A Billion Dollar Exchange

Xin Yong and Jin Yue were rendered speechless at that instant. It seems the hardest part of it all was breaking the news to the patient.

Liling chuckled; ''Why are you both staring at me like that? Do I have HIV? Am I going to die? ''

''No, not at all; you're okay. ''

Xin Yong sat on her seat and pulled closer to Liling. She held her hand closely as stared at her face.

''Liling, everything is okay and will be more than okay from now. Something happened, but I'm sure it won't happen again. ''

Liling was becoming scared. ''Xin Yong, tell me what's wrong? ''

Xin Yong took in a deep breath; it was really hard telling a mom that she just lost her child.

''Liling, you… you miscarried. ''

Xin Yong said slowly and pitifully; she held onto Liling's hand tightly. Liling was staring at Xin Yong as though she had just said something funny; all of a sudden she started laughing.

Xin Yong and Jin Yue turned to look at themselves;

''Xin Yong, it's not proper to say a joke to someone who just woke up from a coma, okay? Now, no more jokes, what happened to me? ''

She said, glancing at Jin Yue, as though obliging him to speak if Xin Yong refused to. But the look on his face told her that what Xin Yong said might be true.

''You don't mean what you just said now, do you? ''

Her face fell, and goose bumps washed through her skin. When she saw that Xin Yong wasn't answering, she called her again.

''Xin Yong! Jin Yue, what happened? Can someone talk to me? ''

Anxiety washed through her, she was about passing out for the second time.

''Liling, it's going to be alright. It's not your fault okay? Everything would be fine now. ''

Xin Yong said, moving to sit on the bed, she pulled Liling into her arms.

It took Liling up to thirty seconds to come to terms with what Xin Yong just said.

''I… I lost a baby? ''

She asked; a quake in her voice. Xin Yong did not reply the question; she just patted on her back.

''It's going to be okay, everything would be fine.

''But I wasn't pregnant? ….''

It just took a few seconds before everything fell into place. The nausea, the headaches, so she had been pregnant all along! How didn't she know!

Why didn't her mind think of it? Now she thought about it, they hardly used protections!

''No, no…''

Tears clouded Liling's eyes and she shut them immediately. How did she lose her baby?

''It'll be alright, everything would be fine now. The doctor says you need to rest; you are fine now. ''

Xin Yong hugged her for a while longer before leaving her to get some sleep. Liling closed her eyes but she couldn't bring herself to sleep.

Xin Yong and Jin Yue exited the ward so Liling could sleep.

''I'll go get her some change of clothes and other necessities. ''

Xin Yong said once they were out of the ward.

''Let me drop you. '' Jin Yue said even before he could think. She had left the car he got for her when she left his home, so he was sure she was going to take a taxi.

''Don't worry, I'll take a taxi. ''

''Let me drop you, we'll get there faster. ''

Jin Yue said and started walking off, not waiting for Xin Yong's consent. Xin Yong stared at his back for a moment before following behind. He was right anyway and there was nothing wrong in riding in his car, it meant nothing. It was just a drive.

Throughout the drive, to and fro, the car was eerily quiet. No-one was talking, even when millions of things were going on in their hearts.

Jin Yue was afraid that once he spoke, she would go back to how she was before, so he chose to enjoy the quiet. She had talked to him, she did not scream at him and she had accepted the meal he brought for her, that was more than enough miracle for one day.

Liling woke up to someone caressing her hand fervently. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at the person, he was saying something but she couldn't make out what he was saying.

''I'm sorry…''

His eyes were red and a bit teary, he looked worn out and his hair stood at different ends, as though he had pulled at it.

''Liu Wei, you are here? ''

Liling smiled and she tried sitting up on the bed. When Liu Wei saw her effort, he immediately helped her sit upright, adjusting the pillow behind her. As soon as she was comfortable, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

''I'm so sorry! I'm sorry! ''

He apologized regrettably. What was he thinking? He had been carried away and had not used protections with her! He had hurt her and she deserved to be mad at him.

When he arrived, Xin Yong and Jin Yue broke the terrible news. Throughout the flight, he had prayed in his mind that what he was thinking would not turn out to be true. He wished it was many other things but a miscarriage.

He did not know how he would live with himself but most importantly he did not know how he would look at her.

At that moment, when his fears were confirmed, he felt like dying; just staring at Liling on the bed made his heart clench. He didn't know when he started crying, bowing his head; he wept bitterly.

After seeing the doctor and knowing the prescriptions and what had caused the miscarriage, he thanked Jin Yue and Xin Yong before telling them to go home.

He had been sitting staring at her for almost one hour. If he hadn't left her, all these wouldn't have happened! He felt like killing himself.