"Can I wear this and this?" Lisa lifted a soft purple shirt and light brown pants, showing it to Jennie.
"Why don't you try wearing a skirt? It'll look good on you."
"And make those participants distracted by my killer legs? They have paid handsome amount of money for this training. They need to pass."
Jennie rolled her eyes at the remark. "You're sure confident about your legs, bamboo."
"Why you gotta insult me? You love my legs."
"But hearing you bragging about it irked me." Jennie laughed as she patted Lisa's puffy cheek. She tilted her head a little, aiming for those alluring lips and kissed the passionately. "I love your sexy legs, Baby. Especially when they're raised up and give me full access to..." she release Lisa's lips with a plop, "your lady part."
Lisa shuddered under Jennie's flirting words. "What are you doing? Why are you doing this to me?" She let Jennie explored every inch of her skin and groaned loudly when her wife nibble that exact sensitive spot at the side of her neck.
"You may need to shut it, Baby. I'm sure you don't want the triplets to wake up and ruin our game, hm?"
The way Jennie whispered and as the low vibration of her voice reached her earlobe almost sent Lisa to insanity. Lisa gulped at the pleasant treatment.
"I — I thought you wanted to sleep early?" Lisa managed to speak.
"I did." She threw Lisa onto mattress. As her wife lying helplessly there, Jennie pinned Lisa down and swiftly took her top off then tossed it carelessly on the floor. "But I changed my mind."
Jennie bent down then they were locked in steamy made out session again.
"The d — door. Babe, we haven't — ugh!"
"I want you now, Lisa. No more talking."
"B — but the door — the triplets —"
Jennie abruptly rolled over. While taking her pants off, she spoke breathlessly, "lock it, now!"
Lisa immediately sprinted over the door and hastily locked it. She basically flew back to the bed, tumbling over her pajama as she kicked it off, leaving her only in bra and pants.
"I'm not going to ask why you suddenly so eager to have sex."
"Good. Cause I can't wait any longer."
---
"Dada will be back the day after tomorrow, okay? That's two days." Lisa explained to her children.
Venous touched Lisa's fingers, frowning cutely. "One, two. . ."
"Yes, Sweet Heart. One and two and Dada will be back."
"Babe, you really got to leave" Jennie flicked her tongue to the clock.
"Alright." Lisa gave Aorta, Artery, and Venous quick peck on their lips then stood up. "Be good to Mommy, okay?"
"I've divided your clothes for two days. If it's crumpled, ask the hotel's service to iron it."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"I mean it, Lisa. Do not use crumpled shirt to event like this."
"Roger that, Ma'am."
Jennie smiled softly. "Break a leg, sexy instructor."
---
"We went to grandma and grandpa's house, Dada!" Artery shouted as he tried hard to fit in the screen.
"You guys did? Did Artery's have fun?"
"Yes! Artery got white flour all over Artery's face!"
"Dada we baked cakes! Aorta made Dada a cupcake." Venous grinned, showing her brother off proudly then rambled on the steps of making a delicious cupcakes.
Aorta was quiet, he stretched out to the camera, wanting to touch his dada.
"Go tell Dada about Aorta's day." Jennie nudged the oldest. "She'd love to know."
"Aorta made a yellow cupcakes for Dada." He spoke gently. "Because Dada likes yellow. There's rainbow sprinkle on top of it, too. Aorta tried to make it pretty. But Aorta didn't eat one because Aorta's throat is kind of hurt."
The oldest was the reliable, selfless and well mannered among the three. He was sensitive and he listened to his mothers well. He rarely threw tantrum, unlike the other two. Aorta never let go of his brother or sister when they were holding hands. He made sure they were safe and always stuck together.
"Thank you, Sweet Heart." Lisa smiled contently. "Should we check Aorta's throat when Dada's back?"
"Yes, please."
