CATRIONA
I sat on the hospital bed, gently holding my mother’s hands in mine. She was asleep, looking so peaceful—so beautiful, like a sleeping princess.
She was pregnant with my baby brother. Any minute now, she’d bring him into the world. My heart was full, watching her sleep. I kept rubbing her hands, soaking in the warmth of her skin.
Suddenly, her eyes opened, and she smiled at me.
“Mom… did I wake you?”
“No, sweetie,” she said softly. “It’s the contractions.”
“Does it hurt?” I asked, worried. “Do you feel okay?”
She gave a faint smile, but her eyes told a different story. “Sweetheart… I feel very weak. I don’t think I’ll make it.”
My heart dropped.
“No, don’t say that! You're going to be fine—both of you.”
But she kept going, her voice trembling.
“If something happens to
