“It is time. You are ready to have the baby.”

Everyone was in the room around her; holding her hands was her husband with whom she shared the sleepless nights of crying after each month she had her period and after every failed agonizing IVF process. She would look at him in guilt for all the money they had invested for nothing. Every time he would hold her tight, smile and tell her that it is ok, next time the dream will become true. He would hold her tight to his chest and pat her head slowly until she sleeps.

Her mother was there as well, standing behind the doctor, trying to cover her fear of watching her only daughter giving birth for the first time in her life. Looking at her, she did not see the 35-year-old woman lying on the hospital bed, but a 7-year-old one who would never miss her bedtime story. Her mother has always been her biggest supporter and fan. “You will be OK.” Is what she said to her when she did her first test at school, when she was bullied by some classmates, when her heart was broken for the first time, when she decided to resign from the bad job she had and when she told her that it is impossible for her to have children. Now, looking her in the eyes, cheering for her like her life depends on it, with the doctor asking her to push, she told her “You will be Ok my dear, we will be Ok.”

“I can not push any more.”, she screamed. “I am dying.”

“Yes, you can.”, said Mary. “Just take a deep breath and push as hard as you can.”

Mary was her best friend, her buddy, her person. They met when they were in the university, two young girls with small bodies and big dreams. Mary has always been her rock, confidant and source of support. On her wedding night, Mary was going crazy after every single detail to make sure she would not be worried about anything rather than looking beautiful. When the flower bouquet went missing, Mary left the hall in her long dress and started searching for an open shop that could save the situation but it was too late. She was finally able to find a closed shop whose owner lives nearby, she called and begged him to come and offered him four times the price of the bouquet, he came and they worked on it together. After they finished, she ran to the car and drove as fast as she could to arrive on time, when she arrived she saw the bride about to leave her room towards the hall.

“Here is your bouquet, princess. You look so beautiful.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Tell you a secret, I will name my first daughter Mary. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, thank you my dear for always being there.”

The doctor raised his head and talked to her “I can see the head, I need you to push again. The stronger you push the faster it will end. You can do it.”

She heard about the pain of delivery, she saw videos and listened to other women sharing their stories. However, she never thought it would be this hard, every inch of her was in agony, she felt her ribs were being broken.

Scream, breathe, push…. Scream, breathe, push…. Breathe, push… push, push, push.

The baby was out, it was a girl! she had big eyes and long dark hair. She was the most beautiful baby anyone in the room has ever seen. They were all silent and so was the baby. They all looked at it calmly, they did not wait for it to cry, they knew the baby will be silent. Hours ago, the doctor informed them that the baby is dead in its mother’s womb, but it is better to go through natural birth so the hormones would get out of the mother’s body and she will be able to heal faster.

The doctor brought the baby closer to her mother, she smelled her, looked at her face and hugged her. Her husband never let go of her hand, her best friend stood by her side and all she could hear were her mother’s words: “We will be Ok, we will be Ok”.