Chapter 2: The promise
The room was silent—too silent. Elian wasn't sure if it was exhaustion or the weight of grief, but at some point, while his gaze remained fixed on the empty crib, he fell asleep, clutching the blanket Aurora had chosen.
In his dreams, she was there.
One day before the tragedy.
"Elian, that piece is upside down!" Aurora laughed—a soft, contagious laugh. Her cheeks were flushed, and her hair was tied up in a messy bun, with a few loose strands falling across her face.
"Huh?" He turned the crib board in his hands, confused. "But the instructions are in a different language!"
Aurora brought her hand to her mouth, laughing like it was the funniest thing she'd seen all day.
"They're not in a different language, Elian! You just have to look at the picture. See, it says the more curved part goes on top."
"And how am I supposed to know which is 'the more curved part'?" he replied, pretending to be offended.
Aurora slowly got up from the bed, her movements showing how fragile she was. Elian set the board aside and rushed to help her, concerned.
"Don't strain yourself, love. Let me do it."
"I'm not going to break just from walking two steps," she said with a tender smile, touching her belly. "And… I want to help. This is our first crib. I want to build it with you—as a memory."
He stared at her a second longer than necessary. That sweet way she spoke always made the world stand still.
"Alright… but if you get dizzy, I'm putting you back in bed right away, got it?"
"Got it, papa hen," Aurora teased
They sat on the floor, surrounded by wooden pieces and screws that seemed to multiply. For more than an hour they argued, laughed, and blamed each other for misreading the instructions, until at last, the crib was ready.
Aurora looked at it with sparkling eyes, running her fingers along the edge.
"It's not perfect… but it'll be enough for her."
"No, no… it's perfect because you're here," Elian replied, hugging her from behind as they admired the crib.
She rested her head on his chest, smiling softly.
"You know what makes me happiest?"
"What?"
"That… despite everything people say, we're still here, building something together. A family."
Elian felt a lump in his throat. He leaned in and kissed her forehead tenderly.
"It will always be like this. I promise."
Aurora gently laid down on the bed while Elian put away the tools, smiling with exhaustion but satisfaction.
"You know," said Aurora, gently touching the crib like she could already feel the baby inside, "I think this is the most important piece of furniture we've built."
Elian sat beside her, holding her hand.
"Definitely… and probably the only one that won't fall apart in two days."
Aurora laughed—that delicate, sweet laugh that always made Elian fall in love all over again.
They stared at the little pile of bags filled with tiny clothes gifted by neighbors and friends.
"Want to help me pick out her first outfit?" Aurora asked with such genuine excitement, like a child with her first doll.
They pulled the clothes out one by one: a yellow dress with a small bow, a white onesie with cloud prints, and a hand-knitted blanket Aurora's mother had sent weeks ago.
"Which one do you like best?" she asked.
"All of them… but I think this one," Elian said, lifting the white onesie.
"I knew you'd pick that one," Aurora smiled. "You've got simple, but cute taste."
They looked at each other for a moment, in silence, as if trying to record every second into memory.
"Have you thought of a name yet?" Elian asked, gently caressing her belly.
Aurora nodded with a soft smile.
"Yes… Emma. I want her to be named Emma."
He smiled, feeling a strange warmth in his chest.
"Emma… it sounds beautiful. Like she was made to shine."
Aurora hugged him suddenly, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Don't say you won't be enough… You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Elian. And Emma will feel the same."
The light of the sunset streamed through the window, bathing the room in golden tones. Elian and Aurora lay together on the bed, holding each other, their breathing synchronized with Emma's gentle heartbeat inside her.
"You know what I'd like when she grows up?" Aurora whispered. "I want you to teach her how to ride a bike. I… always wanted to learn properly, but I never had anyone to teach me."
"That's easy," Elian smiled. "But you'll be there too. You'll sit and watch her and clap like she just won a gold medal."
Aurora looked at him with a mix of joy and sadness he didn't fully understand.
"I want to be there for everything… even the small things."
He kissed her forehead, trying to banish those thoughts.
"You will. We won't let anything ruin what we have."
Aurora closed her eyes, smiling, as if those words were enough to keep her at peace.
"I love you, Elian."
"And I love you."
They laughed together until Elian dropped beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"You know? I can't believe that soon we'll be leaving here with Emma in our arms."
"Me neither," she whispered, her eyes glowing. "It feels like a dream… a perfect dream."
But the dream began to unravel when Aurora clutched her belly with a grimace of pain.
"Elian… wait…" she murmured, her voice trembling.
He sprang up, panic coloring every word.
"What's wrong? Are you in pain?"
"I think…" Aurora took a deep breath, trying to calm him. "They're contractions… but don't worry, they're still mild."
His heart sank.
"No, no, no… It's too soon!"
Aurora looked at him with the tenderness that always saved him.
"Remember what you said a moment ago? That you couldn't believe we'd soon have Emma in our arms? I think Emma heard you."
He knelt in front of her, trembling, holding her as if he could shield her from the world.
"I promise everything will be alright… no matter what."
Aurora smiled, exhausted, gently caressing his face.
"I love you, Elian. No matter what… take care of Emma."
Those words hung in the air like an invisible dagger. The world fell apart in an instant.
Elian woke up.
The dimness of the small apartment greeted him with a silence so cruel it felt like a scream. He sat on the edge of the bed, breathless, as if those final words still echoed in his ears.
The echo of Aurora's laughter, the warmth of her hands—everything had vanished, leaving only the empty crib before him.
For a moment, he thought he might still hear her voice, that it had all been a bad dream. But no. Only the distant sound of rain tapping the window pulled him back to reality.
Elian clutched Emma's tiny blanket in his trembling hands.
"Aurora…" he whispered, voice breaking. "I promise—I'll take care of our daughter."