It was almost five in the morning when Lisa reached Seoul. The phone in her grip moistened due to her sweaty palm. Jennie hadn't called her. It was a good sign. There should be nothing to worry.
Lisa walked rapidly to the pediatric ward. The sound of her suitcase's wheels broke the perfect silence. She didn't have the ID card with her. Good thing she remembered the access code.
Her resident and the pediatric on call showed her to Aorta's room. Lisa thanked the residents then pushed the door softly.
"Lisa?"
"Hey."
Jennie was sitting at the end of the bed. Tears were still evidence in her yes. When Lisa wrapped her in her arms, Jennie couldn't bear another breakdown. She was so scared and helpless. She wept in silence, holding Lisa tightly.
Lisa kissed the top on Jennie's head, assuring her everything would be fine. She looked at her boy sleeping innocently. A tear escaped at her corner of her eye imagining what he had to go through. She had breathed and lived in medical world in all her live. It never crossed her mind that someday medical device would terrify her. Those cables, IV line, nasal cannula, and monitor gave her a strange unfriendly sensation.
"He was fine, Lisa, I swear. He coughed sometimes, I gave him warm water to ease it and suddenly - suddenly he-"
"Shuush. . . it's okay, Baby. Things happen. He'll be okay. He's a strong boy."
"You didn't see, you weren't there, Lisa.. The seizure - it's - his lips were blue. I - I thought I lose him." Jennie stuttered between the sob. "I can't lose him, Lisa, do something."
"I will. I promise, I will." Lisa stroked Jennie's back gently. "I'm sorry I didn't pick up your phone right away. I feel asleep, I - I'm sorry you have to go through this alone. I'm so sorry."
"Just make sure he's okay."
Lisa nodded brokenheartedly. They stayed in silence for a while. Lisa felt Jennie's weight on her. She must be dead tired from stress and lack of sleep.
"Let's get you some sleep, Nini."
Jennie blinked, "did I fall asleep?"
"Yes, You go sleep. I'll watch him."
"No, no, I have to watch him, too."
"This is already too much for you," Lisa stared at those sad eyes intently. "Get some rest. We're a team, remember? I don't want you to get sick."
"But-"
"No buts, Baby. Come on." Lisa led her to smaller bed next to Aorta's. She took a blanket from the closet then covered Jennie in it. "Have you called Mom and Dad?"
" I have not," Jennie sighed wearily. "It didn't cross my mind."
"Okay, you sleep. I'm going to call them now see if they can pick Artery and Venous in the morning."
Lisa was about to stand up when Jennie grabbed her wrist. "He's my baby, Lisa. Help me, please..."
Lisa bent down and kissed Jennie's cheek. "I love you, all of you. Sleep, Nini, you'd feel better. I won't let anything happen to him."
---
"The source of infection is from his lungs," Dr. Lee handed all the studies he had done. "Bronchopneumonia."
Lisa lifted the x-ray then sighed inwardly. "He complained about his throat two day ago. It escalated so quickly." Lisa mumbled lowly, frowning why did she miss the symptoms. "So what's the plan?"
"Antibiotic for sure. I choose Ampicillin-"
"Look, Dr. Lee, I'm so sorry," Lisa bowed deeply as she could. Dr. Lee was her mentor when she was a medical student. The last thing she wanted was to make Dr. Lee think she didn't trust his judgement. "I don't mean to question you competency but Ampicillin needs to be injected for four times a day. It's too much for him."
"We can change to Azithromycin if you want," he chuckled at Lisa's uneasy expression "Relax, Lisa. It's okay. Do you want to hear the rest of the plan?"
"Yes, please."
Aorta had woken up, crying for his Mommy. He freaked out when he saw all cables on him. He tried to pry it off, wailing as if the world would end tomorrow. Jennie had been hugging him, never letting go since Aorta, too, didn't want to be left by his Mommy.
He was still weak but he rejected firmly when the nurse came to give him his medicine. Good for him that his Dada was a doctor, so Lisa did all for his comfort.
Aorta's fever didn't get higher than 38,5O C till afternoon to their relieved. "He got the seizure at 41OC. Hopefully it won't reoccur if we can keep his temperature down."
"Would it be good or bad if the first seizure happen in lower degree?" Jennie asked quietly, afraid to wake Aorta in her arms.
