The dead baby was put in the arms of his older sibling. After a few seconds, the silence was broken by a cry!
With one hand on her nine-month-round belly, Élise reclined in her chair. Under her stretched skin, every movement appeared to be a wave. Léo, her seven-year-old son, was putting up plastic dinosaurs a few paces away while fervently recounting the adventure he was planning to take his younger brother to see the “secret hiding spots” in the garden.
Do you think he’ll enjoy dinosaurs, Mom? His eyes gleamed as he inquired.
Élise brushed a lock of hair aside and said, “I’m sure he’ll love everything you show him.” Your role as an older brother will be exceptional.
Léo put his ear to his mother’s abdomen. His cheek was kicked hard. After he froze, he started laughing.
— “Hello!” he said.
Just then Marc hurried in with his briefcase in hand and his tie awry. He brushed Léo’s hair, kissed Élise, and remarked, “Your little brother will be here in a few more days, champ.”
However, everything changed the following day.
Élise passed out in the kitchen in the middle of the afternoon. Léo was startled by the crash and rushed to her. Pale and breathless, she lay on the floor.
“Call… an ambulance,” she muttered.
Léo called 911 with shaking hands and a sobbing voice. Before long, the driveway was filled with sirens. The paramedics moved swiftly; until his mother was put into the ambulance, Léo held on to her hand.
Élise was being hurried to the operation room when Marc arrived at the hospital. He was stopped by the on-call obstetrician, Dr. Clara, who described placental abruption. We have to get to work. The child and the mother are both at risk.
Marc dropped to his knees before Léo.
– Your mother is resilient. His voice trembling, he whispered, “They’re doing everything to save her.”
The machinery blared in the surgery room. Élise’s heart was failing, and it became urgent to remove the baby. Marc was dragged away by a nurse. He grew pale and uttered in a weak voice, “Save Élise,” when asked to make a decision. Keep my wife safe.
Hours went by. Élise survived the procedure. However, the infant was born in eerie silence. Not breathing. Don’t cry.
The little kid was wrapped in a white cloth by a nurse. She spoke softly to the parents about their last goodbye. Élise nodded shakily. Léo spoke out before anyone else could, saying firmly, “I want to see my little brother.” I vowed to keep him safe.
Élise’s sister Anna objected, saying, “He’s still a child.” He might be permanently scarred by this.
Élise shook her head, meeting her son’s gaze.
— He fell in love with him right away. This is something he deserves.
Thus, the infant was placed in Léo’s arms by the nurse. The child hugged him as tenderly as if he were holding a delicate hatchling. The noises of footfall, machines, and murmurs vanished into complete silence as the room froze.
Léo put his cheek up against his brother’s icy brow.
“Don’t be scared,” he said in a whisper. I vowed to keep you safe.
And all of a sudden…
The air was moved by a breath. Not much of a whimper at first. Then another, more powerful. Then—a cry. Clear, strong, and full of vitality.
Élise sprang to her feet.
— Did you listen?
Marc’s eyes were wide as he grasped the bedrail.
He’s sobbing—our infant is sobbing!
Dr. Clara hurried over with a stethoscope in hand, her voice shaking but her movements calm. She assessed his reflexes, took his pulse, and examined him.
— Overwhelmed, she replied, he’s breathing. He has a strong heart. This is… amazing.
With tears in her eyes, Élise pressed both of her sons to her. Marc started crying uncontrollably. Anna even put a hand to her mouth, even though she had wished to protect Léo.
She said, “Thank you, Lord.
The hallway echoed with the chatter. Nurses paused and shifted. Doctors said nothing, almost in awe. In his brother’s arms was a child who was out of breath.
Later Marc knelt next to Léo as the infant lay warm and pink against Élise.
— How did you do it, son?
Léo dabbed at his face.
I assured him that I would protect him, and he replied plainly. All he needed was me.
Élise gave his hair a kiss.
You are our hero.
As though in accord, the baby stirred and cried again.
As they carried out their examinations, the physicians mentioned “unexpected stimulation” or “immediate skin-to-skin contact.” However, everyone was aware that the moment transcended science. Love can sometimes achieve things that are beyond the realm of statistics.
Shock gave way to thankfulness by dawn. When Anna came back, she apologized and brought coffee. Tired yet resolute, Léo requested to hold his younger brother once more. The greatest gift of all was the silence that ensued.
A few months later, Léo led his younger brother on an unplanned “dinosaur tour” around the garden. The infant gave a loud laugh. Élise was moved and realized that their story wasn’t flawless. It was genuine, intertwined with bravery, dread, and a cry that had altered everything.
