Chapter 65


    65 Ordeal


    Luke.


    We waited in the hallway for Caleb to return. Tia wasn’t feeling well, and I tried to convince her to go


    home, but she insisted. I could not stop her, but I wasn’t happy that she refused to go home.


    We sat on the chair in the corridor of the maternity ward, and I held her. Her hands were a bit cold, and i


    knew it was part of it. “I promised Kimberly I would be here,” she said, and I understood her reasons.


    “We’ll. Thank goddess, it is a hospital. I might just ask them to give you a room.” I said, and she smiled at


    me. It would have been funny usually, but the situation was too dire. Kimberly had nned on leaving


    Caleb after giving birth. I hoped she would survive this.


    “How did it get this bad?” I asked Tia, and she sighed. “She was alone. No one attended to her,” she


    exined, and I was angry. “You mean there were no workers in that wing?” I asked her, and she


    nodded.


    “Once your father, Stacy and Caleb are not in, they take a break. That is what Bart told me. Norman has


    reported to Stacy, but nothing was done about their conduct,” She said, and I got angry because I pay


    them full sries with benefits. At this point, I felt robbed.


    “I guess we will be hiring,” I said, and Tia nodded to agree with me.


    Caleb returned, sweating. I knew he was panicking but trying hard to keep his shit together. It was sad.


    “You need to calm down, Caleb,” I said, and he just stared at me.


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    “This is my fault. I shouldn’t have left her alone,” he confessed.


    “Yes. I heard the workers leave once father, you and your mother are not there. Only the goddess knows


    how long Kimberly was crying for help before she could get a hold of Tia. Tia had toe from our


    house to get her here. It is bad. Norman told your mother about their conduct, and she did nothing about


    it. You should have instructed one or two to stay with her, though,” I said, and he was pissed off. “I am


    sacking all of them,” he said, and I nodded.


    “So, what did they say?” I asked him, and he bowed his head. I knew he was fighting back the tears. His


    eyes were misty. “She is suffering from pre-empsia. I should have noticed from her swollen feet,”


    Caleb said as if he was even paying attention. “They say she has a severe case,” he exined.


    “What are her chances?” “Tia asked him, and he hesitated.


    “They are taking the baby out so they can treat her. The doctor said he can’t make promises,” he said


    and cracked. I had to let go of Tia to console him. “This is all my fault,” Caleb cried, and I held him. There


    was no point in saying otherwise


    because he was right, and I did not want to lie to him. He was a bit selfish like his mother. I guess he was


    seeing the repercussion of his actions now. It wouldn’t have killed him to pay a little attention. If not for


    anything but for the sake of friendship. As much as I hated what Elisabeth did to me, Tia and I always


    made sure she was alright and cared for. She had workers watching her and caring for her around the


    clock. The only thing was that I did not deal with her directly, and that was because of her intention and


    the fact that I was a married man. Caleb’s case was different. He had Kimberly, but he was busy chasing


    after my wife.


    We hung around and waited. Two hourster, the doctor came to us. “Congrattion, Beta Caleb”,


    Doctor Newman said, but Caleb interrupted him. “How is Kimberly?” He asked, and the doctor hesitated,


    which meant it wasn’t good. “She slipped into ama. We hope she wille out of it soon. We have


    done everything we can to stabilise her. It is up to her and her wolf: You can see your daughter now.” the


    doctor said and Caleb stood frozen on the spot. My key mark began to burn. I did not know why but


    something told me the problem wasing from Caleb. “You need to calm down, Caleb. Let us go and


    see your daughter.” I said.


    “Can we take the swab for the DNA test you requested a few months ago?” The doctor asked, and Caleb


    just stood there speechless. The doctor was confused.


    “Take us to see her,” Tia said to the doctor, and he nodded. Caleb followed quietly. We got there, and the


    babyy peacefully in her cot. Tia picked her up gently, and she was beautiful. Her eyes were shut, and


    she looked adorable. She was wrapped nicely. “Do you want to hold her?” Tia asked Caleb, and he


    nodded reluctantly. I did not want Tia to hand the girl over, but she had already done it before I couldn’t


    link her not to. Caleb held her and began to cry. “The baby has a key mark on her upper right arm,”


    Newman said, and there was no disputing that she was Caleb’s at that moment, but the nurse had


    brought the swab, and they took samples from both Caleb and the baby. He had ordered and paid for the


    test, so they had to carry it out even though he was no longer mouring for it. “What am I going to do


    now?” Caleb asked me, and I honestly did not have an answer. “Pray shees out of it and beg her for


    forgiveness. Clearly, the baby is yours. All that stress you put the poor girl through was for nothing.” I


    said, scolding him. The nurse came to take the baby for feeding, and we decided to check on Kimberly.


