It has not been easy for Claudia throughout the pregnancy term. She had lied to her boyfriend that she'd terminate the pregnancy. She took months apart from him, saying that she was going away for a while, where as, she was on antenatal leave. She came back when the pregnancy turned nine months old. She heard the news about what happened to her boyfriend's family and her boyfriend too. When she went to his place, she was told where he now lives.
She took a cab to the white house. The gateman interviewed her for quite sometime before letting her in. With one hand at her back and the other holding her little bag of clothes, she strode towards the servants' lounge.
As she was about to climb up the stairs, she saw him jogging down. Maxwell wasn't expecting to see her especially by this time of the night. He thought maybe his brain or eyes were malfunctioning. He blinked again and she was standing there smiling at him. "Hi, honey."
Max bullshit her greetings. His brows furrowed like they first had a misunderstanding in the past. "Claudia, what are you doing here and how the heck do you know am here?"
She thought for a while. Is that how he should greet her? "First come give me a hug, baby. It's been a long time and I've come to see you." Max don't think so. His brows creased deeper when she leaned forward to hug him. He moved backward and stopped her, "What is this? You kept the baby? Didn't we talk about having an abortion? And you still went behind my back to keep the baby. You really are insane, aren't you?"
"Maxwell," She's surprise at his actions. Her hands caressed her large stomach. "This is your baby. Our baby. There's no way I'll terminate the baby, our own flesh and blood."
"Enough, Claudia, enough!" He yelled at her and she startled at once. His voice woke Tristan and Francesca and Mrs. Hemsworth. They stood behind him unknowing to him. Justin walked in. "I told you I'm not ready to be a father. You said we were good, you said we could go on and now you're hooking me with this thing?"
"This is not a hookup thing, Max." She retorted, tears draining out of her eyes. "You can't expect me to take the life of an innocent child that knew nothing about our sin. I kept the baby and he is your responsibility now."
Max let out a chuckle, "My responsibility? Don't you have family – oh, how I forgot you're an orphan and you wanted a sugar boy to shelter your shit. Look, Claudia, I –" Justin booted in, his eyes glimmers at the pregnant woman, "I never knew you're this heavily pregnant." He turn to his cousin, "You wanted her to die, didn't you? To go for an abortion at this stage?"
"She looks due." Francesca added. Maxwell does not have time for their silly talks. He turn back at his girlfriend, "I know you wanted money and I gave a lot of em to you. Now tell me what do you want? Get lost with the pregnancy."
"I refuse to get lost, Max." She picked her bag from the floor. "I've come to stay with the father of my baby and you won't throw me out." Max stood on her way. He tried to warn her, "Claudia, stop this attitude of yours and go home."
Go home? At this time of the night? Before Justin could interfere again, Tristan took over, "Are you mad, Maxwell? Have you no sense in that coconut head of yours? You ask your pregnant girlfriend to return back at this hour?"
"Tristan, this issue doesn't concerns you. So back out." Max warned him. Justin took the bag from Claudia and said, "I'll take you to his room. You'll be living with him and if he dares to touch you violently, let me know." He took Claudia's hand and led her to Max's bedroom.
When everyone were out of sight, Tristan went to him. "This is not your kinda thing, Max. You got her pregnant and now you're denying it." Maxwell doesn't know how to explain this but he thinks he's not yet mature enough to become a father. "I didn't deny it, Tris. I'm just scared I won't be able to love her or be by her side. I don't want to hurt her in the future."
Tristan place one hand on his shoulder, "Remember you advised me on how to go about my love for Francesca. I told you how I was scared to announce our relationship in public because of Justin but you gave me strength to go through it. And today, we're happy together. You can do the same for Claudia, Max. If you never loved her, you wouldn't have taken her on those several dates and occasions. You wouldn't have caterer for her and got her pregnant. It shows that fate wants you to be a responsible man for her. And because of her, you stopped going to the bars and clubhouses. You committed yourself to her – you see, Max. It's all about love no fear."
Max paused for a while. He observed something he liked in Tristan's words. He didn't hesitate to ask, "With all these things I did for her, does it shows that...I truly love her?" Tristan nodded vigorously with a cute smile. "Yes, man." He patted his shoulder and left him to think.
