The "OPERATING" light above the door finally went out. Dr. Alana came out still wearing a mask and a sterile green cap. Nathan, Sonia, Tamara, and Damian stood up simultaneously.

“Mrs. Elena has given birth,” Dr. Alana explained. “Twins—one boy, one girl. Their weight is normal for 34 weeks. The babies are in a light NICU incubator, just for respiratory monitoring.”

Shock mixed with relief swept across Nathan’s face. “Are my children safe?”

“Yes,” the doctor replied. “But Mrs. Elena lost a lot of blood. We performed a transfusion, her heart rate is now stable, but she hasn’t regained consciousness yet. We’ve placed her in the ICU to monitor her...