text: “Mom! Mom!” Dominic yelled, as he walked up the stairs into the corridor, the marble columns stood perfectly on the plinths with paintings hanging on each of them. The summer sunlight beamed into the room making the staircase look like a fashion walkway. Just before Dominic could yell again at the top of his voice, a plucky looking middle-aged lady walked in from an open door, she was wearing a ravishing gown with a carnation on her buttonhole and a pair of red stilettos, her hair was styled into a chignon, probably on her way to an occasion. A lanky but thick looking bald man was abreast her. “Good morning to you, Dominic!” She said firmly. “What's good about the morning?” Dominic barked. “I haven't come here for your greetings, why did you forget to send my allowance into my account? I was embarrassed at the club last night because there was no money in my account!” “And who said I forgot?” She grimaced. “Wait! You mean to say you did that on purpose?” He shrieked. “Yes! Dominic Ivan Thompson! I've had a bellyful of your animus behavior. I am your mother and you will treat me with the respect I deserve!” “Really!” He sneered. “Yes! I will cease to send money into your account until you forsake this abrasive attitude of yours!” The man behind her nodded his head in agreement. “Hey you! Why are you nodding your head? You think I don't know you're the conspirator of this,” Dominic gestured as he walked towards him. “Newsflash! You will never be my father!” “He had nothing to do with this!” She pulled him back. “ It was all my idea.” “Oh! It was all your idea, Bravo! Mom of the year,” He clapped. “Was it also your idea to bring this man into my Father's house and have him fuck you on my Father's be...” Before he could finish his statement, a slap landed on his mild face, he held his cheek and clenched his lips together in anger. After few seconds of quietude, he plodded towards his room, as he held his door knob, he turned back and said, “In case you forgot, today's daddy's birthday,” He tilted his head towards the ceiling, “Happy birthday Dad.” His mother's lips quivered right before she bust into tears. The bald man wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to comfort her but all to no avail. Dominic walked into his room and was welcomed by a vile smell, probably from lack of ventilation or the heap of dirty laundry laying on the floor. He plonked his Phone on his cluttered desk, took a sip from the glass of Absinthe that seems to have been sitting there for days and tossed himself on his bed, looking all zonked. “I don't need her. Am a graduate, I'll look for a job and move out of this damn house.” He soliloquized as his rubbed his sore eyes. As Dominic sauntered into the elevator, he hands reached for an elevator button. “Wait!” A voice said briskly. Dominic removed his lanky finger from the elevator button at the sound of the voice. It was a lady, she snappily walked into the elevator with a coca cola bottle in her hand which seems to have been shaken to well as the bubbles went all the way up to the cap. “Which floor are you headed? I am going to 13th floor,” She noticed he was indifferent about what she said so, she pushed the 13 button herself and the elevator door closed. As the elevator started moving, she tried to open her drink, the cap flew off with a hissing sound and some drink spilled on Dominic jacket. “Shit! Look what you've done to my jacket!” He yelled as he used his flicked his jacket. Feeling remorseful, the lady tried to wipe it with her handkerchief, “Am so sorry. Here, let me help you.” “Don't touch me man!” He nimbly moved, “Am on my way to an interview and you've ruined my outfit!” “Am so sorry, it's just a drink, why are you acting like I poured acid on you?” Dominic squinted his eyes in anger, “With all due respect ma'am, is everything ok with you? You ruin my outfit and you still have the temerity to talk!” “But I said was sorry!” She yelled, “I can see you are a rude boy, didn't your mother teach you how to talk to people?” As she spoke, Dominic noticed how disheveled and chubby she was looking but after few seconds of examination, he noticed she wasn't chubby, she was pregnant. “Oh! I see the problem now, you're pregnant. Pregnant women and their crazy hormones,” He flipped in disgust. “You're the crazy one!” She shrieked. “Children of nowadays, y'all don't know how to talk to people!” As, she spoke the elevator door opened. “Ma'am please go, you've reached your destination, crazy woman!” She walked out of the elevator and continued raining insults on him. “What a crazy lady!” He took of his jacket and dusted it roughly. Dominic stood up and shook hands with the interviewer. “We will give you a call Mister Thompson” “Thank you sir!” Dominic grinned. He walked down the hall to the elevator. As he entered, he saw the same woman he had a fight with earlier strolling towards the elevator, he quickly pushed the button to close the elevator door but the button seemed non-functional, he pouted his lips in anger at the button. The woman arrived at the elevator flinching, she snickered at the sight of him and trudged into the elevator in silence. Occasionally, Dominic glanced at her and noticed she was uncomfortable, She placed one hand on her waist as she bit her lip in pain and closed her eyes. Just then, the lights went out and the elevator stopped working. Distracted from her pain by the disruption of power, the lady panicked. “Mister, What's