Chapter 61

Zara's POV
I knew that our journey was just beginning. Beautiful moments and challenges would surely come along the way. There would be much to learn and plan for, but one thing was for sure—I wasn’t alone. With Leo by my side, and the support of Ismaya and my family, I felt more prepared than ever to face the future.
These were the beginning of a loving place for our little family. And I am determined to cherish every moment, keep hope, and work together to create a better life for all of us. With a heart full of gratitude, I am ready to welcome everything that is to come.
When I arrived home, the relief that had filled me was immediately washed away by the bad news I received. My father was sick, and all feelings of worry haunted my mind as I walked quickly to my parents' house. Since the news I had been shaking, not believing that this could happen.
I deliberately brought pizza for Zena. She also likes pizza even though I usually don't like it too much. But this pregnancy made me want to eat pizza.
When I arrived at my parents' house, I found my family gathered around my father. Seeing their worried faces, my heart trembled. When I approached, my mother immediately greeted me with a tight hug. "Zara, thank you for coming. Your father... he suddenly had a heart attack," my mother explained in a soft voice, her eyes looking glassy.
I was shocked and speechless. My father had never shown any symptoms of health problems before. Since childhood, he had always been active and looked healthy. What could have caused this to happen all of a sudden?
“What happened? Why did all this happen?” I asked, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to flow.
“I don’t know, he suddenly felt pain in his chest, and we immediately took him to the hospital. The doctor said there was a potential heart attack,” my mother answered, her voice trembling and full of worry.
I tried to look at my father, who was lying weakly on the bed, his face looking pale and tired. How could a man as strong as this suddenly face such a big problem?
With mixed feelings, I approached my father, reaching out to grab his hand. “Dad, I’m here. What happened?” I asked, my voice full of hope. He opened his eyes and looked at me weakly.
“I’m fine, honey. Just a little problem, maybe too much pressure,” he said softly, but I could feel that there was much deeper than what he was saying.
“This is not a trivial problem, Dad! We need to do further examinations,” I replied, trying to show how much I cared and worried.
We were all taken to a doctor’s appointment to make an assessment of my father’s condition. The doctor explained that stress and unhealthy eating habits could be factors that caused a heart attack. Hearing all this information made me even more anxious. We all needed to pay more attention to my father’s health condition.
“I will make sure Dad gets the best care and we will change our family’s lifestyle,” I said, trying to stay strong even though the wind of hope seemed to be fading.
After a while in the hospital, Dad was finally moved to the ward. He seemed calmer, but the anxiety inside me just wouldn’t go away. I paid attention to all his medical needs and tried to be there to support him and Mom.
In my heart, I prayed that my Dad would recover soon. My current existence as a mother-to-be made me feel even more the need to take care of this family and make sure that we were all healthy and happy.
When night fell, I stayed by Mom’s side, sharing chats about plans and steps that could be taken to help keep my Dad healthy. This was an important moment for me to unite with my family and provide support, especially in a difficult situation like this.
The fact that my Dad was sick brought back a deep awareness of the fragility of life. The busyness and happiness that I had previously felt seemed to fade in an instant. Facing this unexpected condition made me reflect and determined to fight—not only for Dad, but for my entire family.
As I sat by Dad’s hospital bedside, listening to the ticking of the monitors and the pungent smell of antiseptic, the pressure of time and responsibility became more apparent. Every second counted, and I was determined to support Dad and Mom through this.
A family is a unit that supports each other, and now is the time for us to come together stronger than ever. “We’ll get through this together, Dad. Don’t give up,” I said, looking into his tired but loving eyes.
“I just need some rest, Zara. You and your mom need to stay healthy,” Dad replied, trying to reassure me. But I insisted, “We’ll be fine, Dad. We’ll do everything we can to make sure you come home safe.”
My Mom and I began making plans to help Dad recover. We followed the doctor’s advice about eating a healthy diet, exercising, and managing stress. This wasn’t just about improving Dad’s physical health, but also creating a home environment that supported his happiness and mental health.
After Dad had been in the hospital for a few days, the doctor gave me the good news that his condition was improving. He began to receive proper care and his spirits actually began to grow, although there were still challenges to overcome.
I felt grateful every day to see Dad slowly recovering. Seeing him smile and joke with Mom made me feel like all our efforts were really making an impact. We would fight this together—as a united family.
When we brought Dad home from his hospitalization, we were greeted with a warm sight and healthy food that we had prepared. With enthusiasm, Mom and I prepared all the right things to help Dad feel comfortable at home.