White. That is all there was. Just white. And people.

Masked doctors scurried back and forth, speaking with each other in a foreign language. I sat among all the other clueless people, waiting. We were all waiting for something. Some kind of news, whether it be good or bad. I looked at the clock. 1:04.

I nibbled at my finger nails. I started with my thumb, then my pointer, then my middle. The popping sound was calming. Pop. Someone rustled a magazine. What if she doesn’t come back, I thought. Pop. I heard a cry in a far away room. What if she doesn’t make it through?

I watched the gray double doors with anxiety. A green scrub walked through, and then a pink one, and then a blue one. None of them were in white. I wanted the one in white. Bile rose into my throat, but I shoved it back down with a strong swallow. She’ll be okay. Or he’ll be okay.

The secretary at the desk smacked at her gum. She smacked in rhythm with the ticks from the old clock on the wall. A shuffle of papers here, a smack of the gum there. I stared at the clock. 1:04.

The people around me waited in silence. None of them spoke. None of them moved. I could feel my impatience begin to burst from my cells. These people are so calm. How can they be so calm?! Their faces were buried in magazines, or their eyes were entranced by the dots on the white, tile ceiling.

I looked up. The ceiling was pretty interesting. The dots were arranged in neat patterns, almost like an optical illusion. They appeared in swirls, lines, and zigzags. I counted the dots: 1, 2, 3. I sighed and gave up. I could not stand the wait any longer.

More shuffling of papers at the secretary’s desk, more cries from a nearby room, and then a lone shadow appeared in the window of the grey doors. Each step the figure took thumped in my chest. The doors opened, and the one in white appeared. His face was red, clashing with his bleached scrubs. His white gloves were stained pink. Is she dead?

His gaze met mine. My expression did not change, and neither did his. His eyes were set in a solemn glow. He pulled at one glove and pulled it off. Snap. He pulled at the other. It came off. Snap. He approached me slowly. My heart moved from my chest to my head. Step...thump...step...thump. Step, thump thump. The one in white got closer while pulling his mask off. It wasn’t a frown under his mask, but a smile. A really big smile.

I jumped up and ran to the one in white. I grabbed him by the shoulders and gripped him hard. His eyes had changed from solemn to happy. He reeked of chemicals and blood, but we both continued to smile. I let go of his shoulders and panted.

“So, doctor?” He continued to smile. His strong hand rested on my shoulder, and he looked me straight in the eyes. I could almost read his answer without him even saying anything.

“Well sir,” he spoke softly. “She’s doing well.”

“And?” I couldn’t contain my excitement anymore. I needed to know.

“It’s a boy.”