LIFE IS NOT A BED OF ROSES

Chapter four_ROSE CONCEIVED A BABY BOY

Nine months later Rose conceived a bouncing baby boy. Godwin was so excited that he now has a brother. Their joy knew no bounds. But Dan was not all that happy because the coming of the new born baby was a very big load to carry."Where will I get the money for the hospital bill " he soliloquized to himself the moment he was informed that his wife had given birth.

"Oh this is too much for me, where will I start from" he sobbingly murmured. He was in the waiting ward sobbing, immediately he saw the doctor coming, he wiped his tears quickly. The doctor entered the waiting ward to inform Dan of his wife's safe delivery.

"Hello Mr Dan, your wife and the new born baby are at rest now, they are very healthy, she will be discharged tommorow morning..." The doctor informed him, he noticed that Dan has been sobbing and he consoled him saying;

"Dan my brother, I know how you feel right now...okay, its not easy to be a father, as am standing here talking to you, am a father of two children, two girls and my wife is pregnant again, we are hoping that the baby will be a male child, so don't worry your self God will definately make a way for you..." the doctor assures him patting his back.

Dan looked at the doctor, his face brightened and he replied;

"Thanks doctor for this encouragement, am so grateful.." he appreciated the doctor

"You are welcome, my brother, all I want from you now is to trust and belive in God, he will never fail."the doctor assures him again.

"Okay doctor I belive that God is in control of every thing, thanks for this word of encouragement, am so happy to meet you..." Dan remarked happily

"you are welcome Mr Dan" the doctor replied happily.

"Please doctor can I go and see my wife and my baby.."Mr Dan asked the doctor.

" Am sorry, you can't see them now, when they are awake, I will inform you okay..." the doctor said patting his shoulder.

"Okay doctor, so what about Godwin, is he with them...."

"Godwin was told to watch over them, when ever they wake up he will call the nurse to attend to them, they will be awake any moment from now okay....." A nurse came into the room to deliver a message to the doctor, few minutes later, the nurse left, the doctor was about to leave, and finally assured Mr Dan to be strong that every thing will tune out good for him, Mr Dan was so happy, he was feeling so encouraged, he appreciated the doctor, who left immdiately to attend to a patient.

Dan left the waiting ward, he was wandering round the hospital to see if he can do any work to get money for the hospital bill and other expenses.

There was a very wealthy philiantropist that paid a visit to the hospital, he came to see the sick patients and also to give them words of encouragement, and also help them financially. This man Mr Valentine, came to the village for a house project, he was one of Dan's class mate in secondary school and also his childhood friend, he was a graduate of law from the university of calabar, Dan went into business after his secondary school education, from there his business boomed, and he became a very rich man untill the incident of the fire out break that happened recently.

However, Mr valentine was from the same village with Dan, he was building a house in the village, and decided to come and see how the building was progressing. He decided to pay a visit the hospital, it was when Mr Dan was running from pillar to post that Mr Dan saw him, he was so suprised when he saw his childhood friend.

"Hey, Dan is this you" he asked suprisingly as Dan was about to pass by. Dan stopped, he looked at Valentine and joyfully huged him not minding he was in the hospital.

"Wow Valentine, what are you doing in this local hospital, You should have been at the city by now spending money...." Dan asked him suprisingly.

"Yes, your are right my brother, I came back for a house project so I decided to visit this hospital to help the sick patients financially and also to encourage them to be strong, so what's up, what brought you to this hospital, I mean to this village..."(he remembered what happened to his business and said )

" Ooh pardon me for asking such a question, am so sorry for what happened,it was really terrible" Valentine said feeling so sorry for his friend.

"It's okay my friend, if not for God where would I have been, am still thanking God for my life and my family's life" Dan remarked sobbingly.

"But l didn't expected you to be in the village, you would have called me the moment you came back to the village with your family so I can see I can help you financially, you are like a brother to me, seeing you in this condition makes me unhappy" Valentine retorted.

"You don't understand what am passing through, do you know that I lost my phone that same day the incident happened and up till now, I couldn't afford to buy a new phone because I have to feed my family first, before any other thing, my wife's phone got lost too, and she has been a house wife, since we came back to the village, my son too dropt out from school, so what do you expect me to do" Dan said still sobbing.

"My brother, it's okay I understand how you feel okay, you are a man, so learn how to endure things especailly in this difficult situation okay...God will surely intervene in this matter..." Valentine assures him.

