307Please respect copyright.PENANANxsAmnYLWc
It was a cold and dark day.307Please respect copyright.PENANAFLPSeY3SAB
Wet. Dreary. Certainly, not a day one would wish to be married on. But for307Please respect copyright.PENANAwCMZVpAOLe
them, there wasn’t a more perfect day. And they were being married in the307Please respect copyright.PENANA70GH8mh24U
church, after all; it wasn’t like they had to worry about being rained on, or307Please respect copyright.PENANAOVDjPoPgUj
their entire wedding being ruined, altogether. Nothing could ruin this day for307Please respect copyright.PENANA7tEZgeJ6oP
them. Not the weather, not a kink in plans, nothing.307Please respect copyright.PENANA1rClXlCFsS
307Please respect copyright.PENANApvxuj6ElsI
“Do you, Justin Daniels, take307Please respect copyright.PENANA3eHGOyHlSh
this woman, Mary Smith, to be your wife? To have and to hold, to love and to307Please respect copyright.PENANApXLAWlHDfk
cherish, and to honor and respect her, until death do you part?” The priest, who307Please respect copyright.PENANAmNMJEfZYhe
was their good friend, Jacoby, asked with a smile.307Please respect copyright.PENANAowNgLn9PYA
307Please respect copyright.PENANAuDD96zKF1a
Justin beamed, tears in his eyes,307Please respect copyright.PENANA9ZfkIkPuIa
as he stared down at Mary, right into her eyes. He didn’t even have to think307Please respect copyright.PENANA68Rd2D2HOQ
about it. He gulped down the lump in his throat and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”307Please respect copyright.PENANA5zYhi4GtMA
307Please respect copyright.PENANAgG2Wecn12R
Then turning to Mary, Jacoby307Please respect copyright.PENANA9yymkCsdnm
directed the words to her. “Do you, Mary Smith, take this man, Justin Daniels,307Please respect copyright.PENANA2km4FEyAVg
to be your husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, and to honor307Please respect copyright.PENANAoWJfpFnWVj
and respect him, until death do you part?”307Please respect copyright.PENANAPYCmCLjPKv
307Please respect copyright.PENANAOXdufWsHFY
She couldn’t help it; her307Please respect copyright.PENANAdmkQrJhWyg
tears fell freely down her unblemished face, as she nodded without a second307Please respect copyright.PENANAA538EKEszG
thought. “I do.” She said with a strangled voice. Justin smiled at her307Please respect copyright.PENANAvDHSxLmXrm
confirmation, as if previously afraid that she would change her mind.307Please respect copyright.PENANAGSgg1YLyvk
307Please respect copyright.PENANAJfbHX9Oo9q
“Then, without further wait,307Please respect copyright.PENANA6ypjDC4XJp
I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” Jocoby announced307Please respect copyright.PENANAu0bzlipXVf
with his thick accent weighing heavily throughout the small room.307Please respect copyright.PENANAw3c1uO9zdO
307Please respect copyright.PENANAD8BrxpCpBi
Not waiting a second longer,307Please respect copyright.PENANAaGwW0uh24q
Justin slid his hands over Mary’s slender hips and pulled her near to him.307Please respect copyright.PENANApI42blCmyu
Smiles lit their faces as they kissed passionately, but still innocently enough307Please respect copyright.PENANAqlTFbdu6K0
while in front of a crowd. Cheers rang through the whole room, as they sealed307Please respect copyright.PENANADoyGX7Iohg
their marriage officially, finalizing their union as one.307Please respect copyright.PENANAEkTIl9OZQs
307Please respect copyright.PENANAIC53rKCDDW
After the marriage ceremony,307Please respect copyright.PENANAqt9dgfygvA
the crowd hauled over to the bar just across town. For hours, they drank, sang,307Please respect copyright.PENANApX6U9nermB
and danced the day away. When it came time for supper, they all gathered307Please respect copyright.PENANAjGnzzaQLS6
around, the finest mugs, filled to the brim with the best whisky, in their307Please respect copyright.PENANALNVmvFeZuf
hands. It was time for the bride and groom toasts. Justin’s best man, Mark307Please respect copyright.PENANAk4NQReJgzr
