Severed ties

I watched on as the doctor carried the—- no, my babies, and danced around to coo one of them to stop crying. The nurse's gentle sways and soothing murmurs seemed to work their magic, calming the distressed baby's sobs.

 The other baby, meanwhile, lay in its stroller, calmly observing the scene with an air of quiet contentment, as if already accustomed to the world around it.

I watched on, frozen in a mix of emotions, unsure of how to feel. These tiny beings, my babies, had just been placed into this world, and I hadn't even had the chance to carry them yet. 

Fear gripped my heart, its icy fingers wrapping tightly around my emotions. I was terrified that if I touched them, if I allowed myself to feel their tiny hands wrap around my finger, every ounce of revenge I'd been harboring, every plan I'd meticulously crafted, every sacrifice I'd made until now... I'd give it all up for them.