Book 3 Chapter 22

The next day, Mae awoke to find an empty bed beside her. Panic oovercame her groggy mind as she sat up, frantically searching the room. Still disheveled and half-asleep, Mae stumbles out of the hospital room as her heart pounded in her chest.

She rushes down the corridor with panicked steps, her eyes darting from side to side as she scanned the still quiet hospital. And then, she saw her – Jane, standing at the entrance to the NICU, her gaze fixed on the glass window separating her from her baby.

Relief washed over Mae as she approached her cousin, her steps slowing to a calm pace. She reached out and gently touched Jane's shoulder, "You okay?" She asked.

Jane turned to face Mae, her eyes almost telling her everything that is going in her mind. Without saying a word, she nodded, a small but genuine smile tugging at her lips.

Mae glanced at Jane's peacefully sleeping baby, who was gently thumb-sucking in her sleep.

"So, she's finally got her name tag. Zoe... It suits her, really," Ma