A Superstitious Man
He'd always been a superstitious man. But he loved and appreciated all the uniqueness and diversity in the world.
But what he'd see inside that delivery room would leave him questioning everything he knew.
Starting A Family
When Otieno decided to get on one knee and ask Wamboi to marry him, he'd only wanted to settle down with the woman he loved and start a family.
Wamboi had always been his everything, and after years of courtship, the two finally got married in a breathtaking traditional East African wedding. A few months later, and the couple was pregnant with their first kid. They had no idea what the universe had in store for them.
A Good Man
Otieno had always been a superstitious person. Hailing from the East African country Kenya, he'd grown up like many African men, upholding the traditional beliefs of his tribe.
After finalizing his master's degree in engineering, he knew starting a family was his next big step in life. With Wamboi, his college sweetheart, the path to that goal was less daunting. If only he knew what the future held.
Beyond Science
Otieno had seen a lot of things in his life that science couldn't explain. Such included the famed night runners of his home region, men who woke up in the wee hours of the night to run all over the village without their knowledge.
Others included witches and sorcerers, all aspects of the metaphysical kind that were everyday occurrences in his life. Still, he saw everything in the world as beautiful and embraced all the diversity that made everyone unique. What he'd see in the delivery room would test his beliefs.
Good News
It had been five months after Otieno and Wamboi tied the knot. Wamboi started throwing up in the morning, and the couple knew the heavens had finally answered their prayers.
They took pregnancy tests, all positive, and hurried to their doctor to ensure everything was as they expected. But the news they received was different from what they thought.
They're Having Twins
"The doctor informed us we were having twins," Otieno shared cheerfully. "We were overjoyed because we'd always talked about having a big family. This was the perfect start down that road."
The pregnancy would go swimmingly for a few weeks, with the couple ensuring Wamboi was healthy and happy. But trouble would soon come knocking.
Sad News
The couple wasn't through their first trimester when Wamboi woke up in the middle of the night complaining of cramps. Alarmed by his wife's state, Otieno grabbed their coats and rushed them to the hospital.
The news they received was heartbreaking. Wamboi had miscarried one of their twins. But the doctor assured them the other baby was fine and healthy. But he also shared something else that sent chills down their spines.
His Explanation
"The fetal tissue can be absorbed by the mother, placenta, or the other twin," the doctor shared. He also gave Wamboi a prescription list and a detailed check-up calendar for the remaining months.
Although losing one of the twins was a brutal blow to the young couple, they doubled down and powered through the pain. A few months later, their baby was ready to meet the world.
Little Kamau
Otieno, alongside Wamboi's sisters, joined his wife in the delivery room. He and Wamboi had decided to name their kid Kamau after Wamboi's dad, who'd passed on some weeks before their wedding.
With everything set, the parents, relatives, midwife, and doctor embarked on the long journey that would culminate with the birth of little Kamau. They had no idea the shock that was awaiting them.
An Heir To His Throne
The first thing everybody saw was Kamau's tiny head. Otieno was overjoyed at first, finally getting a glimpse at his son – an heir to his throne and the man who'd continue his bloodline.
But then his eyes immediately registered the boy's skin tone and hair color. He held back a yelp, leaning in to get a closer look.
They See Him
Everyone in the delivery room, including Wamboi, was left mouth agape as the midwife cut the baby's umbilical cord. Kamau's skin was the fairest they had ever seen. And that was not all.
His hair was a shade of blonde that they couldn't explain. The midwife spanked him to charge his lungs, and Kamau let out his first cry. But with the opening of his mouth came the opening of his eyes, and with them, another surprise.
Name Him
Kamau's big eyes were shaped like his dad's. But their color was anything but. His irises were as blue as the bluest sky in the dry season. Otieno stepped forward as the midwife made to hand him his son. He'd seen something in the baby that made him accept him.
Lifting him, he called out his name so the world could hear and kissed his forehead gently. "Kamau," he said lovingly, "My first born and the apple of my eye." But his son's existence would result in one of the biggest debates in the world to date.
The Best Dad In The World
As Otieno took his family home that evening, Wamboi asked why he'd accepted and named their son despite his physical appearance. Otieno answered that Kamau was his no matter the color of his skin. He assured her he'd be the best dad in the world.
The following weeks were long for his family. The country sent several genetics experts to try and explain what was happening. Of course, they'd ascertained that Kamau was Otieno and Wamboi's child and that he didn't have albinism. Only one thing could explain what was going on here.
A Recessive Gene
The doctors explained that there had to have been a recessive gene in Otieno's or Wamboi's ancestries that caused their son to have such unique features.
Kamau was white in every way possible, and the scientists couldnt explain the phenomenon, especially after they failed to trace any white genes in Otieno and Wamboi. They had to bring the international community into the equation.
The Tests Continue
Several scientists across the globe came to assess little Kamau. But even they couldn't fully understand what was happening. They're still running further tests on the little angel, but even so, the Otienos are living as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening.
The world has given them the best gift in their first son. He's a beautiful, healthy baby boy and his parents are beyond proud to call them theirs.