GWANG. Are you guys ready to meet your baby brother?
JENNA. Yes!!! Eddie, it’s our brother! You’re not the littlest anymore!
FAA. You know I’ve got to check on my baby.
JIP. Thank you, Maa.
FAA. Your father would be so proud of you. I know I am.
JIP. Come on, don’t make me cry!
FAA. I’m sorry! I just wish he could see this beautiful family you’ve created. We are so blessed.
JENNA. Papa, what’s his name?
GWANG. His name is Alexander, but we’ll call him Alec.
JENNA. Ohh, Alec. Hey, why’s he in this box?
GWANG. He was so excited to meet everybody, he came out before he was supposed to. His little body needs some help learning to be outside of Mama’s belly before he can be on his own.
FAA. [Soft laugh] Alec is such a perfect name. It’s so close to lek—small. He’s such a tiny little thing.
DR. DAVIS. [Smiling] Jip, I didn’t expect to see you so soon.
JIP. Yeah, neither did we. This is too soon. Is there a way to help him…I don’t know…bake a little longer?
DR. DAVIS. Things don’t always go as planned. I hear your water broke after you checked in?
JIP. Yes.
DR. DAVIS. You’ve lost a lot of amniotic fluid. Baby can’t stay without it.
GWANG. So, he’s coming now? Will he be okay?
DR. DAVIS. He’ll be considered late pre-term. We’ll have to monitor him. Extra risks. He should be okay. Look, Jip, you’re not very far dilated right now. Try to get some rest.
GWANG. My love, what is it? Dr. Davis said he’ll be okay.
JIP. She said he should be okay.
GWANG. Jip…we’ve done this before. It wasn’t like this with Jenna and Eddie. I should feel like I know what I’m doing, but I feel lost. I can’t protect him.
JIP. You can’t control everything. We’re in the right place; we have a good doctor. This is the best possible thing for him.
DR. DAVIS. Good morning, Mom and Dad. Jip, how are you feeling?
JIP. Exhausted. Scared.
DR. DAVIS. I know the nurse has been performing cervical exams throughout the night…we haven’t seen much change.
GWANG. What does that mean?
DR. DAVIS. We’ll continue to monitor and try to help you along, but I want to prepare you for the possibility of an emergency C-section.
JIP. Oh, no! Dr. Davis, I can’t do that.
DR. DAVIS. I know how you feel about a C-section; that’s why we’re doing everything we can to avoid it. Still, depending on how things move along with your cervix, it may be unavoidable.
Hours later
JIP. Gwang?
GWANG. [Stirring] Hm? How long’s it been? Ugh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t even realize I fell asleep.
JIP. [Sighs] Too long…we’re not making progress.
GWANG. Even with the Pitocin?
JIP. The Pitocin is moving the contractions along, but my cervix won’t budge. Dr. Davis stopped by earlier—
GWANG. You didn’t wake me?
JIP. [Sighs] She said that because my water’s already broken, he’s running out of amniotic fluid…and time.
GWANG. Has she given any updates as far as a C-section goes?
JIP. They’re going to try a couple things to get my cervix to soften and dilate, but she said a C-section was likely.
GWANG.I’m sorry. I know all this is so different than what you had in mind.
JIP. All I’m asking for now is a healthy baby.
Hours later
DR. DAVIS. Alright, Jip, you’ve been here almost two full days now. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but…
GWANG. It’s time.
DR. DAVIS. Yes. We’ve taken it as long as we can—it’s no longer safe for baby or mom.
JIP. Thank you for trying, Dr. Davis. I know I’ve fought the idea of a C-section this whole pregnancy, but I’m so exhausted. I’m ready to meet our baby.
i physically cannot refrain from posting wholesome family content 😭 even in atd which is supposed to be dark and dramatic i have to indulge myself with the wholesome family first i can’t help it
GWANG. I just got off the phone with my mother! Hey, scoot, make some room on the couch. What do you need a whole couch for, huh?
JIP. [Laughing] I’m lounging for two right now. What did your mother say?
GWANG. Maew had her baby! He was born early this morning, around 4am their time. 7 for us.
FAA. Gwang, congratulations! What did they name him?
GWANG. Kasemchai, but they’re calling him Trin.
JIP. Oh, that’s so exciting! Baby Trin. You guys hear that? Your baby cousin was just born!
JENNA. A baby! Eddie, a baby! Even smaller than you, baby!
FAA. Ah, Gwang, maybe when things calm down for them you can ask them to send over some pictures for us to see him!
GWANG. Of course, Maa.
…
GWANG. Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?
JIP. Oh, yeah, I’m fine. I’ve just been thinking about your sister. The way she was feeling at her wedding, I just get nervous for her.
GWANG. [Sigh] I know, me too. I’m nervous for Trin, too. But she’s not alone, you know? We may be across the country, but she still has my parents, and Fon.
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Dear friends, Beloved family, and kind hearts, I come to you with a heavy heart a… Ahmed Almajdoub needs your support for Help Aya's famil
FAA. [Laughing] Why? It’s not like you’ve never done this before. Better get it out soon, you’ll start showing before you know it.
JIP. Because they’re blabbermouths. Once I tell them, I’ll have to tell the whole school. …And my principal.
