WHAT IF GOD WAS DEAD?

MY DAUGHTER'S NAME

"Why would you want your first child to be a girl na" Crystal, Daniel's best friend asked as they arranged some files on the table where they had just finished the conpiling of data recorded during one of their annual state events. "Well, daughters are loving, caring, good organizers and home keepers and groomers unike most sons who are simply wayward, naughty, careless, showing apathy to home grooming as well as tyrants to parents. I can't place the future of affairs of my little home in the hands of a son. Moreover the girl can take proper care of the boy as the older unlike the boy who won't give the girl proper care and attention" He replied looking at an office pin not sure whether to dispose it or keep it arranged. Crystal smiling at this silly act of his took off his hands and kept it inside the office pins box. " Well I can't argue with that seeing how you were unsure of what to do with an office pin that was just used once" She said sarcastically as she folded the materials used for decorating the table. "Guilty as charged sha" Daniel said smiling foolishly. "Hope you now see my point now" He said as he dragged the table to the edge of the room. " Are we taking this back?" Crystal asked looking at the heap of clothes in her hands. Checking his wrist watch, Daniel looked at her and nodded, She started walking towards the entrance door of the five thousand seaters auditorium that just housed the fifteenth annual youth event. Daniel had been the leader of the Youth Information Group that was in charge of the recordings and the report presentation of the proceedings and happenings in the programme. Crystal had been his assistant throughout the preparation for the event but was dropped later due to some arrangements that involved the bringing of another chapter of the department to join in hosting it in their state. Well the closeness between the two went beyond positions and offices so things were still cool and flowing between the two even though Crystal gave him a lash or two on how she felt about it later. I'm sorry was enough to put the case to bed as the two barely fought and eagerly readdressed their misunderstandings and differences when the situation warrants it. "So what name do you plan on naming her with once she is born?" Crystal asked as she held his hands for support in order to cross the heightened culvert just outside the auditorium's gate. "Well since we talked about the caring and the arranging prowess of a daughtef, her native name will be Chizubam ( God is catering for me) and her English name will be Rejoice because I know that I stand to gain a lot from her once she is born in terms of happiness and peace to my troubled life". He replied as they had gotten to the barber's shop where they were asked to drop the materials in case the owner was not around. " Hmm, sounds cool tho, Rejoice Chizubam Daniels, the name has some form of spark on it you know" Crystal said while smiling as Daniel knocked on the glass door of the barbing shop. He didn't hear what Crystal said due to the noise of the generating set beside the shop. Apparently there had been a black out in that streets for the past two days and the alternative had to be the noise making machine. He knew Crystal said something but in order not to make her think He wasn't following, he looked at her and gave her the you are not serious smile, she feel for this little deception as she smiled back. The door of the shop was now open as the owner looked at them and asked in pidgin "Boss shey u wan barn abi na madam wan barb" ( Do you want to have a haircut boss or it it the lady that wants to have a haircut?). "No jare, we wan return decoration materials wey we collect for that this tailor wey dey beside you, she talk say make we return am for here in case she don close" ( No, we are here to return the decorating materials we rented from the tailor beside you, she told us to give them to you in the case of she closing for the day before our arrival) Daniel replied as Crystal came closer with the clothes. "Ok, no wahala, bring am" ( Ok no problem, bring it) he said as he collected collected the blue, white and red materials that was used in the decorations of the corner that the YID group stayed for their operations the two days of the programme. It was no coincidence that the duo choosed those colours based on the fact that it was the official colour of their department. This little show of creativity wasn't even among the things that made the department stand out, their show of professionalism and the good looking nature of its members were the cornerstones on which other feats that earned them the department of the event was built. The typing prowess of Pearl, the I.T knowledge of Emmanuel, the recording pace of Faith as well as the coordination prowess of Crystal were feats that couldn't go unnoticed. Even the visiting national head of the department was pleased as Daniel got pats on his tired back. "Daddy Rejoice Chizubam Daniels, come and see this" Crytal said with a mischevious look on her face. " How do you know that I plan to give my daughter my own name as her last name" Daniel said after laughing sheepishly. "Well, you always talked about creating a whole identity once you get your own family so it is only logical that the surname is inclusive as well" Crystal said as she increases the volume of the video that was playing on her smartphone. "Wow, so the starlights anthem is out already" Daniel said as he drew closer to get a better view of the video. "It's beautiful" Crystal said almost in whispers as she also drew closer for Daniel to have a better viewing

Lauretta was back from the hospital, her mum amd Daniel's mum was already on ground to take care of her as this was her first child. Daniel had to cancel most of his contracts in order to be available for his butterfly as he fondly calls her, well most his works were done from the comforts of his home, it was only cases that needed his practical knowledge that made him work awys from home. He would always sneek into the room where his wife stayed with the daughters and steal kisses from her. The mothers in the house had warned the two about being intimate in this stage of Lauretta's post delivery state. They knew how close and fond of each other the two were so they suggested that Laretta be taken to another room with the child in order to close any room of them being together for the mean time, as hard as it was for both Daniel and Lauretta, they had to succumb to their mothers' request as the suggestion was acted upon but didn't stop the lovebirds from having a feel of each other as Daniel would always sneak in to the colourfully decorated room to meet his wife. On one of the occassions, he had to retrain his urges as their caressing was now getting out of control. Lauretta missed her stubborn boy as she called Daniel jokingly, she would let out sighs each time he ended their kissing and romancing moments abruptly each time she was beginning to yield. Daniel would always kiss her forehead and tell her to be strong that they would soon be in each other arms again. His baby wasn't left out of all these as well as he would always ensure that he got her toothless smiles before he leaves the room. 

After prayers that morning, a week after the birth of the child and a day before her naming ceremony, Lauretta's mum asked Daniel what the name of the baby would be. He smiled as he cover his face in some form of pretending shyness. "Bia nwokem (Come this man), what name do you plan on giving my grand daughter, talk and stop behaving like a baby" Victoria Daniel's mum blurted at Daniel show of unseriousness and unwillingness to answer the question he was asked. "Ok my lovely mothers, I and my wife have decided that our little and beautful princess name will be..." He stopped in his statement as he smiled and looked at Lauretta for a confirmation of go ahead. After getting it through her smile and the gentle nodding of her head, he gave his agitated mum and mother-in-law a I am coming look and finally said clearly and with some sense of confidence and pride "Rejoice Chizuba Daniels"