Avery, went first.307Please respect copyright.PENANAydSrMncxGs
307Please respect copyright.PENANA3rFSAPYsV1
“I have known Justin and Mary307Please respect copyright.PENANAi0T0Kg2n2d
for most of my life. Separately, of course. But I know that there isn’t a307Please respect copyright.PENANA8AykpHSYPJ
couple better suited for each other, than the one right here. Justin, you’re my307Please respect copyright.PENANA5H1GmWCHm3
best friend, though I know that, to you, I come in second place of Mary. My307Please respect copyright.PENANA1faeqsCTXS
friend, you chose well. If only there were more women like Mary out there. And307Please respect copyright.PENANAiRH32NWV8Y
let me say, you deserve the finest. After Catharine broke your heart, I thought307Please respect copyright.PENANAdrpGd0UDCu
you’d never move on. I’m glad you proved me wrong. To Justin and Mary Daniels!307Please respect copyright.PENANAzSZVqx2gP9
May you two live long, and happy together!” He cheered before raising his mug307Please respect copyright.PENANAwnyHoVkawO
to his lips and taking a long swing, just as everyone else did.307Please respect copyright.PENANAXfDIifbQgt
307Please respect copyright.PENANAD6rx9FJj7A
Mary’s maid of honor, Leah307Please respect copyright.PENANAcKvpH9qc7A
Cassidy, went next. “Mary, I have seen you struggle through everything in your307Please respect copyright.PENANApETOFz0PSz
life, since the day your mother passed. All the things you went through with307Please respect copyright.PENANAcyGntxGU6S
your father, they were tough. But, they also made you strong. And I couldn’t be307Please respect copyright.PENANACP14cB8WDu
happier to see you as the strong woman you are now. I know that you will work307Please respect copyright.PENANAMnFxOrSEsI
hard in your marriage. Justin loves you, I think everyone here can see that.307Please respect copyright.PENANA3tfZV7uvli
What can I say? He has a great taste. To Justin and Mary Daniels! May you know307Please respect copyright.PENANA0WwHWS64jB
bright and happy days, and always know how lucky you are!” Once again, everyone307Please respect copyright.PENANAFVrHgxl7w5
took a swig of their whisky.307Please respect copyright.PENANA9Y4hKJYCQN
307Please respect copyright.PENANAcDSLAeVcTc
After the bride and groom307Please respect copyright.PENANAO3UAvw1oWN
were toasted, the people went back to dancing, and before to long it was time307Please respect copyright.PENANAg8AULJM6iu
for the first dance of the newly wedded. Against the wishes of his parents,307Please respect copyright.PENANA72YEdX4Oal
Justin and Mary had decided they wanted a lively reception; so their first song307Please respect copyright.PENANA3rBU2nYL8X
was The Old Zip Coon. It was a spry dance, one that kept people moving307Please respect copyright.PENANAvmbfdXOFQC
constantly.307Please respect copyright.PENANANAKMULT7tn
307Please respect copyright.PENANAT9RjxAjTiF
Hoots of fun-filled laughter307Please respect copyright.PENANA9oWt9PMw9E
filled the air, as the couple swung around with the biggest smiles. Soon, the307Please respect copyright.PENANAqpBmJhq3fd
whole community joined in, and the room was full of women and men bounding307Please respect copyright.PENANAQDVILVxbMW
around the spacious bar. Without a doubt, it would be a time for the small town307Please respect copyright.PENANAWLBM0Dusm0
of Berk to always remember. But, for Justin and Mary, the most memorable part307Please respect copyright.PENANA1jnO23n7Er
came that night.307Please respect copyright.PENANA9DOmxDHnMm
307Please respect copyright.PENANAzvgM0VIBTY
That was seven years ago,307Please respect copyright.PENANAbMAWUCPTTn
though. All but a faded memory, left in the past.307Please respect copyright.PENANAkzcBMbiH4l
307Please respect copyright.PENANATA3S8mnzts
307Please respect copyright.PENANASAT8PT962O
307Please respect copyright.PENANAdFkarySLce
Present day307Please respect copyright.PENANAzfyqRVHJop
307Please respect copyright.PENANAhUqdZo8RVV
307Please respect copyright.PENANAvpgvyTYaVq
307Please respect copyright.PENANAVrMpnK9BPI