"Val do you know how much worth of goods I lost, I lost so much goods worth billions in the fire out break, honestly if not for my wife's consolation and encouragement, I would have commited sucide.....I thank God for giving me such a good wife" Dan said sobbing sorrowfully.

" My brother life is first in every thing, without life, every thing will be useless" Valentine said

"You are right my brother, thanks for every thing, you are such a good friend.." Dan appreciated his friend.

"You are welcome my brother, least I forget you have not told me why you are here, so what brought you to this hospital...." Valentine asked with rapt attention.

"Ah my brother, my wife just concived.." Dan broke the carmel's back.

"Wow congratulations my brother, what did she gave birth to" he asked joyfully.

"She delivered a bouncing baby boy but the problem is, where will I get the money to pay for the hospital bills and other expenses, that's where the problem is, as am talking to you now I don't have up to ten thousand naira in my account, am bankrupt..." Dan sobbingly lamented

"It's okay my brother, I understand how you feel... Valentine said, deeping his right hand in his pocket, he brought out his wallet, brought out a cheque, wrote something on it and gave it to Dan, who was amazingly looking at him, Valentine handed over the cheque to him and said;

" Dan my brother, you are really like a brother to me, since our childhood, we have been like brothers, seeing you in this condition, breaks my heart, so this a cheque of two million naira, you can use it to start up a small business in Umuoma market, before you know it, your business will boom, and you can now go back to the city to start up a big one"

At first, Dan thought he was dreaming, he was short of words, not knowing when he went down on his knees and started sheding tears of joy and also thanking him.

"Valentine my brother, you gave me this huge amount of money to start up a business, oh God you are too much, God is really wonderful.. .ah Val, my God will bless you hundred times fold...." Dan was full joy as he appreciated his friend.

"Dan, my brother, how can I see you suffering, while I your friend is wealthy, I helped those that are not even my friend, so helping you is what I suppose to do as a friend I am to you....okay" Valentine explained.

"Wow, I never dreamt of having this huge amount of money in my life again...but God's ways are not our ways...God is really great" Dan sobbingly said, Val helped him to stand on his feet"

"It's okay my brother, stand up please, God has done it for you" Val said, as he helped Dan to stand at his feet.

"Thanks my brother, my God will surely replenish your pocket" Dan appreciated still sobbing.

"Amen, my brother, I did what a friend should do to his friend in times of difficulties, am so happy to meet you, because I have been searching for you all this while" Valentine remarked

"I thank God for meeting you today" Dan replied,immediately he remembered what the doctor told him at the waiting ward he thanked God for meeting the doctor.

As they were discussing, Godwin ran across them, he was on his way to the restroom when he saw his dad, he stopped to greet his dad and Valentine;

"Good afternoon dad, good" he bows his head as he greeted to show respect.

"Good afternoon son, this is my friend Mr Valentine" Dan replied as he showed his son his childhood friend.

"Good afternoon sir"

"Good afternoon my dear" Mr Valentine replies as he gazed at him suprisingly.

"This is my first son, Godwin, he dropt out from school the moment we came back to the village, since then he has been wandering round the village, serching for job but all proved abortive

.." Mr Dan said looking at his sorrowful son.

"Ah, I know it has not been easy for you, since you came back from the city, but I will try to see if there is any vacancy, in the city....I will get back to you if I found one." Mr Val said, he adviced Godwin to be a good boy. Mr Dan and his son thanked him so much, they were so grateful. Godwin was so excited he can't wait to go back to the city.

"How old are you now my boy?" Mr Valentine asked Godwin.

"Am seventeen years old, my birthday was yesterday" Godwin replied shyly

"Wow you now a big boy, don't worry when I go back to city, I will get back to your father about the job...okay" Mr Val assured him.

" Okay, sir may God bless you sir" Godwin appreciated.

"You are welcome my boy" he responded happily.

Few minutes later, the doctor came and informed them that Rose wants to see them, they joyfully followed the doctor to the labour room, Mr Dan was speechless when he saw his wife and the new born baby, the baby was bouncing and healthy.

"Wow, this baby is so cute" Mr Dan exclaimed, as they all laughed.

"So my husband, what name will be suitable for him" Rose asked her husband, as she breastfeed her baby.

"That's a good question, for making me happy the moment I saw him and to also thank God for the gift of life his name will be "THANKGOD" because God really suprised me in the time when I almost lose hope" Dan said as they were all happy.

"Yes that's a good name, I love it" Godwin remarked happily.

Dan later told his wife that Val his childhood friend gave him the sum of two million naira to start up a business in the village market and also promised to find a job for Godwin in the city. Rose was very happy to here that.