The stars shone bright in the sky, their spark glittering in the lake nearby as Lorraine and Jade stood side by side, admiring the beauty of nature. It was the first time after three years that he managed to take his wife out on a weekend away.

She was so overjoyed that she couldn’t stop giggling. She pointed up towards the sky as if for the first time she laid her eyes on the stars. It was no fancy affair, all Jade did was borrow his boss’s camping equipment and truck so he could be able to give his wife the surprise of her life before she gave birth to their first born child. It took them only an hour to reach their camping site and only a few minutes to set up everything.

Jade couldn’t stop laughing at his wife, from dusk till dawn she would scream and jump at any moving insect or animal that passed by even when it was far from harming her. The lake nearby hummed softly as they took pleasure in heating their marshmallows by the fire, it all felt like a distant dream to Lorraine, a dream she never wanted to wake up from.

All was forgotten as she rested her head on her husband’s shoulder, smiling and giggling every time the fire made a crackling sound or the lake flowed in rhythmic tune. Not even for once had her mind drifted back home to their bitter cold shack with holes that brought in such a painful cold shiver and in winter it was a nightmare with the rain.

At that moment, blissful with her husband and the sweet serenity of nature, she had forgotten all about the nights they spent with empty stomachs because Jade hadn’t work very well that week. They went through everything together, victory and hardships.

When he told her he wanted to save money to start building them a house, never had she once gone against it. Even when they had to starve themselves in the process, her only wish was to have her little boy in his own warm room, filled with paintings and decorations. A room where he won’t have to be blinded by the sun through the dented holes on the roof, or a loud thud of rain drops when it rains.

It felt good to just live in the moment, to appreciate her husband’s efforts and to show him just how much being there meant to her.

Their supper was salami and cheese sandwiches with cold boiled eggs that Jade’s madam prepared for them. They had their tea water boiled on the fire, as well as the hot water Lorraine would need for her water bottle.

“My love? Are you happy?” Jade asked rubbing her huge tummy softly.

“I couldn’t be any happier. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, my darling husband.” she said smiling.

“No, you are and you know it. You chose to marry me, a useless poor Nigerian who didn’t even have a citizenship.

While others looked down on me, you showed me what it felt like to be loved, how could I ever forget that my darling? Would I have even got the job at the farm had it not been for you?” he said with thankfulness in his tone and gratitude.

“I would do it all over again if I have to, I love you Mr Uche, don’t you ever…”

As she was speaking she stopped as she felt warm liquid passing between her legs.

“Are you okay my love?”

“Babe I know that we are far and there is no help around but I don’t want you to panic…”

“Panic? Panic about what? What is wrong now? Babe, please don’t tell me the baby is coming now? Not now, please I beg!”

“My water just broke and I think… ouuuuch!” she screamed before finishing the thought.

Labour pains began to attack her one by one. Out of fear and frustration Jade stood in front of his wife, his hands on his head. They were told at the clinic that Lorraine wouldn’t give birth for another month. He was never prepared for what he was seeing in front him.

The minute he thought of rushing his wife to hospital she was already writhing in agony, speaking incoherently with sweat dripping all over her face. Blood also staining the dress she had on.

“Please take it out! Take the baby out of me or I’ll die! I don’t want it, please help me, help me or I will die,” she screamed in agony!

Never in his entire life had Jade witnessed such a tragedy. Even so, something told him if he didn’t rush to help his wife, she might not live through it.

Suddenly without even realising what he was doing he quickly ran inside the tent and laid a blanket on the floor.
He picked her up, her clutches making him groan with pain as he placed her on the blanket. He then remembered how they used to do it in movies, he wasn’t sure why they did it but he also ran to pick up the towels they just received that morning as a present from Mrs Oosthuizen, his boss’s wife.

When he finally got back to her, Lorraine seemed to have lost a whole lot of blood which made her weak. He felt hopeless as he knelt down in front of her urging her to push at the same time scared of what would happen once she did.

***

Tell us what you think: What do you Jade should do?