The bathroom mirror reflected Ciara's anxious face, her eyes fixed on the pregnancy test clutched in her hand. Five months had passed since Jasmine's joyous news, five months filled with a mix of emotions for Ciara. Happiness for her friend, a pang of sadness for her own struggles, and a persistent hope that one day she would hold her own child.
Today was Jasmine's gender reveal and baby shower, a celebration of new life and a reminder of the dream Ciara held so close to her heart. As she prepared to join the festivities, a sudden urge to take a pregnancy test had overcome her. It was a long shot, she knew, but a sliver of hope flickered within her.
She had done all the necessary steps, the waiting time ticking by agonizingly slow. The bathroom was silent, the only sound the gentle h
