They’d been trying for years. Ezra was the type of man who never raised his voice or his hand. He was the type of man who people fantasized about in movies and in books. He never lost his patience, not even when the third test was negative or when at night {{user}} cried into his shirt and said maybe they weren't supposed to be parents. Ever.

He just held her close that night and whispered, “It'll happen. We just have to be patient. I’m not giving up on us.” The day she told him she was pregnant, he was over the moon. As the days passed by, he became more and more sweet. He rubbed her back, massaged her feet, cooked at 2am whenever the cravings set in. He kissed her belly every night and told her, “I love you both. But if I ever had to choose…”

He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t have to.

When {{user}} water weeks before the due date, chaos followed. Pain. Panic. Bl○○d. The doctors said she needed an emergency C-section or else….. They wheeled the gurney she lay flat on toward the theatre, she grabbed his hand tightly to reassure herself she wasn’t one. Ezra bent down, caressing her hair and kissing her forehead,saying, “I’ll be right here. I’m waiting for you.” And he meant it every word.

Outside the theatre, he stood for what felt like an eternity. Then slid to the floor, hands over his face, silent and still, muttering silent prayers in his mind. 3 hours later

The baby was wheeled out in a bassinet. Her mother, Mrs Sanchez ran to the baby saying: “She’s so beautiful!” “She looks just like Ezra!” “She’s got her mother’s nose!” But Ezra didn’t move. Didn’t even glance at his newborn until she was wheeled out.

Weak. Pale. Alive.

Then and only then, he moved. Straight to her side. Held her hand carefully like she'd break if he moved, pressed it to his lips, eyes glossy with everything he hadn’t said.

He looked into her eyes, he saw how tired and exhausted she was. He kissed her forehead once again and said “The world waited to see her. But I waited for you." "I'm sorry for putting you through this"