“When this woman went into labor, her husband died without getting a chance to meet the babies. Then, at the man’s funeral, something even more tragic happened. One man, Yvonne Saku, was diligent and upright in his ways. He steered clear of any kind of trouble and believed he had a bright future. But something entirely different from his thoughts soon ensued.
At 26, Yvonne had a clear vision of what he wanted from life, and this man worked hard towards achieving his goals. Everyone around him knew he was a workaholic. His best friend, Gordon, always teased him about working non-stop. One day he said, ‘I wonder what you think will happen if you just stop and do nothing. I’m sure you will pass out from boredom.
Then both men laughed. Yvonne was a joyous soul, and little things made him happy. It was also during this period of his life that he met his girlfriend, Caceres, an outspoken and fun-loving lady. She loved to enjoy each day as it came and had a positive approach to life. In the office at the Juani Batista Pediatrics where she worked, everyone always had nice things to say about her.
In fact, her office manager, Lina Nimsix, considered her indispensable as she had the perfect work ethic. Like Yvonne, Caceres was also a workaholic, so it’s no surprise they clicked like chocolate and cream. They were perfect for each other. Everyone who met them, even from a distance, could tell that what they had was special.
When Stephanie’s mom met Yvonne for the first time, she couldn’t help but notice the unique love they shared. Yvonne’s aunt, Jani, even teased them so much about it. ‘You both act like no one else exists when the two of you are together.’ The two were always a beautiful sight to behold, so no one could have ever thought theirs would only end up as another tragic love story.
As the years went by, the love grew, and they soon decided to live together at the West Palm Beach home in the quiet and gay Renaissance apartment of North Military Trail, where they lived. Neighbors envied their blissful relationship. Since they now cohabitated, their relationship became even more enriching. They went on dates, wore matching outfits, and surprised each other with gifts. You see, once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a beautiful fairy tale. While this couple’s relationship looked like a fascinating love tale, it was headed in a different direction, a very sad one.
One noon after lunch, Stephanie surprised Javon with the news that she was pregnant, and excited Yvonne couldn’t wait, as he assumed his daddy’s role immediately. He went baby shopping and spared no cost, as he wanted the best for his child. He even bought items Caceres deemed ridiculous as the baby wouldn’t even need them.
The pregnant woman wasn’t left out either; Yvonne showered her with more attention and even became more hands-on around the house. In due time, the baby Kelani was born, and her parents couldn’t stop showing her off. She was her daddy’s little princess and her mummy’s little angel. As for Yvonne, he went about his daddy duties in a diligent and admirable way. He was so sweet and funny to watch.
After not too long, their beautiful family was to become even more perfect. Caceres fell pregnant again. If Yvonne was excited the first time, this time around he was over the moon. When the scan revealed they were expecting twins, the family was beyond delighted. But all the happiness and joy they had soon vanished in the twinkling of an eye.
It all started one ill-fated morning. That morning, gunshots shattered the peace of the gated West Palm Beach neighborhood. Everyone scampered for safety, doors were bolted, windows locked, and lights went off. Nobody knew exactly what was happening. The police were called by the shootings. When they came, it was Yvonne’s body that was found, shot multiple times, right inside his home. That day, the neighborhood was loud with silence and wore a dark and sorrowful look.
Caceres, now heavily pregnant, couldn’t even make sense of what had just happened. The police tried to get information out of her, but she was too shocked to utter a word. Immediately after the disaster happened, Caceres took Kelani into a room and asked her not to come out. ‘Mommy, what’s happening? Why are there so many people here? Where’s Daddy?’ The little girl cried. Unfortunately for her, the storm was only just beginning.
The neighbors also couldn’t give the police any useful information. Everything happened so fast and unexpectedly, and it left friends and family in a deep state of shock. Gordon, Yvonne’s best friend, couldn’t believe what had happened. ‘This was the last thing expected for my best friend. No one deserves this,’ he cried.
Everyone tried their best to console Caceres, but nothing worked. She cried for hours unending. If only tears were enough to bring back the dead, Yvonne would be alive. Several questions ran across her mind, but she couldn’t fathom what Yvonne could have done to deserve this. ‘He would never hurt a fly,’ she kept telling friends and family.
Her once perfect life was disrupted, never to be the same again. Her nights became very long and scary. Even though family, neighbors, and friends surrounded her, she felt empty. All the wonderful memories she shared with Yvonne flooded her thoughts.
She wanted everything so badly to be a dream so she could wake up and find him right beside her. Sadly, that would never happen. Most importantly, it hurt her beyond words that he would never get to meet the twins he had spent the past few months fantasizing about. And promising everything under the sky. In fact, his last post on Instagram was about the twins, but now he never even got the chance to say hello.
As funeral plans were ongoing, Caceres’ body and mind were in so much anguish. But she knew she had to be strong for Kelani and the twins. It was what her beloved Yvonne would have wanted anyway. Three days after Yvonne’s death, Caceres went into labor and was rushed to the hospital for a cesarean section.
Some minutes after she was taken in, she gave birth to the twins, Yvonne Jr. and Layla. She welcomed the two with the biggest smile ever, even though her heart was bursting with pain. A day after she gave birth, she took to Facebook to express her grief. Here is what she wrote:
‘I just don’t understand how someone can have the heart to leave three kids without a father, especially two that never got a chance to even meet them. They didn’t deserve this. I’m trying to stay strong, but this has to be the toughest battle I’ve ever had to fight.’
Each time Caceres looked at the twins, they filled her up with an unexplainable strength. By then, little Kelani was already aware her dad had passed, and she acted quite brave and composed for her age. Caceres also made up her mind to make sure she filled the vacuum Yvonne left in the kids’ life. Unfortunately, life wasn’t done dealing its blows yet, and Caceres never got to fulfill this wish.
Shortly after the birth of the kids, Caceres fell critically ill and was admitted to the hospital. The doctor said she had developed an infection from the cesarean section. While on the hospital bed, this woman knew she had to fight to stay alive for her kids. She was ready to be the kids’ mom and also played the dad’s role as well. But as much as Caceres fought, her condition didn’t improve, and she remained in the intensive care unit for 10 days.
What happened next left everyone shaking. On the day of Yvonne’s funeral, Caceres was still in the hospital battling for her life. That morning when they laid her husband to rest, her condition had worsened. Nurses and doctors ran helter-skelter trying to save her. By then, her life was hanging in the balance, but she still gave her best shot so she could survive. She fought until the very end, but sadly, she didn’t make it.
When the news of her death went round, it was a shock to all who heard. The grief everyone felt could not be put into words. Although it was too much of a cross, they all knew they had to be strong for the kids. Friends and family decided it was best to stop mourning and look forward to a better future.
Everyone vowed to take care of the kids and be a parent figure in their lives. Also, Juani Batista Pediatrics, where Caceres worked, played their part. They opened a GoFundMe account to help with the expenses to raise the children. Presently, the kids are being cared for by the members of the family. Let’s hope time repairs the broken hearts, and I wish the kids a lifetime full of happiness, love, and laughter.”
