C196 As long As She Keep Smiling

The corridor was silent. Every few minutes I looked toward the ward doors. Every second felt painfully slow. I wanted nothing more than to hold my wife. To see her smile again. To know she was truly alright. Unable to stay still, I began pacing up and down the corridor. Georgia chuckled softly. "Mike walked this hallway so many times I'm starting to think he'll wear a hole through the floor."

Peter laughed. "Leave him." "He has just discovered he's going to become a father." "He probably has no idea what to do with himself." Everyone smiled. Even I couldn't help laughing awkwardly. "I really don't." "I still can't believe it." Peter smiled warmly. "You'll learn." "Every father starts exactly where you are." "You simply grow together with your child." I nodded thoughtfully. "I'll do everything I can." "I want to become someone my child can be proud of."

Mark looked at me. His eyes softened. "I don't doubt that." "From the day you entered our lives..." "...you've protected Alicia with everything you had." "I know you'll protect my grandchild the same way." His words filled me with both pride and responsibility. Before I could reply... The ward doors opened once more. A middle-aged doctor stepped into the corridor carrying a clipboard. He looked around before asking, "Mr. Mooney?"

Mark immediately stood. "Yes, Doctor." The doctor smiled. "Your daughter has regained consciousness." The words had barely left his mouth... I was already moving. "Wife!" Without thinking, I rushed toward the ward. The doctor smiled knowingly and stepped aside. Inside the room... Everything became quiet. Machines beeped softly beside the bed. Night breeze entered gently through the curtains.

Alicia lay peacefully beneath a white blanket. Her face was still pale. She looked exhausted. Yet... When she heard my footsteps... She slowly opened her eyes. Our gazes met. A faint smile appeared on her lips. "...Mike." The moment she called my name... Every fear inside me disappeared. I hurried to her bedside and carefully took her hand into mine. It felt warm. Alive.

I gently squeezed it. "You scared me." "You really scared me." She smiled weakly. "I'm sorry..." "I didn't mean to." I shook my head immediately. "No." "Don't apologize." "I should have protected you better." "If only I had noticed how overwhelmed you were..." She slowly lifted her hand and touched my cheek. "You always blame yourself." "Even when it isn't your fault." I lowered my forehead until it rested gently against hers. "I almost lost you." Her eyes softened. "But you didn't."

There was a brief silence before I smiled. "There is something..." "...I want to tell you." She looked at me curiously. "What is it?" I gently placed my hand over hers. Then... Very carefully... I rested our joined hands over her stomach. My voice became almost a whisper. "Thank you." Confusion filled her eyes. "For what?" I smiled. "For giving me..." "...the greatest gift I could ever receive." She blinked. Then looked down toward her stomach. Realization slowly dawned on her face.

Her eyes widened. "...Mike..." I nodded, unable to stop smiling. "We're going to be parents." For several seconds... She simply stared at me. Then tears quietly rolled down her cheeks. "...Really?" I laughed softly. "Really." "Aunt Valeria confirmed it." "The baby is still very small." "But..." "Our little miracle is here." Alicia covered her mouth. A soft sob escaped her lips. She wasn't crying from sadness anymore. She was crying because happiness had finally overwhelmed her.

I gently wiped away her tears. "You don't have to cry." She smiled through them. "I know." "But..." "I've never been this happy before." I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Neither have I." Outside the room... Our families quietly watched through the small glass window in the door. No one interrupted. No one spoke. Seeing the two of us smiling together... After everything we had endured... Was enough. Peter quietly smiled. "Our family..." "... is finally happy."

Just then... Hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor. Chris came rushing around the corner, breathing heavily. The moment he saw Peter, Mark, and Georgia standing outside Alicia's hospital room, he froze. "What..." "What happened?" His eyes darted from one elder to another. Earlier, his mother had called him in a panic, telling him only one thing. "Chris, Alicia has been rushed to the hospital." Before he could ask anything else... She had immediately hung up to attend to Alicia.

Since then, every call he made had gone unanswered. His imagination had run wild. He had feared the worst. Without waiting for anyone to explain... He hurried past the elders and pushed open the hospital room door. Bang! The sudden sound startled everyone inside. I instinctively turned around. "Brother?" "What are you doing here?" Chris ignored me completely. His eyes immediately landed on Alicia lying pale on the hospital bed. His expression tightened.

He quickly walked over. "Alicia..." "How are you?" "What happened?" "You scared me to death!" Alicia smiled weakly. "I'm fine." Chris blinked. "...You're fine?" "I thought something terrible had happened." "And here you two..." "...are smiling." I couldn't help laughing. I stood up and walked over before patting his shoulder. "Brother..." "My wife is pregnant." Chris blinked. "...She's pregnant?" I nodded proudly. "Yes." "She's pregnant with my child." Chris stared at me blankly. "...Your child?"

Alicia couldn't help laughing. "Chris..." "Are you planning to repeat every sentence Mike says?" Chris scratched his head awkwardly before grinning. "I..." "My brain stopped working on the way here." "I wasn't prepared for good news." I laughed. "So you wanted bad news instead?" He immediately waved both hands. "No!" "Don't put words into my mouth." "I was just worried."

He slowly walked toward Alicia before gently looking at her stomach. "So..." "I'm going to be an uncle?" Alicia smiled brightly. "Yes." Chris suddenly laughed loudly. "Hahaha!" "Brother!" "I thought Sarah and I would have a baby before you two." "But now it seems like We both going to be fathers." Alicia covered her mouth, laughing softly. "Why are you competing over something like this?" Chris shrugged. "It's a matter of pride."

I shook my head helplessly. "You really are hopeless." Chris suddenly looked at me seriously. "So..." "Does this mean we have to start saving for gifts?" I folded my arms. "Of course." "As the uncle, you'll buy toys." "And clothes." "And diapers." Chris's eyes widened. "...Diapers too?" I nodded without hesitation. "Everything." "I will also do it for your child as well." "We have to be there for our nephews."

Chris suddenly went quiet. I couldn't resist teasing him. "What?" "Thinking about your own baby?" He immediately coughed. "Cough..." "I have no idea what you're talking about." Alicia smiled mischievously. "Really?" "Should I ask Sarah?" Chris's face instantly became even redder. "Please spare me." The room instantly erupted with laughter.

Outside the room... Peter, Mark, Georgia, and Valeria quietly watched through the small glass window. Seeing the three of us teasing one another... Seeing Alicia smiling despite everything she had just gone through... Their worried hearts finally settled. Georgia gently wiped away another tear. "This is much better..." "They should always smile like this." Peter nodded slowly. "They've suffered enough." "It's finally time for happier days." Mark looked through the window at his daughter, whose smile had returned, and quietly whispered, "As long as she keeps smiling..." "I don't need anything else."