Chapter one Surprise

It was 8 am when Tyler pulled into the driveway of his three-bedroom apartment that he shares with his fiancée; he whistles to himself as he switches off his engine and took up the bunch of roses off the back seat. Today was his day off and he was looking forward to spending it with her. He was currently a third-year emergency room physician and a surgery assistant at one of the country's leading hospitals and he loves his job, but because of the long hours he had to work, he didn't get to spend a lot of time with her. She knew how demanding his job was but as understanding, as she was she still complained a lot that he wasn't spending enough time with her, and it was even worst when he had to work at night.

It was still early so expecting her to still be asleep he ran upstairs with the intention of surprising her but as he enters their bedroom he saw her coming from the bathroom with a pregnancy test in her hand, which stop him cold in his tracks. "Is that what I think it is?" He asks as she jumped at the sound of his voice. "Tyler, how many times must I tell you not to sneak up on me like that?" She shrieks.

"Sorry honey." He smiled as he walked closer to her, gave her the roses, and kiss her on her cheeks while checking the result of the test. "It's positive! Baby, it's positive." He shouts hugging her tightly. But she wasn't as excited as he thought she would be, because she snorts and rolled her eyes at him. "I can see that Ty." "Ok,..um….alright, I know these tests aren't a hundred percent accurate, so I think we should go to the doctor right now and find out for sure if it's true and if you're okay" "Now? Ty, we can't go now, it's too early." She pouts. "Okay then, in a couple of hours then." He said kissing her nose.

"I won't be able to Ty, I've plans with Susan." She replied smelling the roses. He shakes his head in disbelief; after everything they had been through he couldn't believe he was going to be a father and this woman was telling him that she had plans, she must be crazy.

"No offense Kayla but Susan is going to have to wait, I need to get you to the doctor today and have you checked out." He said in a firm tone. "But Ty….." She pout again and made a sad face. "Please don't argue with me honey, just get dressed alright." Kayla fold her arms, pouts her lips, and stormed away from him.

"But it's so early, why do I have to get dress now?" She mumbles as she walks into her closet. "Alright fine, come here. Come cuddle with me for a while before you get dress." He said hugging her from behind. "Okay." She said walking over to the bed. "By the way, how come you made plans with Suzan knowing it was my day off?" He asks kissing her neck.

"Sorry it's an emergency, woman stuff I promise to be back as soon as I can." "Oh come on baby, I miss you." He whines. "Oh stop, at least you can get a few hours sleep before I come back, build up your energy if you know what I mean." She giggles. "Ha…ha… very funny." He said pulling her close to him.

Two hours later they left the house and as he drive memories of his past flashed through his mind. Kayla has been his girl for five years now, two years ago he asks her to marry him and she said yes, his parents had then planned a week vacation trip for the family to Japan to celebrate, but three weeks after their engagement Kayla found out that she was six weeks pregnant and two hours before they left for the airport she told him she wasn't feeling well and backed out of the trip.

Even though he knew that his family had already put in for vacation time and marked the date for the trip in their schedule, he still tried to cancel the trip but Kayla wouldn't let him, she wasn't having it at all, she told him that she would be okay and that she would meet him in Japan the following morning.

So he had insisted on staying with her till she was ready to travel but again she wouldn't hear of it; so against his better judgment, he went to Japan with his parents, his older brothers, and his sister which turned out to be the biggest mistake of his life.

He remembered calling her from the airport, then again when he arrived in Japan, then early the following morning. She said she was feeling better and that she was on her way to the airport so he sat back in a contented state and waited for his woman to arrive.

But later that evening when he called her to find out where she was she didn't answer her phone so he continues to wait. That evening past and she didn't show which had him making frantic phone calls for the rest of that night and when he finally got through to her she said she didn't make her flight and that she would be there the next day, needless to say, things continue like that for two more days until he finally decides to return home without his family but then something went wrong at the Japan airport and all flights were canceled, so he had to wait two days for things to go back to normal and flights to resume.

