Episode 27 – Prayers

Hasten steps. Security guards’ radio screeching. Worried and panic nurses and doctors looking for a missing 6 year old. After a hectic night, it was supposed to be a peaceful morning but not today. 

“How could you possibly not know where she is? I specifically tell you to stay with her.” Sunny practically growls at the resident doctor.

“There was a code blue, Dr. Lee. Besides, she was sleeping soundly before I left.” 

Sunny closed her eyes and sighed. Swallowing the anger and frustration. It’s not the young doctor’s fault. A code blue is a definite emergency. He had to respond to the call.  Sunny nods her head in understanding. “Just help me look for her alright?” Her voice softer this time.

“We’ll  find her, Dr. Lee. Irene is a smart girl. She knows she shouldn’t wander far.” The young doctor said trying to give comfort to Sunny’s worried state. He then join the rest in searching other wings of the floor.

Sunny’s attention was directed to the vibrating phone in her pocket lab coat. “Hello?”

“Hey, I’m here with the Kims. What’s the floor number again?” Sooyoung asked trying to confirm.

“7th floor, wing B.” Sunny clarifies but then she let out a deep sigh which didn’t go unnoticed by her lover. 

“You okay, baby?”

“I-i lost Irene.”  Sunny chokes.

Sooyoung stopped in her tracks. She felt her heart fell to the pit of her stomach. “W-What? B-but I thought you said she’s okay? What do you mean you lost her?”

By this time the Kim family had also halted their steps. The word ‘lost’ doesn’t bode well to them. Not in this place. Where the sick and dying came for help.

Realising Sooyoung’s got it wrong, Sunny quickly replies. “No. I mean she’s okay. But I lost her somewhere in the hospital. She’s asleep when I left her for my routine checks but when I came back she’s not in her bed.”

Sooyoung let out a sigh of relief although not entirely but it’s better than knowing she lost her godchild to the accident. “Don’t you worry, baby. I’ll find her. I promise.” She said determine. 

This puts a smile on the doctor. She wonders why she didn’t let her in many years ago. She always thought she couldn’t move on from Taeyeon but come to think about it, it wasn’t the whole truth. It was more of an ego matter.  Partly embarrassed that she’s in a relationship with a tall lanky giant. When combined with Hyoyeon, Sooyoung became an idiot. Doing stupid things. Pranking and chasing after anything with a live pair of legs at clubs. She questioned in her mind, if Sooyoung can even carry her child considering how skinny the woman is. As a ob-gyn, she should know better than to pass judgement. 

“Baby? Babe?!”

Sooyoung’s voice over the phone breaks Sunny’s train of thoughts. “Y-yeah, I’m here.”

“Don’t worry. Irene probably went to the cafeteria looking for food. We get her home with us and I’ll prepare her favourite kimchi dumpling stew.” Sooyoung said cheerily.

Sunny smiled warmly. Sooyoung is after all a masterchef. Her home cooked meal is what gave Sunny the extra push to go home after a tiring 26hours on-call duty. “My favourite too?” 

Sooyoung chuckled. She can already imagine Sunny’s cute pout over the phone. “Of course. Yours too.”

As the dings of the lift goes nearer to the ground floor, Sooyoung said her goodbye. “I gotta go now. You wait for me, okay.”

“Okay.”

“Okay, bye.”

“Wait!”

Sooyoung brows scrunch. “Yes?” 

Sunny bit her lip. Should she say it or not. “Err...nothing.”

Weird. Sooyoung thought. But she shrugs it off as the lift open its door. “Okay, see you.” She said. Pressed the red button and stepped in the lift.

Sooyoung wasn’t kidding when she said she’s going to search for the little girl. The nurses and doctors including the security guards have looked every wing of this massive hospital but to no avail. There’s only one place left to search. 

There she was. Sitting quietly. Almost contemplating her life with those sad eyes. Sooyoung knew the chapel is where Irene will be. Tiffany would usually bring her along on Sunday mass to church. As she walks closer to the little girl, Sooyoung realises she wasn’t alone. Irene’s talking to someone beside her. The moment she stands beside them that’s when she recognised the familiar looking woman.

“J-jessica?”

“Owh Aunty Sooyoung!” Irene jumps from the bench and hugs Sooyoung’s midrift.

Sooyoung expression softens and carries Irene in her arms. “Here you are. We’ve been looking for you everywhere. Aunty Sunny’s worried sick.”

“Sorry...” Irene mutters before hiding her face on the crook of Sooyoung’s neck. Sooyoung kisses the top of Irene’s head.

A cough made Sooyoung realised the presence of the person in front of them. 

“I-i guess I should get going since Irene’s safe with you now.” Jessica said and turns around.

Sooyoung saw Jessica walks with great difficulty. Her head bandaged and crutches on the side of her armpits because her right leg’s broken.

“Hey, Jessica.” Sooyoung called out. “You okay?”

Jessica gave Sooyoung a sad smile. “Physically, I’m okay. But here...” she points at her heart and shakes her head. “Pray Taeyeon’s alright, Sooyoung.”

Sooyoung saw the remorse in Jessica’s eyes. There’s no point in going berserk and throwing death threats at the woman as the guilt was enough to cause the suffering. “We’re all praying for her. And I’ll pray for you too.”

“Thanks.” Jessica smiled grateful then she nods in acknowledgement to a shorter woman coming and stand beside Sooyoung. Sunny replies with a nod as well. The couple looked on as Jessica limps her way out of the chapel. 

It took the rescuers a couple of hours to release Jessica’s legs that was trapped beneath the dashboard. It was even worse as Sooyoung heard, to get Taeyeon out of the wrecked car. A great effort was required by the paramedics to ensure Taeyeon’s condition was stable whilst the firefighters cut the steel rods. Once they reached the hospital, a handful of surgeons with different expertise gather to provide the best solution to free Taeyeon from the penetrating metal. Sooyoung barely understood the medical jargons that Sunny throws at her but