blessed be

JENNA. Mama! 

JIP. Oh, my babies! All my babies are here! 

GWANG. Are you guys ready to meet your baby brother? 

JENNA. Yes!!! Eddie, it’s our brother! You’re not the littlest anymore!

FAA. You know I’ve got to check on my baby. 

JIP. Thank you, Maa. 

FAA. Your father would be so proud of you. I know I am. 

JIP. Come on, don’t make me cry! 

FAA. I’m sorry! I just wish he could see this beautiful family you’ve created. We are so blessed.

JENNA. Papa, what’s his name? 

GWANG. His name is Alexander, but we’ll call him Alec. 

JENNA. Ohh, Alec. Hey, why’s he in this box? 

GWANG. He was so excited to meet everybody, he came out before he was supposed to. His little body needs some help learning to be outside of Mama’s belly before he can be on his own.

Suburban Hospital

Bethesda, MD

May 1998

DR. DAVIS. [Smiling] Jip, I didn’t expect to see you so soon. 

JIP. Yeah, neither did we. This is too soon. Is there a way to help him…I don’t know…bake a little longer? 

DR. DAVIS. Things don’t always go as planned. I hear your water broke after you checked in? 

JIP. Yes. 

DR. DAVIS. You’ve lost a lot of amniotic fluid. Baby can’t stay without it. 

GWANG. So, he’s coming now? Will he be okay? 

DR. DAVIS. He’ll be considered late pre-term. We’ll have to monitor him. Extra risks. He should be okay. Look, Jip, you’re not very far dilated right now. Try to get some rest.

GWANG. My love, what is it? Dr. Davis said he’ll be okay. 

JIP.  She said he should be okay. 

GWANG. Jip…we’ve done this before. It wasn’t like this with Jenna and Eddie. I should feel like I know what I’m doing, but I feel lost. I can’t protect him. 

JIP. You can’t control everything. We’re in the right place; we have a good doctor. This is the best possible thing for him.

DR. DAVIS. Good morning, Mom and Dad. Jip, how are you feeling? 

JIP. Exhausted. Scared. 

DR. DAVIS. I know the nurse has been performing cervical exams throughout the night…we haven’t seen much change. 

GWANG. What does that mean? 

DR. DAVIS. We’ll continue to monitor and try to help you along, but I want to prepare you for the possibility of an emergency C-section. 

JIP. Oh, no! Dr. Davis, I can’t do that. 

DR. DAVIS. I know how you feel about a C-section; that’s why we’re doing everything we can to avoid it. Still, depending on how things move along with your cervix, it may be unavoidable.

Hours later

JIP. Gwang? 

GWANG. [Stirring] Hm? How long’s it been? Ugh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t even realize I fell asleep. 

JIP. [Sighs] Too long…we’re not making progress. 

GWANG. Even with the Pitocin? 

JIP. The Pitocin is moving the contractions along, but my cervix won’t budge. Dr. Davis stopped by earlier—

GWANG. You didn’t wake me? 

JIP. [Sighs] She said that because my water’s already broken, he’s running out of amniotic fluid…and time. 

GWANG. Has she given any updates as far as a C-section goes? 

JIP. They’re going to try a couple things to get my cervix to soften and dilate, but she said a C-section was likely. 

GWANG.I’m sorry. I know all this is so different than what you had in mind. 

JIP. All I’m asking for now is a healthy baby.

Hours later

DR. DAVIS. Alright, Jip, you’ve been here almost two full days now. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but… 

GWANG. It’s time. 

DR. DAVIS. Yes. We’ve taken it as long as we can—it’s no longer safe for baby or mom. 

GWANG. Ugh, I don’t even want to go to work today. Wish I could stay right here with you.

JIP. [Laughing] Keep dreaming. Can’t think like that when I’m creating another mouth to feed as we speak.

GWANG. He’ll be here soon, huh?

JIP. Yeah, soon. We’ve got our 36-week appointment on Wednesday.

GWANG. [Sighing] Can’t believe it. It’s flown by.

JIP. [Smiling] Come on, we gotta get going.

RUBY. Mrs. Saeiao, will you sign for my volunteer hours for helping out at the library? I need it for Key Club—Mrs. Saeiao? Are you okay? 

JIP. Ruby, go get Mrs. Burns across the hall in the art room, please.

