Ruqaya (wlw)

chp.23

"pearl?" I glare at her gently taking my baby away.

"Don't give my baby names like that!" I snapped kissing her on the cheek.

'that should have been me' Alexa muttered pursing her lips. I shake my head.

"Go away!" I place the baby back in her crib "sleep tight Nana" I whispered before looking up to see Alexa's hands on her hips with a confused look on her face.

"What?" I asked.

"Nana? Seriously?"

I sigh "the other day you said Linda"

"and you said it's too old"

"Yesterday you said Raylin" I fold my hands against my chest.

"and you said it's too fancy"

"Today Pearl?" I scoff.

"Yeah perfect? What complains do you have!

"My child will not! I repeat, my baby will not carry the name of an object"

"A very special object" she corrects dramatically "plus she's my child too. See? we look so much alike" She points to her face grinning from ear to ear.
I felt my heart flip when she called my baby her child. The first time she did it I started crying all together, it just gives me so much joy and my heart feals at ease.

"I'm not naming her pearl. It has been four months and she doesn't have a name because of your dumb research that'll probably take three years. Stop name researching" I roll my eyes.

I look over at my baby beautifully wrapped up in her crib with a proud smile on my face.

"Nana Amina"

"Am..." I look over at Alexa, her expression changes.

"That's a powerful name you know and apart from the fact that we were saved by one. Have you heard about the queen Amina of Zaria? She fought and won battles against men and even men from our land"

"I can't argue with you anymore" She pauses
"I really wish I can apologise to her" I invite her into my arms and we both stay in that position until the baby started crying again.

"I'll excuse you" she says turning away to leave. Alexa always does that when I'm about to feed the baby, I don't know what she's ashamed of but it's just cute and funny.

"Stay back," I called her attention.

"Umm why?" She blushes. I've never seen her so shy before and it's making me want to burst out laughing.

"You don't want to watch me feed her?" Her eyes widen "you always run away"

"I don't" She walks over to me folding her hands and I just smile.

She kept turning left and right until I finished and placed the baby back.

"You're going to sleep here, or?" I asked. I know I'm under medical supervision and I need 'space' as the doctor said and less stress for full recovery but he didn't mention the important facts. I also need Alexa to sleep beside me but she keeps a weird distance saying she doesn't want to make me uncomfortable.

"I can't sleep here my presence might be inconveniencing" She scratches her head with her tattooed arm. She's wearing a white armless shirt and a brown baggy pajama pants. Everything about her changed expect the way she cares for me, her sweetness towards me and her lovely smile.

She cut her hair, has tattoos almost everywhere and is more light skinned and cold looking. I just want to trace my hands around her tattoos and sleep on her chest.