AUTHOR'S NOTE=

WE HAVE REACHED THE FINAL STRETCH OF YET ANOTHER STORY.

I WAS ASKED IN A COMMENT WHY I WAS POSTING SEVERAL CHAPTERS AT ONCE, BECAUSE MANY AUTHORS TAKE UP TO A YEAR TO UPDATE A CHAPTER. MY ANSWER IS HERE, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING THIS QUESTION DESERVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS A PERSON WHO LIKES TO READ, I HATE IT WHEN A STORY STANDS STILL FOR A LONG TIME, SO THAT'S WHY I ONLY POST STORIES THAT ARE ALREADY FINISHED, OR IN THE FINAL STRETCH, EVEN THOUGH I THINK IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO POST THE END OF THIS STORY HERE, BUT AS EVERYONE ASKED ME NOT TO POST IN PORTUGUESE BUT IN ENGLISH, I HAD TO DO ALL THE BASIC TRANSLATION (OF COURSE WITH THE HELP OF THE TRANSLATOR, AS YOU KNOW I'M BRAZILIAN AND DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH BEYOND THE BASICS), BUT I THINK WE MANAGED TO REACH OUR UNDERSTANDING HERE.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE STORY...IN THE NEXT AND LAST CHAPTER I'LL BE LEAVING THE LINK TO THE NEW STORY, I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU THERE.

OUR LAST CHAPTER IS COMING SOON AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT DURING THE TIME I'VE BEEN HANS.

CHAPTER 148

3 months later...

Christmas Eve arrived with a heavy snowfall, covering everything in a silent white blanket. Jack, in the midst of the biting cold, was running around, preparing for the imminent arrival of his first child. Elizabeth was in her room, feeling the first contractions as the snow fell heavily outside.

Jack tried to disguise the fear in his heart. He wasn't a midwife, but Elizabeth's sac had ruptured earlier than expected, and the midwife hadn't arrived yet. The room was lit only by the dim light of candles, creating dancing shadows on the walls while the wind howled outside.

Elizabeth, lying on the bed, held Jack's hands tightly, her face contorted by the pain of the contractions. The snow was beating against the windows, making the night even more frightening.

- Jack, it hurts so much! I don't know if I can make it! Elizabeth said.

Jack, trying to stay calm, stroked Elizabeth's face and spoke words of encouragement.

- You're strong, my love. We'll get through this together. The midwife will be here soon. Jack spoke in his strong voice.

The hours seemed to drag by as Jack helped Elizabeth prepare for the birth. He improvised with cloths and towels, trying to create a safe environment for the imminent birth. The contractions increased in intensity and Elizabeth, with her legs firmly tied to the headboard, held a towel over her mouth to muffle her cries.

Worry and fear grew in Jack, who couldn't hide his tears as he watched his wife go through such a painful time. The sound of the blizzard outside made the situation even more distressing.

- Hold on, Bella! Hold on a little longer.

Jack took control of the situation, comforting his wife. With his experienced hands and the knowledge he had been taught in the mountie battalions, he guided the birth of the couple's first child.

She, in the midst of fear and pain, saw hope return to her husband's eyes when their baby, an early Christmas present, finally came into the world. The child's healthy cry echoed in the room, dispelling the tension that had built up.

Jack, holding the baby in his arms, looked at his beloved wife with watery eyes, her face wet with sweat, her hair sticking up and tears in her eyes.

- You've been incredible, my love. Our family is complete. I love you.

Then, in the darkness and silence, the sound of footsteps in the snow was heard outside. The door opened, revealing the brave midwife, braving the storm to arrive on time.

- I got there as quickly as I could. How is she? Said midwife Hermínia.

- It's okay, it was very difficult, but he's here, and she fought bravely.

The midwife took control of the situation, with experienced hands and ancestral knowledge, she guided, cleaned the child and examined him.

The blizzard outside was still roaring, but inside that house, a new life was beginning amid joy and renewed love. Christmas Eve, which began with fear and uncertainty, ended with a miracle: the arrival of a new life, bringing light and hope into Jack and Elizabeth's home.

And so little Jack Thorton Junior was born.