Lisa didn't answer. She ran her hand over the four-dimensional photo from the ultrasound. "Grow with vigor, dear! Papa wants to see you in a few months. Don't worry about me, okay! We're both fighting for papa."
Suga felt sympathy. He held Lisa's arm to look at her. "You can change your mind, Lisa. If only ...."
"I'm not getting an abortion!" Lisa snapped.
Suga was silent as Lisa could no longer hold back her tears. She held the picture of her future baby in her arms.
"I'm sure he will be born into this world. You are the only one I trust."
"Your life is in danger, Lisa."
"Every mother will risk dying for her fetus, whether it's after the labor process, or while pregnant. I'm just like any other mother-to-be."
Suga did not interrupt again. This was a mother's decision that he couldn't understand. Only supporting as a friend could be done.
"If so, I don't want to fight alone, Lisa. I need your husband to take care of you guys. Your husband must know. I can't hide this."
Lisa quickly shook her head. She immediately grasped the back of Suga's hand with a hopeful look in her eyes.
"No, don't tell Arka. I'll be all honest when my baby lasts until next month. It's too early and he's expecting a lot, Suga. Let God decide. If my fetus survives for a few more weeks according to its development, then God's answer is that He wants this fetus to grow to complete our lives."
Lisa's request touched Suga's heart. He couldn't bear to cut off Lisa's hopes who still wanted to fight.
On the other hand, Arka did not find Lisa sitting in the waiting room after buying juice for her wife. The doctor's office was where he was headed at the moment. When he entered, Arka was stunned because Suga and Lisa stared at each other while tightening their fingers. The history of the two was that they had been in love in high school.
"Ehm!"
Both of them were surprised when Arka appeared with a serious look. They started to calm down and thought about what to answer Arka if asked about the examination.
"Sit down, Dear!" Lisa invited.
Arka just nodded and sat next to his wife. Suga began to worry considering Lisa's husband was also a doctor like him.
"How are the test results?" asked Arka.
Suga only showed the photo of the ultrasound results. Arka looked at it for a long time with a surprised expression. Suga was sure Arka also knew the intricacies of fetal development in pregnant women. He learned a lot about it during Lisa's healing process.
"Is there a problem with the fetus, Doc? At this stage of pregnancy, the fetus should be..."
"Right," Suga interrupted. He wanted to speak casually so Arka wouldn't be too formal with him. "You know Lisa's uterus is a bit troubled? Maybe the supply of medicine she's been receiving has been interfering with the development of the fetus. It's a little slow, but I'm sure it's nothing serious. Take care of her until next month's age to get through the critical phase."
Arka turned to Lisa. His wife was trying to smile despite her wet eyes.
"The important thing is that he's still hanging in there. Don't give up, okay!" Lisa encouraged.
Arka was touched. He took Lisa's hand and nodded.
"Yes. We both fought so that the little one could be born into this world."
With Suga's help, Lisa was able to keep her great struggle a secret from Arka. After explaining the details of what to look out for and how Lisa's fetus was progressing, the consultation ended and they left the room with a sense of relief. Arka smiled and asked Lisa to hug her as they walked hand in hand.
"Don't worry, sweetheart! Just make sure that God is with us," said Arka.
"You have to cheer for me, Ka."
Arka gave Lisa a peck on the forehead and went back to enjoying the quiet streets of the ward hallway. In the distance, Suga stood holding a paper in his hand. He felt sympathy for the couple's struggle for a baby.
"The fetus is too weak, Lisa. Moreover, you are no longer young to conceive. Sorry, I'm hiding this too. If he can survive another month, it's like a miracle for you."
The lines of fate would provide the answer to whether the two were destined to become parents with the arrival of a new member in their little family.
*
Arka takes off his white coat and sits on his work chair. He broke into a smile and took his cell phone from pocket. He missed his wife terribly.
Lisa's WhatsApp status was online.
They exchanged chat messages in their spare time.
[Honey, what are you doing?]
Crick!
The door opened and a beautiful woman with shoulder-length hair appeared. She smiled and sat down opposite Arka.
"Am I interrupting, Doc?"
Arka shook his head. He loosened his tie and returned Dr. Grace's smile.
"Can I help you, Doc?" asked Arka.
"Ah, take it easy, Arka. Oh yeah, I heard from Friska, yesterday she saw you and Lisa at Eka Hospital. Any good news, huh?"
Arka's calm expression turned a little enthusiastic. Grace was the obgyn who had been treating Lisa at Raztan Hospital. She hadn't said that Lisa was pregnant at the moment.
"Thanks for being patient during Lisa's healing process. She's pregnant, Grace."
"Ah, seriously? Thank goodness, even though I was pessimistic. It turns out that you guys are blessed to have children at this age. But, Lisa's condition..."
Arka sighed heavily. He took off his glasses and played with a small crystal ball on the table.
"I know. Suga also said her uterus is weak and still in a vulnerable state. He asked us to wait for the progress of these two weeks. If Lisa survives, that means we have an 80 percent chance of having a child."
As long as Arka was telling his story, Dr. Grace remained stunned. She had been working with Lisa for years, so of course she knew better.
"Lisa is no longer young, Ka. You know that. Actually, it's not just her pregnancy, Lisa's life is also in danger."
Arka was surprised to hear that. His hands shook and he let go of the crystal ball, sending it rolling to the carpeted floor.