Days passed, and weeks turned into months. Before I knew it, it was 9 months of tranquility and isolations. Nine months since the last time I saw my baby's father. I had no idea about his whereabouts let alone his family for it was kept out of the media.
It was like Brian knew something like this was going to happen and had initially prepared for it. How could a whole family of McDermott disappear?
For the six months we had dated, I was aware he had only his mother, grandmother and two siblings. All of them and their whereabouts remained anonymous.
Since I wanted to give my baby a complete family, I had invested all my resources into finding him. God knew how much I had tried. But a man could not be found until he wanted to.
When it was close to my due date, I had given up looking for him. Because of the prying eyes of the paparazzi and the reporters I had altogether stopped posting myself on social media.
I had a few days to the arrival of my baby. Like how I was waiting for his father, I couldn't wait to meet him. When the doctor had announced the news that he would be a boy, I had never been so happy. It was at that time I wished Brian would be there to receive the news. He would have been the happiest father alive.
I felt a kick in my tummy, as I bursted into a long contagious laughter. I laughed so hard and uncontrollably, something that alarmed my house manager.
Lan was very fast to appear in my room. With a worried expression on his face, she asked.
"Ma'am are you okay,"
"Yes Lana." I confirmed as I rolled an eye. What so wrong with laughing so hard? My DM was overreacting.
"It's the baby," I told her to ease her worry.
"What happened to the baby? Is he okay? Is it time,"
Lana rumbles as she panicked beside me. She was an elderly woman in her mid fifties, who had become like a mother to me. Unlike Brian who left without knowing the news of his child, Lana had stayed with me. She was the McDermotts family house manager, but had chosen to stay with me.
She believed I made a mistake and had a very strong hope that Brian would one day come back. She kept on encouraging me everyday to not loose hope on finding him. When I became tired with the search, I had sought her advice.
"Perhaps it's time to let him go. " She had said.
"I believe though his love will find it's way to you." Her words are what kept my hope alive.
"Do we need to go to the hospital?" Again, Lana asked.
"No. It's okay. I'm fine. The baby is very active today though. You know, it's almost time. " I smiled.
"Ah! I see. That little man is exactly like his father. " I smiled more hearing her words.
My house manager and I joked a little bit of everything and anything that concerned my child. I had made a decision to make her the godmother to our baby. She was very excited when I broke the news to her. She couldn't wait to meet her godson.
Lana provided me with my daily vitamins, before resuming her work. It was until the late hours in the evening while I was resting in my room, that I felt the baby's head.
"Lana," I called, signalling her to immediately call our driver. He was always around, but that day I had sent him to run some errands for me.
Since he would be late and I was in no position to wait, I ordered Lana to book as an Uber which arrived within seconds. Lana had explained the emergency we had, compelling the taxi driver to handle me with care.
Hours of pain and agony in the hospital, I was able to welcome my bundle of joy. Tears left me as I looked at his cute little face.
"You look like daddy!" I whispered to him.
At that moment, I wished he was there to see our child, but unfortunately he was nowhere to be found.
A small smile made it's way onto my face as I promised to be always there for him.
I was going to make sure my baby never felt alone. I was going to make sure he would not miss his father. I would be present in his life no matter how busy life would become. This child, was a blessing to me.
After being released to my room to rest, I was thinking of all the things I would do to him. Although this was a journey I was not prepared for, I had embraced with the little I had.
This child was the reason that brought Brian and I together . He made me a whole new person to begin with. He had given me purpose and meaning of life. A lot of things he had made me forego. This child, would grow to know what a blessing he was into our lives.
I made it my core goal to tell him everything about his father if he ever asked. I even gave him his father's surname. I did not want my child to ever question his roots. I was the one who made a mistake and deprived him of the most important thing called family, therefore it was my obligation to fill him in on everything.
The following morning before I was discharged from maternity, I wrote a small note and put it on the hospital alter. The note read;
"Dear Brian,
On 23rd Sep 2023, I gave birth to our beautiful child. Do you remember what that day is, it's my birthday my love. So, from next year, you won't only be celebrating my birthday, but also our child's birthday. My wish for my birthday is to give our child a complete family. I wish you find your way to us my love. Our baby and I, will be waiting for you at home.
Love,
Val"
I sealed the note with a kiss and left with a hopeful heart.