The surprise
(Sterling POV)
Today is the day that I show Phoenix the baby nursery that has taken me more than 2 weeks to get done and I really hope that she’ll like it. Last night, when we had both rested after a hard day from work, we were talking about random things and she suddenly mentioned how she puked her guts out when she got into her office yesterday morning. We both suspect that her body didn’t exactly sit well with the stench of papers and whatnot.
Personally, I couldn’t wait for this whole pregnancy period to be over with so she could take a break and do things that she loves. I can’t help it though but sometimes I wonder if it is just me or she looks splendid with each passing day---it is like they say; the pregnancy goals. I am probably sure that it has been more than four months.
I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned to see who it was and there she stood, staring at me with those unique eyes of hers, mouthing something that I just couldn’t decipher. Was she talking to me or do we now speak sign language?
“Sterling!!!”
After being beaten severally on the shoulder, I finally came back to my senses.
“What, what did you say?”
“I said that we haven’t gone baby shopping yet and neither have we gone to the hospital for my ante-natal session,”
“Oh, yeah, right. Don’t you think we should have started this a long time ago, like form the very beginning?”
“Yeah, I guess so and I am already 4 months and some weeks gone; shouldn’t we call doctor Hailey or should we just go to the hospital today during lunch break?”
“Yeah, it is a good idea but I suggest that we call Doctor Hailey first to book an appointment,”
“Okay, you call her. You are the one with the number,”
I picked up my phone from the kitchen isle and immediately dialed Doctor Hailey’s number. While the phone was ringing, I looked at Phoenix and watched her take sips of her coffee. We didn’t want to go in early to work today and to be fair; no one was going to question us.
“Hello,” Finally, it went through. I thought it wasn’t going to go through at all.
“Hello doctor, it is me, Sterling,”
“I know who it is, how can I be of help to you?”
“I just wanted to find out if you’d be free today, probably during lunch period,”
“Maybe, I don’t know and I can’t tell. It all depends on whether or not I’ll have a patient to attend to by then,”
“Oh, I see. I guess we will still come in then and just in case you are free so that you can attend to us,”
“Yeah, sure thing. When should I be expecting you?’
“By noon, have a great day,”
After hanging up, I told Phoenix everything that needed to be said and quickly gathered by stuffs and we both headed to the garage, go into our cars and went to our various companies,”
(Denzel POV)
When Sterling finally decided to show up at work, I stared at his back while he got into his office and shook my head. I didn’t like disclosing my identity as Sterling’s best friend and neither did he. He wasn’t ashamed of me or anything but that was the plan until my plans were carried out. I stood up from my desk and went into his office.
I looked at him really well and offered myself a seat since he didn’t want to. Tsk, the damn motherfucker.
“Yeah, you are the only one who would come in without knocking half of the time,”
“Bullshit, you know that I do knock, you are problem having problems with your hearing. What, you need a hearing aid?”
“I’m pretty sure you didn’t knock this time. What’s up buddy, how is the plan coming along? See who you like yet?”
This dumb motherfucker already knew who it was yet here he was, playing and acting dumb. I swear, I could punch him in the face.
“Shut up, you moron; don’t act like you don’t know anything,”
“Ouch, what was that for?”
“I’d rather go with Olivia. I’m yet to ask her out on a date but I have been observing since she came into the company”
“Really, I find that hard to believe. You are dumber than I thought. Take her out on a date because that is what dates are for; for getting to know each other and stop this whole observing bullshit,”
“Yeah, I will do that soon, maybe this weekend,”
“I don’t care what you do; you can take your sweet time for all I care. Sometimes I wonder how we became best of friends,”
“You are not the only one that wonders that, asshole,” I could see the smirk on face with a useless grin that did nothing more than to push me further into achieving my goal and proving him long.
Yeah, my relationship with Sterling is what I’d consider the best of any friendships I’d had so far. I got back to my office and got back into work but not without manning up and calling Olivia to set up a date.
“Olivia, Hi,”
“Good morning, Mr. Denzel, how can I help you today?”
“Quit with the formalities, I will just go straight to the point. I would like to take you out on a date this weekend, preferably on Saturday, what do you say?”
“Well, I thought you would never ask,”
“Really, you have been expecting that?”
“Yeah, I have. I guess we have a lot of stuffs to say to each other over the weekend then,”
“Yes, we do. I will call you later”
“Sure thing,”
When I hung up, I quickly sent an SMS which reads ‘I just spoke to her and asked her out on a date. In your face looser’ ------ your narcissistic bf…
********************
HOSPITAL
(Phoenix POV)
Sitting here in the doctor’s office brings feelings of déjà vu. I have been in this hospital several times before and I was always unconscious for most of it but now, here I am, about to get checked and also to get an ultra-scan. On the way to the hospital, I had a quick rethink and decided to get a scan; but not without telling Sterling about it first. I couldn’t keep it in my pants any longer. I needed to know the gender that was making me eat like a glutton and puking unnecessarily.
