So In Love
EP. 33. Someone He Misses

********

Mama walks into Shien's room in a careful motion so as not to wake the occupants of the house, especially Shien of course.

New habits you always do as long as Shien returns home. Secretly enter Shien's room when the girl is asleep only to kiss her good night and whisper good-bye. Because if Shien was still awake, it was obvious Mama wouldn't be able to do it.

Slowly, Mama opened the door to Shien's room, but she was a little jolted as soon as the door opened a bright light instantly flashed into her eyes. The direction of view just led to the bed, but it turns out the princess was asleep.

Closing the door, Mama set her foot to approach Shien with a frowning forehead, astonished that Shien would not normally sleep in the light. The girl always uses a sleeping light, Mama knows that very well.

Mama sat on the edge of the bed, watching Shien's sleeping face. But this time it looks different than usual. The girl's breathing looks regular, but the sweat and uncomfortable wrinkles can be seen on the girl's forehead.

Mama moved closer, her hands stretched out to touch Shien's forehead, and the heat stroke immediately felt as her palms came into contact with Shien's body. His body is like embers.

“Yeah, how hot?” Mama panicked. He then shook Shien's shoulder slowly. “Shi, you are cold sweat, let's change first.”

Mama tried to wake Shien up when she saw Shien's nightgown getting a little wet. Maybe because cold sweat continues to pour out to cause some of the clothes worn by the girl to get wet. And maybe, because that's what makes Shien seem shivering cold, until his teeth slightly crackled.

But only the moans he heard came out of the girl's lips. In her sleep, Mama could see the uneasiness there, as well as the folds on her forehead indicating that Shien was indeed in pain.

“Shien. . .” Mama, keep trying to wake Shien up. “Shien, you have a fever.” Rubbed the girl's cheeks, then wiped the sweat that flowed following the side of the face.

Long time to observe the face of his daughter, until then my eyes were half open. Staring at him in silence, his gaze looked blank, making my heart ache.

“You're sick.” Mama said softly with a look of anxious and scared face at once. “Change clothes first, yuk. Still strong wake up, right? Later Mama help.” Mama continued as soft as a fairy, her hands did not stop giving elusan on Shien's face.

The girl nodded weakly, but soon closed her eyes again. Perhaps because his head had already felt so heavy, that even Shien had a little trouble opening his eyes for a long time. His eyes felt hot, heavy, and twitching when opening them for too long.

“Shien, you're fine, right?” The mother who saw it was getting panicked. But seeing Shien nod, he calmed down a little.

“Then it is, wait a minute, Shi.” Mama then moved, walking towards the drawer where Shien's supplies of medicines were stored. With a hasty movement he read one by one the writings listed on the many bottles of medicine that were there.

“This one.” Mama exclaimed in relief in her heart as soon as she found a heat-lowering remedy.

Afterwards, he dashed out of Shien's room, headed for the kitchen to fetch some water and make her some warm tea.

After everything was ready, Mama went back to Shien's room, sat on the edge of the bed, then placed a tray filled with a glass of water that had been covered with straws and warm tea on the nightstand.

He woke up his daughter gently. “Honey, take the medicine first.” Shien's eyes opened half. A soft shrill voice sounded out from the lips of the girl.

Mama knows, Shien had a little trouble lifting his body to sit down. So what it does is help lift a little Shien's back so that it can sit well. After that, I gave her medicine and drank. Mama deliberately prepared a straw to make it easier for the girl to drink it.

Finished with the drug, the middle-aged woman then pointed an infrared sensor from a thermometer right at Shien's ear hole to measure her body temperature, and it turned out to be 39.5 degrees Celsius. Mama's pupils dilated, feeling Shien's body temperature was too high because it exceeded 38 degrees Celsius.

“You change clothes first, yes. That's us to the hospital.” Mama is panicking again. Shien wanted to reject her so that Mama wouldn't have to take her to the hospital, but her strength wasn't strong enough to even open her mouth.

Mama moved to pick up a change of clothes while trying to contact someone. Clamping the phone between her ears and shoulders, while her hands were busy taking one of the nightgowns from Shien's closet randomly.

“Shien cold sweat and heat 39.5 degree. What should I bring to the hospital now?” Mama walked back to Shien.

Then without asking for approval from the girl, Mama opened one by one Shien pajama buttons to replace them.

“Ya, already given a heat-lowering drug as well.” She kept talking to the guy across there, who she was. Then with a full ketelatean, Mama managed to replace Shien's upper pajamas.

