Thank God it’s Friday! I said to myself as I got out of bed. As much as I loved my job I wished I could stay home because I woke up with a splitting headache! Finding out that Cassie was my sister and that I was an aunt was finally sinking in. I took two painkillers and got ready for work. While waiting on Ricky a lot of memories of when she was here came flooding back. I remembered how Conroy had taken to me and was always asking me a lot of questions. I thought it was just his childish curiosity but now it seems that he knew instinctively that we were related! He was such an adorable little boy and I really did not want him to be placed in a Children’s Home but there was no way I could keep him. Apart from the fact that I had no clue how to raise a child, I was too old to be taking on this kind of responsibility! Oh God, I prayed, help me with this situation! It was the honking
of Ricky's car horn that brought me out of my reverie. I quickly grabbed my handbag and went outside. On the way to work I told him about me finding out that Cassie and I were sisters. He opened his mouth wide in astonishment. “So that means that you and Conroy are aunty and nephew! Wow!” he exclaimed. “Yep” I said, laughing at the expression on his face. He wanted to know what was going to happen to Conroy now so I told him that Reverend Julian was going to take him to the Maxfield Park Children’s Home today. “What! No Miss CeeCee, I would not let him do that if I were you!” he exclaimed. “Why not?” I asked. Ricky went on to tell me of the many horror stories that he had heard about things that happened to children in Children Homes. He was also of the opinion that Conroy was too young to be placed in a Home and it was too soon after losing his mother and siblings. "Putting him in an unfamiliar environment may cause him to have psychological disorders and behavioural problems in the future!" said Ricky. I looked at him in surprise when he said that. He laughed at my reaction and said his wife was studying Clinical Psychology at the University and last night he had helped her prepare for her exam on Child Psychological Behavior and Development. He said he was just quoting what he had heard her say. We both laughed. We reached the hospital and when I was getting out of the car I told him I would think about what he said.
Matron was happy to see me. The Maternity Ward was so full that they had to have two expectant mothers on a bed. I hated when it was like that but there was nothing we could do until the long awaited new Maternity Ward that was under construction, for the past two years, was finished. I had decided not to tell Matron about Cassie and I being sisters or about Conroy so I quickly went and changed into my scrubs and got ready for my first patient. It was a busy day, so busy that I did not even have time for lunch because seven out of the twelve mothers scheduled to deliver their babies today went into labour simultaneously! By the time their babies were delivered the other mothers were ready to give birth to their babies too. One of the mothers had to have a C-section and another had to be transferred to the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston due to some complications with the umbilical cord being wrapped around the baby’s neck and, to make matters worse, another mother’s baby was in the breech position! By the time I was ready to go home I was so tired that I was falling over my feet. On the way home with Ricky I fell asleep in the car and did not wake up until I reached my gate. When I opened my eyes I saw Reverend Julian’s Jeep parked at the gate. I looked at Ricky and rolled my eyes. Ricky laughed at my expression and said he would see me Monday morning. I got out of the car and waved goodbye to him as he drove off. Opening the gate I could see Reverend Julian on the verandah reclining in my favorite chair! I pasted a smile on my face as I stepped unto the verandah. I told him good evening as Conroy ran to me and hugged my legs. I lifted him up in my arms and headed into the house with Reverend Julian following behind us. I told him he could have a seat and I waited for him to drop the bombshell that I knew was coming. He looked down at his shoes and cleared his throat before looking up at me. “Miss Cecilia, I know that I am asking a lot of you but can you keep Conroy for the weekend?” he asked. I did not answer. Reverend Julian went on to say that when he had taken Conroy to the Maxfield Park Children’s Home this morning the person in charge was not there and the secretary told him he would have to return on Monday morning. He was going to keep him for the weekend but his wife reminded him that he had promised to take her to the country to visit her relatives. His wife was adamant that they had to go this weekend and that Conroy could not go with them. I told him that I also had plans for the weekend. He sighed and said he would have to take him to stay with his Grandmother then. He got to his feet shakily and was reaching for Conroy when I noticed the tears in his eyes. “It’s okay I’ll keep him.” I said. Reverend Julian straightened up immediately, held on to my hand that was free and thanked me profusely. I smiled and reminded him that Conroy was my nephew. I also reminded him that he had to pick up Conroy by six o’ clock Monday morning because that’s the time when I left to go to work. He promised to do so and left. Maud came to find out what was happening because she saw that Reverend Julian had left without Conroy. I told her that I would be keeping Conroy for the weekend. She clapped her hands with glee and asked if he could stay with her for the night. I asked Conroy if he wanted to stay with her and he nodded yes so I handed him to her. I walked with them out to the verandah and told her to remember the dogs! I could hear Maud and Conroy giggling as I went back inside. For the first time in my life I was overcome by a sudden surge of jealousy!
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