After a little while, Max felt relieved. He studied everything Tristan told him. Only him by himself came to realize that it is true. He loves Claudia and it wasn't his intentions to send her away with the pregnancy or ask her to get it terminated. It was just all about fear.
He went back to his room and found her seated like a real pregnant woman on his bed. She didn't realize he had come in as she caress her big stomach. She already changed into one of his t-shirts and she looked so cute and small in it. She lifted her head the moment she heard the door shut.
He was afraid to go to the bed to meet her since he already said a lot to her downstairs. She was silent as she continue to stare at him. After a while of serenity, she tapped the empty space beside her, "Come sit with me, this baby is kicking me too hard."
A sweet smile creased his lips as he walked towards the bed. He sat next to her and she took his hand to her stomach. "Do you feel her?"
"Her?" He shook his head, "I feel him." When she laughed, he rubbed her stomach softly, feeling every move of the child. "He's so healthy, I can feel him dancing in there."
"He's not dancing, Max." She laughed again. She can't believe the man that yelled at her few minutes ago is suddenly calm as a dove. "He always likes to stress me." She sighed and he leaned down to kiss her stomach. "I can't wait to have him in my arms."
"Don't you want me to abort –"
"No, please don't say that again." He place his hand on his chest. Feeling guilty of his own words again. "I feel like commiting suicide for saying those horrible things to you." He took her hand in his and kissed the back of her hand. "Am sorry I said those awful things to you. I want us to have the baby."
Really? Is he for real now? Claudia felt like crying out tears of joy. She wrap her arms around him and place her head on his chest. He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "I love you." He whispered and she whispered back. "I love you too."
It was midnight hour. Claudia woke up when she felt a sharp pain at her back. "Ow," She tried to sit up on the bed. Max was sleeping on the couch. She try to reach to him but the distance was too far apart. She inhaled and exhaled heavily as she tries to coax herself but the pain was increasing by every seconds. "Ah….." She screamed. Max woke up and ran to the bed. "Claudia?" One of his hand supporting her back.
When he followed her gaze, he found out that her water had broken. "Shit!" He rushed out of the bed to get his phone. While she was wailing in pain, he quickly phoned the ambulance. Justin and Tristan overhead the noise coming from his room. They barge in without knocking and saw the scene. "Did Harry return home?" Justin asked Tristan and he nodded 'No.' Claudia wailed louder when the pain became great for her to bear. The next thing they saw on the sheets wasn't water but blood. "The baby is coming." Tristan gasp. Max got a call. The ambulance was outside already waiting. He took Claudia in his arms and left. Justin told Tristan to stay home with Francesca why he go with Max to the hospital.
.....
An hour later, Max was still pacing about. His heart was troubled. Justin saw how nervous he was, he came to him. "Relax, she'll be fine." Max forced himself to admit. Just then the doctor walked in. Immediately Max saw him, he rushed towards him. "How is she? How is my baby?"
"They're fine, sir." The doctor smiled and Max felt relieved for a while. "Congratulations, you have a baby boy."
A baby b – "Are you kidding? I got little Maxwell?" Max pulled Justin into a tight hug. He was so happy. Justin has never seen him this happy before. It felt like every sour moment were pushed aside and the sweet part took over. Justin was super happy for him. He just became an uncle with the little nephew. "Can we see them now, doctor?" Justin inquired and the doctor took them to Claudia's ward.
Tears rolled down Max's eyes when he saw his newborn son. This was the baby he wanted to kill. The baby he seek his death because of fear. The baby he was too scared to keep but today, he saw him. He cuddle him in his arms like he was an egg. Justin whom stood beside him with a smile all the time, said, "Isn't he handsome? He looks so much like you, Max."
Same eyes, same nose, same face. The baby definitely had every resemblance of Max. "Yes, like father like son, right?" Max chuckled, the tears still dropping from his eyes. Tears of joy. "What do we call him, Max?" Claudia asked.
Max thought of a sweet name for his child, he wants something similar to his own name. "Macdonaldson. But let's call him Donaldson or Donald for short." Justin carried the baby from his arms and kissed his forehead, "Aiya, baby Donald Chadwick. I am Justin Chadwick and I am your uncle."
Claudia laughed at his tone of voice. "He won't recognize you now not until he is a year older." When he yawned, Justin fake a gasp, "Ho, and that is one hungry big guy." He gave him to his mother for breastfeeding.