FAA. Why are you so worried about telling your principal? Is it a maternity leave issue?
JIP. I don’t know. Eddie was born in July, so I didn’t have to take a lot of leave while school was out for the summer. This baby is due in June, so I might only need to take a few weeks this time. I’m just concerned that I started this year a few weeks late, and I’ll probably be ending it a couple weeks early.
FAA. If you ask me, I think that’s better than taking 12 weeks off in the middle of the year. Your boss will probably thank you for timing it so well. You have nothing to worry about. Now, tell me about these girls you’re having over! You’re baking cookies?
JIP. ‘Tis the season, right? It’s Audra and Liz. You’ve met Audra before, but Liz is a new English teacher. Audra and I hit it off with her pretty well, and she has a daughter Jenna’s age.
FAA. Aww! Is she bringing her?
JIP. Of course! They’ll go to preschool together next year too, so I’m hoping this will be her first little friend. Maa, she’s SO excited for girls’ day.
FAA. I bet she is! Are Gwang and Eddie having a boys’ day, then?
JIP. [Laughing] They’re gonna try. Eddie might just sleep through it.
LIZ. Christmas cookiessss! So exciting, baking always gets me in the Christmas spirit. Jip, do you celebrate?
JIP. [Smiling] Ah, no, we’re Buddhists. But it’s fun to be festive when everyone else around us is. I like putting up the cards people send us, but that’s the extent of the Christmas festivities in our house. Audra and I like to get together at least once a month to do something fun, so baking cookies seemed perfect for December!
AUDRA. Yes! And we are so happy you’re joining us, Liz.
LIZ. You have no idea! I’m so glad you guys invited me; it’s so hard making friends in a new job.
AUDRA. It is! [Grinning] So…I brought a bottle of wine to celebrate this group we’re forming! Don’t worry Jip, it’s a sweet red so I know you’ll like it better than that last bottle I brought over.
JIP. Oh, thank you…[sigh] I appreciate the thought, and I hope the two of you enjoy, but…I can’t.
AUDRA. [Raising eyebrows] Oh?
JIP. [Soft laugh] Yes, yes. I’m pregnant again.
LIZ. No way! I just met you when you came back from maternity leave in September!
JIP. I know, I know. I’m nearly 16 weeks along now. [Laughing] Had to start telling people before I started showing.
AUDRA. Jip, congratulations! All the more reason to celebrate. Does Newcomb know yet?
JIP. Ugh, no. I’m telling him on Monday.
LIZ. Do you know if it’s a boy or girl?
JIP. Not yet, the anatomy scan is sometime next month. My Mom swears it’s a boy, though; we’ve already got one of each, so I just need a healthy baby.
AUDRA. How are you feeling about it?
JIP. Jeez, you guys ask a lot of questions! I feel good. I was super nervous when I first found out, of course. Gwang helped me feel a lot better about the whole thing, and my Mom was overjoyed, even while she was already holding a crying infant.
AUDRA. And Jenna?
JIP. Jenna is…[laughing] still getting used to Eddie, but she seems open to the idea of another little sibling.
LIZ. Speaking of Jenna, look at her and Sydney! They’re already getting along so well.
AUDRA. Ladies, I think this is the start of something beautiful. For all of us!
JIP. Definitely. And don’t worry, Liz. You’ll settle into Walt Whitman, it just takes time.
AUDRA. It definitely took me a while! But you’re one of the teachers my students complain about the least, so you’re doing something right.
LIZ. Ugh, good, because these ninth graders are giving me a run for my money!
JIP. You better cheer up. I’ve got plans for you when we get back, and I can’t have you grumpy for it.
GWANG. I like the sound of that.
JIP. Not TOO cheery, now.
Back at Van and Gai’s home, in the guest bedroom
GWANG. Ugh, that was painful.
JIP. [laughing] Which part? The guestlist full of your parents’ friends and business partners, or the bride and groom who clearly didn’t want to be there?
GWANG. [scoffing] The whole damn thing. I’m just glad it’s over. I can’t wait to get back to the kids, I’m sure your mom has her hands full with them.
JIP. She loves it. Speaking of the kids… [Deep breath] Okay, listen, I can’t hold it in anymore. I’m pregnant.
GWANG. [staring]
JIP. I took a test this morning. I just wanted to rule it out, I really didn’t think it would be positive. …Oh come on, say something.
GWANG. Are you okay?
JIP. I’m scared. This is really soon; we just had Eddie, Jenna’s still getting used to being a big sister, it feels like my body is still recovering, I just went back to work! When this baby’s born, we’re going to have three kids under four. Eddie and this baby might not even be a full year apart! This is going to be so hard for us, and so hard for my mom when we’re at work.
GWANG. [Sighs] It’s a lot. But it will all be alright–these things happen for a reason. This baby might be the blessing we never even knew we needed.
JIP. You really think it’ll be okay?
GWANG. It’s going to be hard, but I know we can handle it. You are an amazing mother to Jenna and Eddie, and you will be just amazing to this baby. Especially with your mother’s help, I promise we will be just fine.
JIP. I should have known you’d help me feel so much better about it all. [Laughing] You are never worried about anything!
GWANG. [Grinning] I always know everything will be okay when I have you by my side. Now, about those plans you had for me…
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