Dawn was breaking. The room was getting lighter. Phil Brennan opened his eyes. It took him a few seconds to orientate himself, remember where he was. Hospital. Then he remembered what had happened. And his heart became heavy as lead.
He tried to move his arms, his legs. Flex them, test that they still worked. They did.
His door opened. Light from the corridor flooded in, making silhouettes of the figures in the doorway.
He squinted at them, wondered who it was.
Then realised.
Marina was walking towards the bed, their daughter in her arms. The lead in his heart began to dissipate. He smiled. Marina came nearer. She looked terrible. Hair all over the place, clothing dirtied and torn. Josephina the same.
But to Phil, they had never looked more beautiful.
Marina sat on the side of the bed. Leaned in, stroked his face. Josephina hugged him.
‘Hey,’ Marina said.
‘Hey yourself.’
Up close, Marina looked like she was on the verge of breaking down. He placed his wired and tubed hand on top of hers.
‘We’re here,’ she said. ‘Sorry it took so long … ’
Then the tears started.
From all three of them.