Paint It Like You | Woo Do Hwan

Premature Labour

Six weeks, after a seemingly endless series of hearings, court appearances, and verifications, the courts had granted him the right to stay. In that small victory, he finally felt a measure of security. And now, at seven months pregnant, he was finally beginning to think of a future for himself and his unborn son.

That night, Do Hwan fell asleep cradling his belly, wondering what his son might look like—dark hair like his, perhaps, or his mother's eyes. But as the early hours crept in, his dreams dissolved into something darker, a throbbing pain that began to pulse in his lower back and abdomen. He tried to ignore it, shifting positions to find relief, but the pain only grew, a hot ache that spread through his entire body. Then came the fever, waves of heat and chills that left him shaking.

Just as he began to drift in and out of restless consciousness, he felt something wet between his legs. Alarmed, he threw back the covers and gasped, his heart pounding at the sight of bright red blood staining his sheets.

"No... no," he whimpered, panic tightening his chest. His voice felt trapped in his throat as he tried to scream for help, but only a weak gasp escaped his lips. He squeezed his eyes shut, summoning all the strength he could muster. Finally, he managed a desperate shout. "Elise! Help! Please!"

The door burst open, and Elise rushed to his side, her eyes wide with horror at the sight of blood.

"Oh my god, Do Hwan! Are you...?"

"I don't know," he whispered, clutching his stomach in agony. "Something's wrong... I think... I think it's too early..."

"We're going to the hospital. Now," Elise said with fierce determination, grabbing her coat and rushing to help him to his feet. Together, they stumbled out of the apartment and out into the night.

Do Hwan's mind whirled as he fought against the waves of pain. He clung to Elise's hand, squeezing so hard he thought he might break her fingers. Through his sobs, he managed, "I'm not ready... Elise, I'm not ready for this."

The ride to the hospital was a blur of streetlights flashing by, of his laboured breathing and Elise's soothing hand on his arm. Yet, in between the contractions and terror, he felt himself slipping into a strange acceptance. This was happening. His son was coming, whether he was ready or not.

~

At the hospital, the rush of nurses, doctors, and endless questions blurred into a frenzied whirlwind as they whisked Do Hwan into the delivery room. Pain washed over him in relentless waves, each contraction seizing his body and leaving him breathless.

"It's too early," he cried out, his voice hoarse from the exertion. "My son... will he be okay?"

One of the doctors placed a hand on his shoulder, offering a brief, somber nod. "We'll do everything we can. Just focus on breathing, okay? You're almost there."

Hours passed, each moment blending into the next until, at last, Do Hwan felt the final, intense pressure give way. He barely registered the sound of his newborn's first cries, too exhausted and overwhelmed to take it in fully. He caught a fleeting glimpse of his son's tiny form, his body so small and fragile that it seemed almost unreal.

Then, just as quickly as he had come into the world, his son was taken away, surrounded by doctors and nurses who worked quickly to place tubes and wires on his tiny, struggling body. Do Hwan's heart ached as he reached out weakly, only to have Elise gently hold his hand down.

"They need to help him," she whispered, tears glistening in her own eyes. 

"No... please, let me see him," Do Hwan whispered, his voice barely audible. His body felt hollow, emptied out in every sense of the word. Elise leaned down, brushing back his hair with trembling fingers, trying to comfort him.

"It's alright," she said softly, but he could see the worry etched deeply in her features.

Hours passed in a blur. It wasn't until later that a doctor approached, her face drawn with a somber, professional calm. Elise, ever loyal, had stayed by his side, and now she held his hand, her gaze shifting anxiously between Do Hwan and the doctor.

"Mr. Woo," the doctor began, her voice soft but unwavering. "Your son... he's very premature, and his little body has been through a great deal. In the womb, he contracted an infection that unfortunately led to a brain bleed. We believe this will cause complications... possibly seizures, and there is a strong chance he will have cerebral palsy."

Do Hwan's breath hitched as he tried to process her words. "But he... he's alive?"

"Yes," she nodded, a slight, careful smile on her lips.

"He's stable," the doctor continued gently, "but we're keeping a close eye on him. The next forty-eight hours are critical. I'm so sorry, but you won't be able to see him until we're sure he's strong enough."

With a small nod, he closed his eyes, picturing his son's tiny face, the fragile perfection he'd glimpsed only for a moment. He clung to that memory, letting it guide him through the night as he held on to the promise that, one way or another, they would both make it through this darkness.

Exhaustion, both physical and emotional, dragged him down as he lay back on the hospital bed, his hand instinctively reaching for his belly, now painfully empty. He wanted to cry, to scream, to demand why this was happening, but he had no strength left. All he could do was close his eyes and hope.

Do Hwan felt his heart splinter at the doctor's words. He blinked, trying to process the news, the words spinning in his head like a merciless mantra: brain bleed, seizures, cerebral palsy. Elise tightened her grip on his hand, her face tense with sadness.

"I... I just wanted to hold him," Do Hwan said, his voice cracking. "Just once. Just to see him, to... to tell him I'm here."

"I know," Elise murmured, her own voice wavering. "I know."

Tears slipped down his cheeks, each one a testament to the fear, the love, and the unbearable uncertainty filling his heart. He turned his face toward Elise, drawing what little strength he had left from her presence.