Elina paced tensely as she waited for Mark to come back. Her thoughts went to the trip they were planning, even though she was already very pregnant. The quiet was broken when the phone rang.
“Where are you?” Elina asked, trying to hide how angry she was.
“I’m stuck,” Mark said. “The traffic is awful.” “You and Mum should go without me.”
Elina paused, envisioning four hours alone with her disapproving mother-in-law, Laura. “Are you serious?” she asked in a cold voice.
Elina felt weighed down by Laura’s presence. It hurt that she was always doubtful about who the baby’s father was.
As the trip started, the car was full of tension. The dancing snowflakes outside were a nice relief to the cold inside.
As the GPS took them in the wrong direction, Laura’s criticism got worse. Elina finally lost her cool. “Do you think I’m cheating on Mark?” She yelled, and her voice was shaking.
“I’ll ask for a DNA test,” Laura said in a cool voice.
Things got out of hand in the talk. When Elina pulled over, there was a heated fight.
All of a sudden, Elina’s water broke. Fear set in. Laura, a former nurse-midwife, jumped right in to help.
In the back seat, Elina’s contractions got stronger. As Laura helped her give birth, they forgot about their differences for a moment.
Laura’s face softened as the baby’s cry filled the car. “Congratulations, you have a son.”
It was so sad for Elina to hold her child. Mark showed up, and his face lit up with relief. “You’re amazing,” he said in a low voice.
Forgiveness and understanding grew at that moment. When Laura looked into Elina’s eyes, they were filled with both sorrow and acceptance.