going on, what happened to the lights?” She asked tremulously. “Why have the elevator stopped?” “Ma'am please calm down, am sure it's a power outage, buildings like this always have back up generators and am sure it's gonna come on anytime soon.” He tried using the telephone but it wasn't working. “It's dark in here! We're stuck!” She banged the door of the elevator. “Somebody please help us, there are people in here!” “Ma'am can you calm down! I told you buildings like this always have back up generators and am sure it will come on soon.” “If we do not shout, how are they gonna hear us? In fact, Mister mind your business while I mind my business,” She moaned in pain. “Somebody help me!” “Oh my God! Ma'am can you please just shut up! Your shouting is giving me a migraine, you think I wanna be stuck here with your body odor?” Immediately, she was quiet, feeling hurt by what he said. Suddenly, the lights came back on again. “See! I told you buildings like this always have back up generators,” He beamed. “See what!” She replied still hurt by what he said. She stealthily sniffed herself to confirm if what he said was true. Unexpectedly, the lights went out again and this time the cables of the elevator snapped, the elevator dropped a few feet, the force was so powerful that they both fell to the elevator floor as they screamed in fear. It was stable, Dominic stood up in the darkness, he heard the woman moan but this time it was louder and more severe. “Ma'am, are you ok?” He turned on the flashlight on his phone and saw her on the elevator floor with her legs wide open, he crouched and saw a liquid substance on her underpants and immediately, he knew what was happening. Her water had broken. “Somebody please help us!” He banged the doors of the elevator as hard as he could. “Help us! There's a pregnant woman in here and I think she about to have her baby!” He banged and stomped his feet harder and harder but no one showed up. The wailing was becoming louder and unbearable. Dominic was perplexed, he eventually gave up banging the elevator and tried to soothe her. A pot-bellied man walked into the reception. “Bessie! Haven't the generator been fixed yet?” “No, sir.” “Tell the technicians to hurry up!” He sashayed into his office. Dominic was at the verge of losing his mind, the pregnant woman had become more intense. “Ah! Somebody help me!” She lamented in pain. “Sorry Ma'am! So sorry!” She shook her head in discomfort as she managed to raise her upper body. “Don't call me Ma'am, Stop calling me Ma'am! My name is Abigail--My name is Abigail!!!!!” She sang with a high-pitched voice. Dominic began to wonder if she was going crazy because of the way she said her name. “Ok! Abigail, where's your phone?” He asked in a sweet voice. She fossicked through her bag and handed her phone over to him. “Ok, what's your husband's number? Just give me anybody's number we can call to help us.” “The father is not around,” She muttered. “What do you mean he's not around? Ok just give me anybody's number, your doctor, your sister! Anybody at all!” “Mister! Give me my phone!--Give me my phone!-- Give me my phone!” He swiftly handed the phone to her, yet she continued shouting. “Give me my phone! Give me my phone!” Dominic didn't want to call his mother, but he had no choice. “Hello, Mom! I need your help!” He entreated. “What's wrong Dominic? You sound worried.” “Mom! Am stuck in an elevator with a pregnant woman and I think she's about to have her baby, please help me!” “Is that her I hear in the background?” “Yes! Mom, please help me!” “Ok, what building are you in? I'm gonna call for help” “I'll text you the address.” “Ok!” She hung up. He felt a bit relieved, now that help was on the way. “Abigail! Don't worry, help is on the way.” “I am dying!” She yelled as she hauled the collars of his shirt. Few minutes later, Dominic phone rang, it was his stepfather. He scoffed at the sight of the call. “What do you want?” He barked. “Dominic, your mother told me what happened...” “ Of course! She told you,” He interrupted. “I don't have time for your fore talk, I have an issue at hand!” He hung up. The phone rang again, “Hello! What is it! I don't have to talk to you old man!” “Listen! Dominic,” He commanded. “I know you don't like me but whether you like it or not, you need my help to save that woman. Have you forgotten I am a doctor?” “Whatever!” He replied acknowledging the fact that he was right. “Now, put me on speaker phone.” “You're on speaker phone now,” He laid the phone on the floor close to Abigail. “Hello, Ma'am. Can you hear me?” “Yes, I can sir,” She groaned “My name is Dr. Aaron, what's your name?” “My name is Abigail--My name is Abigail,” She recited. “Ok, Abigail, I am on my way with an ambulance to help you, ok?” “Ok Sir. Please hurry up!” “Not to worry, you are in safe hands. Dominic, can you hear me?” “Yes, I can.” “How far apart are the contractions?” Dominic tried to recall his thoughts, “Well, umm... 2 minutes apart I guess.” “Ok! I need you to feel her belly and tell me the position of the baby's head” “Ok!” He gently placed his hands on her belly, “I think it's facing downwards.” “Ok! Dominic, we may not have enough time before the baby comes. I need you to check if she's dilating.” “How am I supposed to do that!” He said in confusion. “Do you know where the cervix is?” “Yes!” “Ok! I need you to check how many fingers you can fit into her...” “No! No! No!” He waved his hand in