The Long Awaited Baby Boy

It's an autobiographical short story. My mother struggled to beget me. She risked her life to beget a baby boy !

The Long Awaited Baby Boy


My parents fell in love the moment their eyes met. They hadn’t dated before, as most people do. "I don’t know why, my boy; I used to be a womanizer, but when I first saw your mother, I knew I had finally found my soul mate." He had left his birthplace long before he met my mother. He was orphaned at the age of three. His father passed away after a sudden illness that ripped him apart like a starving hyena! My grandmother and her poor little boy wandered the land, wretched, devastated, and homeless. Life grew colder and merciless as they struggled to survive. They were spat on, pushed around, and treated like stray dogs! My father once told me, "My boy, I can’t forget hearing my mother screaming and crying in the middle of the night. I didn’t know what was going on. It was pitch dark, and as I tried to approach her, someone shoved me in the air like a puppy!" I understood what he was trying to convey to me: she was repeatedly and mercilessly raped in his presence!

As soon as my parents fell in love, they decided to get married. My father had been working for my mother’s stepfather. She had lost her father too, and a stranger came along and swept her mother’s heart! Her stepfather loved and stood by my father. Actually, they were both strangers in my mother’s tribe. Fate had it that they were originally from the same place. They were considered strangers and treated like tramps! The stepfather, therefore, thought it wise to marry his stepdaughter to his beloved friend. Needless to say, he wanted to strengthen the bond. What a day it was when the new couple was declared husband and wife!
The wedding day finally came, and everybody was thrilled except my father’s enemies. They would have liked to swoop on my mother to marry her , despite herself, to one of their sons! It was a modest celebration; a small ram was slaughtered along with some chicken and turkeys. My uncles and aunts laughed as they ran after the poor birds to catch them. My father also took part in that adventure. My mother watched and giggled as he caught one bird after the other! She loved him more! He was strong , fast and funny. “ I’ve finally found my knight in shining armor “. She must have thought to herself . It was a wonderful night. People ate , drank and danced all night! Some got drunk and tried to cause mischief, but my father bounced them out of the tent! With his heavy olive tree club , he knew how to solve problems!

A few months later, my mother got pregnant. My father couldn’t believe it when she broke the news to him. He was both happy and sad. His best companion, my mother’s step-father, had passed away in a road accident. He was riding his old rusty bicycle when a tractor ran him over ! “ who’s going to stand by this stranger now?” wondered Ahmed , tears rolling down his cheeks. It was a great loss for my father. The tribesmen hated them for no reason! Ahmed , however, was determined to keep fighting undeterred. “ I’m a father now and I have to be even stronger, come what may!” he told me, biting his lips while staring at the ceiling! He rejoiced at the good news , nonetheless, kissed Laidia and promised her that he would always be with her till death do them part!

My mother gave birth to a healthy baby girl. My father named her “Saida.” He was definitely full of joy, but deep inside, he was anxious about what the future had in store for him. He worked harder and harder to provide for his little family. Sometimes he would steal food to stay alive! One night, he sneaked into a field of harvested wheat, only to be caught red-handed! He managed, though, to run away after a long, bloody battle with the owner of the field. If it hadn’t been for his heavy club, he would have been killed! He came back home full of disgrace, humiliation, and despair, but once he looked Saida in the little sparkling eyes, his anguish and despair vanished in thin air!
When my little sister was only two, Laidia got pregnant again. She couldn’t tell my father about it. She kept it a secret for a while, until Ahmed saw her protruding stomach. He didn’t know what hit him. “Another mouth to feed?” he asked bluntly! “It’s God’s will, honey!” Mom replied, shutting dad’s mouth. She went on, “We can’t do anything about it. A new born comes to this life with its provision and blessings! That’s what Allah says! Her words made Ahmed’s heart sink. He remembered the wheat battle he had almost lost! How many battles would he have to fight again?
My father went out of the cottage, speechless. He made for his mother’s cottage that was located a few meters away from his. Whenever he felt helpless , he would go to see his mother; her words of wisdom consoled him and gave him a glimpse of hope. When she saw him , she could tell from the look in his eyes he wasn’t fine. “ Is she pregnant again?” She asked . Ahmed nodded and turned away . “ Well my son , there is nothing you can do! What’s done can’t be undone! And keep in mind that the more babies you have , the more blessings and provisions Allah sends down on you !” She muttered as she was eating from the leftovers of her boss’s lunch. She worked as a maiden for one of my mother’s tribesmen. My father said nothing , kissed her forehead then went out.