RUBY. Is something wrong with the baby? 

JIP. I don’t know. Please hurry!

MRS. BURNS. Contractions? How far apart? 

JIP. About seven minutes. 

MRS. BURNS. And they’re not Braxton-Hicks? 

JIP. I don’t think so. Something’s different. 

RUBY. Mrs. Saeiao, is there anything I can do to help? 

MRS. BURNS. Ruby, honey, thank you for getting me. Go ahead back to class, everything will be okay. 

RUBY. Okay…feel better, Mrs. Saeiao.

MRS. BURNS. I think we need to send you to the hospital. 

JIP. Ginny, I’m scared. He’s not supposed to come yet, it’s way too early. I’m not due until later in June, we’re not even halfway through May. 

MRS. BURNS. Baby must be eager to meet the world, my dear. I’m going to call Principal Newcomb to let him know what’s going on. Breathe. 

PRINCIPAL NEWCOMB. Jip, will you be okay from here? 

JIP. Yes, my husband is outside. [Smiling] He bolted here as soon as I called him. 

April 1998

Walt Whitman High School

Bethesda, MD

JIP. So…you needed me to come with you to the fax machine…why? 

AUDRA. [Laughing] Because that mean front desk lady still scares me! I need you for moral support. 

JIP. Ugh, Mrs. Fullerton. The worst. But make it snappy, I have book returns to sort through. 

LIZ, AUDRA, PRINCIPAL NEWCOMB, MRS. BURNS, MR. EVERETT. SURPRISE!!! 

JIP. Oh, you guys!

LIZ. Welcome to your little office baby shower!

JIP. Oh, I’m so touched. This was so kind of all of you! 

MRS. BURNS. You know it was your girls who put this whole thing together. [Smiling] We just helped! 

JIP. You know you guys really didn’t need to do this for me! I’m up to my neck in baby stuff already.

AUDRA. We know, you said. That’s why when you said you wouldn’t be having a shower for baby boy #2, we knew we had to make you feel special somehow! 

PRINCIPAL NEWCOMB. Jip, we wanted to really congratulate you. Even if it’s this small little breakroom party. 

January 1998

Bethesda, MD

GWANG. Jip! 

JIP. Huh? 

GWANG. I just got off the phone with my mother! Hey, scoot, make some room on the couch. What do you need a whole couch for, huh?

JIP. [Laughing] I’m lounging for two right now. What did your mother say? 

GWANG. Maew had her baby! He was born early this morning, around 4am their time. 7 for us. 

FAA. Gwang, congratulations! What did they name him?

GWANG. Kasemchai, but they’re calling him Trin.

JIP. Oh, that’s so exciting! Baby Trin. You guys hear that? Your baby cousin was just born!  

JENNA. A baby! Eddie, a baby! Even smaller than you, baby! 

FAA. Ah, Gwang, maybe when things calm down for them you can ask them to send over some pictures for us to see him! 

GWANG. Of course, Maa.  

…

GWANG. Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay? 

JIP. Oh, yeah, I’m fine. I’ve just been thinking about your sister. The way she was feeling at her wedding, I just get nervous for her. 

GWANG. [Sigh] I know, me too. I’m nervous for Trin, too. But she’s not alone, you know? We may be across the country, but she still has my parents, and Fon. 

FAA. So, are you telling your friends today?

JIP. Possibly…Ugh, I’m so nervous.

FAA. [Laughing] Why? It’s not like you’ve never done this before. Better get it out soon, you’ll start showing before you know it.

JIP. Because they’re blabbermouths. Once I tell them, I’ll have to tell the whole school. …And my principal.

FAA. Why are you so worried about telling your principal? Is it a maternity leave issue?

JIP. I don’t know. Eddie was born in July, so I didn’t have to take a lot of leave while school was out for the summer. This baby is due in June, so I might only need to take a few weeks this time. I’m just concerned that I started this year a few weeks late, and I’ll probably be ending it a couple weeks early.

FAA. If you ask me, I think that’s better than taking 12 weeks off in the middle of the year. Your boss will probably thank you for timing it so well. You have nothing to worry about. Now, tell me about these girls you’re having over! You’re baking cookies?

JIP. ‘Tis the season, right? It’s Audra and Liz. You’ve met Audra before, but Liz is a new English teacher. Audra and I hit it off with her pretty well, and she has a daughter Jenna’s age.