She was bleak, weary, and307Please respect copyright.PENANAYOeqmmjZ8E
couldn’t find it in her heart to smile. She longed for it, yearned for it. all307Please respect copyright.PENANAFvWWxajzfy
she wanted was to look out at them, running around in the sunlit yard. They307Please respect copyright.PENANAX3Jl1fybH7
were so graceful and beautiful, her two oldest daughters. They had finally307Please respect copyright.PENANAC9YIQF3Sh7
cheered up, she just wished she could join in their happiness.307Please respect copyright.PENANAbOvEvEiwQp
307Please respect copyright.PENANAJrpznZ4vUe
Mary looked behind her, where307Please respect copyright.PENANAxcN9y72vVL
her youngest was sitting up on the floor with a big smile. So much like her307Please respect copyright.PENANAuPH7ncXbwr
father, she thought. Sallie was, indeed, the spitting image of her war-bound307Please respect copyright.PENANAiDqNPfGzwt
father, all but those green s. She had his face, his nose, his hair and307Please respect copyright.PENANATeJl9PO6zd
freckles, everything. The Violet eyes had passed over her though, instead being307Please respect copyright.PENANAnLLOjgtVUp
given to little Ethel.307Please respect copyright.PENANAX6PW3haRjH
307Please respect copyright.PENANAhfdWCW7mJN
Turning completely to keep a307Please respect copyright.PENANAFgaFU2u1iJ
full eye on her daughter, and make sure she didn’t wander off, she leaned307Please respect copyright.PENANAbZGrGDVHds
against her chair and sighed. Resting a hand on the swell of her belly, she307Please respect copyright.PENANAVqyFRhCyHx
rubbed it gently, lovingly. For the hundredth time since Justin left for war, she307Please respect copyright.PENANAbktCy03gAn
felt her heart break again. She didn’t understand how it was possible to307Please respect copyright.PENANAEeCjh5XoaT
experience heartbreak so many times, in such a short amount of time; all she307Please respect copyright.PENANAg5zDUMQqjB
knew was that she hated it.307Please respect copyright.PENANArYHZcqeMAK
307Please respect copyright.PENANAxjfWaXap2O
Not even a month after Justin307Please respect copyright.PENANAibhAjSh5Xl
left, she discovered that she was once again with child. She was pregnant, with307Please respect copyright.PENANAYkmT7HXWVO
a baby Justin didn’t even know about; a baby she wouldn’t get to tell him about307Please respect copyright.PENANAlT8E11em2q
until he returned. Now, not only would Sallie be estranged from her father, but307Please respect copyright.PENANAOScpaWHYEw
another baby of theirs wouldn’t know him. He would be a total stranger, in the307Please respect copyright.PENANAK6LRU05DPB
eyes of his own two children.307Please respect copyright.PENANAvA3kMiuOvA
307Please respect copyright.PENANAhuFtS54Cka
She was currently seven307Please respect copyright.PENANArmbiTuGF29
months along, and her belly was already round and swollen. Women of the town307Please respect copyright.PENANALequ84QPkX
had talked, first thinking she’d had an affair. But when she vehemently told307Please respect copyright.PENANAlwY3MmwqLq
them that that was certainly not the case, that she would never do that to307Please respect copyright.PENANAcun0hLUF93
Justin and their girls, the women began to take pity on her. She hated it, but307Please respect copyright.PENANAbFxPtLGjrY
had to admit that their bugging petty was a step up from their thinking she was307Please respect copyright.PENANAfprjflVFX5
having an affair.307Please respect copyright.PENANAe8vqaH9ETK
307Please respect copyright.PENANAWfuOteHbe9
A hiss brushed past her lips,307Please respect copyright.PENANAococ0NAjEO
as she felt a sharp jab to the side of her stomach. “Easy, little one.” She307Please respect copyright.PENANATry6rOAwg0
whispered, directing it toward the baby inside her. Lately, she hadn’t been307Please respect copyright.PENANAZFppnKqtxX
feeling right. She was throwing up more, and the baby had been much more active307Please respect copyright.PENANAlD5CgCmHer
than he/she had in the beginning stages of movement. Almost constantly, she307Please respect copyright.PENANAJKSn5AcWPB
