A week had passed since the strange craving incident, and now the young expectant mother was whining and crying because she didn’t want her husband to leave.
That morning, in the warmth of their living room, Meinny sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the large window. Tears slowly fell, leaving trails on her smooth cheeks. She gently rubbed her swollen belly, trying to calm her baby. However, her heart was filled with worry.
Jay, her handsome husband who always made her feel safe, had just entered the living room, dressed in a neat black suit. He knew he couldn’t avoid the scheduled business meeting in Russia. But there seemed to be something that touched his heart when he saw Meinny sitting in silence.
"Baby, please don't cry anymore, okay?" Jay said softly.
Meinny turned to him, her tears flowing even more. Her sobs almost sounded like a moan.
"Hubby... Why do you have to go? You promised... you promised you wouldn't leave me during times like this," Meinny sobbed.
Jay approached her, sitting beside Meinny and taking her hand. "Sweetheart, this is just temporary. Only two weeks, and I’ll be back. I don’t want to leave you, you know that?"
Meinny pulled her hand away and looked down.
"But I’m scared, hubby. I’m scared that something might happen to me or our baby. You won’t be here to protect me, to take care of me… I need you, hubby. I feel so alone," she said, her tears flowing even more.
Jay was silent for a moment, guilt creeping into his heart. He knew just how big the anxiety was that Meinny was feeling. After all, this was their first pregnancy, and there were many things that were still new for Meinny. Not to mention the hormonal changes that made Meinny’s emotions even more sensitive.
"Sweetie, listen, I’ll keep in touch with you all the time. I’ll call, text, whatever you need. You’re never alone. I’ll always be there for you, even if distance separates us," Jay said softly.
"But… I don’t want to sleep alone... I don’t want to wake up in the morning without you here. Can’t you postpone it? I know this business is important, but I need you now, hubby," Meinny said through sobs.
Jay looked at her with love in his eyes. "Sweetheart, I understand everything. I don’t want to go either. But I have to do this, for our future. You have to trust me. I promise, these two weeks will pass quickly. We’ll be together again, more than ever."
Meinny bit her lip, trying to hold back the growing tears. Her belly, now starting to show, seemed to add to the unease in her heart. Every second without Jay felt like it was dragging on, especially since she felt unprepared to face it all alone.
"I’m scared, Jay. I’m scared that something might happen. I’m scared that our baby... might not be okay..." Meinny whispered, almost inaudible.
Jay pulled Meinny into his arms, letting her tired body lean against his chest. He gently kissed her hair, trying to offer the sense of security she so desperately needed at that moment.
"Meinny, I promise, everything will be alright. You and our baby mean everything to me. I’ll come back, and we’ll get through this together," Jay whispered.
Jay held Meinny tightly, as if trying to give her the warmth that could overcome her fear and anxiety. Even though he knew that no words could erase the fear she was feeling, all he could do was promise that he would return as soon as possible.
But deep in his heart, Jay also felt anxious. Two weeks without Meinny, without seeing her every day, without hearing her voice. It was a long time. However, he knew this was part of his responsibility.
The big decision he had to make was to entrust his four-month pregnant wife to his parents. Even though there were many maids at their home ready to help, Jay still felt uneasy. He felt that no one could replace him. No one could provide the same sense of security as he could, especially as Meinny was going through this pregnancy full of changes.
Jay let out a long sigh as he looked at his wife, who was holding him tightly.
"Baby, I have to leave now. You can manage, right?"
Meinny smiled, though her eyes still showed deep worry. "Yes, hubby. I’ll stay strong and wait for you to come back."
Jay moved closer and gently kissed her whole face, trying to give her strength, even though his own heart was filled with doubt.
Jay, with a soft yet determined voice, said, "You and our baby will be fine. My parents will take care of you. They know exactly what you need. I… I just want you to feel calm and safe. They will always be there for you, sweetie."
