Cory closed his eyes and rested his head on the nape of Zaire's neck and basked in the moment. He'd known before she had that she was pregnant; he knew her own body better than she did. And when he saw the changes her body was going through he was certain she was pregnant. And the day when he followed her and Priscilla when they went to the hospital, that had just confirmed it.
'You sleepy?' He rubbed her arm tenderly.
'Yeah.'
'Ok, bedtime.' Cory led her to her bedroom, carried into her bed and tucked her in, ensuring that she was comfortable. He kissed her head and sat beside her. He didn't know what he was doing or how he was going to do this, he just knew Zaire deserved all his efforts of support.
Still, in the back of his mind there was so much fear.
'So you knew, didn't you?'
'Yeah.'
'...' Zaire didn't know what else to say, she should have known.
'I wasn't even sure if you'd even want to keep my child.' Zaire threw him a nasty look.
'Why wouldn't I?'
'No babies, Zai...' He shook his head.
'I know.' She laughed sarcastically. 'But I always made exceptions for you.' She shook her head almost regretfully.
'I...need to go.'
'Ok, bye.'
'Take care of yourself; I'll see you real soon.'
'Cory?'
'Yeah?'
'Make sure you come back to me, to us.'
'So I gotta act responsible now yeah.' He laughed with his unsmiling face. 'I hear you, Zai.'
'Tomorrow's my 24 week scan...'
'What, raaah you're so far gone.'
'I know, do you wanna come?'
'Yeah, yeah I'll be there.'
'It's ok I can go al-'
'No, I promise. I got you.' The sincerity in his eyes wasn't needed because she already had his word. And with Cory, that was always enough.
Zaire's smile failed to convey how relieved she felt; the Lord always watched over her she felt it.
'Ok Cory.'
'What time is it?'
'1pm.'
Cory thought momentarily.
'Ok but I will have to meet you there.'
'That's fine.'
'Night babe.' He kissed her cheek and watched her fall asleep. When she was fast asleep, he slipped out of the flat silently.
As soon as she heard the door slam, Zaire's eyes peeled open. She sat up in her bed and felt like crying.
This life felt like quicksand.
She wanted to cry. She was so happy that Cory had made things simply but accepting their child happily but she feared the worst. The thought of what to tomorrow could bring and all the days after scared her. The unpredictability of life. She knew she had to change, her faith and relationship with God had to grow stronger, she was about to become someone's mother. She needed to fully establish who she was in the meantime.
In the pit of her stomach she felt sick yet she knew that she had to stop worrying like this. Zaire closed her eyes and started to pray, she opened up her heart to the Lord and she laid all her burdens onto him. She wanted everything to be okay. She wanted everyone to be ok. She wanted this child to be born into a stable family of her friends and she wanted to be happy; whatever that meant...
