PART 3
I had never understood how completely a person’s world could collapse until I heard my son’s monitor screaming behind a closed curtain.
One minute, Leo had been lying quietly beneath his blanket.
The next, doctors were fighting to keep his blood pressure high enough to support his organs.
David held me against his chest while I struggled to breathe.
Chloe stood beside us, her silver evening gown trembling against her knees.
Nobody spoke.
Beyond the curtain, I heard instructions, footsteps, and the unmistakable urgency of people who understood exactly how much was at stake.
I wanted to push through the doorway.
I wanted to gather Leo into my arms and carry him somewhere illness could never reach him.
Instead, I stood motionless while strangers used their knowledge and skill to give my child another chance.
“Please,” I whispered.
David pressed his lips against my hair.
“He’s fighting, Clara.”
