At old man Isaac's house;
"Uncle, please look at the wife"
He said, still holding her.
"Put me down! I told you I am not sick!"
"Put her down. Leh me see," old man Isaac said.
Aaron then let her down. Afterwards, old man Isaac felt her skin and shook his head. Then, he checked her pulse, eyes, and the hollow under her neck. As if not sure about the results, he checked again.
Afterwards, he looked at the couple and extended his hand to them. But the couple stared at him, puzzled.
"Shake my hand and congratulations to the two of you," he said.
As if he understood, Aaron shook his hand and thanked him.
"Oh, okay, thank you, Uncle Isaac."
"So… since she's not sick, what is the problem?"
Seeing that he didn't understand, he clarified, smiling genuinely
"Your wife is pregnant- congratulations."
The couple stared at him, dumbfounded, then turned to face each other, shocked.
"You say I'm pregnant?" Lena asked in disbelief.
"Mmm-mm," he replied.
"Aa—Aa—Aaron, he said I'm—I'm pregnant! You heard him, too, right? Hu-hu, this can't be right!... It looks too real—"
Then she started observing her surroundings and the people with her.
She turned to her husband, who had returned to himself, now crying and heartbroken by her reaction.
"Aaron—tell me—tell me I'm imagining this— this moment right now! What are you waiting for? Say it! " Say—I'm dreaming— wake me up, ahh!" she said as she shook him. After a few seconds, she broke down, and tears came from her eyes like water.
Aaron pulled her into his arms and stroked her back as he consoled her gently.
"Hmm, Nana, you're not dreaming or imagining anything! Everything is real."
"You don't know how many times I've dreamt of this moment, but I would always wake up to the harsh reality eventually"
"Hmm, I can't count how many times, but I want to say, congratulations to us! We are pregnant!" Aaron said excitedly as he pulled his head away from her shoulders to wipe her tears.
" Yes! Congratulations to us! hahahaha,"
Lena replied, laughing excitedly.
Then they left each other's arms and dived back again, laughing happily.
To the side, watching the reactions, old man Isaac was smiling with tears in his eyes. He wiped it and waited for the couple on the side.
After some time, they cooled down and turned to him.
"Uncle, what do we need to avoid?" Aaron asked attentively.
"Nothing much, but she should avoid things that would make her vomit. Though vomiting is normal in her situation, too much vomiting will not be good for her. That's all I have to say. Also, the two of you should go to the hospital in Moore town on Monday to be sure of the month and to register her."
As he spoke, they attentively listened.
After he was done, they gratefully thanked him.
"Thank you, Uncle Isaac, thank you so much," Lena said.
"Mmm, send me meat as payment and not money."
"Okay, Uncle, I just brought two reindeers from the bush. I will send you one."
After Old Man Isaac nodded his head in agreement, the couple said their goodbyes and headed home in honey spheres.
Along the way, in their honey spheres, they greeted every villager happily. Especially Lena, who greeted every woman she met.
"Hello, how are you doing?"
"I'm good, and you?"
"I feel wonder today!"
"Hello…"
"Hello…"
As they continued the greeting, they met the women from the waterside.
Aaron didn't react much; he just nodded to them. But it wasn't the same for Lena.
"Ahhhh, the proud hens of our village, how are you all doing? I hope things go well for you at home, hahahaha. Aaron, let's go"
"What happened to her now to make her act crazy?" one of them asked after the couple left.
"Who knows, maybe the rooster life is making her crazy," another replied.
"Whatever, let's go home!" the one in front replied, rolling her eyes.
"It's not like news can hide anyways,"
The one at the back added.
Then they headed to their homes.
On Lena and her husband's side, they continued their happy greetings until they arrived home.
At their home;
"Should we make something for you now or later after we return from uncle's place?"
"No, leh carried Uncle Isaac's meat first, then we can pass to Auntie's compound. I can eat from there."
"My aunt and her family went to their farm."
"Oh yes, I totally forgot that. Leh me change my clothes so we can carry ley meat. After we return, I'll eat."
"Mmm, I will go pack the meat in the kenja"
Then he went into the kitchen to pack the meat while Lena went into their bedroom to change—merrily humming. After she was done, she headed into the kitchen, humming.
"Sweetheart, add one bunch of ripe bananas for him," She said after she entered the kitchen.
"Mmm, somebody is calling me Sweetheart now," he teased as he walked to her and pulled her in his arms.
"Wetting you know, countryman," she teased back, smiling at him
"Hahahaha…" They burst out laughing and broke the hug, then held each other again.
"Aaron, we did it," she said softly, looking in his eyes.
"Mmm-mm, Nana, we did it," he replied softly in his deep voice, looking into her eyes, lightly kissing her lips and pulling her into a full hug.
They stayed like that, stroking each other's backs for some time before they separated.
Then they carried the meat and banana to old man Isaac's home and returned.
After they returned home, they prepared half-ripe plantain soup and sat in the living room to eat and chat.
"I want to inform auntie and the others, today on the farm."
"Hmm, anything that is fine with you."
"Lena, I was thinking whether you would stay in the village until Monday after the checkup."
"No, Aaron, you know I still get a big plot to plant rice on. I can't leave it until Monday."
"I will do the planting, okay. I will ask my cousins for help, okay?"
"Aaron. No!" Then she roughly pushed her soup aside, stood up, and walked away furiously.