As if in the blink of an eye, it was soon Raphael's 10th birthday. Keiko had just reached the sixth-month mark in her pregnancy. This would've been reason to celebrate herself if she wasn't still dealing with complications. For one, her blood pressure had barely gone down much, if at all. There was also the matter of dealing with kidney problems and her eyes being more sensitive to light than usual. These challenges increasingly shattered her façade of normalcy, compelling her to confront the reality that this pregnancy was riddled with complications.

This also led to her worrying that she might lose her daughter as a result. She wasn't sure how she would go on if she ended up losing the baby as a result of all this. It didn't help that at one point, her father told her that if it came down to it, he'd choose to save her over the baby.

That scenario threatened to come to pass when, as Raphael was blowing out the candles on his cake, Keiko suddenly collapsed on the floor and started seizing uncontrollably. Panic erupted among the guests as they all rushed over to her side, their cheerful celebrations overshadowed by the urgent need for help. Raphael's heart raced, his birthday forgotten in the scramble to assist his mother, a mix of fear and confusion flooding the room. Keiko had already lost consciousness, so she was utterly helpless as everyone present screamed out her name and pleaded with her to stay with them. Amidst the chaos and panic, her wife sprang into action, swiftly calling for emergency medical assistance. The paramedics arrived promptly, skillfully stabilizing Keiko before rushing her to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

The next few hours zoomed by like a blur. Keiko was quickly whisked off for an emergency Cesarean section to save both her and the baby from certain death. Meanwhile, her family members could do nothing but wait for any updates on the situation at hand. Unfortunately for them, it was easier said than done. The longer they had to wait, the more and more time seemed to slow down. No one could bear to wait that long. It was torturous.

"Mamãe?" Raphael asked after not speaking for a good while.

"Yes, dear?" Daiana asked back.

"Is Mom going to be okay?"

"I have no idea. The doctors are doing their very best for her and the baby."

Raphael sighed. "Okay, just thought I'd ask." He crossed his arms and darted his eyes towards the ground. "Man, this sucks. Can't believe this had to happen on my birthday of all days."

Eddie forced himself to take a deep breath. "This would've sucked no matter what day it took place on, Raphael. Besides that, let's not worry about your birthday right now. Keiko and the baby are more important to us." Eddie thought for a moment before continuing. "In fact, we can celebrate your birthday once everything is back to normal, and we've found out for sure if they're okay."

Raphael nodded. "Okay."

They ended up waiting more than they already had. Somehow, it was worse the second time around. Just when they thought they'd never get an update on Keiko or the baby, a doctor stepped out and made a beeline for Eddie and the rest of the family.

"What is it, Doctor?" Eddie asked, anxious for any kind of news. "Are Keiko and the baby okay?"

"Well, yes and no," the doctor replied. "We were able to deliver the baby before it was too late, but she's currently in the NICU. It's not looking great for her, but we can't predict how things will go from there. As for Keiko... she's in a coma."

In a heartbeat, the reality of life and death collided with hope and despair. Keiko had found herself in a situation that no one, not even her father, wanted to live through. The birth of her child, a moment she and Daiana had anticipated for so long, was now clouded by the uncertainty of their futures.

"How long until she wakes up?" Eddie asked as hopefully as possible.

The doctor sighed. "We can't predict that, either. We don't even know if she will wake up. I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but that's all we can report on for now."

"I see." Eddie had to fight the urge to cry right then and there. "Thank you, Doctor."

"No problem." With that, the doctor prepared to turn around and leave the family he'd just sought out behind. "We'll keep you updated when possible."

Eddie and the rest of the family proceeded to watch the doctor as he walked out of the waiting room to tend to whichever patient was next. Once Eddie was certain that the doctor had disappeared from his line of sight, he proceeded to sigh and bury his face into his hands.

"Oh, my poor baby..." he moaned. "Why did I let her go through this again?"

Daiana rested her hand on her father-in-law's shoulder. "It's not your fault. All you did was try to be supportive of her."

"I know, but..." Eddie briefly glanced over to Raphael sitting beside him. "What she went through the first time was already awful enough, and now... no, I don't even want to think about it."

"Me neither. I hope Keiko wakes up soon."

"Me too, Daia. Me too."

As soon as they could, Eddie and the rest of the family decided to pay Keiko a visit in her room. Sure enough, Keiko was lying there in her hospital bed; hooked up to things like an IV line, an oxygen mask, a nasogastric tube, EKG lead wires, and anti-embolism stockings. No one could help but feel a deep sadness as they looked upon their family member's comatose body. Eddie in particular felt a wave of emotion come over him. He felt as if his heart was going to break in thousands of pieces as he looked at his daughter lying there, motionless and unresponsive to everything around her. He couldn't help but let an immense sense of helplessness wash over him, something he hated experiencing throughout his life.

"It should've been you, Daiana," Eddie choked out. "I should've convinced Keiko to let you carry the baby instead. Maybe then the baby wouldn't have come so early and Keiko wouldn't be fighting for her life right now."

"Maybe," Daiana replied. "But you know Keiko. When she wants something, she fights to get it."

Eddie quickly whirled around and looked as if he was ready to attack her. "Of course I know that! You thought I didn't?!" Realizing what he'd just done, he took a deep breath and composed himself. "I just... I hate this, Daiana. I hate everything about this."

"I know. Believe me, I do too."

As Keiko lay unconscious, surrounded by the beeping of machines and the sterile smell of antiseptic, her family and friends waited anxiously by her side for hours, their hearts heavy with unanswered questions. Would she ever awaken? Would she ever get to cradle her newborn daughter? Nobody knew. The best they could do right now was wait for something, anything to happen. Even then, however, they weren't really sure what exactly would happen; and they weren't sure they wanted to know, either.

Eventually, a doctor had to step in and ask the family to leave. When asked why, the doctor explained that Keiko needed a calm and quiet environment to aid in her recovery. Too many visitors could be overwhelming, and the constant presence of people might hinder the progress they were hoping for. Additionally, the medical team needed space to monitor her condition closely and provide the necessary care without any distractions.

"We understand, Doctor," Daiana said. "Thanks."

The doctor nodded. "No problem. I know you had good intentions, but Keiko's going to need all the space she can get if she's ever going to recover from this."

Daiana nodded back. "Okay."

With that, Daiana gave Keiko's arm a gentle squeeze before leaving the room, with the rest of the family following behind her. She then closed the door behind her and took a deep breath. She knew that she and the rest of the family had to stay strong and hope for the best.