WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 41 – 50
Chapter 44
Written by: Racheal Dennis.
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WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 41 – 50
Jasmine’s pov ?
She’s a very magnanimous woman, but sadly she doesn’t know who she is.
I remembered when we first met…
flash_back_2017_february_20th
I had just got back from grocery shopping, when I suddenly remembered I forgot my purse with my last few cash.
A tired and frustrated groan left my mouth, when I stared outside…I lifted my head and stared at the sky.
The sun is shining very brightly outside. I was happy I had escaped the sun, but now I have to walk under it again.
Walking under the scorching sun isn’t something I enjoy at all, it’s always gives me an internal heat.. and makes me sweat profusely.
Especially now that I’m pregnant.
With sigh, I stepped out of my apartment.. or Arthur’s apartment rather.
I sluggishly walked a few poles away from my place, then arrived at a main road.
Just when I was about to hail a cab, someone tapped my shoulder and I turned back.
A woman who seem to be in her early forties smiled at me.
“Good afternoon, ma’am” I greeted her, returning her warm smile with a tired grunt.
It’s not easy for an heavily pregnant woman to keep walking to and fro, under a soul consuming sun.
Also, I’m in my due month and I easily get tired at every little thing I do.
“How may I help you, ma’am?” I asked.
She looked at me, from my head to toes.. maybe she wants to ask for directions, but why is she looking at me?
Or could it be she’s judging me in her heart? Could it be she’s wondering why an eighteen years old is heavily pregnant?
I scoffed mentally, for God sake, I’m not the only pregnant teen in the world!
But wait…she doesn’t look like the judgemental kind of human.
Alas, I shouldn’t jump into conclusions, it makes me look like the judgemental kind of human.
“Miss?” She snapped her fingers across my eyes.
“Yeah?” I answered.
She smiled.
“Beautiful girl, can you spare me some change?” She asked.
I frowned.
She’s beautifully dressed.. though she wasn’t dressed in gold and stuff.. but she was dressed in fine lining and her skin looks so soft and smooth.
But sadly, she turned out to be a beggar?
“Miss, can you spare me some change?” She asked again.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, I forgot my purse at the grocery store and I’m going back to get it.. I’m sorry I can’t be of help” I replied.
She nodded and brought out her hand that has been hiding behind her, I blinked when I saw my purse in her hand.
“Is this your purse?” She asked.
I collected it from her and studies it, I nodded quickly.
“Yes, ma’am”
“Oh, well, check if anything is missing”
“Right” I said and quickly checked it.
My money was inside, Arthur’s credit card was also inside.. I counted my money and found out it’s intact.. no, it’s not.
I realized some notes were added to my money and I raised my head.
“Ma’am, everything is intact, but my money.. some extra cash are added..”
I trailed off and counted out the extra cash.
“… did you see anyone touch my purse”
“No” she replied.
“Huh? Then where could this money come from?” I wondered with a frown.
There was a short moment of silence, as I’m busy thinking about the source of these money.
“Now that you’ve retrieved your purse, why not go back home?”
“Um… ”
“My dear, you’re pregnant and I can tell you’re due, standing under this sun isn’t good for you or your baby” she said.
I nodded, I collected a few notes from my personal money and handed it to her.
“I don’t have much, please accept this” I said.
She shook her head and pushed my money back, she smiled at me.
“I was just joking with you” she said.
“Joking with me?”
“Yes”
Her eyes landed on my stomach and lingers there, instinctively I wrapped my arms around my stomach.. as if to shield it from her eyes.
“I wanted to know if you’re kind or…”
A short sharp pain suddenly hit my abdomen, I held my stomach and whimpered softly.
“What’s wrong? Are you ok?” She asked me.
I simply shook my head, since I couldn’t speak…in a minute, I’m already sweating profusely and the pain is slowly increasing.
“Miss, say something…are you ok?” She asked.
Ignoring her questions, my eyes scanned the place for a bench.
Luckily, I was near a bus stop and there’s an empty bench there…
I guess people are already at their place that’s why this place is empty.
My legs changed direction and I headed towards the bench, as fast as I can..with my legs widely apart, cause I couldn’t keep them close and I don’t understand why.
“Are you ok? Should I take you to the hospital?” She asked following me.
By now my breath is getting heavier, and I found it hard to breathe…it seemed as though I’m suffocating, like I’m not getting enough air.
“Tell me what’s bothering you”
I tried to sit down but couldn’t, it felt as though a rock is between my legs and preventing me from sitting down.
“Talk to me, you’re scaring me…are you feeling ok?” She asked again.
I’m getting exasperated from all the questions she’s asking, coupled with the fact that I’m not feeling comfortable.