Needless to say, she never made it to Japan but when he finally got home he received the biggest shock of his life when she dropped the devastating bomb on him that their baby was dead; she had a miscarriage. Up until this day he couldn't understand why she didn't just tell him right away when it happened.

Why would she want to suffer through something that horrible alone? But suffer alone she did and what made matters worse was that even though what she did hurt him a lot; he couldn't find it in his heart to leave her but it still took him a long time to actually forgive her for not telling him when it happened and if that wasn't bad enough she refused to let him touch her sexually for about three months after that; talk about sad, depressed, angry and totally sexually frustrated.

Half an hour after they got to the hospital a doctor confirmed that she was indeed seven weeks pregnant and he knew that if it was the will of God to take this child as well, there was nothing he could do about it, but as they walked back to his vehicle he prayed with all his heart that God would allow him to become a father this time because he didn't think he could survive losing another child.

"Oh my gosh, wow, I can't believe it, it seems too good to be true, we are actually getting another chance to be parents." He said beaming with excitement. "This's wonderful; I think we should go out to brunch to celebrate." He said fastening his seat belt. "I can't Ty, not right now, I told you I had plans with Susan, and please don't get all excited and weird on me just because I'm pregnant." She said annoyed.

"You're kidding, right? I have another chance to be a father and you're telling me not to be excited; wait, aren't you excited?" I asked glancing at her. "I don't know how I feel right now Ty, but there's one thing I know for sure, you weren't there for me when I was pregnant before and as demanding as your job has become I know for a fact that you won't be there for me with this one; so I don't see any reason to be excited."

"Hmm; wow, that was way harsh Kay." "Well, the truth can be hash sometimes Ty." She said with a pout. "Yes it can be but that's is only your version of the truth because if I remember correctly I was there with you at every doctor appointment and yes you weren't pregnant for long but I also remember doing everything in my power to make things as easy as I could for you," I said in a clear calm tone.

"You were two months and one week pregnant when I left for Japan and when I came back my child was gone," I said sadly. "That wasn't my fault." She said defensively. "Nor was it mine." "I didn't say it was." She sulked. "You didn't have to, your actions speak clearly enough." And there it was, he sigh heavily to himself as he glance over at her and saw that she was doing the thing she always do when they had a disagreement, the pouting and quivering of her lips, and the wounded puppy dog look that always made him feel sorry for her and back off.

He had learned over the five years of being with her that despite her beauty, she could be very harsh and insulting at times but she also had a sweet warm side to her as well and nobody was perfect, right? Okay, so moving on; now where I was mixed because my father was a Jamaican and my mom was an Indian; Kayla was full Indian.

He had learned that she came to Jamaica with her mother when she was ten years old after her father had passed away. She was the most beautiful Indian woman he had ever seen in his life well except for his mother that is; her beautiful black hair was so long it reached her butt and to top it off she had the most amazing shape he had ever seen on a woman.

Now his friends always say that he exaggerates her looks because he was so in love with her and maybe they were right but no one could deny that she was indeed a very beautiful woman.

He groans in frustration and rubs her hands gently. "I'm sorry Kay I ..." Before I could say anything else she cuts me off. "No I'm the one that should be sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings; it's just that you could make an effort to spend more time with me." She pouts. "Sometimes you act as if I'm deliberately avoiding you. Last week Tuesday was Valentine's Day, I had to work but I came home early that night with the intention of spending it with you but you weren't there, and you didn't come home until midnight." I said stopping at a stoplight.

"I told you I had to help a friend of mine with something." She mumbles. "Besides I didn't know you were coming home, you could've called." "I tried but you didn't answer," I said taking a deep breath. "Point is, I was waiting for you and you didn't come and I ended up spending Valentine's by myself, and now today; you knew that today was my day off but still you went and made other plans." I sigh again.

"And another thing you knew what I did for a living from the moment you met me, but as demanding as my job is, I spend all my days off at home and most of the time you're not even there, and when I'm not working at night, I'm home with you, I'm free right now, but you're not, are you honey?" I asked glancing at her.

