CHAPTER 16

"Why didn't he tell me any of these?" Jasmine asked while climbing into Diana's house.
"Just get in and open the door! We will talk once we are done."
"What does it look like I'm doing? I can't fit in."
"I told you not to do it. You're pregnant and you still act like a small child."
"Now hold on," she sat on the window and glared at me. "When did you tell me not to do it?"
"You've lost it. I'm not arguing with you over this. Just get in. Be careful!" I yelled.
"I already know that." She jumped into the house. I could hear a small shatter of glass and a cry of pain coming from the house. I rushed to the door and banged hard on it. There was no response.
"Hey, Mister," I called out to one of the men that sat outside a house close to Diana's house. "My friend fell in there and I think something bad has happened to her."
"Call the cops." He waved at me.
"She's heavily pregnant. I know that's none of your business but please, if you don't help me, she might die."
"I don't care! I say, go call the cops." He yelled.
"How can you be this heartless towards your fellow human? Don't you have any conscience?"
"I do." He got up. "That's why I can't break into someone's house like you and your friend. There's always a punishment for every criminal, your friend is serving hers, yours is on the way."
"You saw only one side of the story and......"
"That's more than enough for me to know who's guilty. No matter what the owner of that house did to you, you have no right to break in. You are not a cop. You should be grateful I haven't reported you to the cops yet."
"Excuse me, bro." I turned to the next guy beside him. He had his bottle of wine in his hand and on the other a pack of cigarettes. "Please help me."
"Bro is right." He jerked back. "I don't want to get involved."
"Alright then." I cleaned the fresh tears that rolled down my eyes. "I'll report myself to the cops and I'll tell them, y'all saw me enter that house but you didn't do anything to stop me."
"Wait!" They got up and dusted their pants. "We'll help you. We just got out of prison, we can't go back there again."
"Thanks."
"Hey, we are only doing this for ourselves. But it's okay."
When we got to the house, one of the men jumped in through the window. He opened the door from inside. I rushed to where my car was while the men carried Jasmine.
"Put her in front," I ordered.
"We'll go with you just to make sure you don't report us to the cops."
"Sure. Enter the back." I had questions I wanted to ask them, so why wouldn't I let them accompany me?
I drove to Liam's family hospital, some of the nurses rushed out with a bed. They carried her out and placed her gently on the bed.
"Wait here, ma'am." One of the nurses said politely.
"Will she be alright?" I asked nervously.
"Go and fill the form and you can wait for the doctor to come out. Nothing will happen to your friend."
"Thank you."
"Sure." She walked away.
"Wow, this hospital is huge and wonderful."
"Thanks for everything. You two can leave." After they had left, I brought out my phone and dialed Liam's number. It rang for about 15 mins before he answered.
"Hannah, call me back. I'm at the office."
"It's about Jasmine," I replied with a shaky voice. What if he asked me where I was with Jasmine and how and where she fell?
"What about her?"
"She was in an accident. She's in the hospital now."
"Accident? Jacob's in a meeting now. I'll be there in a short while. Don't leave there."
"Okay." He would be here. That means he would ask questions. I went to Diana's house without letting him know. He will be so angry at me. I paced around thinking of what to tell him.
"Hannah," he walked in with Annabelle, his younger sister. "Where's Jasmine?"
"She's being operated on. Anna," I hugged her instead.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine." She assured me. "I prayed for her on my way here."
"Really?"
"Yes. And the Bible says, whatsoever you ask God for, in his name; he will do it. I believe Aunt Jasmine will be alright."
"Yes."
"Anna, go sit over there. I want to discuss something with Hannah."
"Okay, brother."
"Hannah,"
"It's all my fault." I panicked. "I shouldn't have taken her there. I was only curious as to who she was."
"Huh?" He didn't seem to understand anything I was saying. "What are you talking about?"
"Well, it's just...."
"You have to be strong. I know you and Jasmine share a strong bond even though it's just 3days you girls have known each other. She will make it."
"Oh, thank you. This is the first time you've said something sensible."
"About what you were saying earlier?" He looked up with a straight face. "Where did you take Jasmine to?"
"That's not important."
"It is now." He moved closer to me. "Where did you go and why wasn't your number reachable?"
"I, um...."
"Mrs. Hannah Smith," the doctor called out by name.
"Yes, doctor!" I turned to face Liam. "Liam, I'll be right back."
"Your friend," the doctor continued when I approached him.
"What about her?"
"Don't worry, she's alright. She's given birth to a set of beautiful twins. Congratulations."
"Wow, doctor! This is good news." I rejoiced.
"You can go and see her babies now but let Jasmine rest for a while."
"Thanks, Doc." I walked back to where Liam stood and delivered the good news to him.
"Why does that make you happy?" He asked with his hands in his pockets.
"How did I end up with you?" I pulled him to the room where the babies were. Two nurses were there taking care of the babies. When Liam and I entered, they greeted and left. "So cute. I'm so jealous right now."
"If you wanna have a baby go have one." He replied coldly.
"Are you ready to become a father?" I blurted out without even realizing I said it.
"Excuse me." That was his way of dismissing a question when he knew his answer was going to hurt the other person.
"Your name will be Victoria." I pointed to the baby at the left. "And you, your name will be Lauren, because I love that woman, Lauren Daigle so much." What am I saying? I'm not even their mum so how could I name them without the permission of their parents. I laughed and shook my head.
I sat in the room with Jasmine's babies for several hours with Annabelle by my side. Liam had gone back to the office for an important meeting.
"Ma'am, do you mind? I'd like to put the babies to sleep now. You may leave." The nurse said politely.
"Okay. Take care of her babies. Jasmine is one troublesome woman." I teased.
"Sure."
"Anna, let's go." I held her tiny hand and stepped out of the room. When we reached Jasmine's room, I peeped and saw her sleeping quietly.
"Come back in two days. She will be better by then. But for now, don't disturb her." the doctor said, after examining Jasmine.
"Thank you. Her husband might come in later, not completely sure about that. But if he does, tell him I had to leave with Anna so my mother-in-law doesn't scold me for returning late."
"No problem."
"What God can not do does not exist," Annabelle said when we entered the car. "I prayed for her and she gave birth successfully."
"Yes, dear. My love, will you help me to pray that my husband will say he loves me someday?"
"I will. But my brother is not someone who can easily yield to anyone. Plus, he's not all about sex and physical appearance, he's all about the purity of your heart. He loves people who are sincere and don't put on an act. That's why he dated Diana. Diana might not be a good person but at least, she doesn't pretend to be one. And if she is pretending now, it's because you are in his life."
"What?" I wasn't pretending to be someone else, why couldn't he see that? My love for him was genuine. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would eventually fall in love with him but it just so happened.
"You just have to keep trying. You are very beautiful indeed. Not more beautiful than me though."
"Thanks, Sweetheart." I kissed her on her cheek.
"Cake by the ocean!" She sang along to the song playing in the car.
"Talk to me baby! ah!" I joined in.