    She was hooked to machines and looked like she was sleeping. Tia broke down a bit. “We hung out


    yesterday, you know, and she was so full of life,” Tia said between tears, and it was amazing to see what


    brought people together. “Tia, we have to go home,” I told my wife. She had dark circles, and I knew she


    needed to rest. She agreed, and I asked Caleb if he wasing, but he refused. he said he would sit in


    the hospital with Kimberly and his daughter. I expected that from him. so I told him I would send a worker


    to attend to his needs. He thanked Tia and me, and we left. “Do you think he will be okay?” Tia asked me


    as we walked away, and I nodded. “He ising to terms with his mistakes. “I told her, and she didn’t


    repeat anything. Two days passed, and Kimberly did note through, The DNA result was out, and the


    baby


    was Caleb’s. Caleb did not want his daughter in the hospital, so he asked us to care for her. Tia was


    more than happy. Stacy took offence, but Caleb did not want to put his daughter in his mother’s care. I


    doubt Stacy knew how to nurture, but I also knew it would be tedious. I was afraid the baby would strain


    ‘Tia, but Michelle stepped in. Tia didn’t have to do much.


    I told Bart to take Elisabeth for a thorough check-up because of what happened to Kimberly. I did not


    want her to haveplications. I wanted her to be able to care for her child and return to Joey alive.


    I spent the entire week working from home and helping Tia with Caleb’s daughter. He remained in the


    hospital, waiting for Kimberly to wake up. He refused to name his daughter, iming Kimberly would


    name her. It was sad. His beards had grown out in that week. He looked a little bit like me now with the


    beard; for someone that was always clean-shaven. Kimberly had no improvement, and Tia was getting


    attached to the baby. Our sex life suffered a bit during that week, but it was worth it.


    Tia and Iy in the room after changing the baby’s diapers and rocking her to sleep: it was nighttime. She


    snuggled into my arms. I knew she was sad about Kimberly. She visited the hospital every day to see


    Kimberly, hoping she would wake up. I followed her three times, but she went alone the other days.


    “Luke,” Tia said, resting her head on my chest, and I was attentive.


    “If Elisabeth’s baby is yours, do you think we should take the baby from her?” she asked me, and I was


    stunned.


    “That is a lot ofmitment, Tia; besides, you are pregnant. She will have to care for her child by


    herself, of course, I will pay for a nanny, that is, if my father does not take the child.” I told her, and she


    adjusted herself in bed and sat up.


    “Caleb does not trust his daughter with Stacy, who happens to be his mother. I do not think you should


    trust them with your child Luke.” She said I honestly did not want to talk about Elisabeth and her baby.


    She would soon be due, and my panic meter was high. I honestly did not want the baby to be mine, but I


    knew how conniving Elisabeth was, and there was a high possibility it was mine.


    “Do you mind not discussing Elisabeth, please, Tia? I do not want to deal with it right now. I have a lot on


    my te, Tia.” I said, and she shook her head.


    “We need to decide what to do right now. If we don’t, we will be confused when the timees.


    Elisabeth will be due in three weeks or less; we have to decide where we are going with this,” she said,


    and I got off the bed.


    “Please, Tia, let us not talk about her,” I begged Tia, and she nodded.


    By the second week, Caleb called us to inform us that Kimberly was awake. Tia was about to go to the


    hospital when she got that call. We were overjoyed, and we went to visit Kimberly with her daughter.


    Kimberly was sitting up in bed when we arrived. She looked well-rested. Thea had afforded her


    body time to replenish and fix itself. She stretched her arms towards Tia, and Tia went to hug her. I


    ced her baby in her hand, and she shed tears. I could see relief in Caleb’s eyes. His beards were


    bushy, and his eyes were tired. This was a blessing, and I hoped he would seize the opportunity.


    “Since Kimberly is awake and looking strong, we should leave the two love birds to settle their


    differences. We will just be in the hallway.” I said aloud, but Kimberly shook her head.


    “I do not love Caleb anymore. Right now, I just was to take my daughter, go to that awful ce, pack my


    things and leave. I only hung around to prove that I wasn’t a slut, and my baby was Caleb’s. There is no


    need to hang around after that.” Kimberly said, and Caleb was tongue tied. It was apparent he had a lot


    of work to do.