Notes:

1 Pre-eclampsia: a multiorgan disorder occurring after 20 weeks during pregnancy, characterised by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Other symptoms include excessive swelling, pain around liver area, spotting / headache, etc. It reduces blood flow and nutrients to the baby causing complications such as growth restriction in the baby and stillbirth (death in the womb). For the mother, if untreated, may lead to an eclamptic fit (like epilepsy) and cerebral haemorrhage (bleeding in the brain).

 

Yuri slumps on her sofa as soon as she reaches home. She doesn’t bother to turn the lights on and just sits there in the dark, staring at nothing. The chaos has finally dissolved, but she is still overwhelmed by today’s events.   A woman died today.   She feels totally stricken when a baby or a mother in her care dies, and she wants to cry, she feels she should, but she is scared to because she has to put on a brave face for the next woman she cares for. It’s like an endless cycle that goes around in her head.   For a moment, she wonders why she became a midwife, and why she is doing this job. Working at an office or on the checkout counter at the supermarket doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all.   She relishes in the silence of the house. Min Ho still has not returned from work, Alice is out with her friends and is staying over with one of them tonight, and Jaden has gone to hang out with his own friends.   Quiet moments like this are very rare and precious. After what happened at work today, she really needs it.   She almost groans out loud when her phone rings, but her annoyance dissipates when she realises that it’s Amber. She even holds her breath in anticipation as the younger girl speaks.   “I’ve decided; I’m keeping the baby.”   She exhales a loud sigh of relief. “You just made my day!”   Amber seems to notice Yuri’s emotion through her voice as she proceeds to ask, “What’s wrong? You had a bad day?”   Yuri sighs and hums, “A woman died today.”   “Oh God…” Amber whispers. “From what?”   “Pre-eclampsia1. She was in labour and we were monitoring her. By this time, we are already at the Delivery Suite because there is no way she could give birth at the Birth Centre. The doctor finally came to review her and I was telling him her story. All of a sudden, she had a fit and the doctor had to do an emergency caesarean on the spot.” Yuri holds back the tears that are threatening to come out; she tells herself that she could still hold it in.   Amber releases a regretful sigh. “How was the baby?”   “The baby’s fine. He has intrauterine growth restriction, so he is staying at the nursery.” Yuri gazes at her nails to distract herself and exhales when she realises that she couldn’t, “Her daughter is only five.” She is about to lose it, so she quickly says, “So, I’m glad you’ve decided to keep the baby. How are you going with Myung Soo?” She notices the hesitation in Amber’s voice, “Or have you chosen Sung Yeol instead?”   “No, it’s not like that.”   When Amber tells Yuri her decision, Yuri gasps, “Amber! You’re hurting both of them that way!”   “What else should I do, Yuri?” Amber retorts in defense. “If I choose one of them, someone is bound to get hurt. I’m minimising the loss here. I’m choosing neither.”   “And you’re hurting yourself too!” Yuri could feel the headache that is creeping up to her head.   “No, I’m not. I’m fine.” She ensues to change the topic, “Oh, and I should tell you that I just had my blood test. When the result comes out, I’ll get a copy, so I don’t have to do it again over there.”   “So, you’re not moving to Australia anymore?”   “Well, since I’m having this baby, I want to have it with you again.”   Yuri lets out a minuscule smile. “Will Myung Soo be there this time?”   Amber stutters, “Well, he said he is going to be there along the way this time, but we haven’t really talked about that. I mean, he is still asleep now and he doesn’t even know yet that I’m keeping the baby. But I hope he will be. I mean, he’s the father of my children.”   Yuri grins and reiterates, “’The father of my children’?” She almost chuckles when she hears Amber groaning following her taunt. “Are you blushing?”   “No!” she drawls, causing Yuri to laugh. Amber then proceeds to tell Yuri about what Myung Soo has told her last night. “He is letting you be with Sung Yeol?”   “Yeah, but I’ve decided on neither now. I’ll just focus on my children.”   Yuri just hums in response. “Well, if that’s your choice. I’ll be waiting around here. What are you going to do about your job in Paris, by the way?”   “I’ll keep it, and then I’ll just take my maternity leave from 38 weeks.”   “You’re crazy! It’s your second baby, you can go early.”   “38 weeks sounds fine to me,” she insists. “Besides, second baby doesn’t mean I’ll go early. You told me this.”   “Yeah, I know. Still, there’s a possibility,” Yuri says. “So, you’ll be coming to Toulouse for all your appointments?”   “I suppose so. I hope weekends suit you.”   Yuri rolls her eyes. “Have you forgotten that I do have a life?” Amber chuckles and Yuri waits until she calms down to ask, “How’s Hyun Ah?”   “She is okay. Her dad has returned from Chicago and doesn’t want me and Paris to see her. We’ll just have to wait till she wakes up, so she can fix the situation somehow.”   “He must have been shocked.”   “Very shocked,” Amber agrees. “For all he knew, we both have been wiped out from earth.” Yuri hums again. “Anyway, I better go now. I’ll talk to you soon.”   “Ok. Soon.”   Yuri places her phone on the desk and closes her eyes, sighing. Nobody’s going to stop having babies.   She returns to the silence; thinking how quiet it is without the kids. Still, she likes it for the moment.   She doesn’t know how long she has sat there for. She hears the door opens and the sound of footsteps, which could only belong to her beloved. The light is and a gasp is heard.   “Yul?” The surprise in his voice is apparent. “Why didn’t you turn on the light?”   She wants to respond, but she couldn’t. Nothing comes out. Not that she knows what to say; it seems ridiculous to just say that she didn’t feel like turning on the light. She should be making their dinner by this time, she cogitates.   “Yul?” His voice is softer now as he sits next to her. Without a word, he wraps his arms over her and pulls her into his embrace. She lets him and settles at the crook of his neck.   After finding the strength to open , she greets him meekly. He sighs, as if there is a huge load of mass on his shoulders. “How was your day?”   Yuri forces a smile. “Bad…”   “What happened?” Min Ho slides his arm under her neck and pulls her in to lay her head at the crook of his neck. He is ready to listen.   “A woman died today…” And the years of accumulated grief overflows and she is drowned into the wave of devastation. “They just want to have a baby,” she weeps into his broad chest. “The partner was so sad. I wish I could just take their pain away.”   He murmurs mellifluous words into her ear and rubs her back soothingly. “You’ve done the best you can.”   Life is fragile. A lot of things are inevitable. It makes her so afraid.   After an hour of sitting there and sobbing in Min Ho’s embrace, which she has not done for a long, long time, she finally calms down and asks about his day. She takes a tissue from the tissue box on the coffee table and divests herself of the snivel in her nose.   “A man died today.” He wistfully runs his fingers along her arm.   She tilts her head to look up at him, full of curiosity. “From what?”   “Killed by his wife.”   “Why?”   “He slept with her sister.”   The look in her eyes turns sharp. She hisses, “He deserves it.” She pushes herself off him, wipes off her tears, and walks away into their room. “You’re lucky I don’t have a sister!”   Min Ho scoffs loudly, following after her. “Oh puh-lease, I don’t think she’ll even be as hot as you!”   Ignoring him, she makes her way to her closet to find some clothes. She then strides over to the bathroom for a shower.   He goes after her and suggests, “Let’s shower together!”   “No,” she refuses outright. “You go make dinner!”   “Dinner can wait!” he chuckles, pushing his wife into the space and closes the door.   But it’s moments like this that reminds her to be grateful for what she has and cherish it while she can.

 

∞

 

Hyun Ah has explained the situation to her father that she was the one who wanted Amber to come; however, he is adamant that he does not want to see Amber or Paris as he is still trying to digest what is going on with his daughter’s state of mind. Amber returns to the hotel with Paris to prepare for their departure to Jeju Island tomorrow.   Due to last night’s incident, Sung Yeol and Myung Soo decided that Amber would need a Korean SIM card to make emergency call whenever necessary, even though she only has a week and a few days left there. She also decided that Paris’ and her safety should be a priority over her pride; which is why she accepted it when Sung Yeol passed it on to her this evening. At least, she can now make a phone call to Yuri and Jong Hyun.   “So,” Jong