The Only Child

Mr. Ajarko had not been able to go to his farm in the last two weeks because his wife Mrs. Ajarko is due to deliver any time soon. Mr. Ajarko was a farmer and also a hunter and well known in the community. They have been married for 17 years without a baby and now that his wife is about to give birth, he didn't want to leave her sight. They've already had 2 miscarriages and he always blamed himself.

Source

At 2 pm one fine Thursday afternoon, his wife's water broke. She was in labour. He called for neighbors to help him get his wife to the hospital. They all came together to help one of their own. The road to the hospital was in a deplorable state and there were no ambulances. The only vehicle available was a tricycle with a bucket behind it. The pregnant woman, her husband and the village traditional midwife sat at the back as the owner of the tricycle drove them to the nearest hospital which was 17 miles away. Mr. Ajarko's only prayer was that the potholes won't cause another miscarriage.

They left the village with the rest of the village praying to different gods and entities for Mr and Mrs Ajarko to finally have a baby of their own. Soon, they got to the Ahafo North district hospital where Mrs Ajarko was ushered in to have her baby delivered. Mr Ajarko wasn't allowed inside the delivery room with the excuse that there wasn't enough space in there for family. Mr Ajarko could only wait outside anxiously and pray to all the gods he knows for his wife's health and his baby boy. He had no watch and would occasionally ask anyone around what time it was.

It's just been a few hours but it feels like eternity. A million thoughts crossed Mr Ajarko's mind. What if there was something wrong. What if his wife looses the baby again. What if he looses his beloved wife this time round. What if he lost his wife and the child. "I can't go on without my wife!", he said. Louder than he had hoped for and everyone around turned to look at him. He went back to the delivery room and he was stopped by the nurses at the gate. He was asked to wait and that if there's an update, they would come for him. He had no choice....