6. Baby Kieran.

9 MONTHS LATER

"And it's a bouncy baby boy.”

 The words rang in my ears, waking my faint heart from the rest I had longed for. I muscled myself to sit up from the bed, raising my head to look at the nurse who was in front of me. She handed him to me, his mildly heavy body landing in my arms.

 Immediately, a bundle of joy gushed over my heart. I smiled, gazing with love and compassion into his dearly eyes. 

“M-my baby.” Tears stung my eyes as emotions flooded over me. It was a very long and hard labor. After several hours of agony, my baby survived. That was my biggest happiness. 

“You can feed him now. I will be back to administer some drugs,” she said, turning around to leave the room, sparing me a moment with my newborn.

 Tears rolled down my cheeks, as strong guilt ripped through me. The resentment of my mistake overwhelmed the joy of my baby. If only it had never happened. I wish I wasn't left to carry his child all alone. I wish he never betrayed me, leaving me with the burden of the fruit of our sick love.

 The door creaked open, and my lips parted as I stared at the man who saved my life, Alessandro. His face was masked with an expression of happiness as he stared at me and my child. 

“Are you alright?” He asked, running his palm over my head, brushing them backward. I nodded, letting out a gasp as I burned in exhaustion.

“I'm fine,” I replied.

“You did it, Aurora,” he said. Immediately, his eyes darkened with emotions as he gazed at me. “You made it through, alive and well. For your son.”

 I found myself nodding. I knew I had to survive, there was no two ways about it. Plunged into an ocean of despair, the only way out was to try not to drown.

“Y-yes,” I said, subtly. “I did it.”

 His hands covered my right hand. “There is still hope,” he assured. “As long as I am here, I will make sure that you are well.”

 My eyes watered with tears as I stared into the caring eyes of the man I betrayed. I couldn't believe it. I had always thought that no one would be by my side after what I did, especially not the man I was about to get married to, but here he was. Even after being rejected by my father, Alessandro was still here. 

“Thank you so much,” I said, crying again. His hands rubbed over mine in an attempt to offer me warmth. 

“Don't cry. Your baby doesn't need that. Look at him. He will wonder why his mother is acting weak when she is, in fact, strong.” His voice was laced with confidence, drilling a sense of hope into me. 

 I looked at the eyes of my child, burning bright with innocence.

“You are lucky. You have a mate.” The strange and low voice ushered from beside us. I looked at her as she slid the curtain that separated us to the side. She seemed to be around the same age as me, if not a little younger, with messy black hair draping across her face, and dreary eyes. Overall, she looked frazzled.

“You don't have one?” I asked her, surprised, seeing her child in her arms. A faint smile flashed on her lips as she shook her head.

“No. I was careless with my legs,” she replied, without any attempt to subdue a hint of shame. 

 Strong pity for her washed over me. Several thoughts flooded my mind as I stared at her, my mouth agape, not able to say a word. My situation was different, but the sorrow behind our stories made me relate to how she felt.

“How old are you?” I was keen to ask.

“Pretty young,” she replied. “I will be turning 19 soon. Too bad I got pregnant on the night of my 18th birthday,” she said, clicking her tongue.

“So you got knocked up by a stranger?” I asked her.

“Not really. He was only my boyfriend, not my fated mate. Only that he denied being the father,” she said, rolling her eyes at her child. “Now I have to take care of this poor thing alone.”

  Poor thing? She sounded like she was giving up already. I wouldn't want to assume, but it seemed like she didn't even care. 

“I'm sorry. It will be alright.” I said, trying to console her. 

 Even though I wasn't happy with it, that was the best I could do. 

“He has bright eyes,” she mouthed out, moving her dreary gaze to my child in my arms. I looked at the little boy. His guiltless, velvety blue eyes flashing back at me.

“Just like his mother,” Alessandro chimed in. I looked at him in surprise, but he gave me a not-guilty look.

“See? The beauty runs in the veins. There's no questioning that.” 

 The lady smiled. “True. He probably took something else from his father.” 

 I pressed my lips and looked at Alessandro. He shook his head, signaling me to shake it off.

 Everything reminded me of my stupid mistake, and while I wanted to cry, pour out the misery burning my chest, I knew I had to stay strong. Swallowing the heat of my conscience, I looked back at her.

“True. I'm sure he took something from…me. We'll tell in the future,” Alessandro replied.

 He nodded at me reassuringly, and I let it slide. I didn't know the decision to make yet. I wasn't sure of how Alessandro would feel not taking responsibility over my child. 

“Your baby is also beautiful,” I said, looking over at her child.

“Thank you. He has his father's eyes. Poor thing, he left me,” she said. I could see the pain in her eyes, knowing exactly how she must have felt.

 One mistake could destroy someone's life, splintering their hopes for a better life and severing their ties with the people they considered family.

“You will be just fine,” I assured.

 As if taking my consolation to heart, she washed away the sadness that wrinkled her face. Immediately, the door opened, as the nurse walked in.

“Here's some panadol,” she said, offering me a glass of water and a pill of the medicine. “It will help you.”

 I took a gulp, wishing for anything to soothe the pain I was feeling after the exhausting and painful hours. 

 The nurse walked over, sliding the vinyl fabric roughly, looking at the girl who had just spoken to us. 

“Get up, and go to the mateless ward,” she said, with a rough tone.

“I… I don't have any strength left in me,” she objected, sounding closer to oblivion than when she spoke to me earlier.

“I think she needs food and drugs,” I suggested. The nurse flickered an eye of disgust at me.

“No way she is getting that. She probably didn't think about labor when, being the whore she is, opened her legs to a stranger.”

 I wanted to interfere, but Alessandro held my hand, beckoning me to be silent. 

“I can’t stand on my feet,” she complained, resting her head wearily on the wall, succumbing to her weakness. 

“Well, you better get your ass up or don't regret it when you are forced to,” the nurse said. She walked back to me. “I will bring you something to eat.”

 And with that, she left.

I looked at Alessandro, surprised. So if I didn't have anyone by my side, I would have been considered a whore and treated like this? Looking at the girl, her eyes were shut, like life was being drained out of her.

“Are you okay?” 

“Don't worry, I will be fine. It's all my fault,” she murmured and smiled it off.

Alessandro rested his hands on mine once again.

“So, Aurora. What is his name going to be?” He asked, blinking severally as if eager to get a response.

 I tugged my lips in disappointment. Nine months since I found out I was pregnant, and I didn't think of baby names? What kind of a mother was I, even? 

“I don't know, Alessandro. I haven't given it much thought,” I mumbled.

“Well, I prepared for that. I have been thinking about it. How about… Kieran?” He asked, his eyes lighting up with excitement. 

 I looked down at my child and smiled. “Baby Kieran, it is. That is picture…perfect.”