Ana's POV

I wake to the picture of my family and friends roaming around a certain corner, smiles, and words of joy exiting from their lips in glee, the feeling of happiness can be sensed in the air.

"Where is Helena?" I ask the first question that pops into my head, hoping someone would get distracted and attend to me.

"Helena has gone back to her post at the hospital she runs," Ike who I'm noticing in their midst responds to my query.

"Okay," I nod, sensing a pain on the skin where my uterus should be. "Damn, that hurts.'

"Be careful before you pull your stitches," My mom voices from her location in concern.

I bob my head and peer around, observing I'm back to the previous room I was in before I was taken to the theatre.

"You are amazing babe," Ike lets out with emotion cradling what looks like a bundle in his arms as he strides to me in the same attire he was in when he showed up at the scene of my kidnap.

Shaking my head to rid it of those gloomy thoughts, I ask Ike, "What are you holding?"

"Don't tell me you forgot you gave birth," Oluchi snorts, and I gawk at her curves dressed in black leather pants and blue sweatshirt above black Adidas sneakers.

"Ana, meet our baby boy," he communicates, placing a little human in my arms.

I feel enchanted as I gaze at the few hours old child, his tiny fingers clamping together and moving in rhythm with his legs as they rub his pink nose, his small mouth making unintelligible noises as spit drops out of them.

What captures my heart and spurs me to gasp in wonder is his dark as night orbs, exactly as that of his father, and twirly brown strands like the brown skin he must have gotten from me.

"He's so beautiful," I cue, wetness rushing down my cheeks as I giggle at the miracle in my arms, an evidence of God's goodness as he appears strong and healthy despite the conditions surrounding his birth.

"He is born of you, of course, he should be," Ike blurts, and I feel his lips meet my forehead in showers of kisses and pecks. "Thank you, thank you."

"What will you name him?" Joe quizzes, sitting on a long stool close to the wall in a matching ash sweatshirt and pants, Oluchi sitting on his lap.

"Miracle," Ike and I utter in synchronization, letting out hearty chuckles as we exchange amazing looks.

"Ooh, Miracle it is," Abdul grins in the exact clothes as this morning. "I like the name."

"Doesn't it sound feminine?" Dad inquires, making his presence known as he leans on the closed door on Mom's right.

"No Dad, it doesn't," Maxwell grits, the same way I would if I am the one who answered him, hence the two of us are still angry at him from our last meeting.

"You could have said that with some respect," Dad scolds, offering him a formidable glimpse. "I'm still your father."

"A father who cares about what others think more than he does for his children," Maxwell grumbles, ogling him with agitation prominent in his eyes.

"Maxwell, that's enough," Nuel who I am stunned to see present advises, reaching out to him.

"You two stop that this instant!" Mom commands, Ike and I watching the drama from our position.

"Is this what you've been dealing with?" He mouths.

"All my life," I confirm, shaking the moving child in my arms whose existence will forever marvel me each time I gawk at him. "Where is your family?"

"They will be back soon, Mother forgot to bring her meds with her, and so they all went together to go get them," he explains. "Mother insists she prepares something nice for you, I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't," I smile. "Have they seen our baby?"

"The same minute he was born," he communicates in a grin. "You should have seen the way they gushed after him, you saw them but I guess you didn't remember because Helena gave you some injections after your delivery. One of them must have made you feel fuzzy."

"I suppose," I concur, sighing.

"Don't worry, they love you okay?" He invites, crossing his arm around my neck.

"Yes, got it!" Glory cheers, stepping in through the door Dad shifts from, phone in her palm and donning a red off-the-shoulder blouse and black high waist trousers. "This is the perfect picture."

"Are you sure you are in the right place?" I interrogate them as she sways to me. "You look like someone heading out on a date and not coming to visit your boss who's just put to bed."

"Appreciate my appearance girl, it won't do you any harm," she scoffs, reaching us and beckoning me to offer her my baby. "I want to meet my Godchild."

"I thought I was going to be his Godmother," Oluchi argues, rising. "So there's no way he can be your Godchild."

"Who was the first to say it? Me," Glory mocks, administering her a look of victory before turning back to me. "First come, first serve. Ain't that right, Ana?"

"I said this the moment I found out she was expecting," Oluchi maintains.

"Well, I'm the first to say it now, so I win," Glory upholds.

"Guys!" Ike calls, putting an end to their fight. "You know you both can be the Godmother right?"

"Really?" Everyone in the room questions, including me.

"Of course, it's possible," he states. "I think?"

"Settled," I let out, happy to stop hearing their bickering.

"Now can I hold him?" She requests, and I rest Miracle carefully in her arms.

"He's such a cutie," she gushes, poking him in the cheeks. "And so fluffy."

"Who uses the word 'fluffy?" Oluchi implores, making use of air quotes.

"I do," Glory and me both say and she rolls her eyes.

"Typical," she murmurs.

"What's his name?" Glory asks and Ike and I have a silent conversation, and he permits me to respond to prevent another sync answer.

"Miracle," I announce, happiness overwhelming me as I say that for the second time today.

