12
Even though we now knew what was wrong with me, the doctor wanted to be thorough, especially since my body had been feeling weak lately.
Once everything in the examination room was settled, and Toop’s unexpected tears had subsided, the doctor suggested—almost insisted, with a smile—that I stay overnight at the hospital.
Toop, the same man who had been overwhelmed with tears and touched my stomach as if he was afraid of hurting me, had no objections.
That was how I ended up spending the night at the hospital.
Despite my lingering annoyance with him, Toop did not leave.
He called his family to share the news of my pregnancy, just as I did mine.
Afterward, when I half-heartedly urged him to see an eye doctor, he remained silent.
Now, apart from the faint hum of the air conditioning, the room was eerily quiet.
“You—”
I glanced toward the sofa where Toop sat, not far from my hospital bed.
I was sure he could hear me.
Even if I did not call him by name, there were only two of us in the room.
The nurse would not be back for another two or three hours.
She had asked to take a photo with him before leaving.
As Toop stayed silent, I reached to grab my water bottle.
But before I could, the man who had been sitting earlier swiftly moved to my bedside.
Our hands brushed as we both reached for the bottle.
Flustered, I pulled my hand back and adjusted myself, eyes cast downward at the blanket covering my legs.
“Anshan.”
“I was just getting water to drink.”
Now I did not feel like drinking anymore because of his proximity.
That was just my nature—an aspect of being his wife that he probably did not like.
But he was the one who told me to be myself, even if he himself did no such thing.
He always kept his silence or pushed my limits by reprimanding me.
“If you want something, just ask.”
“The doctor only told me to rest.
I’m not injured anywhere; I can get my own water.”
“But your husband will do it for you.”
I turned to look at him.
His eyes still appeared slightly puffy from crying.
What did he just say?
“Stop looking so surprised. Drink your water already.”
With a slightly slightly puffy eyes, he unscrewed the bottle, poured the water into a glass, and held it up to my lips.
“I can hold it myself.”
“I already told you, I’ll do it. Your job is to rest, so just do that.”
Was he doing this out of concern for both me and the baby, or just the baby?
As my mind wandered, I glanced at Toop with trembling eyes before bowing my head to drink from the glass.
“Would you like some fruit? I can peel it for you.”
I shook my head.
“You should use the cold compress in the fridge to soothe your eyes.
They’re still swollen.”
“Are you worried about your husband?”
“Did you just figure that out?”
“Anshan.”
Toop looked slightly hurt by my flat tone and expressionless response, though inside, I was anything but calm.
My hand clutched the blanket, and my heart raced, fearing his criticism.
But this was me.
Sometimes, I was the mischievous Anshan my mother knew, while at other times, I was the clueless wife he often criticized—forever waiting for my husband’s love and attention, which he gave sparingly.
“If you’re not going to see a doctor, you should go home and rest.
I’ll call the nurse if I need anything.”
“Anshan, if you’re still upset about earlier today—”
A knock on the door interrupted our strained conversation.
I exhaled deeply and looked toward the door, then back at him as if to ask what if I should open it or if he should.
He chose to answer it himself, though he sighed before opening the door to greet our visitors.
“Father. Mother.”
My eyes widened slightly as soon as I heard Toop greet his parents, who entered the room with smiles around half-past seven in the evening.
The first thing they did was hug their only son tightly, followed by embracing me with equal affection and congratulating us on the baby.
“Is it that late already?”
After glancing at his watch, his father exclaimed in surprise.
“Honey—”
“I know, dear,”
his mother replied, cutting his father off.
“It’s a pity I can’t stay overnight to keep you company, Anshan. I really wanted to share stories about when I was pregnant with Toop, to see if your symptoms match mine with the little one.”
I smiled.
“Once I’m back home, I’ll come visit, so I can hear all about it from you.”
Mother beamed in response.
Standing beside her, father moved closer to her as she sat beside the patient’s bed, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder, his warmth and care unmistakable.
“No need to visit us.
Mother and I will come see you instead.
You focus on taking care of yourself and the baby, that’s all that matters.”
“Oh, Father.”
“What’s ‘oh, Father’ supposed to mean, An?
I agree with him entirely.
Tomorrow, I’ll cook a few nourishing dishes for both you and Toop.”
I clasped my hands together in a wai as they got up to hold my hand.
“Thank you for adoring the baby.”
Lowering my gaze to my still-unchanged belly, I was reminded again by the test results that the little one—boy or girl—was really here.
“Are you leaving already, Father, Mother?”
“Toop, you’re back,”
father said, turning to address the man in question, who had been gone for a while.
When his parents first arrived and noticed his red eyes, they had practically forced him to get checked.
Now, Toop returned wearing a hat and sunglasses to shield his eyes.
“There weren’t many people.
So, you’re heading out now?”
“Yes, we’re just about to leave.
What, are you trying to rush us?”
mother teased, smiling.
But he just sighed.
“Who would dare rush you?
But it’s late.
The driver’s probably been waiting so long that the mosquitoes are carrying him off by now.”
“Not a single word of concern for your parents.”
“I’m concerned in ways I don’t say out loud.”
His mother looked like she might swat him, but instead, she turned to me.
“For the sake of Toop’s good news, I’ll let it slide this time,”
she said, taking my hand into hers.
“If Toop ever behaves poorly, you just let me know, An.
I’ll handle him.”
“Mother.”
Toop’s exasperation was evident, but his mother did not seem to mind, her smile still radiant as she addressed me.
