Seeing Lily's pitiful condition and L sobbing, London couldn't hold back his sorrow. He knelt down and hugged L from behind, burying his head in her back.
L, who noticed the man's presence, then looked at him and spontaneously rubbed his head. Nobody could understand what they were feeling besides each other. As parents of the same baby, both of them felt the same grief and anxiety, that Lily wouldn't survive.
They then cried silently to each other. London's tears had wet L's clothes on her back and a few minutes later, he broke away from her with a guilty face.
"Sorry, I wet your clothes," he said reluctantly. All his life, he didn't remember ever shedding tears this much.
L was still wearing a hospital gown and she didn't seem to care at all about her appearance. Her hair and the upper part of her gown had been wet from her own tears.
Hearing an apology from London, she just shook her head and pointed to the cupboard in the corner of the room.
The man understood what she meant and immediately got a new gown from the closet. L then got up from the floor and slowly sat in the chair next to the incubator and stared at Lily, who was still lying and unmoving inside.
London approached her and handed her a new dress. "Here, wear it.."
"Help me take this one off first..." L whispered. She unbuttoned the dress and stretched out her hand. London reflexively helped the girl take off her hospital gown. After L's wet clothes came off, he unfolded the new gown he had taken from the closet and slowly helped L wear it.
As a normal man who often had o.b.s.c.e.n.e thoughts in his mind about L's n.a.k.e.d body, strangely, London couldn't think dirty at all this time. He was only touched to see L's body, which only hours ago struggled to give birth to their child.
L's face and skin still looked pale, while her stomach was still rather large and her b.r.e.a.s.ts were swollen, but her whole self at that time looked beautiful in London's eyes, in a way that wasn't perverted. For some reason, he also didn't understand it.
"You're not embarrassed by me helping you dress?" he asked, astonished.
L pointed at the buttons on her c.h.e.s.t and London swiftly helped her to button them. After everything was done and London had put L's wet clothes into the basket in the corner of the room, L fashioned her hair into a small bun and sat quietly on the sofa.
"What should I be ashamed for?" She questioned in a weak voice. "You've seen me in my most terrible condition. Nothing else can make me feel embarrassed in front of you..."
London nodded with a faint smile. He liked L's logic. The times when women give birth were the most vulnerable and 'terrible' times for a woman. If a man had seen her in such a situation, surely there's no other situation that can be worse than that.
London didn't want L to become embarrassed and shy after London watched her scream, howl, claw, sweat, push while getting a baby out of her v.a.g.i.n.a. For him, all those experiences were very suspenseful and made him feel high respect towards women. With that, of course he hoped L wasn't ashamed herself. He didn't mind doing anything for her.
"You're right," he agreed.
In London's dictionary, L was always right.
The two of them then sat together on the sofa, watching Lily. As London glanced at L, who was sitting next to him, he saw that her face seemed to be filled with intense feelings. He recognized the expression of worry, fear, and awe at the same time.
His heart expanded slightly. Something in his head said that L had changed her mind. It seems that L had fallen in love with their child...
When he saw L's eyes moisten at Lily and was about to cry again, London hurriedly hugged her.
"Sshh... don't cry anymore. Lily will be fine... She just need to be treated at the NICU for three months..." he said soothingly.
L turned and looked at him with a pair of sorrowful eyes.
"I know. I've heard everything from Doctor Alice..." she took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions. "I know what Lily's condition is like. She must always drink milk to stay healthy."
London nodded. His heart began to hope even more. "It's true."
"I've made my decision. I won't leave Lily to anyone. I'll take care of her and make sure she stays healthy..." L said in a trembling voice. Even so, there was no trace of doubt there. She then continued her words firmly while looking at London with a sharp gaze. "I won't let her stay with you in the apartment because you won't be able to pay for all her needs..."
London reflexively released his arms and looked at L with a look of disbelief.
What did L mean? Did she want to take Lily away and raise her with Danny Swan???
London, who had never been angry with L no matter how grumpy and annoying she had been, was suddenly filled with enormous rage. He had never been this mad with anyone.
How dare you... to take my child away from me, he inwardly excoriated.
"Do you think all Lily needs is money???" London tried hard to contain his anger.
L looked undaunted. She still looked at London sharply.
"Lily needs the best treatment and the cost isn't small! Can you pay for it with your salary as a photographer?? If you want to take care of Lily, I won't let you get involved with the mafia and get dirty money!" L firmly reprimanded. "Your apartment is also too small and can't accommodate the various medical equipment needed to care for Lily..."
"What will you do?" London asked in a high voice, gritting his jaw and staring at L with fury. "You want to take Lily away from me?"
"I can't let Lily be treated at this hospital's NICU... People will recognize me if I go to the hospital every day to see her. I'll ask Pammy to buy a big house and prepare a NICU room at home for Lily so I can take care of her and b.r.e.a.s.tfeed her at home…" L told in an equally high pitch. "Once I get paid for all the ads from Schneider Group and Virconnect, I'll be able to fund all of Lily's needs..."
London was struck by the words of L.
Oh... he just realized that actually L wanted to buy her own house and prepare a NICU room for Lily at home... just like what London currently wanted to do...