CHAPTER 2

Scarlett stood on the balcony of her small apartment, her twenty four weeks belly protruding from her fitted top. The cool evening breeze blew across her exposed shoulders, sending shivers down her spine. She closed her eyes, relishing in the serenity of the moment as she leaned against the railing.

She sighed heavily as she gazed at the distance, she could see families retiring into their home for the night and then her Emerald green eye gleamed visualizing how happy she would have been with her dad.

Nostalgia set in and she practically remembered the day she was chased out of the house by her once-loving father. Her step sister had set her up and the same person had stolen the affection of her dad.

Scarlett had made one mistake, but no one was available to plead on her behalf that her presence in the household remains.

The pain of being dragged out of her father's house came running in and it warranted a tear to fall from her cheeks.

She sniffed her nose, looked into the heavens and said. "Mummy, I wish you didn't leave me."

Her mother had gotten sick while she was a young girl, she was diagnosed with the last stage of cervical cancer. However, she couldn't survive it even amidst the heavy treatment she was given.

After a while, she had passed on. Surprisingly, it didn't last a week before her father remarried.

As the air blew past her skin once more, she looked down at her protuding belly, and traced the ball shape with both hands. 

She had relocated to a smaller part of North Hill city just to free herself from the memories of the past, and hopefully she doesn't bump into any of her family members.

A few weeks after she left home, she discovered she was pregnant. At first, she was troubled, but she later decided that the baby was hers to keep. 

Scarlett was determined to be a good mother and provide for her child, no matter the cost.

However, things were quite hard for Scarlett. She had to take different jobs with her condition just to pay her rent, feed herself, and keep up with her antenatal schedules. Life was really not smiling at her, but she was not one to give up easily.

Just as she was lost in her thought, a heavy knock on the door, pulled her out of her reverie. Scarlett jumped, startled by the sudden noise, then she frowned wondering who it could be at that time of the night. 

She quickly made her way inside, her belly leading the way, swaying from side to side.

"I know you are in there Scarlett! Open up this damn door." With that voice, she discovered it was no one else but Larry, the loan shark who had been harrasing her for weeks threatening to evict her from the house, if she refused to pay her loan.

However, Scarlett knew she didn't have the money yet, then she had hoped he would give her more time, since her condition had been a major weigh down factor, as she could only do less with her pregnancy.

Nevertheless, she moved further, opened the door only to lock gaze with Larry, standing there with a scowl on his face.

"What do you want?" she asked, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.

"I want my money, Scarlett! My money! Is that too much to ask for?" Larry growled. "You've been avoiding me, and I won't tolerate such. You came begging to get a loan, but now paying back becomes so difficult now huh!. I want my money, or I'll throw you out of this apartment."

 "Please, Larry, I'm doing my best. I just need a little more time," she said, her voice shaking. She couldn't afford to lose the house, at least not now that she was expecting a baby.

However, Larry was not interested in her excuses. 

"You know what Scarlett! I give you till tomorrow! I'll be back here tomorrow morning. As early as possible, and it's either you pay my money or that's the end of it for you. You end up on the street!"

"Larry please, a little more time would do, tomorrow is quite close please," Scarlett tugged at his shirt hoping that he hears her out.

"Get lost Scarlett, that's my verdict, and I'm not going back on it!" he yelled out and yanked her off heavily. Unfortunately, she stumbled backwards, hitting her belly heavily against the wall.

"Arghh! Larry." her lips pressed together while she cried out in pain, clutching tight to her stomach. There was sudden eruption of heat from within, and her body system instantly became disorganised.

"Larry, please help!" she struggled to say in a whisper but he instead made fun out of her.

"Stop pretending, Scarlett. I know you're just trying to get out of paying me. You have till tomorrow to settle your bills. Or else!" he said, before he dashed out and slammed the door shut behind him.

However, Scarlett sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face. It was like her whole world came crashing before her at the pain she felt.

She tried to stand, but the pain was too much. There was only one solution and that was her getting to the hospital.

However there was no means for that. In a bid to help herself, she struggled to crawl to the door, pulling herself up with the handle, but then, she stumbled down the stairs.

Once outside, she collapsed on the pavement, clutching her belly. She screamed out in pain, but no one seemed to hear her.

She doubled over in pain, clutching her belly. The pain was unbearable, and she knew something was wrong. She tried to stand up, but her legs gave out, and she fell to the ground.

As she lay there, heavily bleeding, Scarlett knew that her baby was coming. She tried to call for help, but her voice was barely a whisper. Tears streamed down her face as she prayed for someone to come to her rescue.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her body, she screamed in agony. The pain was too much for her to bear, and she passed out.

**** 

Two days later...

Scarlett slowly opened her eyes, the smell of detergent whiffed past her nose with beeps from life support systems, only then did she discover that she was in the hospital.