felt the baby turning completely around, which just wasn’t normal. It worried307Please respect copyright.PENANAzbg3VWc4Iy
her, yet she decided not to go to the town doctor.307Please respect copyright.PENANAk4IrqzjFZq
307Please respect copyright.PENANAijyK1yylKS
Just then, a whinny could be307Please respect copyright.PENANAEgslNKiLjW
heard from down the trail. Mary frowned, as no one ever came this far out of307Please respect copyright.PENANATsnqmWWbNs
town. Maybe it was a passerby? Someone looking for direction? She didn’t know;307Please respect copyright.PENANAj8mqlb2Qdf
but taking extra precaution, she grabbed the rifle that had always been kept by307Please respect copyright.PENANAX9l5iSVo6f
the door, and readied it, in case it was a robber, or someone who would harm307Please respect copyright.PENANA8Yi4pmCOvv
her or her girls.307Please respect copyright.PENANARiAzGWGdix
307Please respect copyright.PENANAfJX8ohjj5Y
Waiting by the porch, rifle307Please respect copyright.PENANAoadIJhfW13
readied, she watched as the mounted horse glided toward them. “Girls, come up307Please respect copyright.PENANAkyaD2Gd2CF
here, please!” She called to her daughters, and they obeyed without argument.307Please respect copyright.PENANAgESgwaqOpj
Watching the horse and rider come closer, she could finally see what the person307Please respect copyright.PENANA3us8FJmKAf
was wearing: blue army jacket, with a blue cap. Gold lined the jacket and cap,307Please respect copyright.PENANAaXNnM6Skvi
and the clothes could be seen as clean. The horse was also well groomed, and307Please respect copyright.PENANA1xtniSYLCP
it’s saddle appeared to be fancy.307Please respect copyright.PENANAL5XuvZ68SY
307Please respect copyright.PENANAwvpTmV3YCk
She didn’t dare to hope, but307Please respect copyright.PENANAEPX43eTiTm
the closer the rider neared, the more she felt her heart begin to lift. “Justin?”307Please respect copyright.PENANAJxPN5uoyrY
She choked. Closer and closer. Faster and faster, her heart beat. But it307Please respect copyright.PENANA4hAkjecqdk
suddenly dropped, when the man came to a stop and unmounted. It fell, hitting307Please respect copyright.PENANAd9MBJxRpnE
the dirt ground hard and painfully.307Please respect copyright.PENANAkBsbCBPXQE
307Please respect copyright.PENANAZyU48rK40u
It wasn’t Justin.307Please respect copyright.PENANAmJzyOfmYQY
307Please respect copyright.PENANACiWrySFXTw
The man walked up briskly,307Please respect copyright.PENANATXUjMQZ6CE
taking off his cap as he came up the steps. His gaze drifted down to the two307Please respect copyright.PENANAObl0EA4RnR
girls behind her, clinging to her dress. A tone of sympathy edged his eyes as307Please respect copyright.PENANA2YjfJPwqfe
he slowly lifted them back up to meet Mary’s. “Ma’am, I’m sergeant Michael,307Please respect copyright.PENANAa5oRvurn08
are you Mary Daniels?” He asked softly.307Please respect copyright.PENANA8c50KEN1Wg
307Please respect copyright.PENANAuHlv02TSEP
She forced the lump down her307Please respect copyright.PENANAuoQToGDhkV
throat and nodded. “That I am. Is-is my husband alright?”307Please respect copyright.PENANAgBCirtF4ki
307Please respect copyright.PENANAUFohTqBKYc
He ran a shaky hand through307Please respect copyright.PENANAzw934nxfss
his hair and closed his eyes briefly. “Mrs. Daniels, I’m…I’m sorry to inform307Please respect copyright.PENANAFp2nHyvior
you that yesterday, July 2, 1863, at 5 in the afternoon, your husband was307Please respect copyright.PENANAoEAtjaXbab
killed on the field of battle at Gettysburg. I’m so sorry for your loss.” One307Please respect copyright.PENANAZPYcPR9tQc
last look at her and her daughters, then he turned and left.307Please respect copyright.PENANACuF0cGHRtB
307Please respect copyright.PENANAtLSUdRiNuK
Shock filled her at first.307Please respect copyright.PENANARMpuugNFkt
Against her will, a sob ripped through her lips, and she slapped a hand over307Please respect copyright.PENANAIyioV9KnS4