“I’m…. argggggggh!” I wailed loudly and grabbed her hand.
I gripped her very tight, to the extent I could feel my nails pierced into her skin…but I didn’t care.
I’m in too much pain right now, it felt as though someone is stabbing my abdomen.
“It’s hurting… it’s….”
Another sharper pain hit my abdomen, which made me yell once more.
“Hurting? Where does it hurt?” She asked.
“My..my…”
Before I could complete my words, I started peeing on myself…she released a loud gasp.
“You’re in labor!” She shouted.
Labor? I’m in labor? It’s finally happening, my baby is coming out soon.
Who’s he gonna take after me? Me or his father?
“Hold on, I’ll quickly get a cab” she said and ran off to the main road.
Meanwhile, I was tossing and turning in great pain. But I still manage to locate my phone and dialed Arthur’s number..he picked up after a few rings.
“Jas…”
“Arthur, it’s happening…”
I released a sharp cry and clung on my waist.
“What’s wrong? What’s happening, Jas?” I heard him asked in a very worried tone.
“I’m in labor!” I snapped and bite my lower lip.
Just then the woman came back with a young man, he seemed to be a taxi driver.
“Quickly, help me bring her to your taxi and take her to the nearest hospital” she told him.
He nodded and quickly rushed to me, he put his arm around me and helped me to his taxi.
I couldn’t sit, but he somehow maneuver and made the woman hold me in the backseat..and he drove off.
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WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 41 – 50
“Push!” The doctor shouted once more.
Instead of pushing as expected, I burst into tears and began to shake my head in fright.
“N-no..I don’t..I don’t wanna..” I cried.
“Miss Reinle, you have to help us out, ok…give us a little push and your baby will be out” the doctor had encouraged me.
“No..I can’t…” I cried again.
The doctor sighed, he turned to Arthur who just arrived at the scene…he excused themselves out, but I could still hear them.
“Mr Smith, I’m afraid we can’t bring the baby out naturally… she’s wasted too much time already” the doctor told Arthur.
I gathered the blanket, that was used to cover my upper body in my hand…and bite my lower lip.
“What do you suggest we do?” Arthur asked him.
“There’s only one option left for us now…to ensure both the mother and child’s safety”
“What way is that?”
“Cesarean section!”
My eyes grew wide and my grip on the blanket tightened, this is what I don’t want.
I can’t have my baby through a cut… I don’t want a cesarean delivery (C-section).
“Jasmine” the woman from earlier called me.
She knew my name, because Arthur has been calling me since he arrived.
“Tell me, why can’t you push?” She asked.
“I’m scared” I replied.
My ears caught the doctor’s last words, and a lone tear rushed down.
“She’s already too weak and can’t push anymore” he told Arthur.
The woman turned my head towards her and wiped my tears with her handkerchief.
“Why are you scared?” She asked me quietly.
“I was..I was told I’m gonna die..if..” I hiccuped and left my words unfinished.
She held my hand in hers and caressed it gently, the pushed some hair strands away from my sweaty face.
“You’ll be fine, don’t you wanna see your baby?”
I nodded.
“Then forget about what they told you..forget about dying and push your baby to life”
I simply stared at her and let my tears continue running down.
“Just be brave and give this baby life…you aren’t going to die, you and your baby will be safe and sound”
“A-are you sure?” I stuttered.
She nodded, I stared at her a few more minutes and gave her a very weak smile.
“Are you ready to bring your baby to life?” She asked.
I nodded.
She quickly called for the doctor, the doctor wanted to refuse making me push naturally..but she somehow convinced him to let me.
The doctor got in position and told me to push again.
I took a very deep breath and gave it my all, I pushed very hard and the cries of a baby filled the air.
But I was suddenly too weak to keep my eyes open, I was too weak to look at my baby’s face.
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WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 41 – 50
My eyes snapped opened, but I quickly shut them back because of the brightness around me.
After a few minutes, my eyes adjusted to the brightness and I opened them.
I took a look around and realized I’m already put in a ward, I looked down on my clothes..I’m no longer in my former clothes.
“Handsome boy” I heard.
My eyes located the source of the voice, it’s coming from that woman.
“Is..” I cleared my throat. “Is that my child?” I asked in a raspy voice.
She turned to me with a smile.
“Yes, wanna hold him?”
I nodded.
She handed him to me, I felt a sudden gush of exhilaration when I held him in my arms.
My lips curved in a smile and my eyes welled up immediately.
“He’s so cute” I cried out in great joy.
“Yeah….” She trailed off as if she’s holding back some words.
I raised my head and stared at her with a worried frown on.
