CHAPTER 157: VISITING THE HOSPITAL; THE BABIES SCARE — DECLARATION OF LOVECHAPTER 157: VISITING THE HOSPITAL; THE BABIES SCARE — DECLARATION OF LOVE
By Saturday morning, the entire family was dressed bright and early, waiting in the parlour. Rebecca, surprisingly, was the first to come downstairs, an unusual sight that drew raised brows from everyone, especially Grandma. Suzanne blinked at her grand-daughter-in-law in disbelief. That girl was just too unpredictable.
Upstairs, Diana sat in her room, already dressed in simple jeans, a black top, and ankle boots. Her natural afro hair was packed neatly in a bun, and she had applied a light layer of powder on her face. She checked her phone again. Still no call. Her heart sank. It was already past 9.
She bit her lip, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. With a deep breath, she stood and made her way downstairs.
As she stepped into the parlour, the sight of her family, waiting for her, smiling, chatting, together, made her heart ache in the most tender way. They were doing all this for her, because they loved her. Her heart should've been full... yet it wasn't.
Something was missing.
Her husband's presence.
No matter how much love surrounded her, it couldn't fill the space he left behind. Not today. Not when she needed him most.
"Well, the pregnant woman is here!" Rebecca called out teasingly the moment she spotted Diana.
Everyone laughed, lightening the moment, and Diana managed a soft smile as she descended the stairs.
"Alright everyone, quick breakfast before we go!" Katherine announced, clapping her hands to usher them toward the dining room.
They shared a warm, hearty breakfast. Diana tried to focus on their laughter, the light chatter, the kindness in their gestures. She was grateful truly, but no amount of distraction could stop her from silently wondering why James hadn't called. Why he wasn't here.
Still, after breakfast, they all headed out together, one big, loving force standing behind her.
But her heart whispered for one voice. One touch. One man.
Just as the family stepped out of the house, a sleek black Porsche suddenly pulled up in front of their building.
"Well, who could this be now?" Raymond questioned, narrowing his eyes suspiciously as he stepped forward, ready to challenge the uninvited driver.
But no sooner had he reached the porch than the car door opened, and out stepped James.
There he was, face-to-face with his wife's entire family, looking tired but present.
The moment Diana saw him, she didn't wait. Pride, shame, or audience, it didn't matter. She ran straight into his arms like her life depended on it.
"You bastard!" she cried out as she threw herself into him, sobbing and hitting his chest softly. "Am I even still your wife? How dare you treat me like this? Did I get myself pregnant? Why would you ignore me? Not even a single word from you in two days?!"
James wrapped his arms around her, holding her firm but gently, letting her pour it all out. He didn't interrupt her. He just stood still, taking it all in, her words, her pain, her tears.
When she finally calmed down, the reality of where she was and who was watching sank in.
Diana slowly peeled herself away from him. Turning around, she met her entire family grinning at her.
Shame instantly bloomed across her face like wildfire.
Without another word, she quickly ducked into James's car to hide her face, causing a fresh burst of laughter from the rest of them.
James chuckled quietly, glancing at the woman who had just melted into his arms, now hiding in the car like a shy teenager.
"Well, son," Raymond said, walking over and clapping him on the shoulder, "how are you doing?"
Before James could answer, Katherine cut in with narrowed eyes, "Can't you see he doesn't look fine? He looks like what the cat dragged in."
"Indeed," Grandma Suzanne added, eyeing James with amusement. "Has it been that hectic, dear?"
"It has," James admitted with a small smile. "But I'm alright. Thank you, everyone."
"Can we start going already?" Rebecca groaned from behind the group, her arms crossed and expression impatient.
Everyone chuckled and nodded in agreement. They all got into their respective cars, and with engines purring, the convoy pulled out of the driveway and headed for the hospital with one woman still hiding in the back seat, face hot, heart full.
Once inside the car, Diana took a deep breath and turned to look at her husband closely. She remembered what her mom had said earlier… and now, seeing him up close, she realized it was true.
His face looked tired, drawn even. There were bags beneath his eyes, and he looked like someone who hadn't known the comfort of a real night's rest in days.
Her heart squeezed.
"Treasure…" her voice came out soft and shaky. "What happened? Why wasn't I able to reach you?"
James exhaled and leaned back on the headrest. "I had a lot of work on my hands, baby. I needed to wrap everything up quickly so I could spend the weekend with you before flying back."
He paused before continuing.
"It got worse on Friday. I had to take an overnight flight just to be here with you today."
Diana's chest tightened. "Did you even get a wink of sleep?"
James gave a faint smile. "Well… you weren't there. How could I sleep properly?"
That was it. That single line broke something in her.
Diana climbed gently onto his lap and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly like she could shield him from the whole world.
"I'm so sorry for my earlier outburst," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I didn't know… about all this."
"It's alright, baby," he murmured, holding her close. "I should have reached out to you, at least sent a message. I take responsibility too."
She looked into his eyes, those tired but tender eyes. "I was so scared when I thought you weren't coming. Even when the elders asked me, I decided to trust your words… and told them you'd meet us today."
James tucked her hair behind her ear gently, his gaze never leaving hers. "And how did it feel… trusting me?"
Diana smiled, her heart skipping. "It felt… extremely good."
James smiled and pulled her tightly into him, pressing his forehead against hers as his warm breath fanned her face. "I've missed you so much," he said in a low voice. "Especially this smile of yours. And damn… your body too."
Diana chuckled and pinched his neck playfully. "Baby, don't say things like that or I'll be forced to take you back to Holland Gardens right now."
They both laughed, but the air between them pulsed with warmth and longing.
Then James leaned in and kissed her. It was supposed to be light—but Diana pulled him closer and deepened it.
James didn't hesitate. He took over the kiss, deepening it until their breaths became ragged, and their hearts were slamming against each other's chests.
When they finally pulled apart, panting, James stared at her—really stared—and then, without thinking, he blurted out,
"I love you, Diana."
Diana froze. Her eyes widened. "What…?" she whispered, hardly daring to believe it. "What did you say?"
The shock, the hope, the disbelief on her face, James drank it all in.
He smiled gently, his voice suddenly steady and sure. "This wasn't how I wanted to say it. I had a whole plan. A perfect setting. A perfect moment. But screw that… no moment could be better than this one."
He cupped her face softly. "So, I'll say it again. Slowly… so it sinks in."
"Diana Margaret Alfred," he whispered, "I. Love. You."
Time stopped.
It was as if everything she had gone through after marrying this man; the tears, the doubts, the loneliness—were all suddenly worth it.
She had waited two months to hear those three words from his lips.
And now, hearing them… her heart was no longer just beating, it was soaring.
James reached for her hand. "And I want you to know," he continued, voice heavy with emotion, "no matter what happens with the test result or in our lives, we'll face it together. I'll always be here for you through thick and thin. You've become a part of me now, and I… I can't do without you."
Tears slipped from Diana's eyes before she could stop them. Her lips trembled. She leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was sloppy, emotional, wet with tears, but James kissed her back like it was the only language they knew.
When they pulled apart again, he reached up and wiped her tears gently with his thumb.
"I wanted to say this face to face," he said, "so I wouldn't miss this priceless look on your face."
Diana laughed through her tears, her heart so full it could barely hold the joy.
She nodded slowly, feeling like she could fly to the moon and back.
"Here," he whispered, "I want to rest on your body."
James leaned back into her arms, resting his head on her chest. "Okay, okay," she said softly as she stroked his hair.
He closed his eyes, finally at peace, as the woman he loved held him close.