Trusting (KTH)

Chapter 22

The doctor had told Clara the baby boy would be back in twenty minutes but it had already been 45 and there was no sign of him. Every minute he was away had Clara on higher alert. The manager had gone to ask about him several times but each time the nurse had no update. Simply that they would bring him back to the room as soon as he was done with his x-rays so they needed to be patient. Apparently it was just a busy night.

Finally their baby was back, looking tiny on the huge bed. They were still wheeling the bed into the room when she saw Taehyung turn the corner, a manager in hot pursuit. The cub looked to be resting peacefully, a needle in his arm and a tube coming from his chest.

"Doctor please tell me what is wrong. Is he ok?" Clara immediately crowded close to find out as much as she could.

"He'll be fine. It looks like he cracked several ribs in his fall which led to a collapsed lung. We took care of the lung right away because he was having difficulty breathing, otherwise he will be fine. He'll probably be in some pain and you'll need to be extra careful to ensure he doesn't have anymore tumbles particularly while his ribs are healing. Otherwise we'll wrap his chest and he can go home tomorrow."

Clara had more questions than she could even begin to ask. She felt Taehyung put his arm around her shoulder. "Listen sweetheart, he's going to be fine. He's strong just like his mama. Dr. Park is on his way now to take over his medical care. I'm sure he'll see if there is a way our little cub can come back with us tonight. Then Dr. Park can keep an eye on him and make sure he's recovering well and we're doing everything right. How does that sound? Is that ok?"

Clara turned and buried her face in her husband's chest. "Ok" she whispered back.

"Why don't you give me the little tiger, hmm? Then you can sit down and maybe have a drink of water?"

Clara gently transitioned the twin to Taehyung and pulled a chair close to the little cub's bedside ignoring the water a manager tried to hand her. She gently stroked his cheek and his little fists as he slept.

"Hey little guy. Mama's here. The doctor said you're going to be just fine". She sniffed back more tears. "I'm going to be right by your side until you are totally better, ok? I promise I won't leave you. Even for a minute."

Taehyung gently caressed Clara's back, holding the little tiger in his other arm.

"Sweetheart, I'll be right back ok? I just need to talk to the manager for a minute."

Clara nodded but didn't even bother to look in Taehyung's direction, fully focused on the little boy sleeping in front of her.

"Hey, what happened? I mean how did the baby fall?" Taehyung was trying to piece together the rest of the puzzle.

The manager explained that the baby seemed to have rolled off the bed and an ambulance was called. They pulled Clara from the concert but it was so near the end they just decided they'd let him know when the show concluded. Several managers and Clara were here by then to take care of things in the meantime.

Taehyung asked where his parents were. The boys must have been with them so he was surprised they weren't at the hospital too.

"Ah, Clara told them they could leave after she arrived. She seemed to have things under control so I think they went back to the hotel." The manager left off the part about their fight, not really wanting to stir up any trouble.

"Oh, then I guess I should let them know the baby is going to be ok. I'm sure they are worried."

The manager agreed while Taehyung pulled out his phone to shoot them a text.

Shortly afterward Dr. Park came in. He'd already talked to all of the doctors to get a full update on the cub and they were going to release him within the hour after they had his chest tube out. Dr Park would take over his care from there. He could see Clara relax in relief knowing they could be on their way to take care of the boy more comfortably.

Dr. Park then pulled Taehyung aside. "I saw the manager dealing with NDAs and all of those details. Hopefully we can put this behind us while we get the little boy back as good as new."

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They got back quite late. They were about to leave when they discovered they had no car seats for the boys so there was a quick scramble to get everything situated. It was nearing four in the morning by the time they got back to the hotel, everyone was totally exhausted.

Taehyung slept on the floor with the little tiger, needing to keep the cub safe from the little tiger's fists and feet but too anxious to have him in bed, paranoid that he could roll out like his brother. The little cub slept alone in the crib. Clara spent the night sleeping with her cheek on the edge of the crib, not willing to be more than a foot or two away from the boy. Any time he'd start to fuss he was immediately in her arms, comforted from the pain and trauma of the night. Clara finally had fallen into a better sleep just as the morning arrived. It wasn't long before he phone was going off with all kinds of text notifications. She could hear Taehyung's from across the room similarly buzzing with notifications.

Clara ignored it. It was probably just their family wanting to check in on the boys. She could always reach back out to them later. It was the knock on their bedroom door that finally roused her to respond.

Opening the door a manager was standing there, looking incredibly grim.

"Hey, I need to talk to Taehyung. Is he in here?"

Clara pointed to where he slept on the floor, the tiger half on his chest.

"Sorry to bother you," the manager apologized as he entered the room, bending down to shake Taehyung.

"Hey, you need to wake up. There is a bit of a situation and we need you."

"Wha?" Taehyung mumbled back in confusion. He was pretty sure he had just fallen asleep.

"We need you please. Can you get up and come with me?"

Taehyung peeled himself off the floor, eyes only half opened. "Hey Clara, I have to go for a minute but I'll be right back. I'll just leave the little tiger sleeping on the floor there, ok?"

Clara nodded while returning to her chair next to the crib. Maybe she could get a bit more sleep. She knew Taehyung must be exhausted too so hoped they wouldn't keep him long.

Little did she know everything was about to turn upside down.