"What does the paper say?" Nick asked Ardeth, who finished reading the letter he just received.
"Nothing important." Ardeth said crumpling the paper in his hands, "Just a letter from management saying that they are pulling off my sports scholarship." He said throwing the paper in the bin.
"What!" Nick shouted looking at the bin, "You said it's not important!"
"It would have been an important issue, if they had issued a prior notice informing me that they would pull off my scholarship, but now it is done, why should I waste my energy crying over that." Ardeth said putting in his sunglasses and opening his car door.
"Ardeth." Nick stopped him by his shoulder.
"What is it Roy?" Ardeth asked in tone of annoyance.
"I am not your girlfriend to say sweet things to you, but if you need any help, any way, "platonically" don't shy away like a mimosa, be a human and ask." Nick said looking straight at Ardeth.
Ardeth nodded his head in response and gave a pat on Nick's shoulder before getting into his car.
"Sorry, I am late." Ardeth apologized as he walked towards Sherlyn.
"No worries, I took an appointment, they will call us in shortly." Sherlyn smiled wrapping her hand around Ardeth's arm, "Are you ready to know the gender of our nugget?" She asked looking up at him.
"I am excited." Ardeth smiled holding her hand in a tight grip.
"Ms.Priestly." The nurse called, and they walked inside the room.
"Hello Sherlyn, how are you and baby doing?" Dr.White asked in a bright tone.
"We are doing fine." Sherlyn answered.
"That's great to know, but let me check it myself." Dr.White said guiding Sherlyn towards the bed in the other side of the room.
"How is the baby?" Ardeth asked shifting on his feet as Dr.White monitored the baby's movements on the monitor.
"The baby is healthy." Dr.White smiled, "and it's a girl."
"A babygirl." Ardeth whispered looking at the monitor that showed the baby.
"She is moving around." Sherlyn said looking at the screen.
"Now that you are in your second trimester, you can feel the baby movements too in a few days." Dr.White said passing the tissues to Sherlyn and Ardeth.
"I can't wait to hold our babygirl in my hands." Sherlyn smiled wrapping her hands around Ardeth's waist as they stood in the parking lot. "Are you not happy that we are having a girl?" She asked looking at Ardeth, who was silent ever since they got to know they are having a girl.
"I am happy, I am always happy with everything that involves you and Nugget." Ardeth smiled kissing Sherlyn's forehead.
"But..."
"Leave about me." Ardeth said waving his hand, "Do you want anything? Pizza? Icecream?"
"I had a Pizza while waiting for you, so I am pretty stuffed, a nap would be great." Sherlyn yawned leaning her head against Ardeth's chest.
"Let's get you to home then." Ardeth said opening the door for Sherlyn to get in.
"Did you lose your way?" James asked pushing his glasses over his sharp nose, as his gaze squinted on the person standing infront of him.
"No, I didn't." Ardeth replied.
"Oh! Then Pumpkin kicked you out." James nodded, "You see pregnant women can be cruel at times..."
"She didn't kick me out, I came here myself." Ardeth interrupted James, "Can I come in?" He asked.
James opened the door to let Ardeth in.
"Water or beer?" James asked.
"Water."
"So, what's wrong?" James asked passing the water glass to Ardeth.
"Everything." Ardeth said placing the glass on the table as they sat by the fire in the backyard.
"Want to talk about it?" James asked calmly.
"I lost my place in Soccer team finals, my scholarship is pulled off, I am unable to get back into form, everything is messed." Ardeth said running his hand through his hair."I want to provide a good life for Sherlyn and our baby, but I am failing. I see myself as a failure now."
James sat back in the chair as he listened Ardeth speak.
"Today, I saw my baby." Ardeth said with a little smile on his face, "She is so small and is growing fast, a few months from now she will be out, in my arms. What if she thinks her father is a loser, what if she feel ashamed of me. What if I fail as a father? I don't have anyone other than Sherlyn and my baby in this world, and what if they regret having me in their life? I can't stand that." Ardeth said, as his voice cracked in the end.
"When the midwife placed Sherlyn in my hands, I was shit scared thinking I might drop her, there were times when I dropped her down too, fed her some wrong formula that we had to rush to hospital. I cried like a kid thinking my stupidity is going to make me loose my kid" James said, "Then I learned that not all babies work in same way and everyone has a different way, these parenting books just feed you shit, so unlearned and relearned everything, how to handle her in the way she likes, change her diaper, give her a bath, support her in times of need, and I am still learning."
"No one is born ready to do everything , we are constant learners and we have to learn new things everyday in our lives. Either it's a baby or sport." James said, "We are always busy worrying about future that we fail to realise that we are loosing our present."
"Ardeth, everyone has lows and highs in life and we have to treat them equally. Tomorrow if your baby laughs, you will laugh with her, but if she cries, you can't cry with her. You have to tell her how to accept her lows, find a solution, and deal with them. In the same manner, remember the time when you and people felt proud of your game, now if you are not performing well doesn't mean you will continue to do so, unlearn and relearn. Relearn in your own way, the way you want the situation to be and the situation want you to be. It can be a baby or sport, don't lose your hope."
"What if I fail? What if Sherlyn and my baby leaves me?"
"My daughter will never leave you, I have belief in my parenting. I may not have taught her to celebrate in happy times but I surely taught her not to leave ones hand in their dark times. As for your baby, I am sure she is already proud of you, for accepting her, and trying your best to take care of her, instead of running away from your responsibilities."
"My baby will be proud of me?" Ardeth sniffed.
"Without a doubt." James smiled.
"Thank you." Ardeth smiled.
"Don't thank me, we are already a family now, if you need support or guidance my door will be open for you always. I think you as a son that I never had." James said patting Ardeth's shoulder.
Ardeth nodded looking at James with moist eyes.
"I am making lasagna, would like to stay in for the lunch?" James asked.
"I would love to since I have heard a lot about your wonderful lasagna, but Sherlyn is home alone, I have to go." Ardeth smiled."Thanks for everything, James. I hope I didn't spoil your day with my sudden visit." Ardeth said putting on his coat as they walked towards the door.
"Don't mention it, and you can come home anytime and I will specially make Lasagna for you. And things don't happen suddenly they happen for a reason, and you have to trust the journey until you find out what the reason is." James said as he pulled open the door for Ardeth to step out, and both men stopped midway as they saw a familiar lady at the door step, with her fist raised in mid-air.
"Elizabeth?" Ardeth called out in surprise.
"Hello Ardeth." Elizabeth West squealed out in equal surprise, "Such a small world."
"True, Ms.West." James added standing by the door. "May I know, what made you to come knocking on my door? Did some problem come up with your table?"
"Hello, Mr.Priestly." Elizabeth greeted, "I didn't know you live here, I just shifted to the house next to yours, and the packers and movers that I hired thought my grandma's table as some useless, old thing and threw it in the yard, I am unable to lift it and bring it in all alone, so I came here to seek help." She rambled out in one go.
"No worries, Elizabeth, I will help you with your favourite table." Ardeth smiled.
"It's okay, Ardeth." James chimed in, "You go home, Sherlyn must be waiting for you, I will help the lady."
"Are you sure?" Ardeth asked looking between Elizabeth and James.
"Yes, take care of my Pumpkin."
"Always." Ardeth nodded, "See you later, Elizabeth." He said to Elizabeth before he walked towards his car.