"You don't have to throw it in my face just because I told you that I had something to do today." She said in a wounded tone. "Know what, let's just drop this alright, I'll take you home, then you can go where ever you have to, hopefully, you can be back soon so we can at least spend a few hours together before I've to go back to work," I said annoyed. "Can I borrow your car?" She asks softly. "What's wrong with yours?" "It's not working." "What's wrong with it?" "I don't know Ty, I'm not a mechanic." She mumbles. "Alright fine, you can have it." I sigh in frustration.

An hour later I kissed her goodbye and went to change my clothes, I then went to see what was wrong with her car, it took me all of five minutes to realize that the only thing wrong with her car was it had no gas in the tank and that was why it wouldn't start. "Wow, you really aren't the sharpest tool in the shed, are you honey?" I said rolling my eyes as I went into the garage for a container of diesel. Fifteen minutes later I changed into my gym clothes and grabbing my gym bag I left the house.

Kayla walked towards her friend's front door knocked it twice and waited, a few minutes later the door opened and Kayla greeted her friend as she walked past her into the house." "Kayla, what are you doing here? Isn't today Tyler's day off?" Susan asks in surprise. "What's your point?" Kayla asks taking a seat on the couch.

"Well, my point is shouldn't you be home with your man?" Kayla didn't answer, she instead made a funny face and asks a question of her own. "How did you know that today was my man's day off, are you keeping track of his activities or what?" She asks in a jealous tone. "No, I'm not, but I know that Tyler and Martin are on the same shift and if Martin is home then Tyler should be too."

"Great, he's is here?" Kayla snorts. "Yes, he's asleep upstairs; I spend the entire morning working him out." "Ewww! I really didn't need to know that, but the reason I'm here is that I've to tell you something." "Okay, what?" Susan asks leaning against the couch. "I'm seven weeks pregnant," Kayla said softly. "Shut. Up! Seriously, are you sure?" "Yep, Ty and I are just coming from the doctor." "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?' Susan asks eagerly. "Is everything alright between you and Tyler?" She asks again before Kayla could answer her first set of questions. "Yes the baby and I are fine and why wouldn't everything be okay between me and Ty?" "What do you mean why wouldn't it be? Have you forgotten what happened the last time you got pregnant?" Susan ask. "How could I forget, that was a really horrible time for me but Ty and I have gotten over it," Kayla said twisting a lock of her hair around her fingers.

Susan sighs loudly as she dragged her friend into the kitchen. "Please tell me you're not still….?" Kayla cut her off before she could finish her question. "No, I'm not so just chill okay." "Alright, you know I'm just worried about you, I mean you messed up really bad the last time and if you're not careful you will lose that man, and even though you won't admit it, that man is the best thing that ever happens to you." Susan sighs heavily.

"I know, I know, you really don't have to keep telling me that," Kayla said rolling her eyes. "Alright, listen to me girl, you know that Martin and I have been attending church right?" Kayla nods her head. "Well, we're planning to make some big changes in our lives." "Like what?" Kayla asks taking a file from her bag and began filing her nails. "Well, we're already married so now we're planning on getting baptized." "Baptized? What on earth for?" Kayla asks throwing her hands in the air. "Because we think it the right thing to do and we want to raise our children in the church."

"Whatever, do what you want to do," Kayla said without care and went back filing her nails. "Look Kayla, I've known you since high school and from one friend to the next I really think you should think about changing the way you're living your life. God has given you a second chance to be a mother and messing up again really isn't an option." "You're really in a lecturing mood today aren't you?" Kayla asks rolling her eyes again.

'No, I just want to see you happy Kayla, that's all." "Well I'm, so please stop lecturing me and for the record, I've no intention of getting baptized, ever." "You don't have to make any decisions right now, just think about it. Now my hot sexy husband is in bed all by himself and I really want to go join him, not to mention my kids will be home from school in a couple of hours so I need to make good use of the time I have, so why don't you go home and do the same, I'll call you later." Susan said pushing Kayla towards the door. "Guess that's my queue to leave, I'll see you around." "Bye….bye, drive safely," Susan said closing her door.

I entered the gym and saw that two of my very good friends, Jessica and Jason were already there, and no they aren't twins just very good friends. They are both Jamaicans and very dear to me, we all went through university and medical school together.

