I felt my legs giving out.
I had to lean on the back of a chair to keep from falling. My breathing was so rapid I could barely hear what was happening around me.
Sofia looked at all of us with wide eyes.
“What does that mean…?” she asked, her voice trembling.
My mother cried uncontrollably.
My father remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the ground.
Finally, it was I who broke the silence.
—I need someone to explain absolutely everything to me.
My father slowly raised his head.
—After the delivery, one of the girls was born completely healthy. Her name was Valentina. The other arrived with severe respiratory distress, and the doctors told us she had to be transferred immediately to a specialized hospital.
I felt a lump in my throat.
—I was told that he had died.
My mother nodded as she wiped away her tears.
—We know… and it should never have happened.
