Chapter 43

Aurora's POV
The anxiety returned as I continued to check his body temperature. "Please do your best for my son," I begged the doctor who immediately understood the situation. The voice that came out of my mouth was shaking, and my heart prayed that they would be able to help him well.
The doctor looked at me seriously, "We will do everything we can, ma'am. Let's check Roland's condition first." After that, they began to do a quick examination.
I stood beside my mother, squeezing her hand as the doctor examined Roland. "He's not used to being like this," I said, my voice shaking, "He's never been sick like this before. What could have happened to him?"
The doctor calmed me down and explained, “It could be the effect of fever after an infection or virus. We need to do some tests to find out the cause.”
While he was talking, I observed Roland lying weakly and trying to give up. “Roland, honey. Mommy is here. You will be fine,” I said, trying to calm my heart and at the same time give him encouragement.
The medical team immediately took action. They started to put in an IV and did tests to find out the cause of his fever. Seeing all the procedures, I felt mixed feelings. Fear and love mixed into one.
Every second felt like an eternity waiting for the results. As I held Roland’s small hand, I couldn’t take my mind off Dante’s critical situation that I left behind. In my heart, I seemed to be having a dialogue with God, begging Him to take care of both of them.
Can Roland get through this? Can Dante recover soon? Hoping, I kept praying in my heart for their health and safety. And even though the pain in my heart was gnawing at me, I knew I had to be strong for them.
When the doctor came out to give me the news, I could only hope and wait, ready to accept all the news he would bring. This is all for my family—I will fight and not give up.
“Your son has dengue fever, Mom,” the doctor said in a serious tone.
Hearing the news, everything seemed to stop. “What? How could that be?” I asked, confused and still trying to process the information I had just received. Dengue fever? This felt completely unreasonable. He was still a baby, and our house was clean and well-maintained.
“Roland didn’t show any other symptoms besides a high fever?” the doctor continued, seeing my confused expression.
“I don’t know! He just had a fever and was cranky, no other signs,” I answered, my voice shaking. Even though I already knew that fever could mean many things, dengue fever was something I wanted to avoid. “We’ve had immunizations…!”
The doctor explained gently, “Even though the house is clean, dengue fever is caused by a virus transmitted by mosquitoes. Sometimes, there are outbreaks that are hard to predict, and babies can be exposed without us realizing it.”
Tears began to well up in my eyes. “I can’t believe this is happening to Roland. He’s so young. How are we going to handle this?” I said, sadness washing over me.
“We’ll give him the intensive care he needs. We’ll also monitor him closely and give him IV fluids to prevent dehydration from the fever,” the doctor continued, trying to reassure me and give me hope.
Hearing his explanation, I felt a little relieved, but my worry still lingered in my heart. “How long will he be here?” I asked, hoping to understand what was ahead.
“That depends on how quickly Roland’s condition improves. We’ll do everything we can to make sure he recovers, but you need to be patient. And for now, focus on Julius’s care,” the doctor said firmly.
Roland lay weakly in his bed as the medical team began to administer treatment. I squeezed my own hands, trying to gather some composure amidst this anxiety. In my heart, I prayed continuously that he would pull through.
“Please, God, give Roland strength and don’t let him suffer any longer,” I whispered to myself, imagining his little face smiling brightly, healthy and happy.
“Mom will be here with you, Roland. No matter what happens, you are not alone,” I said softly, determined to be a support for my struggling son. In this situation, for Roland and for Dante, I will stay strong for them.
My mind was in a state of chaos. How could I possibly not deal with one problem without getting caught up in another? First, Dante was in critical condition, now Roland was sick, and our other two babies were left with only two babysitters at home. All of these feelings of anxiety were creating a storm inside me, and it was almost unbearable.
I tried to stay calm, but everything that was happening was making my heart flutter and my mind hard to focus. “What if they’re worried about the babies? What if something happens at home?” I said, fear infused into every word I spoke.
My mother, who always tried to calm me down, rubbed my shoulder gently. “Let’s hope they’ll be okay with the babysitters. Besides, we can keep an eye on everything by calling them,” she said, trying to provide some reassurance amidst the chaos.
“Yes, you’re right,” I replied, trying to convince myself. “But I’m just not so sure…”
“Roland will get the best care here. We have to trust the medical team and the people who are taking care of the babies at home. They know what to do,” she said, her voice full of conviction. “And don’t forget, we can still communicate with them.”
Slowly, I tried to remember my mother’s words. It was true, even though the situation was beyond our control, there were certain things we could do. I took a deep breath, trying to control my feelings. “Okay. I’ll call the babysitter and check on the situation at home,” I said, trying to apply my mother’s advice.