Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

It was around nine o'clock at night.

A group of people gathered at the door of the operating theater. They lowered their heads and exchanged words.

Four travel-worn individuals bent down and spoke to the person about to enter the surgery.

The woman in the pink suit held a child in her arms, and the woman in a gown lowered her head, reaching out to gently caress Ava's cheek on the bed. She spoke softly, "Sorry, I'm late." Ava lay on the bed and shook her head, smiling at her mother. "No, you cjust in time. It's just that the babies were anxious to cout." Joseph, who was usually wearing casual clothes when he didn't work and was now in a hoodie, casually rubbed his sister's hair. "I'm waiting for you outside." Daniel chimed in, "I won't leave either. I'll wait for you and the babies to cout." "Okay, then I'll go in. Christina, you can go back hfirst. George, you'll soon see your two cousins later," Ava said to her nephew, tilting her head on the pillow.

George was an emotionally stable kid, much like a smaller version of Joseph, and he didn't speak much. "Okay." Everyone spoke to Ava, except for Frank, who pursed his lips and remained silent. He only held Ava's hand until she was pushed into the operating theater. Only then did he let go of Ava's hand and look at the closed door.

Rose and Edward were missing from the scene. Edward did not cbecause he needed to take care of his child at home. Rose was already at the operating theater. She took leave today, afraid that her brother would be worried about her sister-in-law, so she planned to stay at the operating theater to accompany Ava.

As soon as the door of the operating theater was closed, Frank called his sister. "Where are the sterile clothes that were prepared for me?" Emma thought that Frank would not go in to accompany Ava. It was not until she heard Frank's words that she understood. She smiled in relief. Frank had always been so reassuring. He did not always heed Ava's advice.

On the plane, Emma and Daniel still mentioned their daughter's stubborn refusal to let anyone accompany her to the operating theater, and they all expressed their concern.

Then, the operating theater's door opened again. Rose was wearing a sterile suit, complete with a hat, mask, and gloves. She held an unopened sterile suit in her hand for Frank and motioned for him to enter after nodding to the elders outside the door.

Frank stood at the operating theater door and said to Emma and Daniel, "Don't worry, | will take care of Ava." Emma and Daniel nodded their head at Frank in satisfaction, and Joseph also nodded his head at Frank.

The door of the operating theater was closed again. Joseph instructed Christina, "Letsend you and George hfirst." Christina did not object. Everyone present was tense, and it was not appropriate for George to stay here all night, since none of them knew when Ava would finish the surgery. "Alright, I'll send George to my parents first." Emma said, "Okay, go ahead. Joseph, you can stay at the Yamin family for a while and don't have to rush over. I'll call you after Ava gives birth." Emma knew that Christina seldom went back to the Yamin family and thought that Joseph should stay there with Christina for a while longer.

After all, after Ava gave birth, Joseph would return to the company to handle smatters. She and Daniel would stay in Athana for an extended period. Christina would also go back with them, leaving her very little tto spend with the Yamin family.

Joseph, of course, understood what Emma meant and said, "Yes, | know." William pulled Daniel to sit down on the chair, and Grace held Emma's hand, comforting her and saying, "Don't worry. I'm sure that Frank can take good care of Ava. Besides, Rose and Sherri are both there with Ava." "I know. With Frank around Ava, I've always been very reassured. He always knows what to do," Emma generously praised.

Inside the operating theater.

The lights of the operating theater were all turned on. Ava, who had just been injected with anesthesia, lay on the operating table. The cold atmosphere in the operating theater heightened Ava's nervousness, with the cold and glowing surgical equipment beside her adding to her fear.

Additionally, Sherri was disinfecting the equipment. The machinery emitted a clattering sound, and each noise felt like a knock on Ava's heart.