"Bad," Lisa replied shortly. "You should go home tonight." Lisa diverted the conversation. She didn't want to answer Jennie's question regarding their son's condition anymore. Her wife had enough worried. Aorta would be fine, he'd get better, that much Lisa was sure.
"I can't. Aorta needs me, Lisa."
"Venous and Artery need you, too. I'll take care of him. If anything, I'd be able to act quicker."
"So something could happen." Jennie held Aorta tighter. The little boy stirred a bit and mumbled incoherently. "It's okay, Baby, it's okay." She whispered comforting then attached her cheek onto Aorta's head.
"It's just figuratively speaking, Nini. He's going to be okay. Trust me."
"He was okay yesterday, Lisa." Jennie clenched her jaws. "And suddenly he's not. Suddenly people rushed me out from my son. And now we're here, in a hospital ward. What are these devices? He's scared, Lisa, so am I. I love Ve and Artery but Aorta needs me more. So please, let me stay tonight. You go home."
Lisa exhaled a frustrated breath. There was no use to argue. Jennie was set on her decision. Forcing her argument would only cause a fight and that was the last thing she desired.
Lisa withdrew her phone from her pocket then made a call. Seulgi was on call tonight. She wanted to get the general surgeon's permission to have one of the resident to watch over her family. It wasn't because she didn't trust the pediatric department, but she couldn't ask them to keep an eye on Aorta and Jennie all the time. Surgical resident was a doctor, too. At least if something unfavorable indeed happened, it wouldn't take long for the initial action.
"Dr. Park, my resident will stay with you two," Lisa informed her wife. The letter only hummed as response. "Anything I should bring tomorrow?"
"Just my clothes, please."
Lisa nodded faintly. She eyed the untouched sandwich Jennie promised to eat hours ago brokenheartedly. "Hey," Lisa scooted closer to Jennie. "You need to eat something."
"I'm full."
"You haven't eaten anything since morning-"
" I ate sandwich."
"Not even half of it," Lisa sighed. "You'll get sick, too, Nini. What do you want to eat? I'll buy it before I go home."
"I'm full, Lisa. I don't want to digest anything."
"But-"
A knock on the door refrained Lisa's comment. "Dr. Manoban, Mrs. Kim." A female resident bowed before them then stepped in.
"Please make yourself comfortable, Dr. Park. I'm sorry to trouble you." Jennie stated.
"It's not trouble, Mrs. Kim. I'm glad to help."
Lisa bit her inner cheeks to prevent her disagreement out. She smiled stiffly to her resident then moved off from the bed. She squeezed Jennie's hand then kissed the side of her head lightly. She caressed Aorta's small arm then pecked his lips before she waved them goodbye.
---
"Is everything okay, Sweet Heart?" Lisa's mom greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.
"I hope so."
Her dad pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. It's tough for all of us. How's Jennie doing?"
"She's sad, upset, devastated. Just how a mother would feel in her position." Lisa shrugged wearily. "I'm afraid she's going to get sick, too."
"Let her be, Honey. She can get some rest later, your resident is with them. By the way, Artery and Venous can stay here."
"It's already confusing as it is for them, Dad. If the two of us stay at the hospital, it'd make them eerier."
The male version of her nodded understandingly. "They're at the living room."
Artery was sitting on the couch, hugging his knees. He hadn't seen his brother since last night. Her dada said he wasn't allowed to see Aorta since his brother was sick and needed rest. Artery had insisted that he wouldn't trouble Aorta. He just wanted to see him. Instead of getting what he wanted, his grandma and grandpa brought him and Venous to their house.
He loved grandpa and grandma's house. He could play many fun games with his siblings. Venous was here too, but Aorta wasn't. It felt weird if one of them absent.
Artery glance to his side as the couch sank at Ve's weight. The youngest then rested her head on her brother's shoulder.
They didn't share a word. Both stayed still till they dozed off to sleep. They weren't aware that their dada had arrived to pick them up.
"Sleep here tonight. They're both tired, and so are you."
"Good idea, Mom. I'll tuck them in."
Before she eased off under the blanket, Lisa called her wife. As she had figured, Jennie was wide awake. They talked shortly then exchanged I love you before hanging up.
She faced Artery and Venous who were fast asleep beside her. A slight drew upon their brows. Her heart felt heavy remembering Jennie and Aorta in the hospital. Lisa gulped nervously. She had to keep it together. In all this chaos, she had to stay sane.
For the sake of her family, she had to stay sane.
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