The morning of Keeley's dissertation committee, she looked out the window and saw the terrace covered in snow. It was beautiful, but she hoped it wouldn't hinder traffic.

Dressing professionally was difficult with her growing belly. She wore a long-sleeved navy blue dress, thigh-high pantyhose, and black flats. Cheap gold dangly earrings matched the DNA necklace she wore for good luck.

"How do I look?" she asked nervously. Wanting to make a good impression, she'd put on makeup for the first time since her wedding.

Aaron gave her a quick hug. "Like a future scientist. You look great. You should eat something, though; didn't you say you'll be on your feet for up to two hours?"

"That's what I heard."

Keeley would stand before the doctoral committee, including Dr. Kim and other members of the genetics faculty, to defend her research. They'd already received and read her 200+-page dissertation, so they knew the basics. They would ask questions, and she would explain herself using her visual aids.

Deep down, she knew she would pass. She had worked extremely hard. As long as she didn't lose her composure, she would be fine.

Her husband handed her a chocolate chip muffin. "Eat in the car; we need to go. You definitely don't want to be late."

She nodded and unwrapped it as Aaron gathered her supplementary materials. They headed to the parking garage. In the car, she was so jittery that she couldn't stop her leg from bouncing. She needed to calm down.

"You're going to pass," he said after a few minutes of silence. "In a few weeks, everyone will call you 'Doctor.'"

Keeley smiled. Outside of professional settings, almost nobody used titles. She would be Dr. Hale in a lab or university, but otherwise, she'd still be Keeley.

Her dream was about to become reality. She felt sentimental thinking about Aaron's support during the latter half of her degree. It started with him bringing her food, then he saved her grade during the laptop incident, and she couldn't have finished the semester without his constant support. He truly cared about her dreams.

She gazed at his profile fondly. "Thanks for supporting me. I couldn't have made it through my last semester without you."

Aaron seemed surprised. He squeezed her hand. "No, it was all you. I'm just your number one fan."

Arriving at the medical school, Keeley's nerves were at an all-time high. In fifteen minutes, she would do the most important thing in her life. The building seemed bigger and more menacing than usual.

Aaron parked instead of using the drop-off zone. He gathered her visual aids, holding them in one hand while offering her the other. She gratefully took it, gripping his hand tightly as they walked in.

"Knock them dead," he said at the door. "We'll celebrate tonight, okay?"

Keeley nodded, her heart pounding. He turned to leave, and she called, "A good luck kiss?"

He smirked. "How could I forget?"

He kissed her briefly, then placed a hand on her stomach. "Wish your mom luck too, babies."

She smiled. "I'll let you know how it went."

Aaron waved goodbye. She took a deep breath, steeled herself, and opened the door.

The doctoral committee sat at a long table. Six familiar faces stared at Keeley. She knew them all well; she'd been Dr. Kim's research assistant and a TA for two of the professors. They wanted her to succeed. All she had to do was answer questions.

Despite their familiarity, she went through the formalities, introducing herself: "Good morning, my name is Keeley Hale, and today I am defending my dissertation, 'Using Gene Therapy with a Modified CFTR Gene as a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis.'"

Dr. Kim raised an eyebrow. "Hale, not Hall? I thought that was a typo on the dissertation."

Keeley coughed, embarrassed. She was visibly pregnant, and her last name had changed.

"Yes, I recently got married."

"Oh, congratulations! Please proceed."

Keeley began her presentation, pausing for questions. Her words were clear and concise. She might have used too many hand gestures, but her visual aids were excellent. All those hours practicing had paid off!

At the end, she bowed and thanked the committee. They asked her to leave while they deliberated. The thirteen minutes felt like an eternity.

Keeley was sweating profusely by the time they called her back.

"Congratulations, Keeley. You passed!" Dr. Kim said, smiling proudly.

Keeley's knees nearly buckled, but she remained composed, thanking everyone and shaking their hands. She had done it!

Her mentor handed her the signed document proving she'd completed her requirements—needed for her graduation cap, gown, and hood.

Walking out, Keeley barely restrained a scream. She needed to call Aaron.

The promotional material at the end has been removed as it's irrelevant to the text's editing.