Jia, however, could not sleep. She tossed and turned but still, sleep eluded her. So, to make use of her time, she watched a movie. But, when the story shifted to a scene where the antagonist plotted to destroy the lead's relationship, she turned off the video.
Her mind then went to Dr. Grace. If this lady does all the means to take Jim away from her, Jim would have all the reason to leave her. He had done so many things for her, but still, she hadn't returned the favor.
Until now, Jim still thought that her heart still belonged to Anthon. And Jia knew it was so unfair for him.
While it's not too late yet, she would double up her efforts to win his complete trust in her. She was ashamed of herself, of her ingratitude. And she was now deeply haunted with her guilt.
She picked up her phone and dialed his number. If Dr. Grace made him many calls, then she would make more herself. After many tries, Jim finally picked up.
Inside the operating room, Jim placed his phone on a table in a corner. A circulating nurse may pick it up for him and put it on his ear for emergency cases. When they were already towards the end, where the circulating nurse counted the sponge and instrument, his phone rang. It was already midnight. Jia must already be asleep by now. However, another call followed, and another one.
A circulating nurse went to him and asked if he would want to take the call. "Please, " he said.
Once the nurse put the phone into his ear, he heard her instantly. "Jia..why are you still up?"
"I missed you."
"I'll talk to you afterward. I'm in a middle of a stat surgery that needs cardiac monitoring," he replied in a very low voice.
"Okay, I'll wait. Love you," Jia muttered, making her wonder if she was really honest with herself.
Jim was no longer in his right mind. This was the second time she said it, and he felt he was in the ninth cloud.
Jia's mind wandered again to the past when she also called him up in the middle of a surgery. She was on her early signs of labor.
"Jim, I'm having cramps right now and persistent lower back pains!"
"Hold on first! I'll be there soon." Jim's thought was already flying wild somewhere, extremely worried for Jia.
Just when he reached home flying, he saw her at the bathroom changing a blood-stained pad! Jim was so terrified that he immediately lifted her and dashed her to the OB's clinic!
"Dr. Wayne, Miss Jia is on her early signs of labor. When the contractions get stronger, come back. Do labor watch. When the contractions come every four to five minutes, then call me."
Jim sighed, a little relieved. Jia, however, looked relaxed.
"Dr. Wayne, to speed up the contraction process, take her to a walk or make love with her. "
The doctor gave them a teasing smile that made Jim chuckle and nod. Jia looked away, feeling too awkward at the suggestion.
As they went out from the cubicle, Jia's face was already fiery-red. She got nervous at the thought of having sex with him, as the doctor suggested. Could there be other ways, she thought.
Back in the car, Jia broke her silence.
"Jim, let's just take a walk down the neighborhood."
"No, let's go home and make love," Jim said, and an amused smile spread on his lips.
Jim meant to tease her, but Jia seemed to take it seriously. He even noticed that her hands were trembling as he parked the car in front of the house.
When he extended his hand to help her out and led her towards the gate, Jia smiled in relief! They were going to take a walk, instead!
Sensing Jia's fear, he laughed. "As much as I wanted to do it with you for a long time already, I could still hold it until our wedding night. But the doctor is right. Making love can help speed up the labor."
Heat spread onto Jia's ears. Half the part of her was prepared to consent to the deed since she thought a doctor's advice was always the best. And this man is surely not a saint!
A few hours after their walk around the neighborhood, her labor had progressed. And as soon as she was lying with her back on the delivery table and her legs on the stirrups, Jim was already at her side in a light green scrub suit. He was apparently nervous but still looked great. She felt terrible that he had to see her spreading her legs wide in this labor before he even had the chance to spread it for him in the comforts of a warm bed.
However, he had to be there. He was her everything; a lover, provider, and rescuer.
She kept her pain as much as possible. Every time those searing pains hit her, she would hold the urge to cry until she almost cut her lips in gritting her teeth.
"Miss Jia, you're so unusually silent. Cry or scream if you like! "
Her obstetrician understood her deeply. She saw her throwing stolen glances over Jim, who turned pale many times than her. She looked worried for him than herself.
As the last pain surged before she made her final push, she wailed shortly, sending Jim to tears. She was holding his hand very tightly that it could almost break his bones.
Then, they heard the strong cry of the baby! The doctor held him out to Jim before handing him to her waiting pediatrician.
Jia then sobbed as she hugged Jim's arm. Relieved and overjoyed, he comforted her with a kiss before rushing up to see the baby, who was then placed over Jia's chest and abdomen. The pediatrician was cutting his cord.
"Congrats, Dr. Wayne! You're now officially a dad! " the pediatrician said as she handed him the baby.
Jia was now silently shedding tears of joy as she heard the delivery team taking turns in exclaiming, "He's so cute!"
Before the nurse brought her to the nursery, she had already dozed off to sleep.
______
A few minutes later, she woke up to the voice of Jim saying her name. She first thought of it as a dream, but Jim lifted her and transferred her to her room.
However, her sleepiness was gone, and she wondered why Jim was home.
"I escaped from the hospital after the surgery. Anyway, it's just a five - minute - drive from there. was bothered why you called."
"I'm sorry, Jim. It's nothing. I just missed you, really."
Jim sighed. She did not know how frantically he escaped from his duty, only to be told that she missed so badly!
"It's only that?" he asked as he lifted her to his lap.
"Is it not important? " she pretended to be sulking.
"More than anything, of course." He chuckled, relieving his stress in the OR a while ago.
"There's more..."
Jim raised a brow.
"I love you," Jia said softly, then closed her eyes again.
Jim's adrenaline suddenly rushed up.
"Jia, don't sleep. Say it again! "