Chapter 5 Trying A New Life
I got out of the hospital bed after straightening my clothes. "What can I do after this?" I'm still confused, but I'm starting to feel guilty for having considered aborting my baby.
"Stay alive, keep eating, and make sure the fetus in your womb is doing well." Damian didn't know how difficult my situation was. My parents didn't know about this; they would definitely be disappointed and wouldn't let me stay outside alone without their supervision again.
"My parents will definitely be disappointed," I said sadly.
"But they need to know." I shook my head in response. Damian's gaze was full of questions; perhaps at times like these family support is very important, but I couldn't express it quickly to my parents.
"As long as I can keep this baby alive and ensure a safe delivery, I have to go somewhere else where my parents won't find out about this from the people around me." I'm trying to get Damian to understand; right now, only Lily and Damian know I'm pregnant.
"Alright, that means you need some time alone until the baby is born. This is better; at least you're not trying to hurt this baby anymore. But you have to promise that after your baby is born, you'll tell your parents about them. Because besides you, no one will love this baby more than this baby's own grandparents." I nodded in agreement, and in my heart, I was glad that Damian was willing to support my decision.
"I have an apartment that I'm not using, and it's strategically located for waiting until the birth arrives. If you want, you can stay there." Without thinking twice, I nodded in agreement to stay there for a while.
That night, after Damian finished work, he drove me to his apartment. The location was quite far, and I was very touched because Damian treated me so well. Damian didn't let me carry a single one of my belongings into the car; he just asked me to rest and sit down a lot.
After all my belongings were in his car and we were ready to leave, Damian suddenly brought a plastic bag from the passenger seat to give to me. "Your baby needs nourishment; eat plenty during the journey." I was stunned; there were so many fruits, cakes, milk, and other snacks in that plastic bag.
I glanced at Damian, who was now focused on driving. A man like Damian should never be lonely and should always have a girlfriend. As far as I can tell, Damian is very attentive and understanding of women. Perhaps a woman needs to be able to distinguish between work and not until she realizes how difficult it is to find a good man like Damian.
I reached for an apple without hesitation and ate it. Damian said the journey was quite long, so I had to make it as comfortable as possible.
"If I live in your apartment, where will you live, Damian?" I asked, making small talk.
"Live in my house. It's not far from the apartment you'll be living in. And I don't live with my parents either." Damian seemed to be explaining; perhaps he was afraid I would feel uncomfortable.
"Make sure the fridge is never empty; you need to eat a lot. I'll also keep the fetal heart rate monitor in case you want to hear the sound that proves there's life inside your womb. There are many books in the second room; I've made it into a mini-library if you get bored. Ah, don't forget to always talk to the baby in your womb." Damian flooded me with messages, and now the car isn't quiet anymore.
"You need to keep your mood up by fulfilling your need for endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin to keep your baby healthy. Actually, it's not just medicine that pregnant women need, but also a calm mind," Damian said sincerely, and I never thought Damian was rejected by women because of his job, even though he knows women's needs the best.
"What should I do to keep my hormones balanced?" I admit that I am an amateur; this is my first time, and I still need to learn and understand more to become a mother.
"Endorphins can be released through humor or laughter, exercise, yoga, and meditation. Dopamine can be obtained by listening to music, learning new things, reading books, and pursuing hobbies. Unlike serotonin, which can be obtained by walking, living a healthy lifestyle, and eating delicious food. Meanwhile, oxytocin can be fulfilled through warm hugs, support from those around you, showing affection, and even massages." Damian explained at length.
I just nodded to show that I understood. The main point is that I just need to make sure I'm happy and that I have enough nutrition for myself and my baby.
Without realizing it, we had arrived at Damian's unoccupied apartment. After unloading all the items from the car, Damian pointed to the second floor, where there was a window with an unlit lamp.
"That's my room. I was originally going to sell it because I got a new place to live. But I held it back for a while because I was a little hesitant; now I'm grateful that my apartment can be useful to someone." Damian muttered, looking towards the apartment he was in.
"I will pay the rent as long as I live here." Even though he's a friend, Damian is someone I haven't seen in a long time, and we weren't that close back in school either. Maybe we only spoke a few times during group assignments, and that was it. It felt awkward accepting all this from Damian, but I'm very grateful.
"Stay without thinking about anything. I don't need a tenant; I'm genuinely helping a friend," Damian said, smiling as he picked up my belongings and led me inside.
As Damian pressed the door lock button, the clicking rhythm of the button being pressed coincided with the ring of an incoming message on my phone. While waiting for Damian, I opened a message from an unknown number.
"Daniella, I saw you with a man I don't recognize. Did you find a replacement for me that quickly?" My heart skipped a beat instantly; I knew for sure this was a message from Dylan.