Noemi watched, tears streaking clean paths down her grime‑smeared face. Please don’t die, she thought. “Your mother’s waiting.” The compressions felt endless, and then—the faintest flutter under Alvarez’s fingers. The monitor caught it, steadying to a slow but regular beat. “That’s it,” Alvarez breathed, sweat beading his temples. “Okay, little guy, stay with us.”
Another half hour passed before the vet finally stripped off his gloves, sagging onto a stool. He wiped his forehead on his sleeve, then turned to Noemi. His expression was guarded, like someone stepping carefully around brittle glass.