"It's fitting," Glory agrees, swaying her arms from left to right. "Did you hear that baby? Your name is Miracle because you are indeed one."

"What did I miss?" A voice I realize to belong to John queries as he strides in, a bunch of balloons of different colors in his right hand, the other clasping a box of chocolate which he lays on the space beside my foot on the bed. "Here's for the newest mother in town."

"Aww," I gleam, clapping my hands in ecstasy as I slant my body, hissing in the process of striving to get the brown goodness. "That's thoughtful of you."

"You are welcome, though you didn't thank me." He winks and ambles to where his girlfriend is sitting at the edge of the light mattress. "Is that the newborn?"

"See for yourself," Glory replies, a glimpse of longing flashing past her eyes as she pushes her hands for him to carry.

"You can hold him, I'm good with just looking," he declines the gesture, fear on his face while he twists his head left and right.

"It won't hurt to carry him," Glory irks, not relenting in her quest.

"I'm fine this way," he sends a tight smile to her and bends to peep at the child. "Hello little Ike and Ana in one, how does it feel to be on the other part of the universe?"

"Shut up John, it doesn't work that way," I laugh.

"Ana, your Dad and I will check the canteen," Mom whom I've forgotten about her existence says in a grin. "Keep my grandson safe till I'm back."

"Nothing is going to happen to Miracle dear, he'll be exactly as you leave him," Dad retorts, his palm on her back guiding her to the exit and turns to me briefly. "I love you kiddo, I know this may not be the right time, but I'm sorry, you too Max."

"I understand," I exhale, not wanting to bear any grudges.

"I'll think about your apology," Maxwell blurts, tongue in cheek.

"You can join us," Mom invites me in the direction of my two younger brothers.

"I'm hungry, so I will follow," Nuel shrugs, doing that as he wanders to them in a long-sleeved turtle neck cashmere sweater and faded jeans.

"Because it has to do with food," Maxwell mutters taking the lead and walking ahead of them, Dad striding after him, probably to have a father-to-son talk in the hallway.

"Ike, your mum is bringing the 'Mmiri Ogwu' (A delicious yam pepper soup, made for pregnant women with local vegetables)," Mom states, and true to her words, a woman I presume to be Ike's mother appears in front of Mom, shuffling into the room in a wheelchair being pushed by Cecilia.

"See you later," she conveys and shuts the door after a young lady sharing familiar features with Cecilia comes in, and I presume her to be Cecilia's twin, 'Mirian'

"We'll leave you guys too," Joe speaks, elongating his right arm towards Oluchi who grips it. "Will return soon."

"We are right behind you," Glory mumbles, giving the sleeping child to Ike and standing together with John who is leaning on the window seal. "Dominion and the rest will come later."

"What about Abdul?" I inquire, observing he is no longer in the room.

"I met him on a phone call at the down floor while I came in," she notifies. "Maybe an urgent event came up and he had to leave."

"Okay then, see you," I wave at them as they retreat, instead my focus isn't on them, rather it is on the woman who gave birth to the man I've come to love, her outlook exhibiting a vivid resemblance to that of her son. Her beauty also manifesting in her daughters as she appears elegant and poised even in her physical state.

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma," I acknowledge, struggling to bow, or prostrate, anything to display a signal of respect.

"The pleasure is greatly mine my dear," she utters in a warm voice, her expression welcoming. "It is undoubtedly a good pleasure to meet you in such wonderful circumstances. This is the day the Lord has designated and handed to us for our taking, so we will rejoice and be glad in it."

*If only she knows what I've been through* I think, leaning into the embrace she tugs me into despite the gap in our positions.

"It's nice to see the woman who got my brother off Emily," Mirian beams, stretching her palms to me for a shake as her mum lets go of me. "I'm Mirian."

"I'm Ana," I respond in the same serious tone as she and to my surprise they all break out in a laugh, making me dumbfounded. "What's funny?"

"You took the bait," Ike titters, placing the baby on my lap.

"She's a good one bro, you chose right," she conveys, grinning at me. "No offense Ana, in time, you would know I'm the trickster."

"Ah, you and my brother will make good friends," I see the point now as she and Max are cut out of the same clothing.

"The bulky one?" She quizzes and I give a sign of affirmation. "Good, I like him already."

"I want to see my Grandson," Senator Okwu shows up, pushing the door with force as he strides in, his fat body disguised in a wine-colored flowing agbada and a red cap similar to the one my Dad was wearing, a black walking stick with the head of a lion carved on it.

"I informed him," Cecilia raises her hand sheepishly at Ike's questioning gaze.

"I'm asking to see my Grandson," he repeats, and regardless of the bitterness and contempt pouring through my veins, I offer the child to him and he takes Miracle from me.

Before I know what's going on, he places the child on the mattress, unraveling whatever clothing the infant has on.

"What are you doing?" Ike asks as I can't utter a syllable.

"This is not your son Ike," he pronounces, holding the now crying baby in his arms and turning him backward for us to his bareback.

"This child isn't yours Ike," he continues, his fingers pointing at the spot below Miracle's shoulder. "There's no birthmark."

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