54. DUCKIE VS KOPA

Two days before Heechul’s surgery, puppy got posted for night shifts. After Byong’s birth he not only got his promotion, but also was recruited into Cyber Crime Task Force. This meant a higher rank straight away than his existing one. He was now working at Inspector rank. Siwon that if he kept getting promotions at such rapid pace, he’d become one of the youngest Superintendents in KNPA. And CCTF offered puppy a major advantage. As long as he kept proving himself, he’d continue getting promoted. CSTF was known for its fast promotions.

Heechul was waddling around the house complaining of back ache. He was counting hours to the surgery so he could walk and sit normally. He began having lengthy complaint sessions with me when we were alone and puppy was sleeping.

“I want to murder Simba for putting me in this situation.”

“But Cinder it was you who wanted to have a baby.”

“He could have refused. He didn’t have to agree.”

“How can he refuse you anything? He loves you too much.”

“He could have shown his love by refusing me.”

“That’s unreasonable. You can’t have it both ways Cinder.”

“What kind of a friend are you?”

“A good one. The very best kind.”

“Baby, listen to me and remember, do not talk to Jinki omoni. He is a bad omoni.” Heechul told his tummy.

“I am not baby’s omoni. I am appa, like puppy.”

“Baby you should call him omoni only. You are to never ever call him appa.”

“Don’t listen to him baby. He is out of his mind. I am Jinki appa, not omoni.”

“I am not out of my mind.” He said as he waddled like a duck to get water to drink.

I made duck sounds as he walked. He poked his tongue out at me.

“I know it. I am going to call your baby Duckie.”

“No. My baby is a cub. A ferocious cub who will bite you every time you pick it up.”

“You are waddling like a duck. You can give birth to a baby duck only. Duckie. Final.”

“What a lovely friend I have. He calls his baby Byong and mine Duckie. What if it’s a boy? How weird Duckie will sound then genius?”

“And how cute it will be if it’s a girl. Duckie means dear. What’s the harm in it?”

“No. I want a ferocious name. Like saja saekki. He’s Siwon’s baby, a lion cub.”

“How about Bambi?”

“Yikes. It’s a deer’s name. Did you know Bambi’s mother died?”

“Oh that will not do then. Duckie only then.”

“You are useless Jinx. I am calling Key. He will find a good name.”

“Ha. I named Jongin. And you think he will name your baby? Did you know Tae named Minx as Dotty because she was round and he wanted a name to rhyme with potty?”

Heechul went into a laughing fit. “Oh you shouldn’t make me laugh. It’s very uncomfortable to have a big belly jiggle and move.”

I gave a carrot stick to Byong to munch on. His teething gums were troubling him again. I kept a constant eye on him. He was a rabbit’s baby for sure and had sharp incisors. He kept biting off big pieces and I had to wrestle him every time to take the piece out of his mouth. Minx never used to bite off carrot like this. I finally gave him a sterilized and cold teething ring to chew on.

Heechul observed my every move with Byong. He had been doing so all through his pregnancy. “Jinx I need to learn a lot from you. You take care of Byong so effortlessly.”

“It’s because I do not listen to doctors. They told me to begin feeding mashed banana to Minx after she was five months old. I began doing it when she was three months old. I began feeding her solid food when she was nine months old. Kibum was pureeing food for Kai for a year. I listened to doctors only for the first month. After that I followed my parent’s advice and what felt right to me.”

“Oh. And how do you know what is right?”

“Baby cries only when there is a problem. Usually a baby should cry only when he/she is hungry or when it needs diaper change. Sometimes baby will cry because of colic, that is gas. If the baby is holding his ear and crying, then its ear pain. An unexplained fever usually means urinary infection. Minx suffered severely from colic. Kai had lots of ear infections and urinary infections. He even had oral thrush.”

“Why the difference?”

“Colic can be if you suffer from gas after your surgery and the baby is feeding from you. What you eat passes to baby and you have to make sure you don’t eat stuff that causes flatulence. It could be a genetic tendency also. When bathing, take care water does not enter baby’s ears. Keep baby’s private parts very clean and make sure you give sufficient fluids when baby begins to eat solid food. Lack of sufficient fluids in diet can lead to urinary irritation and infections. Other problems can be solved by making sure you keep the baby’s surroundings, clothes, toys, utensils clean, and your hands and baby’s hands as well.”

