A woman nodded sympathetically. “Trauma affects everyone differently, Ryan. What you’re going through is completely normal for couples who experience difficult births.”
Tears streamed down his face. “I love my wife more than anything. And I love my daughter. But every time I look at Lily, all I see is how close I came to losing Julia. I’m terrified that if I get too attached, something will destroy everything again.”
The group coordinator leaned in gently. “The fear of bonding after trauma is common. You’re not broken, Ryan. You’re healing.”
I slid down to where I was, beneath the window, tears streaming down my face. It wasn’t about another woman. It wasn’t about regret. It was about a man so traumatized by almost losing his wife that he couldn’t embrace the joy of his daughter.
I listened for half an hour as Ryan opened up completely. He described nightmares, replaying the delivery room over and over. He admitted that he avoided