Suddenly, she clutched her clothes tightly, fully alert. Sensing her nervousness, Sherri attempted to engage in conversation. "Natalie is quite sensitive to anesthesia. Even a small dose can put her to sleep. Your sister slept through the entire cesarean section. You, on the other hand, don't seem as sensitive to anesthesia." Ava, who was now still conscious, inquired, "Was she scared when she cin?" Sherri, with surgical scissors in hand, reminisced and said, "Since | knew your sister, I've never seen her afraid of anything. She's more like a thrill seeker. | even suspect her two children inherited her adventurous spirit, favoring either motorcycles or off-road vehicles." If Natalie was truly afraid of anything, it should be losing people that she cared and loved, like Barron back then.

However, Sherri had no intention of delving into such a somber topic with Ava.

As expected, chatting alleviated Ava's nervousness, and she said, "My sister is genuinely bold. When she was overseas, she even fearlessly assisted the police in chasing thieves. She pursued them through several streets until they were exhausted, and eventually, they handed over the bag to my sister and begged her for mercy." As they talked, a tall figure entered through the door. Sherri looked up at the figure and smiled. She knew that this doting husband Frank who wouldn't leave his wife alone in the operating theater.

"Thanks god, you're here. | already have no idea what to say to comfort her. Sit down and say something to her," Sherri said, though she was more intrigued by how the usually reserved Frank would console his wife over the next few hours.

Ava turned her head slightly upon hearing this. Seeing Frank in a sterile suit, she pouted with a wronged look.

"Why are you here?" she asked, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

Rose brought a stool for her brother, placing it beside him. Frank sat down and replied gently, touching Ava's forehead and wiping away her tears that had seeped into his heart. "I know you're afraid." What a silly girl. She was clearly scared, yet she stubbornly refused to let him accompany her.

After hearing Frank's words, tears flickered in Ava's eyes. "Could you say something to me? | seem to be a little afraid." At this moment, Ava dropped her tough act.

Frank couldn't help but think of the seemingly bold Ava when they just knew each other.

At that moment, Rose played the role of Frank's assistant, taking a tissue from the table and handing it to her brother and looking very obedient. Then, she quietly walked to Sherri's side without disturbing Frank and Ava.

Sherri was speechless at this scene. She leaned closer to Rose and said, "There's a clear difference between people. When your brother talks to Ava, it's as if he could scare her just by raising his voice. Unbelievable. When | talk to Hackett, | have to shout at the top of my lungs since I'm afraid he won't hear me." Rose smiled. It was true. Sherri would stand at the top of the stairs and shout at Hackett if she had something to say. Hackett would answer from downstairs, as if they were shouting to each other from opposite ends of a ship.

They had been scolded by Hackett's mother several times for that. "My brother dotes on Ava very much. He truly loves her." Sherri glanced at the two of them and nodded her head. "I can tell. Actually, everyone can see that, as long as they're not blind." For sreason, Sherri recalled the scene when she flirted with Frank. She remembered asking Frank about the type of girl he liked at the cafe. Frank said he liked girls who talked less. Now, it seemed like he misspoke.

Everything was ready, and the surgery began.

Several nurses and two doctors cin. Rose was mainly waiting to offer help at any time, since she didn't know how to operate, but she could know when to hand over tissues. If Ava cried, she could wait by the side with tissues and also inform Grace and the others that everything was okay.

Sherri said, "Ava, you can speak after the surgery begins, but don't speak loudly or constantly. Just speak softly." Frank added, "You can just listen to me. If you agree or disagree, just nod or shake your head slightly." Ava nodded her head obediently and showed a smile.

The next moment, Frank stood up all of a sudden, leaving those around him perplexed by his sudden action. The surgery was on the verge of commencing. What was he going to do? All eyes were on Frank.

With one hand, he effortlessly picked up a stool and positioned it next to his sister. Then, he gently pressed Rose's shoulder and urged her to take a seat. "Take care of yourself. If you're tired, you can go get a break." Rose was instantly touched by her brother's considerate gesture. Even in this crucial moment, he remembered her pregnancy. "Frank, thank you. You're so sweet." Frank exhibited an unusual tenderness today. After touching his sister's hair, he settled back into his seat. Rose beamed like a happy fool, her heart warmed by Frank's actions.