her mouth to stifle her cry. Slowly dropping her eyes downward, she looked to307Please respect copyright.PENANAG7K3PlqxTQ
her daughters. They looked scared, confused, and worried.307Please respect copyright.PENANAMWphblKAK4
307Please respect copyright.PENANAdGDS0EhL4f
“Daddy coming home?” Ethel307Please respect copyright.PENANAiltDQijPpW
asked her softly.307Please respect copyright.PENANAVdXPx1zpnD
307Please respect copyright.PENANA8rXJrVOoWT
The tears raged down her face307Please respect copyright.PENANAuEiE3zYT8S
and she shut her eyes tight for a moment. As best as she could, she knelt down307Please respect copyright.PENANAE6e9hJG0On
and pulled the girls close to her. “No, Ethel.” She whispered. “Daddy’s not307Please respect copyright.PENANAd7oHrCXwOt
coming home. He’s…he’s with the angels, baby.” She choked, the lump in her throat307Please respect copyright.PENANAVEjwFthrUo
growing by the second. Her daughters were too young for this. The pain of307Please respect copyright.PENANArhhSDcXhuI
losing a parent was difficult no matter what, but none of her children were307Please respect copyright.PENANAb3aqPDdhjW
even through their first decade of life. Her oldest was barely seven.307Please respect copyright.PENANA5UGglXUdRw
307Please respect copyright.PENANAOsk4fldiMi
The small girl had tears in her307Please respect copyright.PENANAvGNLlvkNPK
eyes, and her lip quivered. “Daddy left us forever?” She whimpered.307Please respect copyright.PENANANVQCBv9lRF
307Please respect copyright.PENANAB4yHBqp8Qn
Mary hated to think of it307Please respect copyright.PENANAKnqeB9VaQv
that way, but what other way was there to explain to her daughters? Unable to307Please respect copyright.PENANAThDjUPobZ5
say anything, she nodded and pulled her daughters into the safety of her arms.307Please respect copyright.PENANA7ooxD0BY5P
“He loved you girls. So very much. You and your sister were everything to him.307Please respect copyright.PENANAjKMkPCccj8
And if he were here, right now, he would tell you how much he loves you.”307Please respect copyright.PENANAGkMFSsY6mP
307Please respect copyright.PENANA25yxRPRmLe
Her heart ached so much307Please respect copyright.PENANAiLdZrTyB6k
though. Sallie wasn’t even a year old, and the father she would never remember307Please respect copyright.PENANAApBsMbQKi1
was gone. The baby growing inside her would never even meet his/her father. He307Please respect copyright.PENANATdR3KauBz1
hadn’t even known about her pregnancy. Now he would never know. He would never307Please respect copyright.PENANAxLEX5smGdl
know his youngest daughter. He would never know his unborn child. He would307Please respect copyright.PENANADNGiAAuJQR
never walk his daughters down the aisle on their wedding days. He’d miss out on307Please respect copyright.PENANA2h3AkaOlyo
his grandchildren being born and growing up. All of that, he would never have a307Please respect copyright.PENANA9lktSx9ZK6
chance to do or see.307Please respect copyright.PENANAuxzbycSBQV
307Please respect copyright.PENANAkthyjq8vVn
307Please respect copyright.PENANApjRoUW6MqF
307Please respect copyright.PENANAI6YkOrxJdT
……307Please respect copyright.PENANAmXNA71aRZF
307Please respect copyright.PENANA56cAQEzVfQ
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For several days, the Daniels307Please respect copyright.PENANAUOb03TS39F
girls were all in a state of melancholy. Townspeople had stopped by a few307Please respect copyright.PENANAk5idn309u7
times, both to give their condolences, and to offer Mary anything she needed:307Please respect copyright.PENANAJGHiN26B0n
help with the girls, food for the next few days, someone to talk to, anything.307Please respect copyright.PENANAcU1JjE2HDj
The young widow refused though. She didn’t wish for charity, and she thought it307Please respect copyright.PENANArGB697iJ1g
best that she be the one to care for the girls, especially through such a time307Please respect copyright.PENANAul5TAwJdsc
as the news of their father’s death.307Please respect copyright.PENANAspQF8nzfIX
