After hearing the news that the doctor conveyed about what was happening to Veronica, Darwin joined in. He deliberately followed the medical staff who were moving Veronica from the delivery room to the intensive care unit or ICU.
In his mixed emotions, Darwin couldn’t think or say anything. One thing he had been repeating in his heart all this time was a prayer for safety and hope to God, that his wife could recover and return to her normal condition as before.
“Stay strong, Win. Veronica will surely wake up soon. We all believe she can get through this,” Kennedy said, trying to comfort Darwin, who appeared distressed.
“Yeah, Win. You have to stay strong,” Randy added with a serious expression. “If you feel down and hopeless, it’s not good for Uncle Damian and your newborn baby. Besides, just stay calm, and if you need anything, we’ll all help you and Veronica, no matter what it is.”
Darwin nodded again. He was incredibly grateful to have cousins who were always there to help and support him tirelessly.
“Thank you so much for your offer and support. I don’t know what I’d do without cousins like you.”
“Anytime, Win,” Kennedy quickly replied. “As Randy said, whenever you need assistance, we’ll do our best to help.”
“True,” Randy chimed in. “Even though you’re the most annoying cousin and always make me angry, honestly, I don’t want anything bad to happen to you and Veronica. So, make the most of our help.”
“Okay, for now, take care of yourself. Ask Uncle Damian to rest for a while in the hospital room provided for Veronica. Or, you can ask him to go home and rest. Also, don’t forget to visit your baby in the pediatric ward tomorrow morning. It’s been several hours, and you haven’t seen him at all, right?” Kennedy suggested.
Darwin nodded again. He had been so focused on Veronica’s condition that he had completely ignored the fact that their baby had already been moved to the pediatric ward. Yet, before the birth, Darwin had eagerly awaited his son’s arrival.
“Alright, I’ll go talk to Papa Damian then. If you two want to head home, please go ahead. I’ll contact you immediately if there’s any update. And please give my regards to Luna. Let her know not to feel guilty. Whatever happens to Veronica, it’s not her fault.”
“Yes, Win,” Kennedy nodded. “I’ll convey your message to Luna. Just make sure you don’t push yourself too hard. We don’t want you to get overwhelmed too.”
After making sure Darwin was okay, Kennedy and Randy decided to go home. As the two men left, Darwin approached Damian, who was sitting in a waiting chair right in front of the ICU. His father-in-law was accompanied by Veronica’s parents, who had come to the hospital to check on their daughter and grandchild.
“Pa…” Darwin called, catching Damian and Magnus’s attention. Then, Darwin immediately sat down beside Damian, trying to engage him in conversation.
“It’s late. Papa, you should go home and rest. If you keep waiting at the hospital, you might get exhausted. Besides, only one person is allowed to wait for the patient inside the room.”
“But Papa is worried about Veronica’s condition too, Win. Papa wants to wait for her here,” Damian said with a pleading expression.
Darwin sighed deeply. He understood why his father-in-law seemed reluctant to leave and go home. However, if he continued waiting, Damian’s condition might deteriorate.
“Veronica will be fine, Pa. Let me stay here and take care of her at the hospital. I promise, as soon as Veronica wakes up, I’ll call you.”
Damian seemed to weigh his options, considering whether to go home or stay at the hospital while waiting for Veronica to recover.
“Okay, Damian…” Magnus interjected. “Let’s go home and pray for Veronica’s recovery there. Let Darwin focus on taking care of Veronica here. Tomorrow, we can all come back to the hospital together to visit our newborn grandchild,” Magnus suggested, trying to convince Damian to go along with Darwin’s request. After all, this was for the best of everyone.
“Papa, just trust Darwin. If anything happens, he’ll call you immediately,” Darwin pleaded, his tone persuasive. He continued to gaze at his father-in-law, hoping that he would relent and agree to his request.
“All right then. If that’s the case, Papa will go home now. But promise me you’ll take good care of Veronica.”
In the end, Damian agreed. He accepted the offer Darwin had given him. Before leaving, Damian asked for permission from the nurse to visit Veronica, who lay weak in the ICU room. After seeing his daughter, Damian finally went home with Magnus, leaving Darwin alone in the hospital to watch over Veronica until she regained consciousness and passed through her critical phase.
***