The silence after the birth room

I just closed the door on a labour that ended in a transfer. The room was empty, and for a moment I stood there listening to the hum of the fridge — not the usual background noise, but something sharper, like the air had been strained. It’s strange how the absence of movement can feel so loud. I’ve seen too many deliveries go sideways to believe in clean endings. But still, I kept standing there, waiting for the echo that never came.