Chapter Twenty Nine

I decided I wanted to give birth in Nigeria. I didn't want to go back to Chicago and I didn't really like it in New York so we left.

It was a hasty decision but I was adamant on leaving despite the fact that my due date was just around the corner.

Miles has been so caught up with work, Ana has gone back to Chicago and mum and dad were in Nigeria so for the month and a few weeks, it's just been Andrew and I.

I had sat both Miles and Andrew  down and told them explicitly that I just wanted to be alone and both men completely understood. Andrew with me in New York as a friend and nothing more.

"Victoria," Andrew stopped walking.

I felt it, the water dripping down my legs.

Oh shit.

We were in the middle of the airport for God's sake!

Wrong timing baby, wrong timing!

I looked at Andrew with wide eyes and he looked calm, too calm.

Well I knew him better than anyone and I'm pretty sure he's freaking out on the inside but he's trying to act calm for my sake. Nothing is worse than both of us freaking out at the same time.

"We just need to get you to the car okay?" He said as he placed his arm on my back. "We're almost there."

"Stop lying to me Andrew, I know we're not almost there." I glared at him.

"What else do you want me to say?" He rolled his eyes. "Come on."

One of the security officers helped him and they made my getting to the car faster.

Everything from there was a blur because the next thing I could recognize was I was being rolled into the labor room with Andrew beside me.

"I think you should call my mum," I told him.

"I've called her, she's on the way." His hold on my hand tightened.

Here goes.

***

Andrew's POV

"I'm sorry, you can't-"

"Drew!" Victoria called and the nurse gave way for me to go in.

"I'm here, I'm here." I didn't even notice the nurses covering my body with whatever. All I know is I've seen this happen in movies.

My nerves were allover the place. I was about to become a father.

A mother fucking father.

I didn't even know how to keep a woman talk less of being a father.

I don't want to fuck things up, I really don't.

"Where's my mum?" She looked at me with wide eyes.

I could tell she was seriously panicking on the inside. I was panicking too and she was doing a better job at hiding hers. I just need her to calm down.

"She's on her way." I held her hand tighter and got her to look at me instead of the door. "Babe look at me, I'm here."

"I know you are, I just need my mother." She groaned, her lips pressing together.

"She's on her way babe, she's on her way. I just need you to calm down, I know your head is allover the place right now." I kissed her forehead. "I'm here with you."

She chuckled and she relaxed a little. "How do you know me so well?"

"Because I'm irrevocably in love with you." I smiled when she smiled.

"I love you," she told me and it was like she was telling me those words for the very first time.

My heart skipped more than just a beat.

"Okay, I'm going to need you to push now." The doctor said, pulling us both back to reality.

A reality where we were both about to become parents.

***

It was still hard to believe. I was now a father.

As I held our daughter in my hands the name clicked in. I placed her in Victoria's arms.

"Hey," Victoria whispered with a huge smile on her face. Victoria looked at me and I placed a kiss on her forehead.

"We did it," I whispered.

"We did." She closed her eyes for a second. "She looks like you."

"She actually looks like you." That was what I could see. It was like her mother literally just spat out herself

"Stop trying to make me feel better, I know she looks like you." She lightly pushed my arm.

I chuckled.

"I'm thinking of Brayleigh," I told Victoria.

"Brayleigh," she repeated. "I like it. How about Chidinma?" She looked up at me.

I nodded, "and Tolani?" I added.

I've thought about these names before and it was like she was reading my mind when she said Chidinma

"Are you reading my mind?" She chuckled. "I thought about that name."

"No, you're the one reading my mind." I chuckled too.

Sadly the doctor called me aside to fill a few papers and do something. I was filled with so much joy when I wrote our baby's name.

Ezzeh Brayleigh Chidinma Tolani

Looks like a long name but we liked it like that.

I was so busy running around and making sure that Victoria and the baby were okay.

The next few days were spent running up and down, trying to fix a few things around my house and to set up the baby's room.

Since the decision to return to Nigeria was hasty we had little time to set things up so I was running around like a headless chicken.

At least one thing was certain before now. That she and the baby were going to stay with me whether we got back to Nigeria or not.

Funke and Adrian flew in once they heard that Victoria went into labor so Adrian helped me set things up while Funke was with Victoria in the hospital for the two days.

"Andrew?" Adrian called my attention.

"Yeah?" I looked at the picture that Victoria had sent as an illustration for how she wanted the baby's room to be.

So far we were doing a good job. Almost done.

"How did you know when Victoria was ready to settle down?" Adrian's question got me to freeze.

I faced him with a smile on my face. "Oh my God. You want to propose?"

"I think she's ready." He dropped his arm. "I think she has been for a while now."

"Then if you feel she's ready, go for it." I shrugged.

"I'm scared guy, I don't want to mess things up. What if she isn't ready?" He was clearly worked up about this.

"Then you'll do the wedding when she's ready, no one said you have to get married immediately after proposal." It was as if he wasn't even listening to me.

I made my way over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder. "One thing is sure, The only person Funke is willing to get married to is you so she most definitely will take the ring. And if she's not ready to get married now, that's fine, you'll do it when she's ready."

He chuckled. "I don't know why I'm so worked up about this."

"It's normal. My nerves were allover the place that night I proposed." The memories of that night came back.

I couldn't even think straight all I knew was that I wanted her to be my wife and somehow I asked her.

"Speaking of Victoria. I asked her what she plans on doing now, y'know having to chose between you and Miles and she somehow avoided the topic. What's going on?" He went back to what he was doing earlier.

"She wants space so I'm giving her that." I shrugged.

"How long do you think this space is going to be?"

"It's almost two months already, let's see how much longer she wants." I answered and went back to the clothes I was folding up.

Adrian sighed. "All these wouldn't have happened if Miles didn't come into the picture."

I clicked my tongue. "Nope. If her father didn't want her to get married to Miles."

He hummed in response. "I think it kind of did you guys some good."

I closed the drawer and stood up straighter. "Good? How?"

"Now you guys can really value each other and really think of the reasons why you want to be with each other."

I thought about it. "I knew and know why I want to be with her way before all these Adrian."

I continued folding clothes into the other drawer.

"Did you really?" He looked at the window just as a honk was heard.

They're here.

"Just think about it. Some good came out of all these." Adrian said as he concluded what he was doing then dusted his hands.

I nodded and quickly finished what I was doing and headed downstairs after him.