Part II
Ten minutes later, Thanatorn finally arrived at the hospital. Even before his car came into a full park, he grabbed the 2 dozen roses, swung open the door, and dodged out, not caring that the pouring rain was getting him wet. Thanatorn headed straight to the reception to ask where the maternity floor was located.
As he ran into an elevator, some of the rose petals had fallen along the way. Thanatorn pressed on the buttons nervously as the elevator door closed and took him to his destination. His heart was beating a mile a minute as the elevator's dings each floor that he reached. When he got to the maternity warrd, he dodged out of the elevator, running down the hallway towards the ward, leaving a trail of rose petals. When he got to the end of the hallway, immediately he spotted Arrisa sitting in the waiting room, and biting her fingernails and looking as if she was the one about to give birth.
Arrisa - P'Torn!!
Arrisa leaped over and hugged her brother and held on tight for a few minutes.
Torn - Where's Sayla? Did she give birth yet? Where's her room? Take me to her!
Arrisa - P'Torn.. she's she's...
Torn - She's what?? Gave birth already? Where's my baby girl?! How's the baby?? How's Sayla?
Torn grinned widely, still holding on to the roses thinking his wife already gave birth, not caring if he had missed it or not as long as his wife and daughter were doing fine.
Arrisa - Uhh... P'Torn, she didn't give birth yet.
Torn - Aow.. okay.. okay, that's good then. I made it in time. What room is Sayla in? And why are you sitting out here, Arrisa? I thought I told you to stay with Sayla the whole time??
Arrisa bit her lip and looked down to the floor.
Arrisa - P'Torn, err...
Torn - What is it???
Arrisa - P'Say is in surgery right now.
Torn - Why?? I thought the doctor said she's going to deliver naturally?!
Arrisa - Uhh.. she's in the emergen--
That's when a nurse walked by and Torn flagged her down.
Torn - Excuse me nurse, my wife checked in here a few hours ago.. Saylanee Thamadeth is her name.
Nurse - Oh. Mrs. Thamadeth, she's still in the Emergency Surgery room, sir. The doctors are still working on her right now.
Torn - Huh???? What did you say, nurse???? Emergency Surgery?? Are they delivering the baby right now?
He glanced over to Arrisa in confusion, searching his sister's face and the nurse's face for answers. Arrisa looked down and bit her lip.
Nurse - Yes, Mr. Thamadeth. Your wife had to have an emergency c-section.
Torn - What do you mean emergency c-section??
Nurse - That means, the doctors feel that it is crucial to take the baby out of her by c-section. There are some complications.
Torn - What kind of complications?? How's my wife? Is she okay? How's my baby!!???? What the hell is going on here?!!!
He shot a glare at Arrisa as the nurse tried to explain to him the situation.
Torn - Arrisa, why didn't you tell me this??
Arrisa - P'Torn, I..I.. didn't want you to be up--
Torn - You should have called me!!! I would have gotten out of that goddamn traffic on foot!!! Where is my wife??? Take me to her!
Nurse - I'm sorry sir, as of now I do not have those answers. Please wait for the doctors--as soon as they are done with surgery they will inform you.
Torn - No, no, no! Nurse, take me to the surgery room! I have to be there for my wife and my baby!
Nurse - Sir, i'm afraid you can't go into the emergency surgery room. Wait here okay, as soon as I know something, I'll come back and update you. You'll have to excuse me, I've got to go.
Torn - Wait!!! Nurse!! Nurse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come back!!! God damn it!!
It was no use, the nurse had already disappeared down the hallway.
Arrisa - P'Torn, I'm sorry. I tried to stay with her, but the doctors took her away quickly and they wouldn't let me stay with her. I...I.. didn't call you, because.. I didn't want you to get upset on the road.
Thanatorn just sood there with his back turned towards his sister, not answering, but only cupping his head in a panick. The rose petals fell down one by one as he flinched his eyes, trying his hardest not to lose it. All the unanswered questions were killing him. What is going on in that surgery room? Why won't they let him see her? What will he do if he loses his precious Saylanee? And what about his baby girl? What if he loses both of the two girls he loves? All these thoughts made his legs weak, making him stagger towards a chair. He dropped the flowers onto another chair and sat down. He bent foward, and held onto his head, trying to hide his face, so no one, not including his sister could see the tears dripping down from his eyes.
Arrisa approached her brother slowly, sat next to him, and rubbed his back as he weeped silently while she cried out herself. Five years ago, Arrisa and Thanatorn were sitting exactly like this at a hospital waiting to hear the fate of their parents whom just got into a car accident, only to hear of their death after that. It was dejavu all over again, and this time it was too much to bear. Thanatorn's heart was beating fast and loud, even Arrisa could hear it.
Twenty minutes later, a doctor appeared from the hallway. Thanatorn saw him, grabbed the roses, and stood up from his seat, not wasting anytime , he ran towards the doctor.
Torn - How is she????????
Doctor Sompun - Are you Mr. Thamadeth?
Torn - Yes!! I'm her husband.
Doctor Sompun - We have successfully delivered your very healthy baby girl. She's being prepped right now in the nursery.
Torn immediately smiled and was relieved. He couldn't believe that he's finally a father.
Torn - Sayla must be really happy.
Arrisa - Hehe.. see, P'Torn.. I knew everything will be fine. And we were worried for nothing.
The doctor cleared his throat and interrupted the siblings as they reassured eachother.
Doctor Sompun - The baby is doing very well, however.... Mrs. Thamadeth is still in ICU.
That's when Thanatorn's face did a complete 360 and turned upside down. Arrisa gasps and covered her mouth with a hand.
Torn - I'm sorry, doctor, but you said they were healthy?!!
Doctor Sompun - The baby is healthy, but I'm afraid your wife will need to be seen by a cardiologist. The emergency c-section was performed, because Mrs. Thamdeth was in danger when we found that heart wasn't beating at a normal rate. It was very irratic. If we hadn't performed the surgery, the results could have been fatal for both mother and baby. Dr. Yeerman, our resident cardiologist is on his way right now. Once dr. Yeerman sees her, we'll get a definite answer as what's wrong with Mrs. Thamadeth.
Thanatorn dropped the roses and staggered back, not wanting to believe what he just heard. The doctor apologized and excused himself, leaving the siblings in shock. Arrisa quickly grabbed onto her brother and embraced him as he cried onto her shoulders. I'm sure she'll be okay, Arrisa reassured, not only Thanatorn, but herself as well. They could only wonder as to what uncertanty was ahead of them.
*Part III coming up soon*