I woke up the next day in an unfamiliar room. Sunlight from the window with light blue curtains indicate that it's around 8 o 9 in the morning. I feel so tired even I just woke up. I can feel pain all over my body. I touched my tummy just to check that I already gave birth. It's not a dream. But where is Athena?
I tried to get up despite being in pain. I'm already wearing hospital gown and a tiny tube is still in my wrist. I pushed myself to get up but I failed.
"Hello! Is anyone there?" I shouted as loudly as possible. This is one of the moments I feel paranoid. What if they are all working for Geoff and he now has Athena.
"Hello!"
i heard many footsteps coming to where I am. After a few seconds, familiar faces came from the door.
"Joan! You're awake." Dorothy said. She is now carrying a baby in her arms. "We were outside. We were just showing Athena how beautiful our place is."
"Can I see her?" I asked.
"Of course. She is very pretty. She is such an angel. You don't know how happy we are when we saw her." Dorothy then handed Athena in my arms very gently. I was scared at first to hold her in my arms. I couldn't help but cry when I finally saw her face. She is sleeping soundly. She is wrapped with a pink baby blanket which was given by one of the ladies. There were around 8 women surrounding me and Athena. I don't know why but I feel so safe around them.
"I love you. I will do everything to protect you." I whispered, talking to Athena.
"We will all protect you!" One woman said.
"Of course!" Everyone chorused. "We are now a family.
"Thank you. Thank you for accepting us here. By the way, where is Danny?"
"Ah. I asked her to go home and take a rest. She was crying the whole night. She was so worried because you were sleeping the whole night. We assured her that it was fine but she still didn't stop crying. John drove her home. We told her not to come back here until tonight." Dorothy explained.
Thinking about how worried Danny makes me feel touched and sorry for her at the same time. She was with me since I started living with Geoff and she knows everything that happened to me ever since. Coming here with me would be dangerous and bothersome for her but she still chose to accompany me and Athena. I owe her our lives.
"I really don't know how I can repay everyone of you for your kindness. Words are not enough for me to thank everyone of you."
"Don't think about anything. You should take care of yourself for your daughter," says one woman.
"We brought food for you. We are so stupid not to give you something to eat after what you have been through." Dorothy said.
One woman got Athena from me while other women prepared food for me. I could see a lot of lunchboxes. I guess each woman brought food from their homes.
"Don't worry about Athena. We gave her formula milk because she was crying a last night. We thought she was very hungry but we didn't want to wake you up. We know how painful it is to give birth," explained one woman.
While I was eating, everyone was staring at me. I felt conscious and uncomfortable until one Dorothy finally spoke.
"Actually, we want to ask you something. We want to ask a favor from you."
"What is it?" I asked, quite nervous. I hope my fear that they are working for Geoff is not real. My heart began pounding faster.
"As you know most of us are away from our children and grandchildren and we missed taking care of kids so much. We want to ask if we can visit your place every day? We won't be staying the whole day, don't worry. We just want to help you in taking care of Athena. I hope that is not too much to ask." Dorothy explained. All of them were nodding after she finished what she said. They all seemed expectant for my answer.
"I would love that." Everyone smiled happily. I feel happy knowing that Athena will grow around these wonderful people. "I'm sure Athena will grow up to be a good person with your guidance."
"Thank you so much, Joan. You don't know how happy we are now." They all exclaimed.
Everything seems so surreal to me. If I have known that I will meet these people, I should have come to these place earlier. I never thought I would feel so safe around people who are not my family. I can say that aside from having Athena now in my life, meeting these people is one of the best things that happened to me since I got married.
At night, the women went back home which gave me the chance to spend alone time with Athena. Looking at her makes me satisfied and forget all the pain I got from her father. Some of her features are undoubtedly from Geoff like her eyebrows and her nose. I still don't know how I would introduce her father to her. Should I say that her father died? Or should I tell her that we had to run away from him? Thinking about her asking questions later on about her father makes me feel sad and worried. I hope she won't feel that something is lacking like what I felt when I was young. I will not make her experience the same things I had when I was a student. I will raise her with so much love so she will grow up having confidence with herself.
Danny came in the hospital after dinner time looking very tired. She has dark circles and it seems like she didn't sleep for a couple of days. When she saw me and Athena, she started crying again.
"Madam! I was so worried about you. I'm so happy to see you and Athena together."
"Stop crying. We are now okay. Thank you for everything Danny. And please stop calling me that. Call me Joan." I said smiling.
"How can you smile at this time? Do I look funny to you? I was so worried because of you and now you seem very okay. Was I worrying for nothing?" She said, sounding a bit angry.
"I just think you are too cute. Can you be Athena's godmother? And you should be quiet. Athena is sleeping. You might wake her up."
"Of course! I would be disappointed if I won't be her godmother. Sorry, I will keep quiet and stop smiling!"
"Come here. Please give me a hug." Danny hugged me gently. She is now smiling and started playing with Athena's hand. She is now peacefully sleeping beside me.
"What's our plan now?"
"I don't know Danny. All I know for now is this is the best place to raise Athena, away from the city life, and especially away from her father."
"I will always be here for the two of you even you can't afford my salary anymore. We are now a family and I promise to be beside the two of you until I can."
"Thank you Danny, for everything."
Two days later, I and Athena were finally discharged from the hospital. I can move now although I can still pain from time to time. I decided to give Athena breastfeed since it is better for her and at the same time, I can save a lot of money from not buying formula milk. Coming home in my new place with her makes everything different now. I have now my goal in my every day life, and that is to protect my daughter and provide her with everything she needs. Can I do it without Geoff's help?