INT. NICU — CONTINUOUS

Jo is still between the incubators.
Her hand remains inside Hattie’s port, fingers lightly curled around impossibly small skin. 

The tears have stopped, but traces remain on her cheeks.
 
Link stands close behind her, one hand firm at her waist, the other resting gently at her shoulder.
Holding.
Not hovering.

Footsteps approach.

Dr. Kasliwal appears beside them. Calm. Unhurried.

She takes it in with a glance.

Jo’s red eyes.
The monitor wires trailing from her arm.
The way Link hasn’t stepped away.

KASLIWAL
(soft)
Hi.

Jo turns slightly toward her.
Careful.

She withdraws her hand from the incubator port.
Reluctant.

JO
Hi—
(swallowing)
Sorry.

She wipes her cheeks with the back of her glove.

KASLIWAL
(gentle)
There’s nothing to apologize for.
(a small beat)
I see you’ve met your girls.

Jo nods. 

JO
Yeah.

Her voice catches.
She tries again.

JO (CONT’D)
I—

Nothing.
It won’t come.

Her eyes fill again.

She exhales. Shakes her head slightly. 
Embarrassed.

Kasliwal doesn’t rush in.

KASLIWAL
Take your time.
 
Link feels the tremor running through her.
His arm tightens slightly at her waist.

LINK
(low)
Let’s sit.

A flicker. 
Jo hesitates, then nods.

Link moves carefully.
One arm steady at her waist, the other guiding her arm as she lowers into the chair.
Slow.
Controlled.

Once she’s seated, he stays close behind her.
One hand settles at her shoulder.

His thumb begins a slow, repetitive motion.
Grounding.

Jo breathes.
Uneven.
Trying.

LINK
(soft)
It’s okay…

She wipes her face again.
It doesn’t help.

A beat.

Her eyes drift back to the incubators.

JO
How are they?

A breath.

JO (CONT’D)
Really.

The word lands.

Kasliwal nods.

She gestures toward the first incubator.

KASLIWAL
Baby A has made good progress. 

JO
(soft)
Hattie.

KASLIWAL
Hattie.

A small, warm acknowledgment.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
(gentle)
That's a beautiful name…

A beat.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
Well, Hattie came off CPAP two days ago.
She’s been breathing on her own since.

Jo exhales slowly.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
Her weight gain is appropriate for her gestational age.
She's still feeding through a nasogastric tube for now.

JO
What are you giving them?

KASLIWAL
Mostly donor milk for now.

A small nod from Jo.

Her throat tightens.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
(soft)
I understand you were hoping to breastfeed.

A beat.

JO
(quiet)
Yeah… not much has gone according to plan.

Link’s hand presses a little firmer into her shoulder.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
We’ll get there—
when they’re strong enough to coordinate feeding.

A beat.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
In the meantime, we’ll support you through it.

JO
I tried pumping but—
(a beat)
Nothing’s really coming yet.

Kasliwal’s face softens.

KASLIWAL
That’s very common after cardiac stress.
(a beat)
Your body’s been focused on recovery.

Jo nods. A tear slips free.

JO
I know…

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
(soft, supportive)
We can try again today.
While you’re here.

Jo absorbs that.
Quiet.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
Seeing them… holding them…
that can help.

Jo nods.
Her eyes drift back to Hattie under the blue light.

A beat. 

JO
What about the phototherapy?

Kasliwal follows her gaze.

KASLIWAL
Her bilirubin levels are still rising when we pause it.

Jo stiffens.

JO
 How high?

KASLIWAL
Not dangerous.
But enough that we want to continue a bit longer.

Jo nods.
Takes it in. 
Not panic.
Weight.

Kasliwal shifts toward the second incubator.
Something changes.
Subtle.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
Baby B’s course has been more complicated.

Jo goes very still.

Link’s hands settle more firmly at her shoulders.

JO
(quiet)
Peyton.

KASLIWAL
Peyton.

A small pause.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
(gentle)
That’s a lovely name too. 

Jo almost smiles.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
Peyton’s weight gain has been slower.
She was on ventilation longer.
We transitioned her to CPAP two days ago.

Jo processes that.
Careful.

JO
Why is she behind her sister?

A small pause.

Kasliwal glances at Link.
He doesn’t move.

The silence stretches.

Jo feels it.

JO (CONT’D)
(quiet)
There’s more.
(urgent)
What aren’t you telling me?

Silence.

Link exhales once.
Then nods.

Permission.

Kasliwal continues.

KASLIWAL
Her echo showed a PDA.

Jo blinks.

JO
(shock)
…what?

KASLIWAL
A patent ductus arteriosus.

A beat.

Jo freezes. 
She understands very well what this means.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
A vessel near the heart that—

JO
(soft)
I know what this is.

Link’s hands stay steady.
Grounding.

KASLIWAL
Then you know it’s common in preemies.
 
Jo is very still now. 
Her eyes shine again.
 
KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
We're treating it with indomethacin.
She’s responding to the medication.
We’re seeing signs it’s starting to close.
(a beat)
But that’s part of why she’s needed more support.

Jo turns slightly toward Link.

He holds her gaze.
Doesn’t look away.
Her voice is quiet. Not angry. 

JO
Why didn’t you tell me?

Quiet.
It hurts. 

LINK
It was already under control.
(soft)
I didn’t want to put more on you.

Jo looks at him for a long second.
She takes it in. 

The hurt doesn’t disappear. 
But it settles.

She nods.
Small.

Back to Kasliwal.

KASLIWAL
There’s also a small ASD.
We’re just monitoring it. 
As you know, many close on their own over time.

Jo absorbs that.
Her eyes shine again.

JO
So that’s why she’s still on CPAP.

KASLIWAL
Yes.
(a beat)
But her lungs are stronger today. 
We haven’t seen any apnea or desaturations since yesterday…
which is encouraging.

Jo looks up.

KASLIWAL
We can try weaning her off CPAP today.

Jo’s breath catches.

JO
Now?

Link jumps in the conversation.

LINK
(quiet)
You’re comfortable with that today?

KASLIWAL
I am, yes.
(a beat)
She’s been stable since yesterday.

Jo and Link glance at each other.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
We’ll watch her very closely.
If she needs support again, we’ll put it back on.

Jo nods.
Slow.
Holding.

JO
When can I hold her?

Kasliwal studies her.

KASLIWAL
Skin-to-skin can help regulate her breathing and heart rate.

Jo nods.

JO
I’m ready.

Link’s thumb moves slowly against her shoulder.

KASLIWAL
Do you feel steady enough?

Jo nods.

JO
Yes.

Not forced. 
Certain.

Kasliwal nods.

KASLIWAL
Okay.

A small shift.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
We’ll position her so there’s no pressure on your right side, and we’ll keep all the lines clear.

She glances toward Hattie.

KASLIWAL (CONT’D)
And while Peyton is with you…
we can position Hattie with Dad.

Link inhales.

LINK
Yeah.

Jo reaches back for his hand without looking.
She just holds it. 
No words.

Kasliwal watches.
A small, knowing smile.

KASLIWAL
We’ll give you a moment.
We’ll be right back to set things up.

Jo exhales.
Long. 
Bracing.
 
Link stays exactly where he is.
Hands steady at her shoulders.

Grounding.
Ready.

He leans in, presses a gentle kiss just below her ear.
Jo closes her eyes.
Gathering herself.

FADE OUT.