Danddy was never a man to keep late nights, as the hour strikes 6p.m, he stood up to go though he knew that once he did, that his friends will tease him, but he has never cared about their opinion when they were younger let alone now that he is older with a wife who Is pregnant and is due any day from now, so with that thought in mind he stood up and bid them fair well and left.
On getting to his compound, he observed the same thing that the first arrivals observed, NNE was not sitting on her chair and Tope sitting by her side telling her all about his day, that was odd he noted to himself maybe NNE decided to retire to bed early today he reasoned ,with that thought in his mind he left for his own hut to see how his wife was doing.
Upon entering his hut ,he realized that his wife was not there ,he reasoned that she might be cooking or bating so he went to check the kitchen and bathroom but to his dismay she was not there as well .. hmmm he hummed and decided to ask NNE about the way about of his wife. Danddy set off towards NNE'S hurt and upon reaching there the sight that met him was the bundle in NNE's arms, his nephew Tope in front of NNE with his little hand on the bundle that NNE was carrying, what is happening here he asked ? w..h.a..t he stammered....and then, he swallowed back his words then he saw Dabi his wife lying at the corner with her big belly missing, and the bundle in NNE's arm, he put two and two together and then figured out the situation without anyone telling him.
Once realization hit him ,his eyes lit up like a thousand fire flies and he rushed towards Dabi's side to make sure she's just sleeping and not dead, cause he very well knows the number of women who die while giving birth in the village clinic let alone giving birth at home.
On getting close to her he knelt next to her on the floor and touch her finger and then he placed his hands close to her nose to check if she's breathing and a smile so wide and bright bloomed on his faced and he just lay beside his wife and hugs her, he held her a little longer because he just couldn't let go, grateful in his heart that she's okay.
After about five minutes of just holding her in his arms he was satisfied enough to let go for now and rose up to meet his baby , he walked towards the other end of the hut on his knees and sat on the floor of NNE's hut beside where Tobe was standing and looked at his baby for the first time and his smile blossom even wider , just as he set his eyes on it , he realized that it didn't matter to him anymore if it was a male or female, he knew he was going to love it either way.
He looked at the baby and then at NNE asking the question he already knew the answer to with his eyes and NNE answered without words and nodded her head before answering with word yes is a girl my son ,the lord has blessed you with a baby girl, he smiled even more surprising his mother with his attitude, because NNE thought Danddy would have preferred a boy to a girl so this attitude brought joy to her heart that he loves his baby regardless of her gender, that means she will not be another mistreated girl in Dawanda.
Danddy sat down very well and made himself comfortable on the floor and then he stretch forth his arms towards his mother, NNE naturally understood what he wanted and stood up with the baby in her arms and walked the few steps to were the giddy Danddy was sitting and gently placed the baby in his arms , he looked at the baby in his arms and marveled at how perfect she is ,her eyes were closed so he thought she was sleeping but when NNE settled her in her father's arms she gradually opened her eyes.
Danddy beamed with joy again and looked up at NNE and said she has Dabi's eyes , NNE nodded and said ,that she does and that little dark ring in it I believe came from you and the proportion of her eyes that again came from you. He smiled wider and kissed her forehead with joy in his heart he told NNE that they need to celebrate.
Meanwhile Tobe was still looking at the baby and never taking his eyes away from her, when Danddy came close to NNE to see his baby ,Tobe didn't pay attention to his uncle, he was just standing there looking at the baby, when NNE handed the baby to Danddy he followed her to were Danddy was sitting and continued staring, NNE keenly observed all this without saying a word cause she didn't know what to make of Tobe's behavior yet.
Responding to Danddy's earlier statement NNE asked him, are you sure? she wasn't just enquiring for nothing, everyone in the village knows, that the birth they celebrate is the birth of the male gender never the female except in one occasion that the king celebrated the princess after years of having only male children. Danny's facial features didn't change for a moment as he knew that already but still want to celebrate his princess. NNE told him that the people will talk and mock him ,he just smiled and said it doesn't matter all but that his princess will be celebrated like any other male child in the kingdom. With that, he handed NNE the baby and said i need to prepare.
just as he handed NNE the baby, Tobe also followed the baby to NNE's position as well . NNE didn't have any other option but to put the baby down on her sleeping mattress so Tobe could continue to watch his cousin as he pleases.