The second baby girl came , naked and hungry. There were no signs of any heavenly provisions with her. My parents welcomed the new little guest despite themselves. They knew life was going to be harder . Yet , they didn’t give up. They had the unbent will to survive. A few years went by and my mother's stomach protruded again. More blessings and provisions were on the way! The third baby will soon say hello to my parents! My father said nothing this time. Silence is golden! It seemed that my mother was keen on having babies! Back then, there were no contraceptives and no family planning. Everything went according to God’s divine plan. “have more babies and blessings and provisions come along with these angels!” my grandmother used to teach my parents how to lead a prosperous life. They did listen to her avidly!
So the third baby appeared out of the blue! Even my parents’ dogs, cats, and cattle were envious! They didn’t have as many offspring as my parents did. It was hard for my father to feed the growing family. They would spend days and weeks without anything to eat, especially in the harsh winter days and nights. It used to rain buckets; no one dared or could leave the cottage, not even the dogs and the cats! How could my father feed all these living creatures around him? My father once told me, biting his lips, “I had to either beg, work, or steal food. Actually, my boy, I used to do all of these things! I had no choice! My heavy club was always in my hand, just in case! With three little kittens in the cottage, I had to venture and risk it all to provide for them.
My parents begot four girls. “Why only girls?” wondered my mother. “Are they God’s gifts? Aren’t boys gifts too? I need a baby boy now!” My mother grew incredibly passionate about having a boy; she felt like breaking the routine of having only girls. She had mixed feelings, though. “Will I have another girl this time? But I hunger for a baby! Oh God! Bless me with a baby boy this time!” She was so afraid of having another girl that she decided to seek help from her friends and family members. What kind of help is this? Was that even conceivable? She knew, deep inside, that she was fooling around. Nobody had the faintest idea how to help a woman conceive a baby boy. It was sheer madness! Yet Laidia was convinced she was doing the right thing; she took the chance, breaking all the rules, hoping that a miracle would happen!
My mother’s midwife, Lamachia, was a very wise woman. She was famous for helping women deliver their children with flying colors. Word had it that she had midwifed hundreds of women! People trusted and treasured her. Obviously, my mother sought her help to have a baby boy. She pleaded with her, on bended knees, to do whatever she could to make her dream come true! She even promised to offer her a fat black turkey if she got a boy! The wise woman smiled and said, “God willing, you will be blessed with the apple of your eye soon. I’ll do my best.” My mother jumped for joy when she heard the glad tiding. “So, what should I do?” asked my mother impatiently. “It won’t be easy, my daughter!” Replied Lamachia. “Don’t worry, I’m ready and waiting!” said my mother confidently. “Well, you should eat a snake’s heart, a slug, and you should sniff a dog’s urine!” advised the old woman. My mother was taken aback, first, then she took a deep breath and said, “I’ll go for it; I’ll do what you just said; I know there is a price I have to pay. Actually, I abhor dogs but I will definitely sniff their urine! Come what may!”
One day, as soon as Ahmed got home, my mother begged him, “Would you please do me a favor?” “I’ll do what I can”, replied my father. “Well, I know it’s weird, but I wonder if you could catch a snake, rip it apart, pull out the heart, and bring it to me to swallow!” “What? Are you joking? A snake’s heart?” “Yes, honey; I need it urgently!” begged mom. “Have you lost your marble?” asked my father, bursting into laughter. “We will beget a baby boy if I eat it raw! Go now, please; don’t hesitate! This is women’s affairs!” dumbfounded as he was, Ahmad agreed reluctantly. He couldn’t believe his ears when she added, “Not only a snake’s heart! I also need a slug and a dog’s urine!” “Good grief! You have definitely gone mad!” yelled my father. “For God’s sake! Are you really going to drink dogs’ urine?” “Not really; I’m only going to sniff it, and I’m going to bake the slug, then eat it!” It won’t be a big deal, honey! Pluck up your courage!” replied Ladia self-assuredly.
