The Twenty-Five Second Heartbeat

Summary

The first time I felt the baby kick, I was so overwhelmed with joy that I recorded a five-second video and sent it to my husband, Carter Vance.

But his childhood best friend, Hailey, who suffered from severe tokophobia (the fear of pregnancy), accidentally saw it.

That night, driven by extreme panic, she attempted suicide by slitting her wrists.

Furious, Carter walked into my mother’s hospital room and pulled her oxygen mask off for five seconds.

"I warned you! Why did you send me a video like that?!"

"You like recording fetal movements, do you?"

"I'll give you something to record!"