Tiny fingers grasp his and the young man's eyes filled with awe and tears of happiness. Babies to him, especially newborns were really ugly. They looked like wrinkled tiny old people in diapers, but this particular baby was the most beautiful baby in the world, she was a miracle. His miracle baby. The nurse walked in the room and sighed loudly when she saw him."Mr. Cheng, visiting hour is over. Please come back tomorrow." Joe gently untangled his daughter's grip and placed her hand inside the incubator. For a brief moment, the sound of the machine beeping and the color wire connecting to his daughter's tiny body disappear, she was just a normal, healthy baby.
"Daddy will be back tomorrow Hope." Joe couldn't move, he wasn't ready to leave yet. He observed the nurse's expression as she briskly check Hope's heart beats and flipped through the chart.
"Is she going to be fine?" he asked.
The nurse looked up not surprise to see him there at all. He was one of those rare fathers, despite his young age that obviously cared deeply for his child. Since the day his wife was rushed into the emergency room, he had not missed a single visit to the hospital.
"She was born prematurely, her immune is very low and she is not as developed, considering all that's against her she's a fighter. She will be fine." The nurse said kindly. She pointed to the door and waited until he exited the door.
"You are a fighter right?" The nurse asked as she listens to Hope's heart beats again.
This baby was definitely a fighter. The nurse still remembers clearly the first time she saw the young man. It was just last month when she saw him running down the lobby shouting for help, his young wife in his arms already deathly pale. The young girl's heart had decreased drastically to a point where breathing was impossible. The baby had stopped moving by then, everybody in the emergency room including Dr. Wong thought the baby was dead. However, she made her presence know with a loud unhappy scream the moment Dr. Wong lifted her up. The nurse grinned as she remembered the doctor's shock expression.
"She...she's alive!" Dr. Wong stuttered.
"It's a miracle!" A nurse said. Yes, Hope was the hospital's miracle baby.
~~~~~~~~~~~
He was holding her hand again. Every day she could feel his presence, even though she couldn't see him. His touch, his smell, his voice, they were all becoming very familiar.
"Hope is doing well; she's waiting for mommy to get all better so we could all go home. She's gaining a few pounds too, the nurse said she's eater. Did you hear that Ariel? She's an eater, just my kind of girl."
Joe pulled his chair closer to the bed and laid his face on the pillow next to Ariel. Quietly Joe watched his wife sleep. She was so beautiful; lying down like this reminded him of the first time they met. She had her hair flowing down her back, her dark warm eyes bewitching him and her smiles enticing him. He was lost the moment he met her, unconsciously he was drawn to her and the liquor only made what he felt for her stronger.
"Being here with you and Hope made me realize something. I realize the day you told me you were pregnant was the day I finally found me. Everything in life was already planned out, I thought I knew what I wanted but listening to your simple dream of a warm family challenged me to think about what I really want. Do you know what Ariel? Every answer I came up with includes you and Hope. That's why...that's why I want you to forgive me, please forgive me for hurting you."
Ariel felt something wet on her face. Joe was crying, everyday he asked for forgiveness and everyday he shed tears. What was she to do? What was this pain in her heart? She didn't want Joe to cry, she didn't want him to hurt but she couldn't say anything. She knew he wanted Hope, how could she blame him? She wanted Hope too, what right did she have to keep Hope away from him? What now? What now that they're married?
"Ariel, please come home. I need you, Hope need you. Ariel...."
She felt his hands tightened on hers.
"Ariel, I love you. I see only you, I want only you, I can't imagine life without you...please don't leave me."
Tears cascade down the side of her eyes. Love...is that a good thing? Ariel wondered. She was afraid of love. She wanted to ask Joe how long will his love last? How long will you see only me? Want only me? We are too young to know what love is. Didn't you kiss Tiffany on the day of our wedding? What kind of love is this? Ariel's logical side wanted an answer. She wanted Joe to answer her, but her heart...her heart didn't want any answer, just his sweet nonsense.
He was quiet again, his finger trailing down the side of her face gently, lovingly as if she was a precious treasure. Ariel felt her face frowning; she didn't like the way Joe was making her feel. He was confusing her, her body was reacting to his touch, needing and wanting more of his caresses, her heart aching for words of love and promises. She felt as if she was losing a battle, she couldn't control how fast and loud her heart beats whenever Joe was near and touching her. Even though logically she wanted to question everything he says, in her heart...in her heart she was falling for him, losing to him.
Joe saw the frown on Ariel's face. He leaned over and kissed her softly on her lips.
"I want you to get better soon so you can return my kisses. I'm not letting you go Ariel."
"What if I don't want to kiss you?"
"I don't care, I'll still kiss you." Joe answered and suddenly realized Ariel spoke. Joe ran out of the room so quickly Ariel wondered if she had imagined him there a few seconds ago. Then, she heard his voice, his very loud voice,
"Dr. Wong! All you nurses! Hurry! my wife's awake!" He shouted in excitement.