“The bottom should not be replaced.” Said Shien painstakingly in a heavy-sounding voice when he saw Mama trying to open her pants. In addition to embarrassment, the lower body is not exposed to excessive sweating until the pants are not wet. So according to Shien, it doesn't need to be replaced.

Mama kept quiet for a while, then nodded according to her son's request. He smiled slightly at Shien's timid attitude.

“Tehnya drink first, Nak.” Mama's orders when she finds Shien lying down again her painful body, but the girl only shakes weakly. His head was very heavy, all he wanted was to sleep.

Sighing, Mama then enveloped the girl's body to the extent of the neck to keep warm.

“What he did?” The woman resumed her conversation on the phone.

Mama glanced at Shien who had closed her eyes for a while while remembering what activities the girl had been doing all day.

“This daily Shien is only at home, swimming in the afternoon and barbeque party with his friends.” Obviously Mama. The next second he recalled that Shien had been outside until night without drying himself or changing his clothes first. “Until night.” Connect Mama then while returning to explain the activities Shien did in as much detail as possible.

“Other symptoms?” Mama raised her next eyebrow, then turned back to Shien.

“Shien you feel another gelaja, Nak?” There was no word from the girl when Mama shook her body.

“Shien flu as well, but the others I don't know for sure, he keeps quiet, his consciousness is getting down.” Answer Mama. The worried look was very obvious on her face.

“Alright then. I wait, sorry to trouble you, Doctor Nathan.” Mama said before ending her phone call with Nathan's doctor.

Yep. Because the one who was sick was Shien, made Mama panic and chose to contact Nathan's doctor, even though the girl had only a fever. But Mama was afraid that it was not just a fever, but a symptom caused by her weak heart.

Not intending to wake her husband, Mama chooses to take care of and accompany Shien herself. The middle-aged woman had only left Shien's room for a moment and woke Bi Sumi up to ask her to open the door and take Nathan's doctor to Shien's room if she had already come.

“This, Mom, warm water equals compresses.” Bi Sumi handed over a container of warm water and a small towel for the compress that Mama had asked for.

Then deftly, Mama put a compressive cloth that had previously been dipped in warm water and squeezed it on Shien's forehead that heat never went down. Occasionally the middle-aged woman placed it on Shien's neck.

Mama looked at Shien wistfully, again recalling her mistake of ignoring the fragile girl. Perhaps at that time Shien had also experienced something like this, it was unfortunate that she as a Mother was not by his side and took care of him. And it was possible, Shien was searching for him back then. But Mama doesn't exist.

“You are young, but why is your body this weak?” Mama muttered inwardly as she gently stroked Shien's head, then the busyness of the haircut that covered the girl's pretty face that grew increasingly pale.

Didn't take his eyes off Shien's face. Tucked a sense of pride and gratitude in Mama's heart. Because even though Shien was sick, the girl was so tough. Never once did Mama hear Shien complain about the pain he was suffering. Or worst of all, tired of living his life.

“Sorry Mom.” This time Mama whispered right in front of Shien's ear. Another thing he always does every night, because he does not have enough courage to apologize in person.

“Long life.” Then he landed another kiss on Shien's forehead with trembling lips.

The door suddenly opened from the outside, and Nathan saw the doctor enter in a friendly manner as usual, although his face looked very tired.

********

“Shien's heart condition gets worse with each passing day. It also affects his endurance, he should not be active with high intensity.” Dr. Nathan warned again with busy hands positioning the infusion-filled pouch on the infuse stand.

Shien's dehydrated body required the girl to get an infusion to replace her lost body fluids. For a moment Nathan's doctor glanced at Shien who was asleep due to the influence of medicine.

“Shien should also stop working and focus on her health while waiting for a donor.” He nodded while taking a deep breath.

“But. . .”

“Shien stubborn?” Dr. Nathan's sambar stooped a knotty smile. Mama Hanay smiled thinly accompanied by a weak breath in response.

“He hasn't changed since.” Nathan's doctor murmured slowly, but Mama's ears could still catch him. “Small sister.” Then bowed and rubbed the top of Shien's head full of affection, making Mama more astonished and looked at him questioningly.

“From first? Little sister?” Mama frowned, astonished by the attitude of doctor Nathan who looked too attentive and seemed to have known Shien for a long time.

Doctor Nathan looked surprised. Judging from his expression, he seemed to realize something.

“Ahh, i. .it. I mean, since getting to know Shien a few months ago, he's always been stubborn when he was given a warning.” Doctor Nathan gelagapan.