“What’s wrong? Is something wrong with my child?” I asked.
“No, it’s just…”
She pointed behind his ear.
“… he’s got a very interesting birthmark, it looks so familiar” she replied.
I checked his ear, there’s truly a beautiful birthmark there…the same as Thanatos.
“Who’s his father?” She asked.
I clenched my jaw at her question.
“Someone I don’t like talking about” I replied her.
She didn’t ask any further questions, she simply nodded and poured me some water.
I frowned when my eyes caught the birthmark behind her right ear, it’s exactly the same as my child’s…also Thana…
How is that possible? I wondered.
“So…what do you wanna call him?” She asked.
I sighed and stared at my child’s face, he’s so handsome and cute but….
“I don’t have a name for him”
She paused.
“Why?”
“I’m too poor to cater for his needs now, I’ll take him to an orphanage…”
She slammed the cup on the table and stared at me with a small frown.
“… I’ll come back for him when I have enough money”
“No!” She disagreed.
“I can’t let my child go through hard times with me, it’ll be too tough for him”
“No!” She disagreed again, this time strongly.
I frowned at her.
“You can’t abandon your child”
“I’m not abandoning him, I’ll take him back when I have enough money”
“When will that be? One month? Six months? A year?”
I couldn’t reply, because I don’t even know.
“You’ll regret it if you abandon this boy now, let him go through hardships with you… that’s the joy of motherhood”
Joy of motherhood? Can I bring up this boy up in the proper way?
“I’ll be his adoptive grandmother and help you take care of him…that is if you let me”
Let a strange woman be my son’s grandmother? Someone I just met today?
“Where do you live?” I blurt out.
She smiled.
“I don’t have a home”
“You don’t have a home?”
She shook her head.
“I live in a retirement home not far from that grocery store” she replied.
Hmm…I don’t know this woman, but I feel so secure around her..I didn’t say a word about her request of being my child’s grandmother.
I suddenly noticed Arthur’s not in the ward.
“Where’s Arthur?” I asked.
“Oh, he’s gone to sign some papers”
I nodded and focused my eyes on her ear, wondering how it’s possible? Can this be just a coincidence?
end_of_flash_back.
Back to present day….
Since, then, we gradually became close and she had to move with me from San Francisco to Las Vegas.
Ma Gloria really did helped me with words of encouragement.
“And what is she thinking about?” She asked pulling me out from my thoughts.
“Ma, I heard you’ve been skipping your meds and you’ve been refusing to eat”
She broke into a short laugh.
“Who said that?” She laughed again. “They’re framing me”
“Ma, you shouldn’t be joking with your health” I scold her, politely though.
Just then the door open and a female nurse came in, she carried a tray of food.
“Jasmine, here’s the food you ordered” she said.
I collected the tray from the nurse and flashed her a thankful smile, she nod in a courtesy and left.
“Alright, ma, I just ordered this food.. eat now or I’ll tell Davis you’re being stubborn again” I threatened her.
She stared at the food, or glared at it rather.. then shook her head.
“No, the food they serve here is awful” she complained.
I rolled my eyeballs, so much for being a picky eater.
“I just ordered this from Starbucks, it tastes better”
“Really?” She asked.
I nodded.
She took the tray from me and tasted the food, then she smiled and gave me a thumbs up.
“Yes, this is what I need right now!” She moaned.
She began to wolf down the food, like a hungry lion… don’t ask me if I’ve seen a hungry lion before.
“Ma, slow down or you might choke” I said.
She simply nodded.
“So…how is my grandson doing lately?” She asked, with her mouth stuffed.
I laughed… Ma Gloria is one funny woman, she always ask about Davis only when she’s eating.
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WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 41 – 50
Thanatos pov ?
“…good, that’s all for today, dismiss!” I said and turned off my laptop.
I got up and massaged my stiffed neck, I walked towards the kitchen and headed for the fridge… I collected a bottle of water.
I took large gulps, until I’m satisfied.. I sighed.
My eyes landed on the wall clock, it’s 02:34pm…fk, the meeting was longer than I expected.
Wait… 02:34pm?! It’s almost time to pick up Davis from school…and Jasmine…
I wonder where she went and why she isn’t back yet.. I should call Peter to confirm.
I reached for my phone and dialed Peter’s number, he picked at the first ring.
“Hello, Mr O’Briens?”
“Peter, where did take Jasmine?”
“Molina’s retirement home, sir” he replied.
“Hm” I hummed and hanged.
I headed towards the living room, I snatched my jacket from the sofa and headed out.. I’ll just go pick up Jasmine after picking Davis from school.
WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 41 – 50
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