The Memory Between Us I LingOrm

It had been months since the bloodstained scare that sent them spiraling into the hospital—and now, the storm had calmed. Sort of.

Orm's pregnancy had entered its final trimester. The intense cravings were finally over—no more sudden mango-with-chili breakdowns at 3 a.m., or threatening to sue Tim for bringing the "wrong ice level." Now came a new challenge: boredom.

And Ling's ridiculous overprotectiveness.

"I said no more office visits," Ling muttered one morning, standing over Orm like a bodyguard. "You're on full rest. Doctor's orders."

"I'm pregnant, not dying!" Orm snapped, pouting from the couch with her laptop resting on her bump. "I miss the office. I miss yelling at interns. I miss suing stupid people!"

Ling crossed her arms. "If you go in again, I'll cut your salary."

That did it.

Orm's jaw dropped. "You wouldn't dare—"

"Watch me."

Orm's eyes welled with tears so suddenly, it startled Ling.

"I just... I just want to be next to you!" she sobbed dramatically, flinging a pillow at Ling. "Why are you so mean?! I carried this baby with your DNA and you're emotionally blackmailing me!"

Ling blinked. "Wait—babe. No—don't cry! Don't weaponize your tears!"

"I'm not weaponizing anything!" Orm sniffled. "I'm suffering!"

Nam peeked from the door. "She's using the tears. I repeat, hormonal tears detected. Abort mission."

Tim nodded solemnly. "Deploy emergency snacks."

Ling panicked. She knelt beside Orm and cupped her cheeks gently. "Okay, okay—how about this? I'll work from home until the baby arrives. We can be together all day, you can yell at me instead of interns."

Orm sniffed again. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Orm sniffled once more... then smiled and went back to typing legal documents.

Ling sat back, emotionally exhausted. "That felt like negotiating with a hormonal CEO who doesn't take no for an answer"

The peace didn't last.

At exactly 4:17 AM one morning, Ling was jarred awake by frantic shaking.

"Babe... babe, wake up..."

Ling groaned, eyes still shut. "Is it mango again?"

"No—something's wrong—my stomach—"

Ling's eyes flew open. Orm was pale, eyes glossy with pain and panic. Then she saw it. The dark patch spreading on the bed.

"Oh my God... you peed on the bed?" Ling gasped, eyes wide. Then quickly softened, pulling Orm close. "Shh... shh... it's okay, don't cry. I'm not mad, okay? Let me change your clothes, babe. We've got this."

Orm smacked Ling hard on the head. "MY WATER BROKE, YOU IDIOT!"

"OH MY GOD."

Chaos. Complete chaos.

Ling leapt off the bed, stumbled over a chair, and yanked the closet open like she was packing for war. "WHERE'S THE BABY BAG? NAM! TIM! SOUND THE ALARM—THE BABY IS COMING!"

Tim rushed in with her shirt inside out, holding the car keys. "Let's go! Operation LingOrm Baby Extraction is a go!"

Orm clung to the bed frame, groaning. "I hate you all."

Nam grabbed Orm's slippers. "Come on, sweetheart. Breathe. Breathe in, curse out."

"I SWEAR IF LING BREATHES TOO LOUDLY I'LL DIVORCE HER!"

Ling whimpered. "I'm sorry..."

The ride to the hospital was a blur. Ling sat beside Orm in the backseat, gripping her hand like a lifeline while Orm screamed at every bump on the road.

"WHO BUILT THIS POTHOLE-INFESTED ROAD?! SUE THEM, LING!"

"Okay! We'll sue them all!"

By the time they reached the hospital, Ling looked like she aged ten years.

Doctors and nurses rushed to get Orm settled as the delivery room prepped, alarms sounding like some emergency drama—but this was real, and very, very loud.

"Ma'am, we'll take it from here," a nurse said, trying to gently nudge Ling back.

"I'm not leaving," Ling said, grabbing onto Orm's hand like a lifeline. Her voice cracked. "I'm her wife."

The nurse paused, eyeing the grip between them, then gave a small smile. "Then put on this gown, scrub up, and try not to faint. We're going in."

Ling practically wrestled herself into the sterile gown like a panicked penguin. "I'm ready! I'm calm!"

"You're hyperventilating," Tim said from outside the room, holding the camera and a backup snack bag. "You look like you're about to pass out."

"Shut up, Tim!"

Inside, Ling stood right beside Orm, who was breathing hard, sweat lining her forehead. She gripped Ling's hand like she was trying to crush bone.

After what felt like a century—and a lot of yelling that could be heard three rooms down—Orm's cries finally turned into something different.

A tiny wail.

Then another.

"A GIRL!" the nurse declared with a grin.

Ling burst into tears. "A girl... oh my God, we made a tiny human."

A moment later.

Orm was lying in bed, exhausted and holding a pink-faced baby to her chest.

Ling stood at the foot of the bed, frozen in awe.

"She has your scowl," Orm whispered with a smirk. "She's perfect."

Ling walked closer, then dropped to her knees and kissed Orm's hand. "You're amazing. You did so good, babe."

"Of course," Orm said, smug despite the exhaustion. "I'm your wife. I'm legally obligated to be perfect."

Ling laughed through her tears and gently touched her daughter's tiny fingers. "Hi... I'm Mommy. And I've waited forever to meet you."

Not long after, the Kwong family entourage barged in.

Mrs. Kwong immediately snatched the baby. "My granddaughter! Already better looking than her father— I mean mother— I mean—oh whatever, she's gorgeous!"

Mr. Kwong grinned. "She already screams like Orm. Definitely a Kwong."

Nanthira came in late with balloons and snacks, gasping dramatically. "I was doing my eyeliner when you gave birth?! Rude!"

Tim and Nam beamed proudly, holding pink cupcakes. "The Kwong Princess has arrived!"

The room erupted into laughter, chatter, and happy chaos. Ying even showed up with a suspiciously expensive stuffed bunny.

"She looks like Orm," Ying said flatly. "Let's hope she doesn't act like her."

"Ying!" Mrs. Kwong hissed.

"I'm just saying! Two Orms in one house is a national emergency!"

Ling rolled her eyes, then turned to Orm and kissed her temple.

"Welcome to the world, little one," she whispered. "You're already surrounded by chaos... and love."

Orm smiled, cradling their daughter close. "We're ready for it."