Next morning

Richard rushed out of his car into the hospital building; he panicked, as he could not find Tate anywhere. His best friend Tate had called him, informing Richard that his wife was giving birth and honestly, Richard could not help but feel happy for Tate.

Richard’s excitement was cut, short when he heard the panic in Tate’s voice and that made him rush all the way to the hospital, hoping that Tate’s wife was okay and that nothing had happened to her.

I hope nothing had gone wrong with Tate’s wife, please let there be nothing wrong. Richard prayed inside his head as he searched for his best friend who was nowhere in sight and just when Richard was about giving up, he found Tate in the corner of the waiting room.

"Hey Tate, how is Beth doing?" Richard asked Tate and just when he could have thought the worst, Tate smiled at Richard and hugged him.

"Hey Richard don't worry, Beth and the babies are doing just fine” Tate informed Richard who raised his eyebrows, confused by just what Tate had said.

"What do you mean babies, why use plurals?” Richard asked his best friend who was beyond excited that his wife had just given birth.

"Didn't I tell you that we were having twins?” Tate asked Richard who was taken aback by his best friend’s admission.

"No, I clearly remember you telling me that you and Beth were having your first child together and child my friend means one" Richard corrected his friend as he did not know what to feel about this new information presented to him.

“Well my apologies old friend, it’s just that yesterday’s event shook me to the core” Tate apologized and Richard accepted his friend’ apology. He understood where Tate was coming from.

Richard remembered clearly remembered the event of the previous day. As soon as they arrived at the bar to have some drinks, Beth had called and said that she was in labor. Richard was beyond thrilled that his friend was about to become a father but as Tate left him at the bar, Richard could not help to but think that that could have been him.

Richard had usually imagined himself marrying before Tate, turns out the roles have been exchanged and Tate was the happy married one with children and Richard, the lonely, sad and depressive one with more gold diggers trying to get him married to them.

"Well congratulations to you and Beth then" Richard stretched out his hand and congratulated his best friend and Tate took it. Richard had never seen his best friend so happy before and he wondered if there was ever a time where he too would be married with children of his own.

“I think it is best if we go in to see Beth and the babies,” Tate offered and Richard froze.

“No, I don’t think I should go in. This is a family moment,” Richard told Tate.

“Well you are my best friend, you are my family and I think it is best that you come in and see your godchildren” Tate informed Richard and this caught him by surprise.

“Wait, you’re making me your children’s godfather?” Richard asked, surprised that his best friend would grant him the honor.

“Of course you are, if I don’t make you the godfather, Beth will kill me” Tate laughed at the thought.

"Nah Beth's not that kind of girl” Richard chimed in.

"Richard let I remind you that she got me to marry her and actually commit, I Tate the biggest player and bachelor in university. You can bet your money on how dangerous she is” Tate joked and this had both men laughing a loud.

Now that Richard thought about it, Tate was right. Beth had managed to do the impossible and got Tate to change and become a family man. He had known Tate since the pair were young and Tate had always vowed never to marry and here he was, married with two children.

**

The conversation with Beth inside her hospital room went well and Richard had come to realize that Beth was a lovely woman and he could see why Tate had fallen head over heels in love with her.

Beth was the bubbliest woman that Richard had ever met and for some odd reason, she reminded him of Shelly and her infectious smile. Their conversations had gone for hours and Richard had the pleasure of meeting both his godchildren.

Now that Beth was asleep with the twins, Tate walked his best friend Richard out of the hospital room and shut the door behind them.

"So now that I'm finally done getting a scolding from your wife so tell what has changed since I left?” Richard asked his best friend as they walked down the hallway of the waiting room.

"Well business is going well for me and my father isn't going on about me settling down anymore thank the heavens. And by the way I saw that girl of yours a month or so ago" Tate informed Richard, this information made Richard stop in his tracks as he wondered who it was that Tate was talking about.

"A girl of mine? Tate I need you to be more specific okay because last time I left South Africa I left a lot of beautiful women heartbroken” Richard chuckled at his own joke, even though deep down he knew that he did leave the love of his life a long while ago.

"Come on Richard you know I'm talking about Shelley Peterson" Tate informed him, the mere mention of Shelly’s name sent shivers down her spine.

The mention of Shelly’s name drove Richard to the edge. He could still remember every part of her body, inch by inch. How Shelly made him lose his mind, not even Richard could explain it because Shelly did really bring out the beast in him.

"So I guess she's probably followed her dreams of becoming a children's doctor I suppose?” Richard asked, sighting this as the end of him wanting to meet Shelly.

"Yeah right, more like a maid in South Africa" Tate burst out laughing but Richard was still confused by this.

"What do you mean by maid?” Richard asked his best friend.

"My friend, I mean that our dear sweet Shelley works as a maid at one of my client’s house”

Richard could not believe his ears that Shelly was working as a maid, before he had left for New York he remembered that Shelly had received a scholarship to study at one of the best universities in South Africa but hearing what has become of her, broke his heart.

"Oh and to add fuel to the fire she also has a son" Tate went on to tell Richard.

The thought of Shelly belonging to some other man, sent roaring fire burning through Richard’s body.

"So she's married. I wonder why would her husband allow her work as a maid in someone’s house!”

"Wow calmed down, I don't think she's married. Let us face it, she got pregnant right after you left probably some man that got her pregnant and left as soon as he found out it was his. I’ve seen the little boy a few times and he looks different,” Tate informed Richard.

"What do you mean different?” Richard asked Tate.

"Well for one, the little boy has sandy brown hair and has silver grey eyes, kind of like yours but it's probably some white guy who left Shelly, you know, not wanting to taint his blood by having a mixed race child"

"What's wrong with having a mix raced child Tate?” Richard asked his best friend.

"Nothing really, it's just that racism exists especially in South Africa bro”

The thought of Shelly being all alone and raising a child was just heart breaking. Richard wondered whom the coward was that got her pregnant. Richard thought the man stupid for leaving such a wonderful woman like Shelly, just as foolish as he was when he left Shelly. Now that Richard thought of it, he had spent his entire life regretting leaving Shelly.

"Can I perhaps get her address?” Richard asked Tate, who seemed confused by what Richard was asking.

"Who’s address?”

"Shelly's address, who else would I be referring to?” Richard asked his friend, pretty irritated by Tate’s childish question.

"Well I don't really have her address but I know where she works and you are lucky my friend, because as it turns out I'll be in a meeting with one of my clients house and to add to it, Shelley works at her house as a maid”

.

"Hey Richards I know what you're thinking okay, I just want you to know that I'm a married man. The only reason I am going there is because my clients sister is staying with her and she wants me to design her bedroom for her. That's the price I pay for owning a design business"

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow at what time?”

"At ten in the morning" Tate replied.

"Okay Tate, see you at ten tomorrow sharp. I have to go home while you my friend should head back to the hospital because I think I hear your wife yelling your name” Richard joked, one last goodbye and both men went their separate ways.