Thorne III

A week later. 

He fell asleep while checking emails from his P.A. All of a sudden he was woken up by Ayinah's groaning. It's unusual; she's in pain.

"Andreas comes quickly; it's very painful." 

He heard her talking from her room. So he got down from his bed and put on his shirt and jeans and ran to her room. It's time for her to give birth, he guessed. It is too painful for his ego that the woman carrying his child is calling Andreas instead of him. They were good before they came here. Now she's so near yet so far. But who is to blame but himself? He walks faster to get to Ayinah's room. He saw her still holding her phone when he reached her room.

"Andreas, quick, argh."

She is like a wife to Andreas, ordering her husband to be quick. How he wished that she ordered him the way she ordered Andreas. He heard the rushing steps going up, and he heard Nanay Sol open the door also.

"Ayinah!" Andreas called her name.

"I'm in my room," she replied. She didn't acknowledge his presence.

She couldn't blame her. He's not in the picture of this the whole time. He only came to claim his child. He wanted to punch himself for being such an idiot.

Ayinah clung to Andreas when she saw him.

"Do you want me to carry you?" Andreas asked in a panic.

"No. You, I will break your bones if you carry me, Andreas. Just hold me; I can walk." She replied humorously.

Even in pain she still can act like normal. He grabs the maternity bag she prepared and follows them. The three of them walk down to the car parking on the road. Andreas brought a car. He didn't even think about that. He never thought, What if the time comes like this? How is he going to bring her to the hospital? " Where did his brain go? He is useless.

Andreas helped her get in the car; he is just watching them. What is his role?

"Sit with her, please," Andreas asked him, taking the maternity bag from his hand and putting it in the front seat.

He slid inside beside her. He doesn't know what to do. All the tips he had read many months ago couldn't sink in in his brain.

Andreas parked the car in front of the lying-in clinic.

"Clinic, not hospital?" he exclaimed.

"I told you I'm giving birth, so I don't need a hospital," she said and opened the door on her side.

"Wait!" He quickly opens the door and runs to her side, but she's already walking to the clinic. Andreas came out too with the maternity bag in his arms.

"You're ready to pop," said the woman a bit older than them. 

She must be a doctor or midwife. He doesn't know. He doesn't know about all the happenings in the life of his surrogate since he left eight months ago.

"Yes, I am," she replied, wincing in pain while rubbing her stomach.

"Carry her inside. Right now!" She ordered.

He scooped her up and carried her inside. She just broke her water.

"Put her down here," said the doctor.

He put her down on the bed.

"You two can wait outside; Denise and I can manage here," ordered the doctor.

They both get out and wait in the waiting chairs outside. He noticed that Andreas is also tense. After a few minutes, they heard the loud cry of a newborn baby.

"Congratulations!" Andreas said.

"Thank you!" He replied.

He's a father now.

"It's a baby boy," announced the nurse.

"I'll call you guys after we're done cleaning them," the nurse added and closed the door.

"Wow! Thorne the fourth!" Andreas exclaimed.

"I won't give that name to him. It's like there's no other name anymore," he replied.

"Have you prepared any name for him?" Andreas asked.

"Actually no. But I think I will still go with a letter T," he replied.

Another failure. Can his child be proud of him?

"Actually, Ayinah has names for either girl or boy. She has a long list starting with the letter T, but I only remember the two: Tyrone or Tyra," Andreas replied.

"I think Tyrone is good; it sounds like Thorne," he said.

"I'm sure she will be happy for that," Andreas said.

He only injected his semen; that's all his contribution; apart from that, nothing. His grandpa will surely laugh at him or maybe be disappointed.

The nurse opened the door again and told them that they can come in. The doctor is holding the baby and handed him to him. How did the doctor know that he's the father? Oh yeah, she told him that the doctor is their friend.

"Thank you!" He said.

"What are you going to name him?" The doctor asked.

"Tyrone," he replied.

"You can check the spellings of your name before Denise finalizes them. You need the birth certificate and the consent before you travel. When is your flight?" The doctor asked him.

"I haven't booked yet. When do you think the baby can travel?" he asked.

"Some airlines allowed travel even if the baby is only two days old. You have to check with the airlines first," the doctor replied.

"Okay," he said.

"I'll teach you how to make the infant formula for your baby. Denis, could you please hold the baby?" The doctor said.

The nurse took the baby from his arms. He followed the doctor in the table. And she taught him how much water to use for how many scoops of the formula. The doctor told him that it's better to hire a nurse or midwife while the baby is still small.

After they've done the milk. The doctor took the baby from the nurse's arms and put it in the baby basket. Where did this basket come from? The doctor might have read his mind.

"She prepared everything. She bought this basket and that powder, and all the feeding bottles are already sterilized." The doctor answered his question in his mind.

He looked at the curtain where she is still there, lying behind it. How he wishes to see her. But maybe she will not like it. She didn't hold the baby either.

It's over.

"Are the spellings all correct?" The nurse asked him.

"Yes," he replied.

It's only father and no mother written in the paper. He glanced at the baby in the baby basket. It is ripping his heart, but the agreement is only until here. He doesn't show emotion, but if someone could open his heart, he's crying inside. How is he going to bring up his son? He failed many times. He admitted it. He is not worthy to have his son.

Can he give the love for his son as much as Ayinah loves him?

He doesn't know how to start his life with his son, but he will do his best. He knows he can't match the love Ayinah has been pouring into his son.

But he has promised himself to be the father that the son could be proud of.