At my cousin’s wedding reception, we were seated having our meal when my family arrived late and started greeting everyone loudly. I was eight months pregnant and couldn’t stand up easily to greet them from my chair. My mother demanded, “Get up from that chair right now. Your sister needs to sit.” I refused. “She’s only 2 months pregnant. I’m 8 months.” I stayed seated. My father walked over and k/i/c/k/ed my chair hard from behind, making me f a. l l backwards. I landed on my pregnant belly and my water b r/ oke all over the floor. My mom… / Chapter 37 / 40

Chapter 37 - The First Cry

After several hours of focused, exhausting effort, the tension in the room finally broke.

A loud, furious, and incredibly beautiful cry echoed off the sterile walls of the delivery suite.

"It's a healthy, beautiful baby boy,"

The doctor smiled, gently placing the warm, wriggling infant directly onto my chest.

I burst into tears of absolute, profound relief. I looked down at my son. He was perfect. He was full-term, weighing seven pounds, incredibly strong and entirely untouched by the trauma of his sister's arrival.

Daniel leaned over the bed, completely breaking down into happy, overwhelmed sobs. He kissed my forehead, and then gently kissed the top of our son's dark head.