SoMS:2 (Jenlisa)

nineteen: the aftermath

Lisa

The twilight sky broke open and continually poured rain over the city on a night that'd already been shrouded in enough gloom and unrest.

I watched with vacant eyes as each drop crashed against the windows of Jisoo's car, my nails digging deeper and deeper into the palm of my hand with each passing second.

Windscreen wipers worked tirelessly to clear the glass, only for a new covering to arrive, once again obscuring clarity from view.

It felt like a cruel metaphor about life.

Each time I think we're onto a fresher start, a clean slate, something has to come along and fuck it all up again.

Blurring rationality.

Raining on my parade.

"We're here."

Everything that happened next felt like a fever dream.

Jisoo and I were directed to a room in pediatrics. They told us he'd been waiting for me. It was when we were in the elevator on the way there, that my pinkie finger started to bleed. I must have chewed my nail up to the stub because I looked down to see blood trickling down the side of my hand. That explained the coppery taste in my mouth.

I clenched my palm into a fist and followed Jisoo out into a wide hallway before pausing in front of the words Pediatrics Ward  scrawled cartoonish font above some double doors. I absentmindedly trailed after Unnie, my heart going a mile a minute.

Truthfully, I had no idea what state I'd find him in, but considering he wasn't in surgery or ICU, I figured we must have got lucky.

A door was held open for me and I went in first, locking eyes instantly with my boy.

"Mommy?"

"Oh Luc!"

I must have held him close for a long time because when I eventually let go, the tears that'd trickled down my cheeks had dried, making my face feel weird when I smiled. I noticed Jisoo had gone, leaving him and I sat weeping quietly in this cornflower blue hospital room.

"How are you baby, are you hurt?" I ran my fingers through his hair, lifted his arms, checked his belly and his face for cuts and bruises, all the while Luca just shook his head, giggling at my frantic state.

"I'm fine Mom, promise."

"Really?" I clambered up onto the bed, tucking him into the pale green blankets. He nodded, nestling into crinkly white pillows, his dimple prominent.

"I was brave as usual and Dad was there at the end too, so it was fine. Now we can be a happy family again."

"Oh Lulu." I held his hand, tracing the pad of my finger over his tiny knuckles and wrist, breathing in his familiar scent. "I was so worried, so scared that I'd never see you again."

"Me too Mom." Luca's hold on my hand got tighter. "It was a crazy day."

"Do you..do you mind telling me exactly what happened baby?"

"Well I-"

"Luca isn't allowed to talk to us about it until he speaks with an officer or something."

I'd hardly noticed Jae was even here, and I whipped my head around to see him leaning against the wall, a Styrofoam cup of coffee in his hands. Like me, his hair was all over the place and he looked fucking rough, like he hasn't slept in days. I gestured for him to come closer and he perched himself on the other side of Luca's bed, the two of us sandwiching him between us.