NEW LIFE HOSPITAL Miguel sat in the hospital waiting room, the beeping sound of machines from nearby rooms doing very little to calm his nerves. Elizabeth had been in the hospital for hours now, and every minute that passed felt like a lifetime. He rested his elbows on his knees, his fingers entwined tightly as if trying to hold onto something solid in the midst of the chaos. Beside him, Laura, placed a reassuring hand on his arm. She leaned in, her voice was soft as always. “Relax a bit, Miguel,” she said. “Elizabeth will be fine. The doctors are doing everything they can.” He nodded but didn’t say a word. His mind was full of worry, uncertainty, and guilt filled him up. "If anything happened to her…," he thought. No, he couldn’t allow himself to think like that. Minutes later,