The other doctors began speculating about the connections between them. One of the doctors named Mila Brown had encountered Frank before, in an interesting twist of fate. A few years ago, her best friend had a crush on Frank while having fun at Lithern Club, even pursuing him for a few days. She remembered her best friend claiming that Frank was gay, and her best friend even attempted to "straighten" him at that time.

During that time, her best friend showed her Frank's photo three times a day, creating a lasting impression.

Until one day, her best friend went to find Frank but discovered Frank kissing another guy at a corner of the Lithern Club, leading to the realization that her crush was unattainable.

After that, her best friend ended her crush on Frank. She realized that it was hard to "straighten" a gay and gave up.

Recalling this, Mila gazed at Frank in disbelief. His soulful eyes and his concerns to Ava all proved that he was clearly not a gay. It was clearly that he had a warm heart beneath his seemingly cold exterior.

It dawned on her that her best friend had likely been deceived by Frank. Wait, if he was Rose's brother, then did it mean that... The doctor suddenly realized that Rose and Frank actually shared the slast name.

The doctor quickly realized that Rose was also from the affluent Roberts family. Did people from wealthy families all tend to keep a low profile these days? Sherri, noticing the doctor's bewilderment, couldn't help but remind her. "Dr. Brown, what's wrong?" Mila regained her composure and swiftly collected her thoughts. She figured Sherri had been aware of this all along. Besides, Sherri had a close relationship with Rose, which meant that Rose deliberately kept a low profile.

She was not a busybody, so she decided not to disclose the information to her best friend. "It's nothing. | suddenly remembered something. Have you started?" Sherri replied, "Yeah." During the surgery, Frank chatted with Ava, patiently sharing memories of his youth and the interesting stories he had done with Rose. Throughout this period, if he misspoke, Rose promptly corrected him. Ava listened with a smile. As Frank spoke, Rose placed a stool beside his brother and joined the conversation. In an instant, the dynamic shifted from two people to three.

Except for Sherri, all the doctors and nurses present were astonished. They never thought that they could participate in such a surgery. It was more like to starring in a movie. The atmosphere was jubilant. The female doctor before sensed that Frank adored his sister greatly. Despite his tone sounded mean and his words being tinged with retorts sometimes, his love and favor to his sister was still very obvious, which was seldom seen when Frank faced the others.

Ava's surgery proceeded smoothly without any complications. Forty-five minutes later, the baby was delivered from Ava's belly. Rose quickly stood up, and Frank, beside her, noticed his sister standing up abruptly and said with concern, "Take it easy." Anxious to know the baby's gender, Rose waved her hand. "I got it." Sherri cradled the baby in her hands like a treasure. Then, she patted the baby's butt. The baby cried loudly. "It's a boy. Record his weight." She then handed the baby to a nurse, who proceeded to weigh the baby.

Rose followed closely, smiling. Ava, on the operating table, also smiled upon hearing Sherri's announcement.

Frank, holding Ava's hand, remained unperturbed.

The nurse soon reported, "6 pounds." Rose assisted in dressing the baby, whose amniotic fluid-soaked body was snow-white, free of birthmarks or bruises.

The baby's facial features were strikingly similar to Ava's, and Rose secretly mused that choosing a spouse still depended on looks. Good looks, she believed, resulted in pleasing descendants.

Moments later, Sherri carried another baby, patting the baby's butt until the baby let out the first cry. The baby's voice was softer than her brother's. "It's a girl." Another nurse took the baby and weighed her.

Ava was so happy and grinned from ear to ear after hearing that, feeling a sense of accomplishment as she thought of the events leading to the birth of her two babies.

Frank sighed in relief. Ava no longer had to get pregnant again. "Ava, thank you." The nurse recounted, "5.6 pounds." Rose, even more excited as if it was her who just gave birth to the two cute babies, couldn't resist taking photos of the babies with her phone and sharing the good news in the chat group of the Roberts family.