With Lola fully asleep and resting on the main table, the team made their final preparations. The heart monitors beeped softly in the background, keeping track of her delicate condition as the screens showed steady readings. Gerard washed up thoroughly, put on sterile gloves, and took his position at the center of the brightly lit room, ready to begin.
He gently cleaned her belly with antiseptic before placing clean medical sheets around the area. An assistant handed him the main scalpel, its silver blade catching the bright light overhead. Gerard took a slow, deep breath to steady his hands, positioning the blade carefully over her stomach while focusing entirely on doing everything possible to bring her through safely.