Jessica was tall and slim, about 5 ft 7of light brown complexion, and had shoulder-length processed hair and Jason was short, about 5ft 4 well-built body due to him working out as often as he could, he had dark skin and low cut hair.

Me, well I'm 6ft 1; I have a strong body but no muscles to talk about; back in high school people used to call me a nerd so I think you get the picture. Of course, I have since full out and matured but still no muscles.

I look around for my other friend Martin who was also of dark complexion but he wasn't there. I walked over to them and drop my bag on the ground. "Hi, guys." I greet them. "Hi T.J we didn't expect to see you here today," Jessica said in a teasing tone. Because my name is Tyler Jackson, Jessica had shortened it by calling me T.J, and before long so did everybody else, and since she was like one of the guys, I had, in turn, began calling her Jessie, needless to say, that name also got stuck on her.

"That makes two of us," I replied getting on the treadmill so I could get warmed up. "I planned on spending it with my fiancée but she had somewhere else to go so instead of sitting at home waiting for her to return, thought I would get at least an hour's workout," I said as the machine begins to move. "Isn't she the one who is always complaining that you're not spending enough time with her?" Jason asks as he lifts the weights. "Oh yeah." I chuckled walking in time with the Treadmill.

"So couldn't whatever she had to do wait until another time?" Jessie asks annoyed. "I guess not but hopefully she will return before I get home, but on the other hand I do have good news." "Oh great, you've called off the wedding!" Jessie said jumping up and down and clapping her hands.

"Very funny Jessie." I shake my head at her. "But no, we're still getting married," I said showing her the ring on my finger. The smile immediately vanishes from her face which causes Jase which was his nickname to laugh. "You do know that men don't wear engagement rings right?" She asks narrowing her eyes at me.

"Yes, yes I know Jessie but my girl wants me to wear it so I'm going to wear it until she replaces it with a wedding band, anyway my good news is that my fiancée is seven weeks pregnant. God is giving us a second chance to become parents." I said with a wide smile.

"Well, that's good news, congrats man, I know how devastated you were when she lost the baby two years ago."

At the mention of me losing my first child, I automatically increase my speed on the treadmill. "I still haven't quite gotten over that and that's why I'm so grateful that we got a second chance." "So, is she alright? What did the doctor say?" Jessica asks. "Well the doctor says that she's in perfect health, I just have to pray that she stays that way." After running for fifteen minutes I switch to the Bo flex machine which was my favorite. I'm trying to build some muscles, don't judge me.

Jessica went to get her water bottle from her bag and Jason follows her while I concentrate on my workout. Jessica waits until she was out of Ty's earshot before turning to Jason. "I certainly hope she carries this one to term.' Jessica whispers. "Yeah me too, because watching T.J mourn the death of his child was the most painful thing I ever had to endure." Jason looks over at his friend with compassion. "I've seen him with kids; he's going to be a great father."

An hour later I left the gym and called Kayla who promises to be home within the hour, I then stop at the gas station, and after filling her tank with gas and getting her car washed and cleaned; I stop at a restaurant to get some food then head home.

On my way home I use my earpiece and called Martin but he didn't answer and I didn't bother leaving a message. See the thing is I met Jessica and Jason in university but I've known Martin since my senior year in high school; we were very close and we practically knew everything about each other but for some reason that all changed when I came back from Japan.

Up until this day I've no idea why my friend was angry with me, it's been two years and still, he wasn't talking to me and he won't tell me why; I'm not going to lie, I missed my friend, I missed him a lot but no matter how hard I try, I don't seem to be able to fix our friendship and it doesn't help that I was the only one that was trying. Kayla wasn't home when I got there, so after having some lunch and taking a bath I lie down and fell asleep.

Hi, there my lovely readers,

I've just finished the first chapter, hope

You'll enjoy it, please vote and share, I really want to know what you

All think and yes I've decided to continue

With my food for thought, I hope they're

Helpful to someone out there.

Food for thought

Trusting God can turn a trial into a triumph