Chapter 1: The Diagnosis
…life came first.
The nurse didn’t waste a second. Within minutes, Sabina was on a bed, a cool cloth pressed to her forehead while a doctor checked her temperature again.
“104.6,” he said, his tone calm but firm. “You did the right thing bringing her in.”
Those words broke something inside me.
I hadn’t realized how tightly I had been holding myself together until someone finally said I wasn’t overreacting.
“She’s dehydrated and the fever is spiking fast,” he continued. “We’re going to run tests and start fluids immediately.”
I nodded, my hand never leaving Sabina’s.
For the first time that night, I wasn’t surrounded by judgment or control. Just urgency. Just care.
Just truth.
As the IV drip started, Sabina stirred slightly and whispered, “Mommy… stay.”
“I’m right here,” I said, brushing her hair back.
May you like
And I meant more than just that moment.
I was done leaving her alone in a house full of people who didn’t see her.