Ever since Lisa realized her true feeling for Jennie long ago, she had decided that being alone in a hotel room sucked. It was a short work trip. The association had assigned her as a certified Advanced Cardiac Life Support instructor to train her fellow doctors upgrading their skill in Busan. She was still in the same country, her family merely a few hours away from her, but still, she couldn't get over the boredom.
As Jennie and the triplets waved her good night half an hour ago, Lisa still wasn't able to sleep. She had closed her eyes, counting sheep, but no luck.
It was past twelve when she finally fell asleep. Five hours of sleep was more than enough to recharge. When the morning came, she went downstairs to get breakfast and ready to start her day.
---
"Alright for the last session, as I said yesterday, is the evaluation. You have to pass this test to get your certificate. You're all going to be split up to three groups. The first group is with me, the second is with Dr. Song, and the third is with Dr. Yoo. We're going to give you scenarios, one for each of you, and your job is to be the leader of the team. A friendly reminders, this is not about the certificate, this is about lives you need to save. We fight against the time. So, use it properly."
Lisa pressed a yawn as she described the case. It was the last participant she had to evaluate. She had been doing it since the morning and now the clock had showed 530 p.m. in the afternoon.
"A 57 y.o., male come to the hospital at six p.m. due to the pain on the left chest. Go."
"When did the first time this symptom appear? How many times-?" The young male doctor quickly asked.
"About five times since this morning but the worst started at five p.m."
They proceed to deeper question and physical examination.
"Your diagnosis?"
"From the anamneses and physical examination, it is an acute coronary syndrome, Doc."
"Go on. What will you do next?"
The Doctor did the ECG study. He looked at the monitor and read the wave Lisa had chosen.
"There are ST elevation in leads V2 – V6, I and AVL. It is an extensive anterior wall myocardial infarct, Doc."
Lisa nodded, permitting him to continue.
"I'll give the patient 5mg of Nitroglycerine sublingual, 160mg of Aspirin, 300mg of Clopidogrel, and 2L oxygen using nasal cannula."
"The patient is now stabile. He's in the ICCU for close monitor when he's suddenly coding."
The young doctor stared at the monitor.
"What are you doing?! Do not look at the monitor! Your patient is dying!" Lisa yelled when the participant didn't react quickly.
"O – Oh yes."
He stared searching for pulse by the jugular vein.
"No pulse!"
"Start compression!"
It was nine when Lisa finally stepped into her room. She didn't fancy the glamorous dinner but she had to be there. She'd skip If she could. She was exhausted. Her voice had gone somewhere.
After a relaxing, long hot shower, she slipped under the bed and sleep. She couldn't wait to be home tomorrow morning.
---
"Mommy, Aorta is breathing funny."
Jennie glanced over her shoulder, finding Artery standing by the kitchen doorframe. Worried was all over his face.
"He makes sound while breathing."
Jennie left the dishes straight away and ran to the triplets' room followed by Artery behind. On the bed, Aorta curled up with his eyes closed. He coughed weakly. A rattling sound was clearly audible every time he breathed.
"Mommy, what happen to Aorta?" Venous knitted eyebrow together. She didn't understand the situation but she sensed it wasn't good.
Jennie picked Aorta up, she instantly could feel the burning hot sensation from his body through her skin. "Oh my God." Jennie went for the first aid box and took the thermometer.
"Mommy, is Aorta okay?" Venous pulled Jennie's long pants impatiently.
"Mommy hopes so, Baby." Jennie tapped her foot anxiously. "41OC degree," she whispered in horror. "Oh my God. What do I do?" She panicked inwardly. "Antipyretic. Good idea." It wasn't the first time her children got a fever but it was never this high.
Venous and Artery stood still in the common room, watching their mom frantically did nothing they could understand. Jennie had tried countless time to call Lisa but the latter didn't pick up. She couldn't depend on Lisa now. She had to act quickly. She decided to bring Aorta to the hospital. She couldn't think properly. Doctors would know what to do and they'd help.
