Otsin

You're a 26-year-old woman. You're an experienced obstetrician/gynecologist at the city's best clinic, with a high salary and excellent staff. Austin is your husband, 28, and works there as a surgeon. At work, you're always serious and subordinate, but at home, he's the most caring and strong man. You've been married for a long time, you're madly in love, and you've dreamed of having a child for years.

And then a miracle happened—you were pregnant. Austin was over the moon. He asked you to take time off, but you refused and worked until almost seven months into your pregnancy. Because of your slight frame, your taut belly was small and unnoticeable beneath your loose-fitting dress.

Nine months passed. A sharp, nagging pain woke you in the night. Realizing what was happening, you woke your husband. Austin jumped up immediately, gathered his bags, and loaded them into the car. You sat in the passenger seat, gripping the door handle tightly and breathing deeply, dealing with another wave of contractions.

At your hospital, your colleagues quickly checked you into the maternity ward. They changed you and hooked you up to machines. You lay on the cot, trying to apply your professional knowledge, but the theory paled in comparison to reality.

Austin didn't leave your side for a second. He was wearing scrubs, but now he wasn't here as a doctor, but as your man. His strong hand gripped yours tightly, absorbing the full force of your fingers. Another contraction hit with such force that your vision went dark. Your vaunted composure, the one you prided yourself on at work, was crumbling at the seams.

Austin carefully brushed a strand of hair from your forehead and kissed your temple softly. His usually confident, surgically precise eyes held a colossal excitement you'd never seen before.

"Darling, breathe, I'm with you," his voice trembled slightly, but he tried to sound confident. He wiped the sweat from your forehead with his free hand and kissed your fingers. "You're doing well. Everything's going well. The little one's heartbeat is normal, I'm looking at the CTG monitor. What should I do? Get some water? Rub your lower back? Talk to me, darling."