However, even though his words sounded full of assurance, Jay knew that his anxiety wouldn’t just disappear. All this time, he had been by Meinny’s side, supporting her through every step, every moment of change. Now, for the first time, he had to go far away, leaving Meinny while she was pregnant with their child.
When they arrived at his parents' house, Jay nodded slowly to his parents, who greeted him with warm smiles.
"Jay, Meinny will be fine. We’ll take care of her. Don’t worry, son," said Jay's mother, looking at her worried son.
"But, Mom... I still can’t shake this feeling. I just want her to feel safe, especially now, during her pregnancy. It’s her first time, Mom," Jay replied softly.
Jay’s father gently patted his shoulder. "We’ll take good care of Meinny. There’s nothing for you to worry about. Remember, we have experience. Take care of yourself over there. We’ll look after her as best as we can."
However, even though his parents' words were calming, Jay knew his anxiety wouldn’t go away. All he could do was hope that the two weeks would pass quickly, and that Meinny would stay healthy and calm.
Before leaving for the airport, Jay walked over to his wife, who was sitting on the sofa in his family’s home, her head down.
As he approached, he heard the soft sobs escaping from his beautiful wife’s lips. Without wasting any time, Jay gently lifted her face, and as he expected, she was crying again.
"Shhh… it’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll try to come home earlier than expected," Jay said as he hugged her and kissed her tear-streaked face.
"Hiks... hubby... promise me you’ll come back soon and be with me and our baby," Meinny pleaded through her sobs, returning his embrace.
Jay nodded and kissed her lips for the last time before leaving. Slowly, he stood up and looked at Meinny, trying to smile despite the heavy feeling pressing on his chest.
After giving a long, heartfelt hug, Jay turned and walked to the door, but his steps felt heavy. At the door, he paused for a moment, looking back at Meinny, who was sitting on the sofa with uncertainty in her eyes, watching him with both hope and worry.
"I love you, baby. Don’t doubt it, okay? We’ll be alright," Jay said in a hoarse voice.
With a deep breath, Jay opened the door and stepped out. Outside, the car was waiting to take him to the airport. But his heart remained behind, in that house.
Jay’s parents, who had witnessed the scene, simply smiled with understanding, knowing exactly how their son and daughter-in-law felt. Jay's mother, seeing her beautiful daughter-in-law crying again, hurried over to embrace her. Her husband followed to comfort their sad and sensitive daughter-in-law.
A few hours passed, and now Jay had safely arrived at his destination. Upon landing in Russia, everything around Jay felt very different. The cold air immediately greeted him as he stepped out of the plane.
After finishing all the procedures at the airport, Jay quickly left and got into a car that had been waiting for him. He was about to attend an important meeting today because he wanted to finish his work as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the pregnant woman was whining to her in-laws that she wanted to eat something sour, like young mangoes and lime, but they had to be found by Jay’s father. Wanting to show their love for their beautiful daughter-in-law, Jay’s mother and father agreed to fulfill Meinny’s cravings with joy.
Jay’s mother captured a few moments with her daughter-in-law, taking some photos and videos with her phone and sending them to her son in Russia.
"Eomma... why is Appa taking so long?" Meinny asked playfully, hugging her mother-in-law’s arm tightly.
"Be patient, my beautiful daughter-in-law. Appa will be here soon," she replied, gently stroking her daughter-in-law’s increasingly fuller cheek.
"Hurff... I can’t wait to eat them," Meinny murmured softly.
A few minutes later, Jay’s father returned, holding a white plastic bag containing the fruit Meinny wanted to eat. Meinny walked slowly toward him, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"This is for my beautiful daughter-in-law," said Jay’s father, understanding the meaning behind his daughter-in-law’s gaze.
"Thank you so much, Appa," Meinny said as she took the bag from her father-in-law’s hands. She walked with enthusiasm to the kitchen, eager to peel the fruit and enjoy it.
Jay’s mother and father watched their daughter-in-law’s antics with affection. Jay’s mother told her husband to rest while she accompanied Meinny to fulfill her cravings.
