How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Jarrod glanced sideways at her. "Are you planning to suffocate yourself? Relax a little."

Elodie swallowed hard. "Who does your daughter take after? She's probably past the awkward phase now, right? I never learned how to hold a baby, Jarrod, my heart is about to jump out of my chest."

She started rambling, as she always did when nervous.

Jarrod watched her, then turned his head and covered his mouth, trying to hide a laugh.

"So if she isn't cute, you'll just send her back?"

Elodie shot him a glare. "What, you think this is like returning groceries at the supermarket?"

He just grinned, taking his time. "You must be out of your mind. With genes like ours—especially mine-how could my daughter not be adorable?"

She wanted to snap back, but words failed her.

He wasn't exactly wrong.

And so they bantered, back and forth, the whole way there.

Half an hour later, Elodie found herself in a secluded neighborhood of upscale villas. The area was deserted, and the roads were tricky to navigate.

was the cold or her nerves, but her

arm around her,

science fiction movie, gleaming with high-tech equipment

in charge here. One of them looked from her to Jarrod. "Mr. Silverstein,

as they rode the elevator

And then-

into a vast, spotless room. At the far end, inside a special incubator, Elodie

her imaginings over the months

child-right

went completely blank. She barely registered Jarrod letting go of her as she drifted forward, step by

a tiny

long and delicate. Even as an

forearm-but clearly healthy, her breathing soft

pressing gently against the glass, as if she could reach through and touch her

moment, tears broke free, streaming

sense of connection-a bond deeper than words-rooted itself inside her, filling her with an uncontrollable urge to love this child with everything she

Tears kept falling, unstoppable.

so fiercely, was safe

beside her, bending down so his eyes met