Chapter 19: Claire
Snow blanketed the world outside, soft and endless, as if nature itself was holding its breath.
Cassidy clutched the edge of the bed as another contraction tore through her. Her breathing was sharp, shallow. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the room, mingling with the clean, clinical quiet of the private Swiss maternity suite.
Clara stood beside her, steady as ever. "Breathe, ma chérie. You’re doing beautifully. Just a bit more."
Cassidy gritted her teeth. "How much longer...?"
"Not long now," Clara reassured her gently, brushing damp hair away from Cassidy’s face. "Your baby is almost here."
Nine months. Nine months of solitude, of waiting, of carrying this life while wondering what would come after. Cassidy hadn’t planned for this. Not truly. But she had accepted it. Chosen it, even.
She’d insisted Georgia stay with her own children in the States. You’ve already done so much, Cassidy had said. And it was true. Her sister had taken care of everything: the hospital, the caretaker, even Clara, the warm, nurturing woman in her 40s who had stayed with Cassidy through it all, a quiet presence that never once made her feel alone.
Another contraction surged, harder this time. Cassidy cried out despite herself, squeezing Clara’s hand.
"You are strong," Clara whispered, firm and comforting. "Your daughter is almost here."
Cassidy nodded faintly, tears clinging to her lashes. Her free hand rested instinctively over her belly.
She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. Only that tonight, something irreversible was happening.