CHAPTER 7

Jessica has been unconscious in the hospital for two days straight. She was clothed in the hospital uniform and a tube was placed around her nose. Her eyes slowly lit open as she gazed at her surroundings to notice Travis sleeping beside her.

She slowly used her hands to caress his hair softly. That little gesture instantly woke him up from his intense nap.

"Love, you are awake? You and our baby are out of danger. I was scared but the good Lord had granted all my prayers because I don't know what I'm going to do if I lose the both of you," Travis let out with a little sob.

"I was afraid because I honestly thought I was going to lose both of you," he let out before placing a warm and soft kiss on her hands. "The good lord has its ways, I was saved from harm's way because our family was given a chance to be complete," Jessica let out weakly. 

"Yes, Jessica, God is truly loving," Travis muttered, caressing his wife's hand.

"I think I'm better, can we go and visit our daughter right now? I really want to see how our daughter is doing," Jessica let out, making Travis nod.

He walked out of the room before coming back with a nurse who handed them a hospital shower cap, face mask, and leather gown to wear before showing them the room where their baby was placed into an incubator fighting for her life. 

Travis pushed his wife on the wheelchair until they halted towards their beautiful child. A little tear found its way down Jessica's face, the nurse opened the little circled window in the incubator for them to have a better look at the baby. 

"Rose, this is your dad and your mum, we promise to keep you safe and protect you," Jessica let out before rubbing softly on the baby's head. 

"She is so cute, babe," Jessica let out a little weeping before chuckling a little bit as Travis nodded In agreement before leaving a small peck on his wife's head. 

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Three good years wiped away vastly.  Jessica had just set the table for Rose to have her breakfast but she couldn't find the little girl. She began to panic as she walked outside the house to notice the little girl across the road staring at the man who was selling some packed toys in a van.

"Rose, haven't I warned you not to leave the house? There are evil people out here and I can't afford to let them take you away, it would make mother really sad if that happens," Jessica let out kissing her daughter's cheeks. 

"But I only wanted a toy to hug, when are you going to buy me one?" Rose raised a question, making Jessica crouch to her level. "I have an idea, Rose," Jessica let out. 

"What is it, Mother?" Rose asked. Jessica got up before hauling Rose up. 

"Would you love me to be your dull Rose? I can move my legs and hands and trust me, I'm way huggable than those toys." Jessica said but Rose said nothing. 

"Is it okay with you, what do you think?" Jessica asked, touching her nose playfully.

"But what about father? Who is going to hug him when he's sleeping?" Rose asked wisely.

"Both of us, of course! When he comes home both of us are going to put our arms around him and hug him tightly just like you hug me at night," Jessica muttered out.

"Hurray, hurray. Thank you so much, mother! I love you so very very much." Rose said cheerfully. "Can you show me how you would hug your dad when he gets back?" Jessica let out as her daughter held her arms around her neck before giving her a very tight squeeze.

"I love you too Rose, very very much," Jessica said as they trudged back to the house.

It was already 9:40 PM and Travis was about to tuck his daughter to bed. 

"What a thoughtful daughter I have, you have already arranged your bed and prepared to sleep, did you brush your teeth?" Travis asked. 

"Yes father," she replied. 

"Very good Rose, come on, you need to sleep." Her father said tucking her to bed before closing her windows and leaving for his room.

"Ouch my head," his wife let out the minute he got into the room. "What is it babe, aren't you feeling okay?" He asked, kneading her shoulders gently. 

"Travis," She called.

"Yes, what's wrong with you?" He asked with all care.

"I'm pregnant again," she muttered, not sounding happy. "That's great news, do you mean to say we would have an addition to our family?" Travis asked his wife but she seemed less happy about the news she had shared.

"What happened, how come you don't look happy?" He asked. "We still have a lot of debt to pay Mrs. Mary and now we are going to have another child? We can hardly make ends meet, what would this child eat?" Jessica mumbled out worriedly. 

"I think you should allow me to work in the wine factory please, I just want to help you earn money." Jessica let  Travis nod. "Alright if that's what you want, I guess I can't stop you." He said, giving her hands a small caress.

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"Travis, you could have allowed your wife to work at the wine factory a long time ago, and then maybe your debt may have been settled," Mrs. Mary let out as some workers walked past her before greeting her. 

"Uhmm, she had been preoccupied with taking care of our daughter," Travis said, making his boss stare at Jessica who had been mute and listening to their conversation all along. 

"You are pregnant now right?" She asked Jessica who gave her a simple nod. 

"Are you sure that you can manage to work here?" She asked Jessica.

"Yes Madam, the baby is just less than a month old." Jessica said.

"Don't worry, the work that you would be doing here wouldn't be so hard. You might be helping to stack up the grapes and strawberries in the basket when it is time for harvest so they can be turned into wine. Planting them and watering them also," Mrs. Mary let out. 

"Thank you ma," Jessica uttered out with a smile.

"Just tell me if you need anything and make sure you do your work well and we won't have a problem." Mrs. Mary said before leaving.