There was once a man. He was a firefighter, pleasant to look at, a married man, and a soon to be father of a pair of twins. He was a faithful husband to one beautiful doctor. For the nine months before he was to become a father, he dreamed of holding his children in his arms. Although his wife wanted their genders to be a surprise, he dreamed of a son and a daughter, his wife would giggle every time he spoke of them with a goofy smile on his face. He dreamed and dreamed of his children, he couldn’t wait all nine months to be a father.

“Can’t they come out sooner?” He asked his wife as he rubbed her stomach

“The cookies aren’t done yet, honey.” She said with a sweet voice as she laughed at his eagerness to be a father.

He would fantasize about getting up in the middle of the night while they are crying and cradling them back to sleep in his arms. Being one big happy family, it would have been a dream come true for the both of them. If only… if only he weren’t a firefighter… if only he didn’t put his life on the line to save people… and if only he didn’t get a call late at night about a shortage of firefighters for a burning building… he would have been a father… he would have seen his two baby boys…. If only.. He didn’t die saving another pregnant woman… if only.. The building didn’t collapse moments before he made it out…. The fate of the two twins would have changed drastically.

The wife.. She was there that fateful night, as she watched another soon to be mother run out of the building as it collapsed on her husband who was right inside the exit. She felt a sharp pain in her heart as she watched his last moments looking into his eyes. She was first in shock to the point of being paralyzed for a moment. She then started to cry, cry so hard that she screamed out in pain. In pain from her heart and in pain from her stomach… something was wrong… another ambulance showed up moments later and the firemen helped her into it, her husband’s best friend went with her. When they got to the hospital, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. The doctors helped her immediately to a room, as a doctor herself, she knew that something was wrong and this pain wasn’t normal. All the strength had drained out of her from crying about her husband, she felt weak and tired, she knew that she shouldn’t fall asleep, but she couldn’t help herself. Everything was a blur and muffled.

“Wake up!” She heard a muffled voice of one of the doctors. But she felt so weak and sad, she was in pain and agony on the inside and out. She then heard crying.. No, make that two cries…

“Two healthy baby boys.” The doctor said.

She smiled and fell asleep, unable to wake herself up.

The two boys.. Are orphans…