Chapter 4

• "We can't leave until we are sure these women will be okay, you guys sent us here knowing how this island is, and now you want us to leave knowing there are people here especially women and children who need us?"
• Ruby asked dropping her glasses and biting down on her lips to prevent her from saying the words that bubble in her head.
• "Then you are in your own, we are only going to pay for your expenses back, you return now or face whatever it is that comes with your decision to stay, the hospital is officially taking its hands off this, you have to return by the next ferry ride, tell us before you board it so that we can send a plane, have a nice day doctor,"
• The director said and ended the call before she could say more, so they are just going to abandon them? Just like that? How will they expect her and her team to leave knowing there are people here who need them?"
• "This is bad, this is so bad,"
• She said out loud, her whole body ache from staying up all through the night, one of the moms had premature labor and they had to do a C-section for her, and she had another one coming up in less than three hours.
• "Doctor, a man brought a baby here and is claiming that the child was abandoned but I have checked with all our due mothers and no one has yet to put to birth neither is any of the infants we delivered missing,"
• Sara announced as she entered Ruby's office, okay could things get any worst? She thought.
• "What? Could it be another case of a negligent father looking to throw his child away?"
• Ruby asked as she stood up and made her way out of the office with Sara beside her, she didn't know how to break her recent findings to Sara and the others and now another crazy father trying to abandon his baby, just last week a man was caught dropping a baby off, fortunately, one of the nurses had seen him and confronted him and he had taken the child back with him.
• "I have told him that, but he insists that the child was left at his doorstep, he doesn't look like he is lying but I can't put it past anyone, not with everything we have seen so far on this cursed island,"
• Sara let out in frustration.
• "Sara, watch your words,"
• Yes, the island appears to be cursed in some way, a lot of ways but she didn't want the natives hearing her speak like that.
• "I don't understand though, on the rare occasion that we meet the fathers of the kids they are trying to dispose of them, it just doesn't make sense,"
• "I know right? It gives me the chills,"
• Ruby heard two nurses discuss as they pass by their unit.
• "How is the child?"
• She asked Sara.
• "That's what makes it even more suspicious, the baby is calm when the father holds her but when anyone else does, she starts crying uncontrollably, more reason I think he is a bad dad trying to do anyway with his daughter, and why is it that only female children get thrown away? It's making me feel sad for the female child, we always get treated unfairly,"
• "Now that I think about it, it is true, all the children found are females, and that's worrying,"
• "Yeah, it's worrying, a lot of things here are worrying,"
• "I told you I am not the father,"
• Ruby heard as she walked into the reception.
• "Sara take the child from him and do the basic check to make sure she is fine,"
• She instructed to which Sara nodded before walking up to the man and collecting the child.
• "Sir, if you don't mind coming to my office?"
• She asked expecting him to say no but he agreed and she walked with him to her office.
• "Thank God someone finally understand that the kid is not mine,"
• "I never said I understood,"
• She said pointing to the seat in her office, he understood and sat down.
• "Then why am I in your office? And why is it so hard for you all to believe that the baby isn't mine?"
• "That's because we have seen too many abandoned kids in the last two to three weeks, so if we choose not to believe you, you can't blame us, we are trying to play it safe here, there is no proof that the kid is not yours, or do you have proof or someone that can attest to the fact that you don't have a kid?"
• "I don't know anyone here, I came in not long ago, not even up to a week, why will I bring my infant child to this island without her mom? Does that make sense to you?"
• He questioned, she didn't answer him, if he indeed just got to town then there is a possibility of the child not being his but she couldn't say that because that means he would want to leave the child here, she couldn't risk it, the child would be safer and more attended to with him than with them, she hasn't even taken a break to bath in the last Twenty-four hours, the only break she is taking now, she is here talking to him, tired is not enough to describe how she felt.
• "I am sorry but we can't help, you have to take the child back with you and care for her until maybe her mom comes back or the authorities of the state comes to this island's aid,"
• "Wow, I don't have time for that, I came here for an important reason, I can't babysit,"
• "There is nothing we can do, we are short on hands and supplies, if the baby is indeed abandoned then you are her best bet because we can't do much except treat her here, we are all busy and there are women giving birth every day, we can't look after the kids and the women that volunteer here are also either pregnant or with kids of their own,"
• She explained, he seemed familiar but she couldn't remember where she has seen him before, maybe in the city or around the island.