“Miss Mills, are you with us?” I heard Doctor Hailey faintly in my subconscious.
“Huh?”
“I asked if you’ve been taking enough vitamins and eating healthy too,”
“I don’t know about that so I can’t say but I know that I do have my meals and I can’t exactly say for sure if it is healthy for me nor not. I just tend to crave for random things and I also get nauseated,”
“Hmmmm, it is normal and in times like this, seeing that you’re going to be a first time mom, the experiences are quite new to you but it will be over soon. You’ve got approximately 4 months and some weeks to go before you give birth. It is important to note that you get enough rest, eat healthy; you have got to prioritize that, no matter the cravings. You are late on your ante-natal sessions but that doesn’t mean that something can’t be done about it. I will give you some sessions that you need to adhere to until you give birth to the baby, do you understand me?”
“Yes doc, I understand you loud and clear,”
“Good, now about the ultra-scan, let’s go get it now so you both can be on your way seeing that we are all busy people and we have got business to attend to,”
“Sure thing,”
“You both should come with me,”
Doctor Hailey took us to the lab that would be used to carry out the ultra-scan and I immediately had cold feet. I held Sterling’s hands and squeezed them a little bit because I was damn nervous.
“Please, lie on this,”
I dropped my bag on the table closed to be a laid down as instructed. I noticed Sterling moving closer to me and I held his hands again. The doctor lifted up the hem of my shirt until my baby bump was exposed. She took out a tube and put something that look like a gel on my stomach and damn, it was cold. After she has rubbed the liquid generously round my stomach, she took a funny looking equipment that looked like a mini microphone and started doing whatever it was that she was doing.
(Few minutes later)
(Sterling POV)
“Well, from all I can see here, you have got a healthy baby girl, do you want to hear the heartbeat?”
“Of course, I want to” Phoenix said, and immediately she did that, I looked at her and saw streaks of tears running down her pretty face. I brought out a handkerchief from my suit pocket and wipe it off her face. When I did that, she brought me closer to her and leaned on me as continuous tears streamed down her face.
A loud thud sound filled the room; a thud sound that beat in seconds and I turned to look at Phoenix only to find her looking at me too---laughing and crying at the same time.
To me, hearing the little kid’s heartbeat felt like I was being given a chance to do things right. My father didn’t do right by me and it almost ruined me but now, I was given a second chance to do right by her, our little princess.
The sound was amazing and comforting to our hearts which was still trying to heal from pains of the past and we were both taking comfort in that fact.
**************************
(Home-----later in the evening)
After the leaving the hospital, Phoenix and I were both lost in our own world. To me, when I got to the office, I could barely focus and I couldn’t wait to get back home; just to be with Phoenix, cuddling her while we look for baby names.
I couldn’t wait to show her the surprise also. I am pretty sure she was going to love it.
When I got back home, I looked everywhere for her and I finally found her in my study, coiled up in my chair, her chest rising and falling. I looked at the angel that graced my seat and I walked up to her and gave her a peck on her forehead and she immediately woke up; which means she was half asleep.
“Hey, you are back, how was work?” she said, as she walked up to me and gave me a warm hug.
“Work was okay, I couldn’t focus completely but I at least got some work done”
“Me too,”
“Had dinner yet?”
“Nope, I was waiting for you,”
“Hmmm, before we have dinner, I’d like to show you something,”
“What, what is that?”
“Just follow me,”
I held her hand and led her to the room next to ours but before I opened the door, I had to cover her eyes with the palm of my hands. When I opened the door and got in, I let go of her.
“Open your eyes,”
“It is pitch black, what do you want me to see here,” she said, groggily.
“Well, I wanted you to see this,” after I said that, I turned on the light and there it was, the baby nursery in all its glory. Well done, Olivia, you have really outdone yourself this time. She squealed and turned to look at me with an expression that told me that she loved it.
“Oh my gosh, it is perfect!! Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“And what, ruin the surprise? Nah, I wouldn’t trade it because right here is where we are going to raise that little princess of ours into the perfect lady she is meant to be,”
“I love it,”
“I didn’t know when to show it to you but after what happened earlier today, I just thought that it would be perfect it I have it to you today,”
“You are the best and I don’t know what I did to deserve you,”
Looking at me like I was her everything, she kissed me….