307Please respect copyright.PENANAc5gZOEvwl3
Ida and Ethel, while still307Please respect copyright.PENANAG9VTb9lxoE
not fully comprehending that their father was gone forever, seemed to307Please respect copyright.PENANA5IGAlclDg6
understand that something really bad had happened to him. Mary hated seeing it307Please respect copyright.PENANAXTmO60FmOZ
on her daughters; she’d gone through the same thing when she was not much older307Please respect copyright.PENANA7Czm5RjXfU
than Ida. She knew it wasn’t fair, on anybody.307Please respect copyright.PENANAoB9UyFvpQy
307Please respect copyright.PENANALOw4IwEOiE
It was barely a week after307Please respect copyright.PENANAeHW00VyTHU
receiving the news, when Mary felt a hard kick to her lower abdomen. At first,307Please respect copyright.PENANARXnJsQ7IWp
she didn’t take it to mean anything, just the baby putting up a fuss; but when307Please respect copyright.PENANAtTIMbNEY7Y
the kicks increased in severity, she became slightly worried.307Please respect copyright.PENANAWMTzx7jcpW
307Please respect copyright.PENANAMKkFmHk6BH
Just as she was getting up to307Please respect copyright.PENANALswSEMvPD7
make something for the girls to eat, she felt something wet between her legs.307Please respect copyright.PENANAE8AiOhaOxV
Shutting her eyes, not wanting to admit to herself what she already knew was307Please respect copyright.PENANAPMS54Hz6QD
happening, she looked to the ground under her feet. There it was; that small307Please respect copyright.PENANAyBzOsyddaB
puddle that could only mean one thing: she was in labor.307Please respect copyright.PENANAmiMTDc3rOa
307Please respect copyright.PENANAXlU0DiiJDV
It’s to early, she said in307Please respect copyright.PENANAhI7OMwYUGy
her mind. The same thing had happened with her baby boy a few years ago. She’d307Please respect copyright.PENANALvEAi1Nz65
gone into early labor, and he only lasted a few minutes after birth. The first307Please respect copyright.PENANAzSFx8vmapY
thing since her father’s death, and it broke her. Losing her child, the child307Please respect copyright.PENANAqM2RiDAJZe
she had carried for six months, the child she felt moving inside her, was the307Please respect copyright.PENANAywVYbAuaHc
hardest thing. She couldn’t go through it again, especially after the307Please respect copyright.PENANABi4w9rAgNt
heartbreak of losing her beloved husband.307Please respect copyright.PENANAu9L6jv0TeF
307Please respect copyright.PENANACZ35LhvAvD
Braving through her fear for307Please respect copyright.PENANAm84UNvJCGL
the moment, she looked to Ida, holding her stomach tightly. “Idie, I need to to307Please respect copyright.PENANATVwr6ZSdfb
ride Bobbie into town and tell auntie Leah that your baby brother or sister is307Please respect copyright.PENANAxF1Kel1SuK
coming.” She said in a steady, but still fearful voice.307Please respect copyright.PENANAiDwueRIvSe
307Please respect copyright.PENANAu65vB7c4f8
The seven year old wasted no307Please respect copyright.PENANAVd7xzFDsJb
time in jumping up from the floor, racing to pull on her coat, and running out307Please respect copyright.PENANAZMOiDs84bR
the door. She was thankful to know that her father’s horse was already saddled307Please respect copyright.PENANAvdt3wFENxZ
up and ready to go. Climbing up, she gripped the reins in shaking hands and307Please respect copyright.PENANA12UZQwFrMo
gave them a snap.307Please respect copyright.PENANAt6EOgW0fSw
307Please respect copyright.PENANAUcYwEDXATk
Only half an hour later, she307Please respect copyright.PENANArdtOjB1RW5
returned with Leah riding behind her. They slid off their horses, and Leah immediately307Please respect copyright.PENANA5i4ldssrMP
made a beeline for the house. “Mary!” She called in a panic.307Please respect copyright.PENANA3QI3B4TuVN
307Please respect copyright.PENANAq9mC0vq64V
“Back here, Lee!” Mary called307Please respect copyright.PENANAi8bmkEZJ39
back to her best friend. When Leah stood beside her, she took a deep breath and307Please respect copyright.PENANANuPA0uTERS
