Castil

nd the antiseptic smell of a hospital. My eyelids felt heavy, glued shut. I he

cted and placed in a tray. I forced my eyes open, blinking against the harsh light. I

by. A small, white bundle lay there, barely vi

nd weak. The sound scraped agains

oze, her hand still hovering over the bundle. The docto

rave. "Ms. Castillo," she said gently, her voice full of a practiced empath

low, splitting open the wound in my chest. N

Ms. Castillo," Dr. Evans continued, her

eart shattered into a million pieces. Tears, hot and

perate plea. "Please, just l

rled into a fetal position, no bigger than the palm of her hand. It was a fully formed little person, with delicate fingers and toes, a t

th an unbearable pain. My beautiful child. I

was a sound of pure, unadulterated grief, a mother's wai

sorry for your loss, Ms. Castillo," she said, he

shing away her hand. "I want to bury

egret. "I'm afraid that's not possible, Ms

st vestiges of my strength drainin

fluorescent lights of the corridor blurred above me as they wheeled

tanding there, his face etched with worry and dark circles under his eyes. H

"My baby... they want to take my baby." Tears

looked at Dr. Evans, his eyes firm. "Doctor, my daughter want

t this is not just 'medical waste.' This is my grandchild. And my daughter, your patient, is asking for this. Is there truly no way to accommodate her wishes, for the sake of her

the nurse. She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Under special circumstances," she said slowly, "and with proper lega

e to the nurse, who reluctantly handed the small bundle to him. He t

y, honey. Your baby will be take

thought of my mother's unconscious form

nd some bruising, but nothing permanent. She just passed out from the shock and the init

, a tremor runn

in. Don't you worry about him, Keyla. He won't be bothering you or y

was over. The violence, the accusations, the lies. But the cost wa

rehead. "Rest now, my love. We'll ge