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I squeeze her hand reassuringly, and she smiles at me

She barely twitches when the doctor rubs anesthetic on her arht at the needle when it breeches her skin

I’ht red blood flow up into the tube, and I anxiously check her face—but she’s all right She looks pleased

“You can take more,” she offers

“That’s all we need” The doctor finishes the draw and moves away to a table He puts a vial into a machine that whirs and beeps

“Everything is within parameters and normal Thank you, Kailani This is exactly e needed!” He’s uncharacteristically excited “This is perfect” Dr Daneth looks at Bayla “Can you ready the second extractor?”

“This second needle is larger,” Bayla warns us “Maybe you want to shut your eyes? It won’t hurt, but it ht upset you to watch?”

“I want to watch” Kailani’s voice is firoing to help the babies” A tear fors, Khrys” She starts to cry “For so long, I was just a tool Now I’s So I know they’re real”

I wipe her tears withthings” I kiss her gently “And I’ll show you every day how a you are”

Somehow my voice is a little shaky, too Veck, maybe I’ve been infected by her emotions My eyes are a little hazy

“All right, last needle, now” The doctor approaches

Kailani takes a deep breath and doesn’tthe process

When it’s over, I gather her into my arms “You did that You are incredible”

“It didn’t even hurt,” she whispers intobad happened to me”

“Nothing bad will ever happen to you,” I promise her “I’ll make sure of it”