leaned back slightly. “I’m sorry. I know you have to take care of the boys-“307Please respect copyright.PENANAG4SB80UTru
307Please respect copyright.PENANAay6adgy0yF
“Mary, Ivan and Timothy are307Please respect copyright.PENANARkfPS8uAf7
fine. Mark is watching them. What matters is that you’re in labor. Now, listen,307Please respect copyright.PENANATSkrsLLp9f
since you’ve gone into early labor, you know what we have to do.” Leah stroked307Please respect copyright.PENANAysYh3d9Bhg
her friend’s hair sympathetically and dabbed her already sweaty forehead.307Please respect copyright.PENANAsomwjkhsiq
“Let’s get you in bed, and I’ll do what I can to bring your little one into the307Please respect copyright.PENANAEEtLTecqrT
world.” She guided her over to the bed and helped her lay down.307Please respect copyright.PENANA1PhFPSnMjV
307Please respect copyright.PENANAiVrNeoGw3C
Hours passed by, and the only307Please respect copyright.PENANAMHWXMWq4Nf
thing that seemed to change was the pitch in Mary’s screams. They varied from307Please respect copyright.PENANAcF783108Rz
loud, to quiet, to high pitched, and real low. The three girls, Ida, Ethel, and307Please respect copyright.PENANAdGfE3kZno7
Sallie, all sat in the corner. They worried for their dear mother, as they307Please respect copyright.PENANAU1bYAgmQl8
didn’t understand what was going on, but they stayed silent and kept patient.307Please respect copyright.PENANA6Gm16RxeGX
307Please respect copyright.PENANAFgtJ687aCI
It was well into the night,307Please respect copyright.PENANA6e7WDcytJz
and there was still nothing to be gained from the long hours of labor that Mary307Please respect copyright.PENANAWY1lL9RjUw
had endured. She’d been in labor for twelve hours already, and while Leah307Please respect copyright.PENANAoQNfhIoJaM
wasn’t expecting her to have delivered by then, she was at least expecting her307Please respect copyright.PENANADPKKqRrfwQ
to be dilating; Mary wasn’t even so much as dilating. There was no doubt in the307Please respect copyright.PENANAcj2W1ZWMIk
fellow mother’s mind, this was going to be a long birthing process.307Please respect copyright.PENANA6SgwyUSjY5
307Please respect copyright.PENANATC6cY33KM5
And so it was. Two days of307Please respect copyright.PENANAHeGECnHdXe
labor, and still nothing to show for it. Mark eventually had to bring his and307Please respect copyright.PENANAvdRtKIKLme
Leah’s two sons out so that she could help them bathe, as he had no idea how to307Please respect copyright.PENANADDiidnQ7UK
do it. Throughout the whole two days though, Mary still showed no signs of307Please respect copyright.PENANAAEgyYQ7M4K
actually giving birth.307Please respect copyright.PENANAjLZchyZEeL
307Please respect copyright.PENANA12A8RSodAh
And then the third day came.307Please respect copyright.PENANAjKPbEigoWK
307Please respect copyright.PENANAq8ke3VbDob
It hit them all, like a307Please respect copyright.PENANAmfHwTcGeKY
tornado. It came with piercing screams, and obvious signs that Mary had finally307Please respect copyright.PENANAr39rv01oyz
started crowning. For when Leah looked under the blanket that was sprawled over307Please respect copyright.PENANAa1HI4nZGvE
Mary, she could clearly see a head full of black hair. And at that sight, she307Please respect copyright.PENANArHxeJMH5B5
gave a joyous cry and told Mary that it was time. She shoved everyone else out307Please respect copyright.PENANAwroTSYzpVg
in the meantime, asking Fabian to watch the children.307Please respect copyright.PENANAOIdoi3yuYP
307Please respect copyright.PENANAh8iqakN0Kt
That night was long and hard.307Please respect copyright.PENANAfYA2AS2ty8
And in the end, silence filled the small Daniels’ residence. It was so quiet,307Please respect copyright.PENANA9HJMTlPcFV
you could have heard a pin drop. But suddenly, tiny wails came from the room307Please respect copyright.PENANAIlM05DhNfd
Mary was in. Newborn wails. Leah came in to the family room with a bright smile307Please respect copyright.PENANA9eEXjjzvXB
