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Chapter 8 Baby Blues

  • "Argh!" The screams made someone rush to find out what had happened. Bill--the man came in very forcefully. He saw Jess' panicked condition. Bill grabbed a glass of water as Jess was still trying to control her ragged breathing. It took five minutes before the mineral water changed hands. Jess gulped it down along with a white pill she had taken from a transparent bottle.
  • "Thank you!" Jess gave Bill a small smile. The man put the empty glass on the nightstand.
  • "You dreamed of it again?" Bill asked, tidying up the bed utensils that were scattered on the marble floor.
  • "Sorry, I always bother you!" Jess' fingers ran through her long hair.
  • "Didn't I get paid for that?" Bill said without looking at Jess' face, his eagle eyes were still on the floor. Jess tugged at the corner of her lips, then pouted as a baby's cry filled her room. Lazy, she rolled her eyes. This is the umpteenth day that the house has been filled with crying babies since she gave birth.
  • "Why did you bring her to my room, Ve?" Jess asked as the baby came with Velove. Velove motioned for Bill to come out. Bill, who understood that, immediately nodded.
  • "Elfara cries all the time, Jess. She doesn't want to drink a bottle of milk. You have to give your milk to her!"
  • "I can't!" Jessy looked away, as if reluctant to see the beautiful baby she had given birth to.
  • "Why? Poor Elfara, Jess. Your breasts look so full, but you didn't give it to your baby one bit." Jess rubbed her temples, the nightmare had just ended. Now, her head is throbbing again at the sound of a baby crying, complete with a sermon from Velove.
  • "Come on, you and Bill just go home. Let me take care of my baby. You're so tired. You've been keeping an eye on her from morning while taking online classes until midnight like this."
  • "Are you alright?"
  • "I am alright. I just need to feed her, and she will sleep until morning."
  • "Okay, I'm going home. Be careful, ok! You really have to take care of her."
  • "Of course, I'm her mother."
  • "Alright, see you tomorrow!" The nineteen-year-old girl had already left the room.
  • Now, there was only Jess and baby Elfara. She stared intently at the crying baby beside her. The baby squirmed looking for something that babies usually suck on. Jessy still let her innocent child cry until her white skin turned red. There is a feeling of guilt that creeps into her chest. She saw Nick in their baby, her brown eyes clear even though they were wet. Jessy stared at Elfara's gums, she couldn't imagine what would happen to her breasts if the baby's mouth sucked on them. The thought of Nick about to leave her flashed, her expression suddenly changed.
  • "No! I can't give my milk to you. You have to give in, Elfara! I don't want my breasts to be ugly because of breastfeeding you. It can fade your father's love for me." Without guilt, Jess got out of bed and changed into her clothes. Elfara's cries grew louder, Jess grabbed the bottle of milk that Velove had brought with her. Now Elfara was in Jess' arms. Elfara looked away, refusing the elastic object that had fallen into her mouth.
  • "Let's drink! Otherwise, you will starve yourself!" Jess held her breath, anger clearing her panda eyes.
  • "Shut up!" Jess raised her voice until the veins in her neck tightened.
  • Jess not only doesn't understand baby language, but also fights with her motherly instincts roughly. The young mother put Elfara on her fire-patterned bed while the innocent baby continued to cry, feeling thirst, and hunger, and the anger. Jess walked away, slamming the door as hard as she could.
  • She walked into the next room to vent her emotions. Jess looked at her reflection in the mirror and regretted her thin body. Jess looked ten years older than her years, her body and beauty were gone. She screamed feeling pain in the chest area. In an instant, the always-tidy room was like a garbage dump. Her appearance was very chaotic. Very far from Jess, who always looks neat and fashionable.
  • Jess leaned back on the sofa, sipping a cigarette. She didn't know since when she liked it, she didn't want to bother remembering it. The young mother was busy watching the smoke rising from her mouth and nose, choosing not to care about poor Elfara.
  • In the morning, Jess saw Elfara in the room. She didn't know how long the baby had been quiet, she didn't notice.
  • As usual, today Jess will call the services of someone who used to bathe Elfara.
