I’m talking to the doctor when I see Hailey move. I run to her.
“Yes, baby, come to me. Alice is waiting impatiently for you.”
She opens her eyes. For me, it’s a victory, and I hug her.
“Come on, baby, please come back to us.”
I’m looking at her, and as soon as her eyes meet mine, she starts crying. She has come back to me.
I can’t help myself. I cry I kiss her.
I’m happy I can finally breathe.
The doctor asks me to leave the room so they can do the necessary checks and visits.
I’m angry because they’re separating me from her now that I have finally gotten her back.
In the hall, Alice wakes up. She wants her milk, I prepare the bottle for her, smiling, and then I feed her. In the meantime, I call Ingrid and Andrew to tell them the good news. They both rush to the hospital.
The doctors decide to keep Hailey for another couple of days. After that, I’ll finally be able to take her home. I can’t wait. This nightmare must end.
I observe her from afar.
Seeing her laugh, seeing her cry, and finally seeing her play with Alice is the greatest joy I can feel. I feel happy. I feel complete.
Hailey
Ifind myself in a dark, silent, unknown, and infinite place.
Wherever I go, wherever I turn, there’s absolutely nothing—just darkness and silence.
After a while, I start to hear voices, voices that speak to me. They’re familiar voices. I can hear her, Alice is crying.
I’d like to start running. I don’t know in which direction, but I want to reach her, I want to keep her safe, tell her that her mom is here, that her mom loves her, and never leave her, that I’ll protect her for the rest of my life.
But it’s a grueling race, a race in vain. I’m not going anywhere. It’s as I’m in a circle, a dark circle, and I don’t know how to get out.
I start to hear more noises—the beeps of the machines, the breaths. I begin to feel that someone is with me. I don’t know where. I don’t know if it’s here with me or there with me.
I don’t even know if they’re the same here and there.
I’m afraid.
I’m afraid of being trapped in this nightmare forever.
I feel Alice breathe, I feel her little hands on me. I turn around, but no one’s there.
The noises get closer, stronger. The voices seem to get even closer, and then it happens...I close my eyes, breathe deeply, and open them.
Light.
I’m here, I’m awake. But where is here? In real life or the afterlife?
When Danny’s face appears, I feel relaxed. Maybe it’s really over. Perhaps I’ve really woken up.
He smiles, speaks quickly, hugs me, kisses me.
I’m breathing.
