"Daisy..." Leena said weakly at the sight of the woman. Her nose twitched upon seeing Daisy's uniform as it reminded her of Kevin, the one person she wanted to see the most. Although many came to accompany her, she could still feel Kevin's absence. Hence, the sheer color of Daisy's clothes was enough to remind her about it.
"Nothing to be afraid of, Leena," comforted Daisy. "I'll be there with you." As someone who was once in that position herself, Daisy understood how Leena was feeling. Helpless, and flustered, like things were falling out of place. But Leena was more fortunate to be surrounded by those who cared about her, and whether it was family or friends, they made sure to let her know she wasn't alone during all of this.
"Thank you..." Leena said with a relieved smile. Then her face twisted into a frown, and she appeared to hold back the pain as the contractions began again.
"Please take great care of Leena, Daisy," said Duke gratefully. Since he had been worrying about Leena going into the delivery room alone, Daisy's arrival was a great reassurance for him. With her around now, Leena might find it less uncomfortable and frightening to go into labor. While his sister didn't like to show it, he knew her too well to ignore her current fears. After all, it was normal for women to have anxieties during pregnancy labor, and Leena was no exception.
"Rest assured. I will," said Daisy assertively. After she was done assuring the worried men, she entered the delivery room with Leena, holding her hand comfortingly.
Every moment that passed rendered everyone's anxiety to grow stronger and bigger, particularly now that Leena was at high risk, and they weren't sure what to expect. While waiting for the outcome, they paced restlessly in the corridor, back and forth. Once in a while, they would meet each other's gaze without exchanging words. As they couldn't do anything further to directly help at this point, they were left feeling restless in the waiting area.
"Sing me a song, Daisy," Leena requested suddenly. "A song you often sing at the army base." The pain had become so unbearable that she sought for a distraction to keep herself conscious.
"No problem," Daisy said gently. "Let's see. Why don't I sing 'I'm Only A Soldier' for you then?" Through her firm grip, Daisy could feel her trembling. For someone who grew up as an overprotected princess who was adored by everyone around her, Leena must've found it taxing to bear this kind of pain.
"Thank you," said Leena, giving a faint smile. As the pain grew more intense, her face turned paler.
Daisy bowed to kiss her on the forehead. Wiping off the sweat beads that trickled down the distressed woman's temple, she began to sing one of her favorite songs, ignoring the medical workers around them.
"Though I'm only a soldier, I can tell things about love," sang Daisy. "But sorry I must tell you I can't give up my uniform. You may get roses from some other man, but I really want to hold you, as tight as I hold guns in my hand." Although it was a melancholic song, it appealed to Leena, and worked as a distraction from the immense pain.
Immersed in the song herself, Daisy relived old moments from her past as she continued to sing. Her persistence, craziness, and all her sorrow, all remained fresh in her memory.
"You heard that, Leena?" Daisy was saying in her ear. "Come on, keep breathing. Yes, and then - push!" As Leena was doing an amazing job so far, Daisy made it a point to keep encouraging her. Every so often, she'd chime in a piece of advice that could make her feel less uncomfortable.
"I miss..." sobbed Leena. "I miss Kevin so much, Daisy..." The pain got stronger by the second, and after a few more minutes, she felt as though she lost control of her body and emotions at the same time. Her longing for Kevin, who had been away for half a month, continued to multiply as time went by. And as she grabbed onto Daisy's hand tightly, the feelings reached the zenith in her moment of desperation.
"I know, I know," Daisy replied, stroking her forehead. "He must be worried about you and the baby right now." If there was any way she could, she would have volunteered to carry out the mission to replace Kevin. That way, he could be the one by Leena's side instead. But as that wasn't the case, being present was the next best thing Daisy could do for the couple.
"Push! That's it! You can do it. It's - it's coming!" Hearing the doctor cheer her on, Leena focused on her voice and did as she was told.
"Ahhh!" Leena let out another cry of pain as she pushed. It was at that point when she experienced a kind of pain that she never thought it existed. Instinctively, she doubled the strength to squeeze Daisy's hand, trying to reduce the pain that was almost suffocating her. It was as though she was trying to share the pain, and Daisy accepted it.
"That's it, that's it! Push! I can see it's coming!" Whenever Leena thought her soul was abandoning her, she could feel its return thanks to the doctor's encouragement. It allowed her to somehow muster all the strength and courage that she had left.
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