He left for an overseas posting.

His number stopped working.

Our divorce became final.

I gave birth months later with my sister at my side and four medical teams waiting nearby.

The children were small and needed extra care.

The weeks blurred into hospital visits, feeding schedules, paperwork, and sleepless nights.

I learned to recognize their cries before I learned to recognize my own exhaustion.

Noah arrived first, loudly protesting the room’s bright lights.