Edem x Akweley; The Fracture (I)

Blurb

When a joyful surprise birthday party ends in a midnight nightmare, Akweley and Edem’s world is shattered.

As Akweley spirals into a silent, angry depression and Edem battles a crushing weight of guilt, their home becomes a graveyard of unspoken words. This is a raw, honest exploration of a couple’s struggle to find their way back to each other, and to a God who feels painfully distant in the wake of tragedy.

Edem x Akweley is a raw, stirring exploration of a marriage pushed to the brink by stillbirth and depression. It is a story for anyone who has ever asked "Where are you, God?" in the middle of a hospital room or a grieving home. Follow their journey through the valley of the shadow of death as they discover that even when God feels distant, He is closer than their next breath.

Part One - The Fracture

Akweley’s heart stopped for a split second as she stepped into the darkness of their living room. There, in the corner directly across from her, stood the silhouette of a man. He was perfectly still, like a predator that had been waiting in the shadows for her to come home. Her hands began to shake violently as she fumbled against the wall, her fingers searching frantically for the light switch. Has this switch suddenly moved? she thought, her mind racing with panic.

She was six months pregnant and exhausted from a long hospital appointment. Every muscle in her body ached, but now, all she could feel was a cold, gripping fear for her baby. Her husband, Edem, was usually home by this time. Was he safe? Had he walked in on this stranger already? She couldn’t bring herself to imagine what might have happened to him.

Finally, her fingers clicked the switch.

"Happy Birthday, Akweley!"

The darkness vanished, replaced instantly by the sound of cheering and laughter. Confetti and glitter rained down, and the room was filled with balloons and the faces of her closest friends and family. Her heart was still thumping painfully against her ribs as they began to sing. She felt a massive wave of relief, but she was completely out of breath. She sank into a chair, needing a moment just to recover her senses. In the excitement, nobody noticed the sheer terror that had gripped her only a second before.

Five minutes later, Akweley managed to pull herself together. She cut the cake and eventually made her way over to Edem. He noticed immediately that she wasn't quite herself. Sensing her discomfort, he led her back toward the bedroom to talk in private.

"Did you not like your surprise?" Edem asked, looking concerned.

"No, it’s not that," Akweley replied. "I saw a figure hiding in the dark and got so scared. For a second, I thought something had happened to you."

"Oh, I am so sorry. I didn’t realize that would happen," Edem said softly. "Are you okay now? Do you need a minute?"

Akweley nodded, telling him she was fine. Just a moment ago, she had felt the baby kicking, and that familiar rhythm had helped settle her nerves. They went back to the party and allowed themselves to actually enjoy the night. For Akweley, it was the first time in six months she had really let her guard down. Her doctor had confirmed early on that she had a high-risk pregnancy due to a genetic condition, and she had spent every day since then in a state of hyper-vigilance. She changed her diet, exercised, took her medication religiously, and never missed a scan. She and Edem prayed together every morning and night without fail. In a way, the stress had drawn her closer to God and made her marriage feel even stronger.

After the guests left, as tired as they were, Akweley knelt by the bed and Edem joined her. They said their usual prayer and went to sleep.

"Ahhhh!"

Akweley’s scream jolted Edem awake. He instinctively glanced at the LED alarm clock: 3:17 AM. Before he could even process if he was dreaming, he heard it again. This time, he knew it was coming from the bathroom. He reached out for Akweley, but her side of the bed was empty.

He rushed to the bathroom, and the sight that met him made his head spin. He stood there in a state of total shock, paralyzed by fear and confusion. Akweley was on the floor, her nightgown soaked in blood. Tears were streaming down her face, and she looked to be in agonizing pain.

Edem began to pray. He prayed with a desperation he had never felt in his life. The fear felt hauntingly familiar, it was the same feeling he’d had years ago, sitting by his father’s hospital bed, holding his hand as he took his last breath while his mother knelt nearby singing "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah."

Another scream from Akweley snapped him out of his trance.

The next hour was a blur of panic. The ambulance was taking too long. "God, where are you? God, where are you?" he cried out. They couldn't wait any longer. They managed to get an Uber as he was too terrified to drive, and the twenty-minute drive from East Legon to Ridge Hospital was the longest journey of his life. Akweley was drifting in and out of consciousness in the backseat.

"Stay with me, baby. Just stay with me," Edem whispered, clutching her hand. He kept trying to reassure himself: This is just a little emergency. It will be sorted out in a minute. God, You promised.

At the hospital, the medical team took over immediately. Edem sat in the hallway and began playing spiritual chants. He prayed silently, trying to build a wall against the fear growing inside him. Don't think about 'what if.' Focus on God.

He was eventually startled awake by a nurse shaking his shoulder. "Sir, your wife wants to see you now. The doctor is with her in the ER." Her voice was calm, carefully neutral so as not to give away the news she knew he was about to receive.

"Are they okay? My wife and the baby?" Edem asked. The nurse walked briskly ahead, her eyes fixed forward as if looking back would invite a question she wasn't prepared to answer. Edem followed, his pace uneven. He could feel a cold knot tightening in his chest. When he finally stepped into the room, he saw Akweley’s face and stopped short.

He expected to see her shattered, weeping, or perhaps reaching out for him in fear. Instead, he saw anger.

In the early days of their marriage, they had fought plenty, but the last two years had been different. They had invited God into their home, and the result had been a quiet bliss. They rarely had any arguments, and if they did, they were resolved in minutes. But this was a look he didn't recognize.

Dr. Richards, their family physician and Edem’s friend since kindergarten, stepped forward. He didn't say anything at first; he just put a hand on Edem’s shoulder and pulled him into a heavy embrace. Edem let himself be held for a moment, knowing he needed to borrow some of that strength if he was going to be there for his wife.

"Edem, I’m so sorry," Dr. Richards whispered. "Should we go to my office?"

Edem followed him down the hall. Every step felt heavier than the last. He had walked this corridor many times for check-ups and happy news, but today the floor felt like lead. Inside the office, the air was still.

"Akweley lost the baby..."

The doctor kept talking, but the words began to trail off into a hum in Edem’s ears. He was lost in a sudden, suffocating mental fog.

"What happened?" Edem finally managed to ask.

"We think it might have been triggered by a recent traumatic event," Dr. Richards said. "Everything else seemed stable. She mentioned there was a birthday party last night?"

A sharp guilt, pierced through Edem’s shock. Was this his fault? "Yes," Edem stammered. "She got scared... she screamed. She needed a moment to recover, but then she said she felt the baby kick. She said she was fine. I didn't think..." He looked up, his eyes searching. "Is she okay?"

"Her physical results will be in soon, but from my examination, she is physically stable. She’ll need a few days here before we can discharge her," Richards replied.