  • Surgical wounds in the abdomen cause all activities to be limited. Jess gave a smile. If the baby had been quiet since last night, of course she wouldn't have left her alone. The girl glanced at the baby, there was something different about Elfara. Jess worked up the courage to stroke her baby's chubby cheeks, Jess blushed.
  • "Hey, did you sleep?" Jess' touch gave no reaction.
  • "Get up! If you're hot, tell me. Do not like that!" Elfara remained silent and closed her eyes even though Jess raised her voice.
  • "Elfara!" This time, Jess really made the most of her vocal cords.
  • Sensing something was wrong, Jess called a contact named "Doctor Hans". At her request, the doctor who was used by her family came after twenty minutes. Faster than the girl who used to bathe Elfara. Unfortunately, doctor Hans came together with Velove from a different door, but the direction was the same.
  • "Doctor Hans! Why are you here, who is sick?" Velove's voice came from behind the door. Before he could answer, the thirty-five-year-old's cell phone rang.
  • "Sorry, I picked up the phone for a second!" Doctor Hans answered along with the tone of his cell phone, but that didn't calm Jess down immediately.
  • She doesn't know what she was afraid of, the sound of the door filled the silence, accompanied by the appearance of Velove's figure. Anxiety made Jess nervous. She doesn't know what she will get from the girl with Indonesian blood if she knows Elfara is not okay. During this time, Velove behaved like a mother to her baby. Velove had become very resentful of her since Elfara's birth. Velove looked confused when she looked at Jess. She almost asked but couldn't because of the arrival of doctor Hans.
  • "Hello, Mrs. Jess! What's wrong with your baby?" Velove looked confused by the doctor's question.
  • "I-I don't know! You just check on her!" Doctor Hans nodded.
  • "Jess, what's wrong with Elfara?" asked Velove.
  • "Mrs. Jessy, your baby has a high fever. Why don't you take her to the hospital right away?"
  • "What? Fever?" Jess stammered, the doctor's statement took them by surprise.
  • "Fever? How could it be? Jessy, why does Elfara have a fever? Last night I left her fine." Velove shot Jess a probing look.
  • "Possibly, the child is dehydrated due to lack of fluids," said doctor Hans.
  • "I give you a temporary prescription, you should take her to the hospital to get the right treatment. I'm sorry!"
  • "Okay, thank you. Sorry for bothering you."
  • "It's okay, come on!" Jess flashed a forced smile. After Hans's departure, Jess gets intimidated by Velove.
  • "Explain to me what you did to Elfara!" Jess, who was just about to hold her baby, returned Velove's gaze.
  • "What am I doing?"
  • "Losing Nick doesn't make you deaf, does it, Jess?"
  • "Why are you talking like I'm losing my mind?"
  • "If you're so sane, what did you do to make your own baby have a fever like that?"
  • "Why are you acting like you're her mother, and I'm her babysitter? You ask, what am I doing, huh? I did everything to keep the kid quiet. I tried so hard to give her a drink. If she doesn't want to drink, is it my fault?" Jess shouted while cornering the girl in front of her.
  • "So you didn't give her breast milk?"
  • "Why? Breastfeeding or not is my business. You have no right to control me. Don't forget, what is your position and title here. If it weren't for my husband's mercy, you wouldn't have been able to continue your education that far."
  • Plaque!
  • A slap landed perfectly on Jessy's cheek, she felt heat run up her cheeks. The woman stared blankly at the stupid girl in front of her.
  • "You really are out of your mind, Jessy. Nick is unlucky to have a wife like you. You are not only a bad mother, but also a bad wife. From now on, I will not take care of your life anymore!" Velove's words had pierced the recesses of Jess' heart, but she could no longer do anything, but just open her mouth.
  • "Sorry, Elfara. God will surely take care of you." Velove kissed Elfara's forehead. Suddenly, a tear rolled down Elfara's hot forehead.
  • "Remember one thing, Jessy. Nick would hate you if he knew your true nature!" said Velove, before actually leaving.
  • "I'm a bad wife? I'm a bad mother? No, no. That's impossible." Jess shuffled away, Velove's body was gone, but the hurtful words still lingered in her head.