Meanwhile, father walked over to Toop.
“So, what did the doctor say? Anything wrong with your eyes?”
Toop shook his head.
“Well then, why did your uncle call to tell me that Toop was tearing up like a fountain when he found out about the baby?
Does that mean you were so happy you cried, but you’re too proud to admit it?”
“Not at all, Father.
The tears just came on their own—I wasn’t crying.”
His quick response to Father’s teasing remark made my expression darken slightly.
Sure, he was happy about the baby, but the denial was probably tied to me—who only seemed good for carrying his child.
“An,”
“Yes, Mother?”
I quickly adjusted my expression before turning to Mother, whose tone was filled with concern.
“Are you okay?”
I smiled and nodded.
“Yes, much better than earlier today.
But it’s late—you and Father should head home.
You could take Mr. Toop with you too; he hasn’t rested since leaving the set.”
“Did you, Toop?”
Father asked, startled.
“It’s the same as usual, Dad.
I’m fine.
But you both should get home now.”
“This child really is rushing us.
If you want time alone to pamper your wife, just say so.”
Her words left me surprised, though I knew it was not true.
All I could do was smile in response.
As for asking him to leave with them—
“I’ll stay with Anshan.
I’ve already had my manager informed the set about taking tomorrow off.”
“Handled everything just so you could take care of your wife?
That puts my heart at ease.
Come along, dear.
Let’s head back so the couple can have some time to themselves.”
“M-Mother!”
“Anshan, don’t argue.
You need to rest now.”
I felt flustered, unsure of what to do.
As mother rose to leave, Toop shifted to wrap an arm around my shoulders, guiding me to lie back on the bed.
“Look at our son, dear. Let’s go home and rest. I need to get up early tomorrow to prepare some nourishing dishes for Toop, so he has the energy to take care of Anshan and the baby.”
Father smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder as they made their way out of the room.
I opened my mouth to call out to them, but it was too late.
Realizing who was holding me, I shifted away and pushed him off.
“Let go of me, Mr. Toop.”
“Why should I?
I want to hold you.”
It’s suffocating.”
He raised an eyebrow at that but did not release me.
Instead, his embrace tightened, pulling me closer until our gazes met as he leaned down.
I continued to push against him.
“If your husband’s embrace makes you feel suffocated, what should I make of that?”
“It means—ah! Where are you touching?”
He smirked, one strong arm still holding me close and tightly, not letting me struggle or push him away while his other hand moved to rest on my belly through the hospital gown.
“Is the baby making you uncomfortable already?
Is that why my embrace feels suffocating?”
“I don’t mean the baby.
I mean you—you’re the one making me uncomfortable.”
His face turned serious at my comment, though his hand remained on my belly.
“What do I have to do, Anshan?”
“What are you trying to say? Just let go of me already.”
I felt stifled, in body and in heart.
I was still angry about what had happened earlier today—angry that he had acted the way he did.
Even if the neighbors did not know who was in the car, how could he do that?
And then there was the yen ta fo he had bought for me.
I could not deny being happy about the small gesture, but I had wanted to eat them, and yet he had thrown them in the trash right before my eyes, all in a fit of temper.
“I don’t like it when my wife gets close to others. I don’t care if it’s a man or a woman—I just don’t like it.”
He said, but would not let me see his face, pulling me against his chest instead.
“But the next time I see him, I’ll thank that neighbor for helping you.”
“You…”
I called him in disbelief as Toop finally loosened his grip, allowing me to tilt my head.
“What? About our neighbor, that’s all I’m going to say.”
Was he trying to tell me that he now understood what had happened with Mr. Yai?
Or was he still unsure?
Why could he not just speak plainly instead of making me guess?
“Go to sleep already.”
“Ah.
Wait—what are you doing now?
Why are you climbing up here, Mr. Toop?”
“So what?”
Though his words carried a hint of defiance, his more muscular arms were already wrapping around me, arranging me snugly in his embrace as he spooned me on the hospital bed.
“I’m the jerk, the rude one with a sharp tongue, right?
If the nurse comes in and scolds me, I’ll just tell her I want to sleep next to my wife.
What about you?
Aren’t you even a little moved that your husband is lying here with you?”
“Are you insane?
Get down right now.
Ah, Mr. Toop—!”
Instead of listening, he tightened his embrace, as if oblivious to my protests.
After struggling for a while, I gave up.
If the bed broke, it would not just inconvenience the hospital but also the little life growing inside me.
That child, cradled in the belly now being held by their father, was someone I was starting to care deeply for.
Even though I did not know what the future would hold, just knowing the baby was here made me feel protective.
“My eyes hurt, Anshan.
And I’m utterly exhausted right now.
You, my dear wife, feel the same, don’t you?
So, let’s rest—please, just rest for my sake.”
“You’re such a—”
“Shh, that’s enough.
Let’s leave it here, Anshan.
Next time, I’ll stand in line and get that yen ta fo you wanted so badly again.
As for the one I threw away, it’s gone.
Let’s move on.
Okay?”
It was not okay.
I did not answer, I did not respond to him as he kept talking despite my irritation.
I was still annoyed.
Hearing him bring up the yen ta fo, made me remember that there had not even been an apology.
We lay there, entwined on the bed.
His strong arms enveloped me, grounding me even as my anger simmered.
Yet, as I took a deep breath and caught the faint, familiar scent of him, my eyelids began to grow heavy despite earlier turmoil.