The Tiger Inside
By Nasu Hasami
"I better stay around and love you."
~The Partridge Family~
98. Debt
Mulan works hard on establishing a rapport with her patients, but she doesn't really like them knowing about her personal life. She certainly doesn't foxhole like her husband, but she does draw a line in the sand.
Empathy without a soul trapped behind it.
As the pregnancy moves forward, that becomes a harder thing to do. In the last trimester it's almost impossible. Mulan's thirsty all the time which means she's always running to the toilet. Or she's snacking on shrimp crackers and inhaling peach tea as though it's her oxygen. Or Shang's dropping in to see her, stealing a kiss or two from her and their bump. Then he starts leaving photos in her office. There's two candid shots from their wedding and a few ultrasound prints of their baby. A few weeks out from the due date, Shang starts buying her flowers every other day, because he can, and because he wants to.
Soon enough, all of her patients know who Assistant Director Hua's husband is and how much he dotes on her. A few patients with secondary cardio issues ask for referrals to Doctor Shang Li because he looks kind and steady. Mulan tells them he's more determined than anyone she knows.