“Dan Shien is already like my sister.” Continue with a stiff smile.

Mama who heard the answer just carried on while berohh ria, did not want to think too much about it anymore. “So good.” Seulas smile knot then Mama singggingkan. While Nathan's doctor was still at home with a smile on his feet while pretending to adjust the drip rate of intravenous fluids to hide his misbehavior.

“Then, can we stop talking formally?” Ask Mama then while walking towards the sofa, followed by doctor Nathan a few lapse.

“Bby, right?” Ask Mama again after they sit next to each other. The young doctor looked at Mama doubtfully, then spoke. “Eung. . , may, Bu. . . .”

“Tante. Don't Mom again.” Sambar Mama correcting. Then he pointed to the cup of tea that had been prepared and asked Nathan to drink it.

“I. . .iya. Thank you, Aunt.” Doctor Nathan hesitated as he lifted the teacup and began to drink it.

My mom smiled happily when she heard it. “Tante glad you are so attentive to Shien.” Mama's gaze shifted, highlighting Shien who was sound asleep in her bed. Very peaceful, like a fairy.

But Mama was always scared when she saw Shien sleeping like that. Afraid that the little girl won't wake up again.

“It was indeed my duty as a doctor, Aunt.” Nathan's doctor is still not comfortable speaking non-formally.

“It just so happens that Shien would often argue with me when given advice. Maybe that's why I consider him like a chatty little brother.” Obviously Nathan's doctor later. His memory glared far into the first time when Shien came into his room to consult. The girl was so cold, jutek, and did not say much, that she had to tease him more or act a little annoying, then Shien spoke a lot and was quite open to some things.

“Good if he can be chatty. Shien was very quiet, there was rarely anyone who could talk to him. Including Auntie equals Om.” Mom said in a squeaking voice at the end of the sentence. Doctor Nathan bengong for a moment, looking at Mama questioningly. But he was not within limits to ask. He thought, maybe Shien is indeed acting cold to everyone.

“Social ability Shien is a little less good. That's why she doesn't have friends like her sister, Shanna.” Mama paused her sentence for a while to take a breath. “So, Auntie is happy that you can be friends with Shien. Please give him attention as a doctor. . .”

“Friends and sister.” Doctor Nathan again snatched the sentence you were about to say, to make the middle-aged woman smile amusedly.

After that, they talked about the donor heart for Shien which until now the hospital still has not found a suitable donor. And Mama can only go back to exhaling heavily because she has not heard the good news. While Nathan's doctor tried to calm him down by saying a few words of encouragement and told Mama not to stop praying.

Mama also told doctor Nathan that whenever he heard the siren ambulance sound, Mama always hoped that the victim was the victim of an accident and had brain death so that Shien immediately got a heart donor. “It was so evil, right?” Mama smiled smirk. His eyes began to glaze over.

“But that's because Auntie is desperate.” Connect Mama with a choked voice along with the tears that began to fall.

Doctor Nathan looked at Mama, then grabbed the woman's hand to hold. “I understand, Aunt. All parents will definitely do anything for their child.”

Not just Mama. Dr. Nathan often hears stories like this from the parents or families of desperate patients. So desperate, they do not even hesitate to pray that is actually bad for others.

There is a term that says that the goodness of a Father is higher than a mountain and the goodness of a Mother is deeper than the sea. All they think about is giving their best baby.

“Ahh, sorry you have to hear this, Nathan.” Mama said as she wiped her tears. Doctor Nathan just smiled and said it was okay.

“Then, Auntie ready for you first. Again, Aunt apologized for the trouble.” Mama then moved, but quickly Nathan's doctor held Mama's arm to make the middle-aged woman turn towards him.

“Not bother, Auntie. I can sleep on the couch. After all, in about two hours Shien infusion should be replaced.” Nathan said as he glanced at the leather-bound watch that was coiled around his wrist.

“But. . .” Mama looked at Dr. Nathan with a bad feeling. But Nathan's doctor reassured him that he had nothing to worry about and that he would accompany Shien with Mama.

********

“Thank you, Ma'am.” Said a man who just came out of the flower shop. He restored the hair that had been deliberately styled in a mess so that it seemed relaxed and not stiff.

The people who were around the man looked at him in awe, he was like a handsome actor in a Korean drama series.

The man looked to the right and to the left, intending to cross and get into his parked car across the street.

He was looking forward to meeting someone, someone he missed so much.

********

To be continued. . . .