Chapter 5

“Of course, this hospital accepts breast milk donors. If you want to donate, just go to the baby care unit on the fourth floor. But before that, you have to take a health test.”

Elizabeth gave a faint smile. “Alright, nurse. Thank you.”

After finishing the administrative process, she walked toward the health examination room and then went up to the fourth floor, as directed by the cashier earlier.

Elizabeth knew very well where the baby care unit was. Alex, her son, had once been treated there. When he was born, Alex had to stay in the incubator because he swallowed too much amniotic fluid. The tiny baby was born with bluish lips and without a cry.

Since then, the nursery had become a familiar place to her. Almost every day she brought breast milk for her child.

This hospital… held too many memories.

The place where Ibnu was born.

And the place where he took his last breath.

Elizabeth’s chest tightened. But she quickly took a deep breath, trying to stay strong. At last, she arrived in front of the nursery door.

“Excuse me, Nurse,” she said as she stepped inside.

Three nurses were on duty. One of them turned. “Yes, miss. Can I help you?”

Indeed, Elizabeth’s appearance still looked like a teenager. Not many would think she had already given birth.

“I want to donate breast milk,” Elizabeth finally said.

“Oh, please come in.”

The nurse smiled warmly. Elizabeth stepped inside. The room was full of tiny baby cribs. The sound of crying came from several corners, yet one of them sounded so much like Alex’s cry.

Her eyes burned. She almost burst into tears, if only the nurse hadn’t spoken. “So you want to donate breast milk?”

Elizabeth took a deep breath, then nodded. “Yes.”

“What a coincidence. There’s a baby who really needs breast milk. The baby was born premature and cannot be given formula,” the nurse explained.

“Oh, which one is the baby, Nurse?” Elizabeth wanted to know which child would become her foster baby.

“This one.” The nurse pointed to an incubator.

“He was born weighing only 1.2 kilograms. It has been a week, but his weight hasn’t increased at all. His mother has never once come here. Usually, only his father and grandmother visit,” the nurse explained.

Elizabeth froze, staring at the tiny baby who kept crying. Slowly, she smiled. Unconsciously, her fingers slipped through the small opening of the incubator, touching the fragile cheek.

The baby opened his eyes and looked at her.

“Hello… how are you? My name is Elizabeth,” she said softly.

The little lips trembled as if in response.

“I pray your weight will increase soon. So that you can leave this box and see the morning sun. Sunlight is very good for newborns.” Elizabeth’s smile bloomed, her voice full of affection.

The baby, wearing only a diaper, kept staring at her.

“Sorry, whose breast milk is this?” one of the nurses suddenly asked in doubt. It seemed impossible for such a young girl to have breast milk.

“This is mine, Nurse,” Elizabeth answered firmly.

“Your breast milk?” The nurse was surprised. Her two colleagues also turned toward her.

“Yes,” Elizabeth replied with a gentle smile.

“But… how do you have breast milk?” another nurse asked.

“I’m married, and I have a child,” Elizabeth answered softly.

“Oh, I see… we thought you were still in school,” said one of the nurses, embarrassed.

Elizabeth only smiled at that.

“Here, Nurse. The milk.” Elizabeth placed a bag on the table and took out several frozen breast milk pouches.

“All of them are labeled with the date and time.” The nurse checked the labels carefully.

“Yes, I stored them in the freezer. When I pumped, I didn’t know who I would give them to.” She showed eight neatly frozen milk pouches.

“Wow, that’s a lot,” the nurse said in awe.

Elizabeth smiled faintly.

“But… what about your own child, if the milk is donated like this?”

Elizabeth fell silent for a moment. Then her voice broke softly. “My child passed away… a week ago. That’s why I keep pumping. I still have too much milk.”

The room suddenly fell silent.

“We’re so sorry… please stay strong,” one of the nurses said with sympathy.

Elizabeth only nodded.

“Oh, by the way, a few days ago I had the flu, so I took some medicine. I’ve written the name of the medicine on the label. Other than that, I don’t have any infectious or hereditary diseases. I’m healthy. Here’s the medical certificate from the test I just took downstairs.” Elizabeth handed over some of the labeled milk pouches and the health certificate she had just received minutes ago.

“If this milk can’t be used, just throw it away.”

The nurse nodded. “Alright, miss. We’ll consult the pediatrician. But usually, medicine like paracetamol is fine.”

Elizabeth smiled. “Alright then. I’ll take my leave.”

“Yes, miss. Thank you.”

But before going home, Elizabeth returned to the incubator of the premature baby. She smiled warmly and slipped her finger inside once more.

“Goodbye for now, little one… I’ll come back again.”

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Meanwhile, Nathan came to the hospital to see his son’s condition.

He had spent the whole day looking for a breast milk donor, but the results were very disappointing. He was almost in despair, not knowing where else to search.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Nathan,” greeted one of the nurses in the nursery.

Nathan only gave a brief nod. His eyes were fixed on his son who was sleeping peacefully. “I haven’t found a breast milk donor for my baby,” he said wearily.

But strangely, the tiny baby seemed so calm.

The nurse smiled. “It’s alright, sir. Earlier this afternoon, a mother donated breast milk here. We told her that her milk would be given to your baby.”

Nathan’s eyes widened. “Is that true?”

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