She often cried silently at night so Daniel wouldn’t hear her. And Daniel, although he was broken inside as well, always pretended to be strong. He believed that one day, God would hear them.
And after ten years of waiting, that day finally came.
The doctor stared at the ultrasound screen for a long time, then smiled. Maria was pregnant. But the miracle was not a single one. On the screen, two tiny hearts were beating.
Twins.
The news transformed their home. The empty room was finally filled with color. Maria carefully placed tiny clothes in the wardrobe, and Daniel assembled two cribs with his own hands. They had already chosen names for their daughters: Lia and Laura.
Every evening, Maria placed her hand on her belly and felt them moving. She believed that after ten years of pain, life was finally smiling upon her.
But no one could imagine the ordeal that awaited them.
