Tricking My Cold Lover

0Yanmei was crying the entire time as she rested in the recovery room. It took several doctors and nurses to explain that she could not see Nari right away.     0

For one, the doctors were still stabilizing Nari. Second, they needed to check on all her baby's vitals. Last, Yanmei needed to be cleaned before visiting the ICU, otherwise, she would only bring infection to Nari.      

When she was brought to her room, she fell asleep out of anxiety and despair. Only then did Anton wipe on her body, cleaning her off with a damp towel.     

Yanmei woke up after six hours. Yeong Soon was already there, preparing their breakfast while Anton remained resting on the sofa across from her.      

"Mom," she weakly called out, her voice nearly fading. "Mom, I want to see Nari."     

After hearing his wife's voice, Anton sat up and wiped on his face with his bare hands. He sighed and said, "Mine, Nari is fine. She is stable now."     

"Yes, that's right, Yanmei. You need to get some food first and afterward, we can go and see Nari," said Yeong Soon.      

"But, mom - "     

Despite her protest, Yeong Soon insisted, "Nari needs you to be strong for when she is better, you can look after her."     

She surrendered to their request. Yanmei ate very little and immediately asked to be brought to the NICU. Since it was their first visit inside, the nurses and the resident doctors allowed both the couple inside.      

Dressed in a hospital gown and a disposable headcover, the couple slowly made their way to Nari.      

Despite having just given birth, Yanmei found the strength to walk inside the NICU.      

They were brought to a covered incubate where Nari's small head was held together by two rolled cloths, one on each side of her face. The nurse who guided them explained, "We needed to keep her from moving or she might pull-out her own tube."     

"She has a tube that goes to her trachea, giving her the air she needed directly into her lungs," said the nurse. "Doctor Jung, her pediatrician will be seeing you this afternoon to discuss the treatment that Nari will undergo."     

Yanmei quickly wept at the sight of her little girl with so many tubes and catheters attached to her. There was IV attached to her umbilical cord. She had a tube that was attached to her mouth, giving air to her lungs, then there was another going to her nose which was meant for her milk when Nari would be ready to feed.      

She put a hand on her mouth, trying to hold back a loud cry. She could not even hold her baby and give her warmth.     

Anton held her shoulders and tried his best to comfort Yanmei. He said, "Nari will get through this. I will see to it that she gets the best care." When Yanmei remained crying, he asked again, "Mine, do you believe me?"     

She nodded and turned to her husband and said, "Yes, mine. I - I believe you."     

The couple stayed inside the NICU for half an hour. Since Yanmei could not hold her baby, she put her clean hands inside the incubator and let Nari hold it tight. She softly, "Mommy is here always for you, Nari. Be strong for mommy."     

Free of worry and not understanding her predicament, Nari merely stretched out her legs and arms, grasping to her mother's finger. She yawned to sleep, not even minding the tube that was going through her mouth. That was her response to Yanmei's words.     

A big part of Yanmei did not want to leave Nari behind, but the pediatric ICU doctor arrived and they needed to listen and understand what they will be going through as a family.      

The couple returned to Yanmei's private room, and it was there that Nari's doctor, Dr. Jung explained the whole situation.      

"Mr. and Mrs. Yeong," said the doctor. He also looked at Yeong Soon and greeted her the same.      

"Since your baby was born prematurely with lungs underdeveloped, earlier today I had administered surfactant into her lungs. These are protein lipids that will help expand her lungs. At her age, she has not yet produced the necessary surfactant her lungs need."     

"Until she will reach thirty-six weeks, she may need the support of the ventilator, but until then, she will be prone to infection - pneumonia is expected when there is a foreign object directly going into her lungs."     

"Aside from that, we will need to check on many parts of her body. We need to make sure there is no injury to her brain, following a premature delivery. We need to check her eyes because in some cases, there is an abnormality to the veins of eyes of a premature baby."     

"Lastly, we need to look at her heart. We need to check on what we call patent ductus arteriosus. It is a persistent opening between the aorta and pulmonary artery. If there is an opening and remains to be the same in the coming weeks, she needs to undergo a surgery."     

"Fortunately, you have the means to provide for her needs. I need not tell you how costly it is to care for a premature baby."     

The doctor forced a smile and said, "I cannot promise you a miracle, but I can commit my time and experience, being one of the best doctors in this field." Looking at the couple and Yeong Soon, he said, "I just want you to be prepared because we will go through many trials before your baby can go home with you."     

Taking out his calling card and handing it to Anton, doctor Jung said, "Feel free to contact me any time, should there be a concern that you would like me to address."     

When the doctor left, Yanmei broke down in tears. To her, it was the most painful news she had ever received. They understood why the doctor was being upfront with them, but learning of what her daughter will have to go through at such an early age, it broke Yanmei's heart completely.     

Yeong Soon had to step out of the room because she did not want to let Yanmei see her cry.      

After hours of soothing Yanmei, Anton realized he needed to be his wife's strength. He persistently assured him that Nari will get through this fight.      

At night, Anton received an update from Ha-joon. The Afghan who drove the sports car did in fact received help. Ha-joon was now tracing whoever gave the driver the car and the opportunity to harm Yanmei and Nari.      

Half asleep, Yanmei heard the conversation between her husband and Ha-joon. She sat up waiting for Anton to finish the call.      

When Anton turned to his wife, Yanmei said with conviction in her tone and in her eyes, "Mine. Find that person who aided Farhad's man. When you do. Let him face me and I - I want to be the one end his life!"     

Although tears fell down her face, Yanmei had the most frightful expression. Her nose flared and her eyes were ready to pierce a hole through his body. Never had he seen his wife this emotionally angry.     

He breathed deeply at his wife's request and said, "Yes, mine. I will give you that satisfaction."