Back to us | Alexia Putellas

Eli.

The room stayed quiet for a long time after that.

Not completely silent. There were still soft sounds, the steady rhythm of machines, the occasional movement from someone passing in the hallway. But it had settled into something calmer now. Something that felt like it belonged to us.

Ale hadn't moved much.

She was still propped up against the pillows, both babies tucked carefully against her chest, her hands resting over them like she was afraid they might disappear if she let go.

I could feel how tired she was.

The kind of tired that went deeper than just needing sleep.

Her eyes kept drifting, blinking slower each time, but every time one of them made a sound, even the smallest shift, she was right there again. Awake. Present.

"I should call her" she whispered after a while.

Her voice was softer now. Worn out.

"Eli?" I asked gently.

She nodded faintly, not taking her eyes off them.

"She'll be asleep" she added, like she already felt guilty for it.

"It's okay. She'll want to know" I reassured her.

Ale hesitated for a second, then nodded again, like she was convincing herself.

"Can you...?" she murmured, shifting one hand slightly so she could reach for her phone but not wanting to move too much.

"I've got it"

I picked it up from the table beside the bed and unlocked it for her, placing it carefully into her hand so she didn't have to adjust too much.

She stared at the screen for a moment.

Just breathing.

Then she pressed call.

The ringing felt loud in the quiet room.

Too loud.

Ale swallowed, her fingers tightening slightly around the edge of the phone as she held it to her ear.

It rang once. Twice. Three times. And then...

A sleepy, slightly disoriented voice on the other end.

"Ale?"

Ale's face shifted immediately.

Something soft. Something fragile.

"Mama..." she breathed, and her voice broke on the word.

There was a pause.

A small one.

But it was enough.

"What is it? Are you okay? Is everything ok-"

"They're here" Ale said quickly, like if she didn't get it out right then she wouldn't be able to at all.

Another pause.

Longer this time.

And then

"Oh..."

Her mum's voice caught.

"They're here?" she repeated, softer now. "Ale..."

Ale let out a shaky breath, tears slipping quietly down the side of her face.

"They're here. They're okay. Both of them. They're okay"

"Oh, thank God" her mum exhaled. "Oh, cariño..."