Gabriel and Celina talked for a few minutes. He asked if she had slept well, how she was feeling. Celina felt safe with him, even from a distance. There was something grounding about Gabriel, as if he were an anchor in the middle of her storm.

After the call, Celina took another shower. That morning, she had a prenatal appointment. She chose a loose dress patterned with tiny daisies. The light fabric swayed with her every step like a soft dance. She pinned her hair up in a bun and left.

At the clinic, the waiting room was crowded. She sat down and pulled out her phone to pass the time. She looked around at the other women. Two of them were with their partners. Couples exchanging caresses, soft laughter, hands resting over baby bumps, kisses on foreheads. It stirred something inside her more than she cared to admit.

Her throat tightened. Her heart ached, and sadness threatened to rise, but she remembered her conversation with Gabriel the night before. His words had reached her in a pla