Poor Ahmed consented unwillingly, then went off hunting for the snake, the slug, and the dog. The first day went well, as he managed to catch a big snake that almost bit him to death! The heavy olive tree club worked miracles! When my mother saw the snake, she grabbed it, ripped it apart with a big knife, pulled out the heart, and then swallowed it! As for the slug, it was hard to find. My father spent days leaving no stone unturned. Luckily, he came across a fat slug sleeping soundly under a stone! Hardly had my mother seen it when she put it on a clay pan, lit a fire, and then baked it. As it cooled off, my mother swallowed it in the twinkle of an eye! Ahmed looked on; his jaws dropped! The toughest mission for my father was to wait for a dog until it started urinating; when the dog was finished relieving itself, he would go and pick up the Holy Grail somewhere somehow! Strangely enough, with my mother’s help, Ahmed was able to do that. They cooperated well, and they finally got what they wanted. Soon after, my mother took the urine and sniffed it into her nostrils with her eyes and mouth closed! My father looked on, splitting his sides laughing!
A few months later, my mother got pregnant again, and she began longing for things she had never desired before! She could tell something unusual had begun to form in her womb! Could it be that a baby boy was on the way? Her midwife comforted her and reassured her that her dream would finally materialize. The old woman hoped my mother wouldn’t go back on her word�"the big black turkey promise! Two dreams would simultaneously come true: a big baby boy and a big black turkey! It’s God’s divine plan! Thy will shall be done! My mother’s friends and relatives would come to her and wish her good luck. They knew she desperately needed a boy after begetting four girls. They would bring her food and everything she longed for. Fortunately, my father found a good job at a chicken farm. He collected eggs and cleaned coops. “When I got that job, my boy, I realized your mother was going to beget a blessed baby! I could feel it and see it on the horizon,” he told me with a sigh.
On the 12th of a cold December night, my mother woke up my father from a deep slumber. She startled him. She couldn’t talk. She was in pain! She moaned and whined! Ahmed knew she was going into labor. He got up and made for the midwife’s cottage. They came back quickly. The old woman checked on my mother and told dad they were going to have another baby, hopefully a boy! My father went out immediately, praying and hoping all would be fine! As he was about to step back into the cottage, he heard me cry! Hello life! Hello parents! Hello me! Hello midwife! Hello, black turkey! My father was expecting another baby girl. He had had four consecutive baby girls. He thought it was going to be an endless influx of baby girls, but he was wrong!
My mother finally made it! She got a healthy boy! She had been waiting feverishly to see me, to touch me, to feel me, to taste me, and to smell me! She screamed out loud, weak and exhausted as she was, “Is it a baby boy?” Her words echoed through the cottage, waking up every living creature there! As soon as the midwife answered positively, my mother fainted, then woke up! She was feeling for me, trying to lay me on her breasts, hugging me, kissing me, and smelling me! It was a miracle! The Holy Trinity did it: a combination of water and two proteins: a slug and a snake’s heart! Water, slugs, and a snake’s heart helped bring me to life! I was found at last! “The moment I saw you, my boy, I had a strange feeling down my spine that almost numbed me; I was afraid I might lose you after finding you!” She murmured to me, tears rolling down her wrinkled cheeks.