do you have any friends that might help?"
"None."
"I might have a solution." She smiled.
Audrey had proposed that I keep him in a nursery home for kids during the day while I went job hunting, then pick him up later in the day. It was a good idea. And the best part was that it was close by.
I found a job as a part-time dishwasher in an eatery close to Gordon's Drive and as a washer in a laundry company. They were both lousy, but it was better than nothing.
It was a nice peaceful Saturday. Niguez was still sleeping, he had outgrown his cradle and was sleeping on the small bed in the centre of the room. I folded the little mat I had used to sleep on the floor got up and tucked him in so he would feel more comfortable. He had grown so fast, a few days from today he would be two, meaning it would have been two. Two whole years since I gave birth. Wow. I felt a bit guilty when I got up and saw him lying on the bed. I couldn't provide for him as well as he deserved, the dish washing and laundry job I was working didn't provide for any more than little food and rent. I had tried to start doing delivery services for a small firm some time ago, but it was a disaster because I had to pay for my own transport wherever I was going to deliver, at the end of the day the money I was paid and what I spent on transport was almost the same. I quit the following week. I opened the door and picked up the mail on the porch, the newspapers were always i
TRENT POV"What are you wearing sir?" Clarence's voice came from behind me."I think you mean just Trent, Clarence." I smirked. "You scared me there. What's up?" He looked confusedly at me. Probably wondering what I meant. Then continued;"I called you all day, sir. I have been looking all over for you since the afternoon. I had to hold a meeting between Otega Group and our board myself." He said frowning."And how did it go?" I asked seriously, even though I knew what was coming."We secured the deal sir, but it wasn't easy, I could have really used you there today.""Yes. But I wasn't there and it seems like you had everything under your control. That's impressive Clarence, I know I can count on you any time." I said, giving him a slight pat in the shoulder. He smiled warmly, Clarence always beamed when he was complimented for a job well done and I always appreciated his efforts.I had known Clarence for a while now. We had graduated together in the University Of England, and when
ALINA POV"Can I get everyone's attention please." Clarence Jacobs said as he stood in front of the crowd of workers in the firm's large hall. "Some of you might be wondering why I we are all gathered here today. The company will be throwing a party to celebrate the completion of our latest high-speed, 4G telecom tower in San Jose!" He announced.There was a loud round of applause from the audience including me. When the applause had died down he continued."This new tower will enable a faster, stronger and more secure connection for us to work better and more efficiently while also serving our customers better. It is a major breakthrough here in the minority part of California. There is no doubt we will be having more investors from far and wide and eventually overseas. So the management has decided to throw a bash tomorrow evening in honour of this achievement. You all deserve it." He said and there was another round of applause, and cheers from the crowd."Be sure to attend the par
TRENT POVGilbert had proposed that I moved out of the mansion for now go keep my cover hidden."Move out?" I asked, bewildered when he came up with idea."Not technically move out, just to find a place to lay low now that you want to keep your identity hidden." He said."That doesn't sound like a very good idea.""Just think about it. Imagine if maybe someone followed you and you were unaware of it. You'd lead them straight to this multi million dollar mansion here in the GRA. I don't think that's a good idea either." He pressed on. "Trent Williams is a technician working at Suntech right. But Trent O'Neil is the CEO, the main man, the alpha of the company. Keeping your identity a secret will not be easy but at least we can try. First off, you'll need to move to someplace less… exotic." He said, motioning around the living room.I thought about it. He was right. As always.If I stayed here, it would pose a bigger threat to revealing my true identity and as soon as it was out, the med
ALINA POV"Hey are you okay there?" He asked, racing across the street to help me up.I closed my eyes in embarrassment, he hadn't seen me yet but there was no escaping now. My hair was messy, I was in my pajamas and worse? I didn't have a bra on. How delightful.He helped me up to my feet. His eyes widened when he saw my face."Alina?!" He asked, visibly shocked. What… what are you doing here?" "Oh, Trent." I said, forcing a smile. I was embarrassed and I couldn't help feeling annoyed that he had seen me just when I prayed he wouldn't. "Uhh.. I live in Gordon's Drive, that's about two blocks away.""Wow." He said smiling. "So, What's up? No work today for either of us huh?""Nope." I smiled. Uh.. Trent?" "Yeah?" He answered."You said you live here but I don't think I've ever seen you around this area before." I said. That part didn't quite make much sense to me."Oh, that. I just moved in. Actually I just moved in this morning." He smiled. "Soni guess we're kind of neighbors now o
ALINA POVOn Monday morning, I got to work later than I usually did."You're a bit late, Alina." Gloria, my coworker said when she saw me."Sorry about that, I think I overslept." "We shouldn't form a habit of arriving for work, there's always someone watching and if you keep it up, you could be leaving here far sooner than you think." Gloria said."Noted." I said and gazed around the floor I was in. The offices were full, employees were already in their offices working, with a laptop in front of them."Hello there." an unfamiliar voice said from behind me. I turned around and saw a man in a suit, probably a department head or assistant judging by his suit."Good morning." I replied.He smiled, showing a bright set of teeth. I had never seen him before. He had black hair, brown eyes and was about my height, he also had a very deep voice when he spoke. He was obviously an important person in the company so why was he talking to me? Was I in trouble already?"You must be Alina." He sa
TRENT POV"Trust me these burgers are good." I said as Alina and I took our food trays over to a free table in the cafeteria. "They do look pretty big don't you think?" She said as we sat down on a table and began to eat."This is just the normal size. I once had a triple decker. It was fantastic, although I needed about an hour of rest before I could do literally anything." She laughed as a few crumbs of bread landed on me."Oh my God! I'm so sorry." She apologized, getting up with a napkin."It's alright." I waved it off. "No biggie as long as it's not ketchup."After slapping off the crumbs from my jacket, I got back to destroying my burger."It's nice." She said."My shirt or the burger?" I joked."Your old looking shirt?." She chuckled. "I meant the burger.""The first time I ordered these, I had to order extra. When I was done with that, I went for one more but it was already finished. I remember being grumpy the entire day." I recollected.The entire day? Just because you cou
Alina's POV I watched Trent's body go limp against mine as he slumped to the floor. I had to use my body to brace his fall, allowing him to rest on my lap. I looked at his bleeding stomach, panic seizing my senses. Oh, goodness! Why did all of this have to happen? I was bad luck. Now, Trent was wounded and bleeding so badly. I was terrified but the little knowledge I had about these kinds of things was enough to let me know that trying to remove the knife all alone was a bad idea. I glanced around the dark alley and fear clawed through me. There was no one to call for help. The only person else in the alley was the other kidnapper that Trent had knocked out earlier. It was a miracle that Trent had come in at the time he did. Who knows what would have happened to me otherwise? Think, Alina, think. What was the name he mentioned before he passed out? Right, Gilbert. I pulled out his phone from his pocket and, with shaking fingers, opened it. I was surprised the phone had no pass