Summary

Ella sits by her mother's hospital bedside, exploring her mother's memories. She sees her mother in a different hospital, pregnant, with a doula and a doctor present. She is pregnant with Ella, a year after having a stillborn baby. The doctor is dismissive toward the doula, the only other Black person present. Ella's mother is given anesthesia and her blood pressure rises, but the doula helps her relax, then cheers her on through the delivery of her baby. Ella then sees the circumstances that led to the stillbirth — a violent fight with a boyfriend, followed by medical neglect from a doctor.

Ella asks why her mother never told her about this, or about the fact that she has cancer. Her mother replies that she did not want to make Ella more angry. Ella's mother is angry about the way she has been treated...