FAA. Aww! Is she bringing her?

JIP. Of course! They’ll go to preschool together next year too, so I’m hoping this will be her first little friend. Maa, she’s SO excited for girls’ day.

FAA. I bet she is! Are Gwang and Eddie having a boys’ day, then?

JIP. [Laughing] They’re gonna try. Eddie might just sleep through it.

____________________________________________________________________________

LIZ. Christmas cookiessss! So exciting, baking always gets me in the Christmas spirit. Jip, do you celebrate? 

JIP. [Smiling] Ah, no, we’re Buddhists. But it’s fun to be festive when everyone else around us is. I like putting up the cards people send us, but that’s the extent of the Christmas festivities in our house. Audra and I like to get together at least once a month to do something fun, so baking cookies seemed perfect for December!

AUDRA. Yes! And we are so happy you’re joining us, Liz. 

LIZ. You have no idea! I’m so glad you guys invited me; it’s so hard making friends in a new job.

AUDRA. It is! [Grinning] So…I brought a bottle of wine to celebrate this group we’re forming! Don’t worry Jip, it’s a sweet red so I know you’ll like it better than that last bottle I brought over.

JIP. Oh, thank you…[sigh] I appreciate the thought, and I hope the two of you enjoy, but…I can’t.

AUDRA. [Raising eyebrows] Oh?

JIP. [Soft laugh] Yes, yes. I’m pregnant again. 

LIZ. No way! I just met you when you came back from maternity leave in September!

JIP. I know, I know. I’m nearly 16 weeks along now. [Laughing] Had to start telling people before I started showing. 

AUDRA. Jip, congratulations! All the more reason to celebrate. Does Newcomb know yet?

JIP. Ugh, no. I’m telling him on Monday.

LIZ. Do you know if it’s a boy or girl?

JIP. Not yet, the anatomy scan is sometime next month. My Mom swears it’s a boy, though; we’ve already got one of each, so I just need a healthy baby.

AUDRA. How are you feeling about it?

JIP. Jeez, you guys ask a lot of questions! I feel good. I was super nervous when I first found out, of course. Gwang helped me feel a lot better about the whole thing, and my Mom was overjoyed, even while she was already holding a crying infant. 

AUDRA. And Jenna?

JIP. Jenna is…[laughing] still getting used to Eddie, but she seems open to the idea of another little sibling.

LIZ. Speaking of Jenna, look at her and Sydney! They’re already getting along so well. 

AUDRA. Ladies, I think this is the start of something beautiful. For all of us!

JIP. Definitely. And don’t worry, Liz. You’ll settle into Walt Whitman, it just takes time.

At the end of the wedding 

JIP. You better cheer up. I’ve got plans for you when we get back, and I can’t have you grumpy for it.

GWANG. I like the sound of that.

JIP. Not TOO cheery, now.

Back at Van and Gai’s home, in the guest bedroom

GWANG. Ugh, that was painful.

JIP. [laughing] Which part? The guestlist full of your parents’ friends and business partners, or the bride and groom who clearly didn’t want to be there?

GWANG. [scoffing] The whole damn thing. I’m just glad it’s over. I can’t wait to get back to the kids, I’m sure your mom has her hands full with them. 

JIP. She loves it. Speaking of the kids… [Deep breath] Okay, listen, I can’t hold it in anymore. I’m pregnant.

GWANG. [staring]

JIP. I took a test this morning. I just wanted to rule it out, I really didn’t think it would be positive. …Oh come on, say something.

GWANG. Are you okay? 

JIP. I’m scared. This is really soon; we just had Eddie, Jenna’s still getting used to being a big sister, it feels like my body is still recovering, I just went back to work! When this baby’s born, we’re going to have three kids under four. Eddie and this baby might not even be a full year apart! This is going to be so hard for us, and so hard for my mom when we’re at work.

GWANG. [Sighs] It’s a lot. But it will all be alright–these things happen for a reason. This baby might be the blessing we never even knew we needed.

JIP. You really think it’ll be okay?

GWANG. It’s going to be hard, but I know we can handle it. You are an amazing mother to Jenna and Eddie, and you will be just amazing to this baby. Especially with your mother’s help, I promise we will be just fine.

JIP. I should have known you’d help me feel so much better about it all. [Laughing] You are never worried about anything!