“Oh. I am going to make a mess of things. I don’t know anything about child rearing.”

“As if I did Cinder. Just follow your instincts. Every baby is different. Do what makes you and your baby happy. Do remember to feed the baby every two hours. A child eats very little and gets hungry quickly. I always fed Minx every two hours like clockwork and follow the same with Byong also. It’s only now that Minx has stopped eating every two hours when home.”

“Thank god you will be there all the time for first two months and then we will meet daily. But did I hear you mention feeding?”

“No you didn’t.”

“Liar. I clearly heard you say ‘if you have gas after surgery and baby is feeding from you, baby can have colic’ or something like that. You fed Minx and Byong? But you are a man. How is it possible?”

“Forget I said anything. I was quoting the books.”

“Jinx you are keeping secrets from me. If that’s not true, why are you turning red in the face.” He turned to Byong. “Byong you tell me the truth. Did your ummappa feed you? Maybe he is still feeding you?”

Byong just grinned at him and offered him his teething ring dripping with saliva.

“No I don’t want your gooey teething ring Byongie, you chew on it.” Heechul guided Byong’s hand back to his mouth while talking to him in a sing song manner.

Byong laughed and went back to his chewing.

“Come on Jinx tell me the truth. How can you not give me such an important piece of info? Did Key also do it?”

“It’s hormones and the oxytocin. I don’t know whether Key produced milk as we never thought to test and no he did not feed. I told you I have to always do things my way. I accidentally found I have milk and I wanted to feed Minx myself.”  I whispered.

“Oh god. And you never told me.” He squealed.

“Don’t tell anyone. Not even Siwon. Even imo didn’t know till after Byong was born. Uncle still doesn’t know. I didn’t even tell Minho.”

“Promise. Do you think I will have milk? How does it feel? I bet it tickles.”

“It didn’t tickle me at all. I just felt this deep sense of contentment. It’s a different level of bonding with the baby. If Leeteuk is planning to detach your placenta using oxytocin, there is a strong chance of your lactating as well. Oxytocin is known to induce lactation.”

“If I don’t, then what?”

“If you still want to feed the baby, you can ask Leeteuk for medication that can help you produce milk.”

“Jinx no matter what I say some times, you are and always will be my BFF.”

“I know it Cinder.”

“I think if I have a girl, it would be lovely to marry her to Byong. Then you can never leave me.”

“Oh no no no no. One is enough. I am not going to talk of Byong’s marriage. I don’t think puppy and I can take the strain of both our children spoken for.”

“What do you mean? I am only talking of Byong. Where is Minx coming in between from?”

I related to him our conversation with Mrs Oh and puppy’s reactions to Sehun. He heard it with eyes getting wider by the minute.

“Jinx he is an adorable boy. I just love his smile which he shows rarely. I think you should accept.”

“Are you crazy Cinder? Minx is only 6 and he 7. Who knows what he will be like when he grows up?”

“You can make out from his parents Jinx. You can see from the way he treats Minx. He treats her almost like your puppy treats you or Simba is with me. He positively dotes on her.”

“What if either of them change their mind later on? I don’t want them committing to something without knowing the implications. I don’t want us committing to something that Minx will have to bear the implications of.”

“I see your point. It’s better to wait and watch.”

“Right. And keep puppy from murdering Sehun.”

“I am glad we don’t have any adorable children in our neighborhood.”

“You are forgetting the academies Cinder.”

“What? How could I? They are full of little boys and girls and most of them are adorable. I will put Duckie under lock and key at home.”

“So you are calling your cub Duckie now? So you like it. Say you like it. I know you like it.” I sang out my words.

“Siwon will kill you.”

“Oh no. He adores me too much.”

“Jinx you are a pest. Where is the spray? Shoo, shoo, go away and let me sleep. See if you can wake up your puppy and make more baby dragons.”

“Okay fine. Have it your way. We will call the baby Kopa. He was Simba’s son in the movie.”

“Yes yes I like that one. Kopa.”

“Less than 40 hours Cinder, I am so excited.”

And we counted the hours.

40

24

12

3

We left home for the hospital.