EVELYN’S POV:

It had been over two months since the failed surgery. My dad had been living on what felt like a miracle ever since. Each day with him was a gift, a fragile thread holding him here. Leonard, Mia, and the caregiver had been the pillars of support I leaned on during those challenging months.

Ryan and River visited often, bringing small moments of joy, but today wasn’t about my dad or them. Today, it was my turn on the hospital bed. Inside the labor room, I lay ready—or as ready as anyone could be—to meet the life I had carried for nine months. The pain I felt was...