In the kitchen, Jay’s mother quickly took out her phone to record what her daughter-in-law was doing. Meinny’s adorable behavior made anyone who saw it feel warm inside. The pregnant woman was eating while standing and occasionally swaying her hips, saying, "This is so delicious."
After the video was sent, Jay’s mother approached her and they ate together while chatting about the life they had lived and the one that was yet to come.
-----
Tringg...
The sound of Jay’s phone on the nightstand. The phone had rung several times, indicating that there were new messages.
Having just finished showering after his business meeting, Jay decided to put on his clothes before checking the messages. Once done, he sat on the hotel bed and opened the messages.
"Eomma..?" he murmured softly as he saw his mother’s name in the sender field.
Jay quickly opened the message, worried something had happened to his wife or family. However, it was just his anxiety talking, as he saw his mother had sent a lot of photos and videos of his wife’s activities that day.
Jay opened all the pictures and videos, smiling occasionally as he saw his wife’s happy face on the screen of his expensive phone.
"You’re so cute and irresistible, baby, damn! I can’t wait to see you again," Jay said, still watching his wife’s random antics.
Jay decided to contact his wife before going to bed that night. But after checking the time, he changed his mind. The time difference meant it was 9 PM where Jay was, while in Korea, it was 3 AM, meaning his wife was probably already asleep. So, Jay decided to send a voice note instead, so his wife could read and reply to his message the next morning.
"Good morning, baby. Sorry I couldn’t contact you today because I was busy with work. I was about to call you, but it seems our time zones are different. You must be fast asleep by now. So, I didn’t call you. I love you and miss you both, sweetie! Stay healthy, okay? Hubby is going to sleep now," was the voice note Jay sent to his wife.
After sending the message, Jay stopped using his phone and got ready for bed so he could wake up early the next day and continue working.
-----
Days passed, and to ease the longing in their hearts, Jay and Meinny often made video calls whenever they had free time. They never failed to express their love for each other to strengthen their hearts during this long-distance relationship.
But something was different these past two days. Meinny hadn’t received any messages or video calls from her husband. She tried to stay positive, thinking that maybe her husband was just busy with work.
After thinking about her husband for a while, the pregnant woman finally couldn’t hold it in any longer. Slowly, tears began to flow down her chubby cheeks. She cried while lying on her husband’s bed, hugging his shirt that still smelled of him.
"Hubby... I miss you... where are you now?" Mei murmured softly, sobbing.
Jay's mother, who was about to bring some pregnancy milk for her daughter-in-law, quickly hurried to her son's room. She saw her beautiful daughter-in-law's small shoulders shaking from crying.
Jay's mother approached and placed the pregnancy milk on the nightstand, gently stroking Meinny's hair.
"Why is my beautiful daughter-in-law crying, hm?" Jay’s mother asked softly.
Meinny was startled because she hadn’t noticed her mother-in-law entering the room. However, her shock didn’t last long as she was deeply worried about her husband who hadn’t contacted her.
"Eomma... has Jay contacted you?" Meinny asked, her voice breaking.
"No, darling. Jay last contacted me two days ago. Why?" Jay’s mother replied honestly.
"Hiks... Eomma... Jay last messaged me two days ago too," said Meinny, now crying even harder.
Jay's mother immediately hugged her daughter-in-law to calm her down.
"Calm down, Meinny, maybe Jay is just busy. Don’t think too much about it, or the baby will be sad too," Jay’s mother said, gently rubbing her daughter-in-law's back.
After a few minutes of waiting for Meinny to calm down, she finally fell asleep.
Jay’s mother, who had originally planned to have her daughter-in-law drink the pregnancy milk, decided to wait. She would have Meinny drink it when she woke up.
Jay's mother quietly left her daughter-in-law’s room, taking the milk with her. As she opened the door, she was startled by her son, who had been the one to make his pregnant wife cry earlier.