The Unexpected Gift | Woo Do Hwan

High Chance

After the 12-week scan, everything seemed to go slow. He waited for a phone call from his doctor to find out the result of the screening and wondered if they had found anything.

Every day that his phone didn't ring or if it did and it wasn't his doctor only made him more anxious and worried.

On a quiet evening with the sun now set leaving a pink hue in the sky he settled himself in the bay window in his room, being mindful of his small yet now defined bump he curled up with a cup of hot lemon squash, for some it was an acquired taste but he found it something calming and refreshing to drink and since he could no longer drink coffee it came as a nice alternative and something in this time of need to help him feel relaxed or at least a little anyway.

Taking another sip of the hot drink he couldn't help but close his eyes for a moment as a sigh left his mouth, he opened them again soon thereafter before leaning his head against the window his breath fogging a tiny part of the window. Watching the world go by he soon found himself lost in his own world until he and eventually he had snapped out of it.

Turning his gaze away from the outside world he turned his attention to his stomach, lifting up the brown woolly jumper that he wore he placed his hand on his stomach.

"Hi, baby, how are you? Are you okay in there, I hope you are comfortable and it's warm and cosy and I'll always keep you safe I promise.", he said softly.

Though he was two days away from reaching fourteen weeks he longed for being able to feel the baby move and kick and couldn't wait to get to sixteen weeks where he was told he should start to feel movement.

Resting his head against the window he kept his hand on his stomach, he soon found himself falling asleep waiting for a phone call that would determine his and his baby's future and hoping he would know soon.

~

Waking an hour later he checked his phone and found he had no calls and it was starting to eat away at him with the nerves, finishing the last mouthful of his now cold drink he got up to go and make another though this time with a change of mind he decided to make himself a cup of strawberry flavoured tea.

Heading towards the kitchen he soon pulled out a cup from the cupboard and made a start on making himself a cup of tea.

As he finished making the tea he watched as the tea swirled around from the motion of the teaspoon and found it almost hypnotic. Sitting at the kitchen table all was quiet as Do Hwan began taking sips from the very hot yet soothing tea as he could instantly feel his frantic thoughts calming down a little.

For a few minutes, all was quiet until he had begun to hear the sound he had been waiting for, hearing his phone ring he quickly left the kitchen dashing back to his room to pick up his phone and answer the call just in time.

"Hello doctor"

"Hello Do Hwan, sorry to be calling so late in the evening but I have your results from the screening."

"Oh yes."

"Now I have some news and it's not good I'm afraid, from what we have found baby has some abnormalities. Your baby looks like it has got a trisomy thirteen and has a fifty percent chance of having downs syndrome, I'm sorry I know that this is a lot to take in and if you have people around you like your family and friends that will support you and you can tell them how and what you're feeling. I know this will be difficult but if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask."

"Okay... thank you."

With that, the call had ended but ultimately it felt his heart had been shattered as he broke down and silent tears fell down his face. Though the news came as an utter shock and panic it didn't mean he loved his baby any less.

He knew then the journey to parenthood and his baby's life wouldn't be an easy one but that night, he promised himself he would do everything he could for his baby no matter the outcome.