NEW LIFE THE NOW
JOSH
The labor ward felt heavy with a mix of emotions-hope, fear, and exhaustion. | sat in one of the stiff hospital
chairs, my sweet baby girl cradled in my arms. She was wrapped in a soft pink blanket, her tiny face scrunched
in sleep, her little lips making occasional sucking
motions. She was perfect-every inch of her.
Luke sat beside me, his knee bouncing up and down like a nervous tic. He was waiting, glancing at the clock
every few seconds, waiting for Jess and their baby to join us. Jess had been in the theater for an emergency
procedure, and Luke had been there with her. But their little boy had been taken for checks and tests, leaving
Luke pacing and restless ever since. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor," | said, breaking the silence.
Luke shota look, but his lips twitched into a brief smile. "I can't help it, man. | just need to see them both. |
need to know they're okay."
"I get it," | said softly, glancing down at my daughter. "Believe me, | get it."
My own nerves were frayed to the breaking point. It had been two months since Laura went into the coma. Two
months of
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[11]
10:20
NEW LIFE
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtsitting by her bedside, begging her to wake up. And now, with her pneumonia, | couldn't even go in to see her.
The doctors had warnedabout the risk of giving Asha a lung infection, so | kept my distance. The guilt was
suffocating.
The sound of doors opening snappedout of my thoughts. Luke shot to his feet as nurses pushed Jess into the
room, holding their baby boy in her arms.
The look on Luke's face was everything-relief, joy, and overwhelming love. He rushed to her side, kissing her
forehead and then their son, his hands trembling as he cradled the baby.
| couldn't help but smile at the scene. "Don't worry, baby girl," | whispered to my daughter, even though my
heart felt heavy. "We'll have that moment too. | promise."
But my promise felt hollow, and | hated that. The doctors had been cautious with their words, never giving me
the certainty | craved. Laura had fought off the pneumonia for now, but her lungs were still weak, and every test
they ran seemed to bring
worse news.
The word if lingered in my mind, the way the doctor said it when he mentioned her waking up. Not when. If.
| swallowed hard, pushing the thought away. Leouldn't think like that. Laura was strong. She had to be. For me.
For our daughter.
| glanced down at Asha again. Her tiny fingers had curled around the edge of her blanket, and her face was so
peaceful it almost hurt to look at her. She didn't know it yet, but she was my anchor. My reason to keep going.
10:20
NEW LIFE
288 Vouchers
One of the nurses had called her Asha earlier, and something about the nhad stuck. Asha-it meant life and
hope. And that's exactly what she was to me. My life and my hope.
"Asha," | whispered, testing the nout loud. It felt right.
Luke's voice pulledback to the present. He was laughing softly, holding his baby boy while Jess leaned
against him, her face glowing with exhaustion and happiness.
"She's beautiful," Jess said, her voice warm as she looked over at me. "Laura would be so proud
My throat tightened, and | could only nod.
I" | : I"
She's going to wake up, Josh," Jess
said firmly, as if she could hear fhe
g g in d
doubt in my silenogiGohol it
Ki Ih: but she will. And when
f ] 3
she does, you'll both get to enjoy this
. n
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together. Just likeand Luke." The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
| wished | could believe her with the
sconviction. But every Passing
day felteayiercnaitfelast Every
diy Without Laura felt like a piece of
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
| adjusted Asha in my arms, pressing
a kiss to her foreneag Grecred
Slo IRC sleep, her little
hand brushing against my chest. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
Jess nodded, her eyes soft. "We'll get through this, Josh. All of us."
I didn't have the words to respond, so | just held Asha a little' tighter and tried to hold on to the hope her name
carried.