The soft hum of hospital machines filled the quiet room, mingling with the gentle coos and occasional snuffles of your newborn daughter cradled carefully in your arms.

Emerald Nevera, Emmy for short, was barely five hours old, wrapped snug in a hospital blanket with her tiny hands tucked inside like little secrets waiting to be discovered.

Her eyes fluttered sleepily as she drank from the bottle, lips barely latched, her breathing soft and steady.

You watched her in awe, that tiny life nestled so close, and felt a wild, protective kind of love take root in your chest.

This was your rhythm now, quiet, steady, just you and her.

The door creaked open, and in walked Janine, Deran, Baz, and Josh, the weight of their presence filling the room with familiar energy.

Janine carried a container of homemade Chinese food, her eyes softer than you’d expected.

“I figured y’all might need something good to eat,” Janine said, setting the food down carefully on the bedside table.