disagreement. “I can't put my hand into this woman Virgi...” Before he could finish rebuffing the order, Abigail took of her underpants hastily and pulled his arms into her. “Check! Please check!” She screamed. “But make sure your hands are clean!” The doctor continued. “Ok! I think she has wipes.” “Yes, I have!” She pulled out a packet for wipes from her bag and gave it to him. Dominic wiped his hands before he put his fingers into her. “How wide is it?” The doctor asked. Pouting his mouth in disguise, “It's... It's pretty wide, I can fit my whole hand.” “That means she's dilating! Dominic, we don't have anymore time. The baby is coming!” “What! I can't deliver a baby!” “You have no choice, Dominic! That lady is going to have that baby and you are her only hope. Find a piece of cloth and put it beneath her legs” He quickly huddled his jacket beneath her legs. “Have done that!” “Dominic! Now tell her to push!” “Ok. Abigail! You need to push, ok. The baby is almost here.” She clenched his arms and pushed as hard as she could. After series of pushing, the baby wasn't forthcoming. “Doctor! The baby's not coming.” “She needs to push some more!” “Abigail! Abigail! Doctor, I think she passed out.” “Dominic, you have to wake her up, she can't pass out now!” He shook her vigorously before she gained consciousness again. “I can't do it anymore,” She gibbered. “Abigail! Look at me. We are almost there, come on, let's bring this baby to life. I know you have it in you, just push please,” He tried to cajole her. She tried to gather enough strength before she pushed. “Ahh!!!!!!!!” She yelled. “Doctor! I can see the baby's head,” Dominic screamed in excitement. “Tell her to stop pushing now!” “Abigail, stop pushing!” “Dominic! Now, you need to guide the baby's head out and the rest of the body will follow.” “How do I guide the head?” “Gently curve your hands underneath the head and guide it out.” “Ok. Wait! There something around the baby's neck!” “That must be the umbilical cord. You have to cut it of.” “Ah! Cut it off with what? My teeth?” “Preferably, a clean blade.” “Where am I find a blade in here?” “I have! I have!” Abigail muttered. He trolled through her bag and found the blade. “Doctor, I found a blade!” “Now cut the cord. But, leave enough space between the cord and the baby's head, we don't want the baby to bleed to death.” “What! I don't think I can't do this.” “No, Dominic. You must do it now! Cut the cord.” He gently placed the blade on the cord with his fingers underneath and cut it. “The cord is cut Doctor!” “Now, tell her to push. Am almost at the hospital.” “Abigail! Look at me, we're almost there, just push one more time, as hard as you can!” She gripped his collars and pushed with all the strength in her. “Ahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” With Dominic's hands came the baby. “Abigail! You did it. It's a boy!” He smiled and handed the baby to her. “My baby!” Abigail grinned as she held him in her arm. Silence filled the air for some seconds. “He's not crying!” She panicked. “Dominic, what is going on?” The doctor asked. “Doctor, the baby is not crying! He's not breathing, why?” “Oxygen! The baby needs oxygen! place three fingers on the baby's chest and perform ten compression then you blow air into the baby's mouth.” “Ok!” He began with the doctor's instructions, just then the call ended. “Hello! Doctor! Doctor...” He continued with the compression while Abigail sobbed for the fear of losing her child. The hatch of the elevator was opened and light radiated into the elevator. The doctor and some medics jumped in. Dominic sat in the summer bench, the smell of barbecue for nearby grills filled the air. The atmosphere was peaceful. He heard footsteps, it was his Mother, she sat beside him with a broad smile on her face. “How're you doing son?” “Am ok.” She couldn't believe how calm he was, it was a miracle. “Mom! Am sorry.” “What are you sorry for dear?” She asked in surprise. She couldn't remember the last time he said that to her. “For everything!” He looked her in the eyes. “The way I treated you and everyone else. After Dad died, I felt all was lost and you remarried which made me angrier. Being in that elevator with Abigail was eye-opening. Mom, I saw what she passed through just to bring her baby to life, the pain, the struggle and when I held that baby in my hands, I felt happiness within, I could only imagine the happiness the mother felt. It made me realize you passed through the same just for me.” “Dominic,” she held his hand. “You are my son, I can never be mad at you forever. I am glad you've come to realize life as it is. It's not easy for a life to emerge. Life is precious, and we must learn to appreciate it.” “Mom, you know I wondered why I got stuck with that pregnant woman in that elevator. I mean, it could have been someone else. Maybe the universe thought of teaching me a lesson,” He laughed. “I guess so,” she joined him in laughter. “By the way, how's Abigail and the baby?” “Well, Dad said the baby is in 100% perfect health and Abigail is just fine, she named the baby Dominic.” “Dad! You say!” “Yes mom, he's a good guy, he helped me save Abigail and her baby.” “Wow! Am so proud of you son,” She hugged him passionately. “You guys are having a family reunion without me?” A voice triggered. They both looked to see who it was. “Good afternoon Dad!” Dominic smiled. “My elevator Doctor!” The trio laughed and hugged in the scorching summer Sun.