Glimpses

The Baby

Daoming Si paced the corridor of the hospital, walking up and down restlessly. He recalled it had been Shancai who had paced the same corridor several years before, when he lay in the hospital hanging between life and death. Today, however, it was Shancai who was in hospital, but he was still left hanging. "Why haven't they called me yet?" he thought to himself anxiously, his brows furrowing in concern. About five minutes later, a nurse popped her head out of the door. "Sir, please follow me." He was brought to the operating theatre. Shancai was already lying there, groggy from the medicines which they had pumped into her. He quickly rushed to her side and took her hand. "Si", he heard her whisper, "Is the baby going to be okay, that's all I need to know."

Si swallowed hard as he thought of the events of the last ten hours. Shancai was not due for another 3 weeks, but complications had arisen and her doctor insisted that she had to deliver the baby as soon as possible, or else her life and that of her baby would be at risk. However, further complications prevented Shancai from having a natural birth, even though she had tried to so valiantly. Si thought that he had never seen Shancai in so much pain, and yet so courageous throughout the ordeal. His heart broke at the time while looking at her suffer, knowing that he was powerless to do anything to relieve her pain. Finally, after many excruciating hours, her doctor had said that she couldn't go on any longer as the baby's heart rate was dropping. He remembered how terrified he had been then, as the whole room turned into a blurry chaos, as they whisked Shancai off for an emergency c-section.

Despite his fear, he spoke bravely "Don't worry dear, the baby will be fine, and so will you. I will be right here with you, just relax." Shancai seemed reassured by his words, so she just nodded and said "I am so glad you are here with me. I was so afraid that you would be away on a business trip and it would be Lei, Ximen or Meizuo who would have to help me deliver your baby". Despite the circumstances, Si gave a slight chuckle. "Stupid girl, I would never let that happen. Can you imagine the grief F3 would give me if it did? I couldn't possibly miss the birth of my baby, of our baby."

After what seemed like an eternity to both Si and Shancai, they heard a faint cry pierce the silent room. To the both of them, that was the most beautiful sound they had ever heard. The doctor put his head around and beamed at them,  "Congratulations, you have a perfectly beautiful baby girl!" Tears of joy rolled down Shancai's cheeks as they brought the baby next to her and she kissed her baby's sweet little face. Si spoke then, in a voice choked with emotion, "I am so proud of you Shancai, thank you for the best gift you have given to me. I love you so much." She smiled back at him and closed her eyes. He kissed Shancai's forehead and sat there stroking her hand gently as she drifted in and out of consciousness while the doctor finished up the procedure. He then heard the nurse calling him. "Sir, would you like to hold your daughter?"

As they placed the little pink bundle in his arms, Si was slightly nervous because she was so small and fragile. Yet the moment he cradled her, a new feeling of joy which he had never known before came over him. He was filled was awe and wonder and a fierce sense of protection. He looked into his baby daughter's sleeping face and was amazed at how much she resembled the most important women in his life. She has mom's lips and Zhuang-jie's cheekbones, he thought.

The baby gave a tiny yawn and then opened her eyes and looked at him. He then saw that she had Shancai's big beautiful eyes, the very same eyes that he had fallen in love with the moment she had confronted him on that staircase all those years ago. In that second of gazing into his daughter's eyes he knew that his world had changed and he would never again be the same man. "Papa loves you little one, you are my precious little white piglet" he whispered as he kissed her and rocked her gently. The baby closed her eyes and snuggled into his chest, safe in the arms of her Papa.