Chapter 173

LES

The fluorescent lights flickered overhead as we sat in the waiting room of the hospital, the scent of antiseptic hanging heavy in the air. Iris fidgeted nervously beside me, her fingers twisting around each other as she glanced around at the sterile walls.

"You okay, Bunny?" I asked, reaching out to squeeze her hand.

She offered me a weak smile. "Yeah, just a little anxious about the scan."

I nodded, understanding her apprehension. The thought of seeing our baby for the first time was enough to make anyone jittery. But I was also excited, eager to catch a glimpse of the life growing inside Iris.

After what felt like an eternity, the nurse called us in, and we followed her down the hallway to the ultrasound room. Iris settled onto the examination table, her eyes fixed on the monitor as the nurse squirted gel onto her belly.

And then, there it was. A tiny flicker on the screen, like a beacon of hope in the darkness. Our baby's heartbeat.

Iris let out a shaky breath, her eyes shimmer