"Ahem"
An awkward cough disturbs our kiss. Our sights move to the source of the cough. A man with a white gown is standing in front of the door.
"Morning, Jen.. I mean.. Mrs. Bennet," the man greets in a little stammered.
Jennifer frowns for a couple of seconds but then she grins widely. "Peter!"
She doesn't shout, but her pitch increases a little with full of excitement.
The man replies her grin with a wide smile. "Hi, Jen," he says then approaches us.
Jennifer shakes my hand a little. "He is Peter, Babe.. My childhood friend I told you about," she tries to introduce me to the man.
"Oh, yes.. That Peter!" I respond, deliberately give the man a smile and stretch my hand to shake his. "I'm Bennet. Scott Bennet. Her husband," I introduce my self, announcing my status at once. Of course I remember him. Peter. Her childhood best friend. Her first kiss.
"I'm Peter Thompson," He take my hand and shakes it firmly once. "Doctor Peter Thompson,"he adds. The additional status he gave definitely raise my competitive side. But I immediately suppress it once I hear the next statement from his mouth, "Well, actually I am now Jennifer's cardiologist now.. that's, of course, if you agree."
"Of course, we agree," Jennifer replies before I manage to open my mouth. Jennifer turns her head to me. "He was the smartest kid in our school back then. Straight As all the time, right Pete ?"
Peter Thompson can only scratch his neck with face that turning red. "Well, I am no longer kid, but I still am genius."
I almost choked to hear his brag. But I guess, that is just a common joke in between them because Jenifer just laughing at it cheerfully.
"I heard from our friends here that you are the best cardiologist in town, actually," Jennifer says after able to subside her laughter.
Peter laughs. "I am the only cardiologist in this town. That's why they said I'm the best," he explains in between his laughter.
Jennifer replies it with a louder laughter. But suddenly she coughs and starts punching her chest.
"Easy now, Jen.." Peter immediately reacting by injecting something from a syringe that he kept inside the pocket of his doctor's gown.
"What did you give her ?" I ask while my hand is grabbing his arm in reflect.
"Sedative," Peter answers me calmly.
After a minute, Jennifer's cough is stopped and she can breathe more easily. I wipe some tears that falling on her face.
"Better, Baby ?" I ask her that is being replied with couple nods.
"For the time being, you must control your emotion better, Jen," Peter, once again, speaks to Jennifer. "Your heart can not bear any excitement."
"Excitement ?" Jennifer asks.
"Too happy, too sad, too angry, too worry... too exciting," Peter explains.
"You mean.. I can't do anything ?" Jennifer cuts him.
"Well, you can do anything that won't make you being exciting," Peter corrects her.
Jennifer sluggishly throw her head to the pillow. "I will die out of boredom," she sulks.
"Don't say that, Babe.. " I hiss, rebuking her words. I turn my head toward Peter, "That... won't be forever, right ? I mean.. there must be something you can do to fix her heart, right ?"
Peter nods. "Of course it's only temporary," he answers me while giving a calming smile toward Jennifer. He then pats Jennifer's shoulder a couple of times before continues his words, "Now, you better take a good rest while I speak with your husband."
"He's right, Baby. You better take a rest," I finally agree of one thing with Peter. I kiss her forehead, "I'll be right back, okay. Just relax and try to sleep."
"Okay," Jennifer reluctantly releases her grab on my lower hand.
After tidying Jennifer's blanket, I follow Peter's steps to go out of the room. Peter is waiting for me behind the door.
"So, when will she have her valves being fixed ?" I ask Peter once I close the door.
Peter sighs. "Unfortunately, her heart's condition can not be fixed with valve replacement."
"You're saying ?"
"She needs a heart transplantation."
"Thus... ?"
"Thus she needs a donor."
"And.. ?"
Peter sighs again. "Well... a heart donor is rare. Not many people is willingly to donor their hearts. And we can not predict when a person would die, as the heart should be transplant while it is still beating.Not to mention, not every heart will match. There are few things needed to be examined first to make sure a heart matches its recipient. If not, it will trigger another complication. "
I furrow my brows deep, understanding the bad news Peter tries to tell me.
"How long ?" I ask after a minute of silence.
"I can't say for sure. Maybe few months, maybe a year.. or two.."
My furrow gets deeper. I lean on the door as my strength suddenly vanishes away.
Peter pats my shoulder. "I have registered her on the heart recipient's list. Let's just pray she will get the right donor fast."
when Peter is about to leave me, I grad his arm to halt him. "Have my heart."
"what do you mean ?"
"I will be her heart donor"