She couldn't tell for how long she had been unconscious, but then felt pain around her abdomen, and immediately she remembered her child.

Fortunately, before she could cry out, a nurse walked in, with a tray containing the necessary injections for Scarlett.

"Thank goodness, you are awake Miss Scarlett." the nurse rushed over beaming with smiles. "Please return to bed while I administer your injections."

Scarlett slowly lowered her head into the bed, while she allowed the nurse do her work. "Thankfully, some of your neighbours had called for the ambulance, if not your condition might be worse than this."

"And my baby!" Scarlett's said amidst whisper. Right at that moment, her condition mattered less to her, her child was first priority.

"Huh! That!" the nurse's smile slowly faded. "Well, you gave birth to a baby boy but…"

"But what nurse," Scarlett's heart skipped a beat, her eye filled with fear.

"The baby isn't so matured yet, as such he is currently at the neonatal intensive care unit." she paused the moment she noticed the fear on Scarlett' face, as such she knew here was need to chip in something else.

"No need to worry, your baby is quite strong and he is currently fighting for his life."

"Can I see him please," she couldn't bear the news of her child's premature birth.

"Sure, but that will be on the doctor's instruction. I bet he should come to see you anytime soon." The nurse assured after administering the injections, she found her way out.

Scarlett however was unstable, she needed to see her son. 

In a short while as the nurse stated, the doctor was in her ward to check her.

After several words shared, Scarlett inquired about her son, and she was helped to the neonatal intensive care.

A glance at the row of several incubators housing different babies, Scarlett's heart suddenly felt warm. It was a feeling she never had felt in her whole life.

However, the doctor led her to her son's incubator. "Here Miss Scarlett, this is your son." her heart melted at first glance.

The child looked tiny, and it clearly showed that her malnutrition, already took a toll on the child's health too.

Her eyes laced with tears, however, she wasn't allowed to touch the child yet, as the doctor had reported that he needed to be under a regulated temperature.

"I'm sorry, I promise you take care of you." she whispered amidst tears.

However, the doctor had another news to deliver, "Ms. Scarlett, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your baby is using an incubator and oxygen, which means he requires further treatment that comes at a cost."

"All other expenses are covered, but additional ones have to be paid up by the patients themselves."

Scarlett's heart sank as she listened to the doctor's words. She knew that she had no means to pay for the additional treatment her baby required.

"I understand that you may be going through a tough time, but we need you to make the payment as soon as possible, so we can continue treating your child," the doctor continued.

Scarlett tried to explain to the doctor that she had no one to help her, but as soon as she was fit enough, she would pay the debts. However, the doctor never agreed, insisting that the payment had to be made before any further treatment could be administered.

Scarlett was left with no choice but to leave the hospital at the noon of that day.

**** 

Few days later….

"Get the hell out of here right now! I don't want to see you! You've turned to a leech and deficit in this eatery, what about your previous loans? Who should pay those for you?" Mr Douglas yelled at the top of his voice while Scarlett crumbled to her knees still pleading.

"Mr Douglas, please I promise to pay as soon as I can. My baby is dying and I need t…" 

"Get the hell out of here right now, or I call security." 

"Please! Mr Douglas!" Scarlett wasn't willing to let go, she clutched tight to his trouser, weeping profusely.

She had gone to friends she just made in the recent time, neighbours and even her previous boss for help but she was either rejected or heavily embarrassed.

That same day one of those she sougth help from had called her a sl*t, being pregnant without a husband.

However, she never put those words to heart, she kept on going from one place to another seeking for help until she finally ran out of option, and here she was with her boss hoping that he pities her.

"Mr Douglas please, help this time, I promise to …." Before she knew it, her boss was on the phone, sending a call across to security.

"I have a deficit in my office come get it out."

Despite the calls, Scarlett kept pleading, this was her last hope. However the securities came in and bundled her out like a cabbage.

Throwing her out and shutting the gate against her. She cried her eyes out, clutched tight to her old looking gown while she felt pains pass through her tummy.

She had undergone cesearian section to bring forth her child. Hence she wasn't supposed to get stressed, but here she was crying herself out.

She brushed through her hair severally while she thought of what next to do.

However, as much as she thought, there was no other way she could think of. Finally exhausted and defeated, Scarlett flagged down a cab and made her way back to the hospital. She dragged her weary body to the neonatal intensive care unit, her heart pounding in her chest as she approached her baby's incubator.

As she looked at her baby, tears streamed down her face. She whispered, "I'm sorry, my little one. I tried my best, but im still trying, I promise you will scale through."

Just then, the doctor walked up to her, and Scarlett felt a glimmer of hope. But the doctor's words shattered that hope into a million pieces.