The hospital atmosphere was suffocating Sarah. In the room next door, newborns were crying, and she pressed her palms against her ears in irritation. It didn't help. The piercing wails gave her a splitting headache. Right now, she had only one wish: to vanish from this maternity ward and pretend none of this had ever happened.
But Mrs. Gable, the senior midwife, came back into the room and started pleading with her again.
"Sarah, honey, won't you reconsider? She's a beautiful baby girl. She looks just like you! Think carefully, or you'll regret this for the rest of your life."
"No! I've made my decision. I've signed the waiver. The rest is up to the state. Please, just leave me alone," Sarah snapped, before breaking into sobs. "Tell me, where would I even take her? I have nowhere to go with a baby, don't you understand? Nowhere!"
"What do you mean, nowhere? You have a roof over your head. You aren't on the streets," Mrs. Gable replied, her eyes narrowing sternly. "What about your parents?"
"It's just my mom, and she isn't young anymore. She needs help herself. And then I show up with a baby? The whole town will be talking. Don't you see how that looks?" Sarah whispered through her tears.
"Let them talk. Gives them something to do!" the midwife joked with a small smile. She paused for a moment and then added more softly, "What does it matter what people say? They'll always find a reason to gossip. But you'll have a daughter. You'll never forgive yourself if you walk away. You'll spend every day wondering about her."
Sarah cried even harder. Seeing she was getting through, the midwife pressed on with newfound energy.
"Just look at her tiny nose. It's the spitting image of yours. Imagine what a beautiful young woman she'll grow up to be!"
"But I don't have any money! I need clothes, diapers... I don't even know where to start," the girl murmured, looking lost.
"Is that all you're worried about? We have a local foundation that helps single mothers. We'll get your little girl everything she needs. We'll even get you to the station and see you onto your bus. Just stay calm and think about what you want to name her."
"I already thought of one. Faith," Sarah answered quietly, wiping her tears with a faint smile.
"That's perfect! What a lovely name. Now, why don't you try feeding little Faith, and I'll check back on you in a bit?" Mrs. Gable said, finally handing the infant to her mother.
Sarah took the baby gently and felt a massive wave of tenderness wash over her. No, she couldn't give up sweet little Faith—not for anything in the world.
***
"Well?" the doctor asked anxiously. "Did you manage to convince the mother?"
"Yes, she's keeping her! I'm so relieved," the midwife replied cheerfully. "It feels like a weight has been lifted. I think they're going to be just fine."
Mrs. Gable kept her word. She bought all the essentials for the baby and accompanied Sarah to the bus station. The young mother couldn't take her eyes off her daughter. She held her tight, stroking her head and whispering sweet things to her.
"See? And you were so worried," Mrs. Gable said with a smile.
"Thank you so much. I'm actually ashamed to think I was going to give her up. I don't know what got into me. I was just so scared—I didn't think I could handle it," Sarah said softly, blushing.
"Don't worry about it. I understand. You're in a tough spot, truly. But problems can be solved; things will get better. Losing a child, though... that's forever. You would have lost the most important thing in your life. You see, I made a mistake when I was young. A terrible, life-changing mistake. I still haven't forgiven myself."
"Mrs. Gable, what do you mean?" Sarah asked in surprise. "You're the kindest person I know. How could someone like you make a mistake like that?"
"Well, we have a little time before your bus arrives. I might as well tell you the truth," the woman said, dabbing at a stray tear. "Life was very hard for me starting out. I lost my parents young. My job paid next to nothing. And then, I had an unplanned pregnancy. At first, I just panicked. I cried for days, feeling sorry for myself. I went to doctors, but no one could help me; it was already too late. So, in my desperation, I went to a woman in the countryside who performed illegal procedures. It worked, but it left a mark. I could never have children after that. Later, I met a good man and got married. After a few years, we wanted a family, but the specialist told me I was sterile."
"And there was nothing they could do?" Sarah asked, heartbroken.
"No, there was no treatment for it. The doctors said there was no chance," the woman continued. "My husband couldn't handle it. He loved me, but he eventually left. He found someone else and started a family, and I was left alone. That's when I decided to become a midwife. I don't have children of my own, but I help others bring theirs into the world."
"I am so sorry. You're such a wonderful person. Thank you for making sure I didn't make the same mistake," Sarah said, her voice hushed.
"Don't dwell on it. I suppose it was just my path in life. If you ever need anything, you know where I work. If things get hard, come find me, and we'll figure it out together."
After taking her seat, Sarah looked out the window. On the platform, the midwife pulled out a handkerchief and began to wipe her eyes. Sarah tapped on the glass, smiled, and waved. Mrs. Gable waved her handkerchief back and called out over the engine noise:
"Goodbye! Take care of Faith!"
The trip back to her hometown was exhausting. Between the stress and the lack of sleep over the last few days, Sarah arrived feeling completely drained. She clutched the baby with one arm and lugged a heavy bag of supplies with the other.
"Sarah! Hey! Haven't seen you around in ages!" a neighbor called out from over a fence.
"Hi, Mrs. Miller. Is my mom home?"
"Oh honey, don't you know? Your mother passed away about six months ago. And I see you've brought a little one with you. Oh, it's going to be a long road for you now!"
The news made Sarah's head spin. she barely made it to the house. But she couldn't break down or scream—the baby had fallen asleep in her arms. "Don't worry, Faith. You have me, and I'm going to make this work."
***
Faith grew up to be a healthy, happy girl. But one day, she seemed downcast.
"Sweetie, what's wrong? Did something happen at school? Just tell me, and I'll handle it."
"All my friends go to see their grandmas for the holidays, and their grandmas are always so excited to see them. What about me? I'm almost ten, and I've never even met mine," the girl replied sadly.
"Our grandma lived right here, in this house. But she's been gone a long time, honey. That's just the way it is."
"But what about the other one?" stubborn Faith persisted. "Every kid is supposed to have two grandmas."
"You know, honey... we actually do have a Grandma Gable. She works at the hospital. We'll go visit her tomorrow."
Unfortunately, they didn't find Mrs. Gable at the hospital. It turned out she had retired years ago due to her health. Luckily, Sarah managed to get the elderly woman's address from the nurse on duty.
As they pulled up to the house, Sarah worried, What if we're too late? But her fears were groundless. Mrs. Gable was still spirited and looked almost exactly the same.
"Sarah? Is that really you? What a surprise! And this must be Faith? What a gorgeous girl! Come in, come in! Let's have some tea. I just finished a batch of pancakes," the old woman bustled about happily, leading her unexpected guests inside.
They talked for hours over tea while Faith spent the evening playing with the cat.
"You know, Sarah, I hate to see you go," Mrs. Gable said. "Why don't you stay here with me? You could find a good job in the city; there are so many more opportunities here."
"The city is nice, but I've gotten used to the country. I have my garden and my chickens. I can't just leave it all. Why don't you move in with us instead?" Sarah asked hopefully.
"Well, why not! I've dreamed of living out in the country my whole life," Mrs. Gable exclaimed, her eyes shining with happiness.
"Grandma! My dear Grandma!" Faith cried out joyfully. "Are you really coming to stay forever?"
"Yes, sweetheart. Forever."
Sarah helped the old woman pack her heavy suitcases, and the next day they headed back to the house in the country. All three were incredibly happy. Sarah finally had the support of someone she loved. Mrs. Gable wasn't alone anymore. And Faith finally had a grandmother to call her own.
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