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Mary was breathing with the help of a machine and being fed by tubes, but her condition was otherwise stable. The doctor had told them that she would probably be able to breathe by herself within the next couple of days. Mark and Cecile were exhausted, and undoubtedly worried about their baby who still needed assistance with some basic vital functions. However, they were also overwhelmed by a deep, peaceful joy. Seeing the baby alive was, perhaps, one of the most powerful signs that this pregnancy wasn’t just an oddity, and accident or a random lucky event. Baby Mary was truly meant to be.
“She made it,” said Cecile as she looked at her tiny baby, “and she will make it.”Cecile and Mary stayed at the hospital, and Mark went back to pick up Sophie from the neighbor’s house. Mark explained to Sophie that baby Mary was born, but she wasn’t ready to come home yet. Mark and Cecile had decided to wait until Mary was more stable before Sophie could visit her, but that decision didn’t please Sophie: she desperately wanted to see her Mom and her new sister. She couldn’t stop asking questions about them, and that was starting to wear Mark out, because he was anxious too.
Later that day, right before sunset, Mark received a call from Cecile:
“Hi Mark. I have been thinking a lot about the baby, and her current situation,” said Cecile, in a tone that left Mark worried.
“Did anything happen?” Mark asked.
“No, she is fine and I am confident she will be breathing by herself soon,” said Cecile, “but, you never know the day of tomorrow, life is so uncertain...”
“What do you mean?” Mark asked.
“Maybe you should bring Sophie today,” Cecile finally said.