Emma stood by the window, staring out at the gray February day. The maternity ward was located on the outskirts of their small town, and from the room’s window, all she could see were dreary five-story apartment buildings and bare tree branches.

“You haven’t seen him, Jake. He’s so tiny… Only three months old and already unwanted,” she said, hugging her arms around herself as if trying to keep warm.
It had happened a week ago. Emma was getting ready to be discharged with little Olivia when she heard a baby’s cry from the room next door. It was a different kind of cry — heartbreaking, desperate. As if the baby already knew no one would come for him.
“His mother abandoned him right here at the hospital,” said an older nurse, Mrs. Parker, noticing Emma’s concern. “His name’s Noah. He’s healthy, but no one wants him.”

From that day on, something broke inside Emma. She couldn’t peacefully watch Olivia sleeping without imagining a baby just like her lying all alone in the next room. No loving words, no gentle touches, no warmth.

“Jake, can’t we at least ask about the process? Just ask,” Emma turned to her husband. “Maybe it’s a sign. Maybe we can help…”

“A sign?” Jake gave a bitter smile. “A sign that you’re not thinking straight after childbirth. We have a mortgage, Emma. A one-bedroom apartment. I’m the only one working. How are we supposed to handle another child?”
“We’ll manage,” Emma said stubbornly. “In six months, I go back to teaching. I’ll have my Level One certification by then…”

“Yeah, right,” Jake interrupted. “And until then, you’ll be home with two babies. At the same time. Do you even realize what that means?”

Footsteps echoed in the hallway, and in walked Rachel — Emma’s high school friend, there to visit the new mom.

“Family meeting?” Rachel asked, glancing at the tense faces. “What’s going on?”

“Emma’s lost her mind,” Jake muttered. “She wants to take in another baby. Right now.” “Another baby?” Rachel sat down at the edge of the bed, confused. “There’s a little boy here… abandoned,” Emma’s voice trembled. “Noah. He’s three months old.”

Rachel let out a low whistle. “Well, that’s a twist! What are the doctors saying?” “Nothing yet,” Emma glanced quickly at Jake. “We haven’t asked. Jake’s against it.”

“Of course, I’m against it!” Jake burst out. “Because someone in this family has to think logically! We just had a daughter, and we’re barely managing with her — how could we handle another one?”

There was more than anger in his voice. There was fear too. Fear of overwhelming responsibility, of the unknown, of potential problems.

“Jake, sit down,” Rachel said gently. “Let’s just talk this through.” Jake sat heavily in a chair, rubbing his face. “What’s there to talk about? It’s madness.” “Why madness?” Rachel shrugged. “People overcome harder situations. My coworker adopted three kids. They’re doing fine — they’re happy.”

“Her husband is a businessman if I remember correctly,” Jake said bitterly. “I’m just an engineer. And we don’t live in a three-bedroom house; it’s a tiny, old apartment.” “The housing situation can be solved,” Rachel said thoughtfully. “There are government allowances for mothers…”

“Rachel, you too?” Jake stood up, frustrated. “What allowance? What adoption? We just had a baby! We should focus all our energy on her, not spread ourselves thin!”

At that moment, Olivia started crying. Emma rushed over to the crib, lifting her daughter gently into her arms. The baby calmed almost immediately, snuggling her tiny nose into her mother’s shoulder.

“Look!” Jake pointed at them. “That’s where your attention should be, Emma. And here you are thinking about someone else’s child…” “They’re not someone else’s,” Emma said quietly, rocking Olivia. “They’re nobody’s. That’s the difference.”

A heavy silence filled the room. Only the soft breathing of Olivia and distant voices from the hallway could be heard. “Jake,” Rachel said finally. “Why don’t we at least go and see the boy? You haven’t even seen him.”

“Why?” Jake asked tiredly. “So it’ll be even harder to say no afterward?”

“Because your wife has already seen him,” Rachel answered calmly. “And you need to understand how she feels. Otherwise, this conversation will keep haunting you.”

Jake stayed silent for a long moment, staring out the window. Finally, he nodded slowly. “Alright. We’ll go see him. But it doesn’t mean anything, you hear me, Emma? No promises.”

“Of course,” Emma agreed quickly. “Just to see him.”

They left Olivia in Rachel’s care and walked to the neighboring ward. Mrs. Parker, the elderly nurse, smiled knowingly when she saw them. “Here to see Noah? Just a moment.”
She disappeared behind a door and soon returned carrying a small bundle. A tiny, helpless little thing, with a faint layer of dark hair crowning his head…

Emma felt her heart jolt at the sight of little Noah. He was sleeping, his tiny eyelashes trembling slightly against his pale cheeks. His hands, no bigger than Jake’s thumb, were clenched into fists, as if bracing himself against a world that hadn’t wanted him.

“You can hold him,” Mrs. Parker said kindly.

Without waiting for Jake’s reaction, Emma reached out and gently took the bundle into her arms. He was so light, even smaller than their Olivia. A wave of maternal protectiveness surged over her.

“He’s so tiny,” she whispered, tears burning at the corners of her eyes. “How could anyone leave such an angel?”

Jake stood stiffly beside her, staring at the baby with a complicated expression — a mix of fear, worry, and despite himself, a flicker of tenderness.

“Who’s his mother? What happened?” he finally asked, his voice much softer than before.

Mrs. Parker sighed. “A very young girl. Said she couldn’t take care of him and signed the papers immediately after birth. She never even held him.”

Just then, Noah opened his eyes — two deep blue eyes, impossibly wise for such a small baby. He gazed directly at Emma, then at Jake. He didn’t cry. He just watched, as if silently judging these strangers who now stood before him.

“Any health problems?” Jake asked, and Emma caught a flicker of hope in his voice. That meant he wasn’t completely rejecting the idea.

“No, perfectly healthy,” the nurse answered. “Just an unfair start to life. You know, babies feel whether they are loved or not. He hasn’t felt it yet.”

Emma turned her pleading eyes toward Jake. He ran a hand through his hair nervously, then, hesitantly, reached out a finger toward the baby.
Noah grabbed Jake’s finger immediately, gripping with a surprising strength for such a tiny baby.

A heavy silence fell over them. Emma saw the change in Jake’s expression, the slow crumbling of the wall he’d built.

“What does the process look like?” Jake finally asked, without pulling his finger away. “What are the legal steps?”

Mrs. Parker smiled, as if she had known all along how this would end.

“It’s a long road,” she explained. “First, you have to submit an application with Child Protection Services. Then there will be evaluations, home visits, training. But it’s doable.”

Jake and Emma locked eyes. It was as if a silent conversation was happening between them. Doubt still flickered in Jake’s gaze, but so did a soft resignation. In Emma’s eyes — hope and resolve.

“Let’s talk about it at home,” Jake said finally. “With a clear head. With a list of everything it would involve.”

For Emma, that was the closest thing to a ‘yes’ she could have hoped for.
Noah stirred a little in her arms, making small noises that hinted at a coming cry.

“I need to feed him,” Mrs. Parker said, reaching for the baby.

Reluctantly, Emma handed Noah back. The feeling of loss was instant and profound, as if a piece of her was being taken away.

The walk back to her room was silent. Rachel was waiting for them, gently rocking Olivia, who slept peacefully.

“Well?” she asked in a whisper, scanning their faces.

“We’ll talk,” Jake answered, and Emma felt a surge of gratitude for that tiny, precious compromise. “It doesn’t mean anything yet, but… we’ll talk.”

And deep in her heart, Emma knew their lives had just taken a turn — one they hadn’t expected, but maybe the very one they needed.