“I will,” Jonathan replied without hesitation. He had no idea what he was committing to, only that he couldn’t abandon them. He bundled the twins into his SUV, their small frames nearly disappearing in the plush leather seats. As he drove, he glanced in the rearview mirror, meeting their wide, trusting eyes, and felt a firm resolve building in his chest.

At the hospital, Jonathan waited in the sterile, fluorescent-lit corridor. Time seemed to stretch interminably as he tried to entertain Eli and Grace with his phone, showing them cartoons that elicited giggles despite their worry. He marveled at their resilience, their ability to find joy in the simplest things even amidst chaos.