Jennie wore whatever decent clothes she could easily find but never left her eyes off of Aorta. She called a cab because obviously, she couldn't drive at this state. Fortunately, Artery and Venous kept their best behavior and didn't make a fuss. While carrying Aorta in one hand, she held Venous's hand and told Artery to hold his sister's hand tightly.
When they were arrived at the Emergency, a doctor with a light blue scrubs immediately assisted Jennie to the nearest bed. He recognized Jennie right away.
"My name is Dr. Lee, Mrs. Kim. I'm surgical resident and the triage doctor tonight. How can I help you?"
"He was fine when we had dinner. A – and suddenly he got a high fever. It was 41OC degree thirty minutes ago."
"Please take a seat first, Ma'am. I will take care of him." He assured Jennie. He went to his station to grab his phone and call his fellow pediatric resident. "Yes, this is Dr. Manoban's son."
Jennie jabbed her phone screen, cursing under her breath as another call went unanswered by Lisa.
A sudden hard movement rocked the bed. Jennie shrieked as she saw her son convulsed uncontrollably with his eyes rolled up. The surgical resident sprinted to the pharmacy and took a Diazepam rectal gel. The paramedics had secured the room and asked Jennie and the kids to leave Aorta with the doctors.
Jennie hugged Artery and Venous close to her chest. She could say both of them were scared. So was she. The worse case scenario played at the back of her head. She replied every detail for the past hours. She began blaming herself for not noticing it sooner.
"Jennie?"
"Aunty Jisoo?"
"Hey, Artery." She smiled then squatted down in front of Jennie. "Hey, Ve," Jisoo caressed the little girl's arms.
"Jisoo, Aorta, help him, please. I can't-"
"Have you called Lisa?"
"She didn't pick up." Jennie answered through tears. "I – I've tried a hundred times."
Jisoo looked up to her resident, "call Dr. Manoban. Don't stop until she picks up," she ordered. "He's going to be okay. Pediatrics are with him now."
Not long after, a doctor with dark purple scrubs walked out. "Dr. Kim," he greeted Jisoo politely.
"Dr. Choi, this is Mrs. Jennie, Dr. Manoban's wife. Jennie, this is Dr. Choi, the pediatrician on call tonight."
"Is he okay?" Jennie asked right away.
"The seizure has stopped. We need to run some test to find the source of his fever. But first, do you mind if I ask some questions?"
Jisoo offered to take Artery and Venous to the on call room while Dr. Choi did the anamnesis with Jennie. They were tired and sleepy. The night had passed their bedtime.
Jennie bit her lips as she stroked Aorta's soft hair. It was happening so fast. She had never imagined it had to come into this – a seizure. It was terrifying. It felt like the world collapsing just before her eyes. The doctor said they'd put on close eyes on Aorta. It was a febrile seizure, mostly caused from his throat and lung infections.
"Mrs. Jennie, Dr. Manoban is on the line." Another light blue scrubs doctor gave her phone to Jennie.
"Nini, what happen?"
"Lisa. . ." She was relieved to hear Lisa's voice. A familiar voice that'd never fail to console her. "Lisa, I don't know what to do. He's suddenly convulsing. He was fine at dinner, I swear."
"It's okay, Baby. I promise. He's going to be okay. I'm coming home now."
"How?"
"I'll hire a car or something. Where are Artery and Venous?"
"They're sleeping in the on call room. Jisoo with them."
"Alright. Call me if anything, okay?"
"Okay."
It didn't take long till Aorta was transferred to the ward. Lisa had called the hospital to take care of everything so Jennie didn't have to deal with long administration process. Lisa requested a VIP room so both Jennie and Aorta could rest comfortably. Jisoo also ordered one of her resident to stay with them just in case.
Jennie didn't get to sleep that night. She was too nervous to close her eyes. Aorta hadn't woken up since the seizure. He was probably too exhausted. She kissed Aorta's palm. An IV line was in his vein. She barely could keep herself together seeing that horrifying thing was attached in his tiny little body. It made everything realer. It wasn't a dream. It was a reality.
She almost lost her son.
----------