Secrets on Melody Street (Jenlisa)

19

Her hand's so tiny, like that of a doll. I held it cautiously and with bated breath, as if my slightest touch would break her wrist in two.

She's hooked onto a miniature ventilator, yet even through the plastic mask I can see her face.

I stared at dark eyelashes. A button nose. Snowy cheeks.

My baby.

They finally deemed me stable enough to come and see her, though not before warning me of her condition.

She was born prematurely and wasn't in the right position when my waters suddenly broke. She was delivered by C-section after I passed out on the way to the hospital. When they removed her from my womb, the umbilical cord was wrapped tightly around her neck, cutting off any potential circulation to her brain.

Apparently she's stable for now, but doctors won't know if she has brain damage, or the extent of her injuries until she's able to breathe without the assistance of all the machines currently pumping oxygen through her body and keeping her alive.

It was touch and go for a moment, no one knew if I or the baby would come out of this ok. I've been conscious and moving for a week, but baby has been out for over a month now.

She still doesn't have a name. Guess Jaehyun thought it would be wrong to name her without me so for now the tag at the end of her crib still says Baby Jung.

I honestly don't care what we decide to call her, so long as she comes back to me.

"The nurse said you'd be in here."

I was grateful to see Jen standing by the door, sanitizing her hands. I gave her a weak smile before I went back to gazing at baby, watching each gentle rise and fall of her chest as the air went to her lungs.

"How are you feeling?"

I simply shrugged.

It's difficult to put anything into words at the moment. Jennie didn't push me for an answer, instead dragging up a chair and sitting beside me, the mere smell of her settling the anxiety in my gut.

"Is everything okay, you know, back on Melody?" I tore my gaze away from baby's pink onesie, and onto Jennie's kind eyes. She sighed, tucking some hair behind my ear.

"We're managing. It's difficult without you though." She reached out to me, intertwining my shaky fingers with her own. "Oh yeah, I bumped into Momo at the grocery store." She chuckled at the sight of my eye roll. "She was adamant for me to tell you that everyone's praying for you and that she has a tuna casserole at the ready with your name on it."

I exhaled sharply through my nose, a poor attempt at conveying appreciation. "Tell her I said thanks I guess."

Jennie hummed, leaning back in her seat. She fiddled with my hand in her lap, stroking at my dry knuckles. "Jae still won't let me see him."

I groaned. "Shit, I thought I'd dealt with Jaehyun already. Sorry Jen, I swear I told him last time that he shoul-"

"You know what, it's fine, I shouldn't have even brought it up. Forget it."

I nibbled on my lip so fervently it started to draw blood. Jennie's frustrated and I get it, so am I. After this whole thing happened, Luca was taken back to the house to live with his dad, whilst baby and I stayed in hospital. Trouble is, Luca started asking to see Jennie and visa versa, but Jae's banned Jennie from having any contact with him, going so far as to threaten her with a restraining order. I bet he was wishing I never woke up, but now I am, I'll do my best to steer the divorce forward.