pte
's
s, unblinking white lights, and polished floors that reflected every step like an unforgiving mirror. It was the kind o
arply with her swollen eyes, proof that sleepless night
, almost maternal smile. "Today is
like a claw and making it hard to draw a full breath. But I couldn't hesit
k suit, he wore an impenetrable expression, carrying an au
ipping any pleasantries. "The smalle
ed in absolute control, as if admitting hi
in a practiced monotone, but I barely registered a word. My mind kept flashing back to my mother-her ragged breathing, her body convulsing during t
the exam table, the sanitary paper
with you," she whispered, her warm pal
inizing the doctor's every move as tho
nge rush of fluid, and then nothing but the low hum of the medical equi
r said, offering a practi
a mix of desperate hop
his jaw was clenched so ti
afternoons to endless medical appointments, and enduring forced rest that did nothing to ease m
leep? Do you n
y? I can drop off your v
nd, was punctual, dry,
at seven. D
od pressure. Ar
. Never a sing
e. Camila sobbed over the phone, her v
thank you! We did
e was exactly w
ule the weekly che
the first ultrasound, her tone was un
ree of you to
ve. The doctor squirted cold gel onto my abdomen-sending a sharp shiver dow
ic thumping fi
ano
a th
ts. Three synchro
d over her mouth, tears instantly
tly neutral. "Three successfully implanted embryos. It's
d, the walls suddenly feelin
n into loud, unr
e three! Three liv
he shock draining all the color from his face. When he finally opened his mou
k you
me, stripping away all his usual filters. And
ave of vertigo washed over me, making my hands cramp as I gripped the edg
minefield, a vessel where three separate lives
to the hospital to see my mother. She was sitting up in b
he murmured, extending a fragile, t
starting to change-a subtle fullness in my stomach, a bone-deep exhaustion that n
ve to tell y
t light returning
is, sweethe
the sterile hospital
pregn
en in months, a sudden, vibrant spar
both hands, tears springing to her eyes. "I can
hroat swelled, t
rogate. For my boss and his wife. I
nuffed out like a can
d as the reality set
my voice shaking. "To pay for you
down her pale cheek. But when she finally spoke, her
r the sacrifice you made.
face with her cold hands and
something: don't forget th
ng inside me, and one fragile life clinging to survival right
the words tasting b
eath a heavy, overcast sky, the
aldezes had bought back their hope. My moth
ld Lucía. Three tiny heartbeats accompanied me throu
ertwined
I absolutely c
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