• "This doesn't make sense, nothing makes sense at all, so an orphanage is another thing this island doesn't have, so what exactly is here then?"
• He asked.
• "Mr?"
• "Liam, call me Liam,"
• "Okay Liam, we are sorry we can only check here and also make sure you get her the right food and clothes for her but that's all we can do, you have to take her back with you."
• Ruby explained, he looked confused and kind of scared, she wanted to believe he was telling the truth but as Sara said earlier, they can't put anything past anyone on this island.
• "So you are just going to leave a kid with a stranger?"
• "I don't think any of us is familiar with her, we are all strangers to her,"
• "Does that mean you believe she is not mine and you are just asking me to help?"
• He asked.
• "I am sorry but I don't know what to believe,"
• "Okay, wow, you don't believe me,"
• "I didn't sa..."
• The sound of the crying child all the way down from the entrance of her office stopped her words, the father quickly got up and collected the child from the nurse who let out a sigh of relief, the child seemed to be familiar with her dad because she calmed down almost immediately.
• "So why is he saying the kid is not his when it obvious by the way he stood up in concern and by how the daughter calmed down when she knew he carried her?"
• She thought.
• "That doesn't mean she is mine, she just bonded with me over the night,"
• Yeah right, sure she believes that she thought mentally rolling her eyes.
• "Sara, how is the baby?"
• "She is okay, but she has to be under close watch and kept warm at all times,"
• Sara replied excusing herself, Ruby turned to the man who had his whole attention on the child while speaking to her in low voice.
• "What are you telling her?"
• She asked out of curiosity.
• "That she is stuck with me and it is me and her against the world until I can get her help,"
• He replied, looking up at her.
• "Aha, okay,"
• "I think I have met you before but I can't remember where,"
• "Hmm, I don't think so,"
• She responded even though she thought the same.
• "Anyway, you know how to handle a kid so I don't think there will be much of a problem seeing that she is calm around you, just make sure to feed her and keep her warm and also bring her in if you notice a change in her temperature or anything,"
• "Yes ma'am,"
• He replied politely.
• "I have to go freshen up, I have a scheduled C-section in a few hours,"
• She said standing up from her seat, he followed and they both walked out of her office.
• "Even though you guys were of no help, but thank you,"
• He said as he left with the kid, she let out a sigh that she didn't know she had been holding.
• "He finally left with her?"
• Sara asked as she came to where she stood, the others looked in their direction too.
• "I think he is telling the truth, Sara, he doesn't look like he is from here, maybe the kid just bonded with the first human she came in contact with after she was abandoned,"
• "I don't know, but Emily said he lives in the same complex we were given, and they have seen him quite a few times,"
• "Oh, really? No wonder he looked familiar, I may have run into him too but I don't remember when,"
• "But we both know even if he is not the dad, she would be much fine if she stays with him, we don't even have time, I can't remember the last time I slept for six hours or even five hours, if only the hospital will send extra people, or if only the government will come to the aid of this island,"
• Sara expressed.
• "Yeah, if only,"
• She replied.
• "The ferry arrives tomorrow, right? Let's hope for the best,"
• "Nothing is on that ferry Sara, it seems like we are on our own,"
• She revealed.
• "What?"
• "Calm down, I spoke with Nathan this morning, he is doing fine by the way, but according to him the hospital isn't making any move, rather they are trying to get us all off this place as soon as possible, then I called the director and he gave me the same piece of shit, we either leave by the next ferry ride which is the day after tomorrow by the way or we are on our own"
• "Oh, no, what's gonna happen to all these women? I can't bear the thought of them going through childbirth with no health worker on ground,"
• "Yeah, that's why I told the director that we aren't leaving until something is done, but anyone that wants to leave can, please let the others know we have a meeting after the C-section,"
• "Okay, doc, but I am sure no one will leave,"
• "I hope so, I need to go take a bath, I smell, please help make sure the operating room is ready and the soon-to-be mom is ready too will you?"
• "Sure doc, you need that bath, you look worst than anyone else,"
• "I know,"
• She said heading towards the hospital staff restroom area, she wished there was more that she could do for the poor women and children here, wished she had more power but this was all she could do, knowing how much she longed for a child for five whole years there was no way she would let a child come into this world under risky conditions, she would do the best she can and hoped a miracle will happen soon.