upon her face. “The baby is good and healthy, though a bit small.” Taking307Please respect copyright.PENANAYQnL8sVOBv
Sallie from her husband, she looked to Ida and Ethel. “Your mother is waiting307Please respect copyright.PENANAzHHVVk7lqv
for you. Go on, I’ll be there in a minute.” She told them softly. She watched307Please respect copyright.PENANAL0PZFXUF9j
them leave before turning back to Mark, who looked worried.307Please respect copyright.PENANARv0wXHBRxf
307Please respect copyright.PENANArGlInC6Rht
“So?” He said nervously.307Please respect copyright.PENANAJa1GdMYf4X
307Please respect copyright.PENANAn2DW16R93y
Her smile, still, didn’t307Please respect copyright.PENANAVndzXFICsv
fade. “Healthy baby girl.” Her gaze fell then, though, and she looked morose.307Please respect copyright.PENANAsv8iezVWXX
“Mary…didn’t want to hold her at first. She-she looks like…like him.” She307Please respect copyright.PENANAYoN1txb7ir
whispered.307Please respect copyright.PENANA79K6wENlg3
307Please respect copyright.PENANAwfqyXEvsWB
Mark sighed and shook his307Please respect copyright.PENANApTlG006akS
head. “Those poor girls. And poor Mary, having to deal with four daughters, all307Please respect copyright.PENANAbAVS0mnzhu
on her own. This shouldn’t be happening.” He hesitated briefly before stating,307Please respect copyright.PENANA02YzWKAaM1
“What is she going to do?” A careful edge to his voice.307Please respect copyright.PENANABncGjeVrDV
307Please respect copyright.PENANADrRq6IlAYf
She chewed on her lip. “I307Please respect copyright.PENANAFt8ZBVnYdu
think she’s going to go to work. How else is she going to care for the girls?307Please respect copyright.PENANAE0gj9kd00Q
Still, you’re right; this shouldn’t be happening.”307Please respect copyright.PENANAY1AnyoaIiw
307Please respect copyright.PENANAQjhUyaM3Uk
“What’s her name?”307Please respect copyright.PENANAglYQd8Rv1l
307Please respect copyright.PENANAXC09jlCPsd
Leah smiled again, having307Please respect copyright.PENANAfIBMLQJwzv
known the name Mary had picked. There was no doubt in her mind, it was a lovely307Please respect copyright.PENANANJyehGNJqN
name. “Margaret. Margaret Hope Daniels. Justin loved the name, and Mary thought307Please respect copyright.PENANA6BoyqtZCem
that it was perfectly suited.307Please respect copyright.PENANA4rvym4gBg5
307Please respect copyright.PENANAQMxvWVGB2d
Mark knew, all to well, how307Please respect copyright.PENANAOl6mIiXcUc
his friend had loved the name. They had discussed the topic a few months before307Please respect copyright.PENANAUozRHWey59
he left; he said that if he ever had another daughter, he wanted her name to be307Please respect copyright.PENANASb9LBdEVbg
Margaret Hope Daniels.307Please respect copyright.PENANAMoGjFKsJlZ
307Please respect copyright.PENANAr8nX0osSsC
He wrapped and arm around his307Please respect copyright.PENANAeNDPjhRYdc
wife as they started for Mary’s room, Sallie in Leah’s free arm. When they307Please respect copyright.PENANAbJDZ1yYDCc
arrived at the entrance, Mark couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene. The307Please respect copyright.PENANA0qS5WnxpFf
girls were on either side of Mary, on the bed, and were completely mesmerized307Please respect copyright.PENANAM9qPkbWXmD
by their new baby sister. Even from such a distance, Mark could definitely see307Please respect copyright.PENANAk4RLPveHb7
how baby Margaret resembled her late father. Her tiny face was a mold of his,307Please respect copyright.PENANAKdr3NJi1bM
and the small tufts of black hair were as dark and soft-looking as her307Please respect copyright.PENANAhyKOAnziYA
father’s. He could only imagine how much more she would grow to look like her307Please respect copyright.PENANAKMImxSZYUj
father; it was a painful thought.307Please respect copyright.PENANAQXFBBKpfHP
307Please respect copyright.PENANAJSjaaSHMNZ
Mary’s head snapped up to her307Please respect copyright.PENANAQxOcRZayKa
friends, and she smiled wide. “Come and meet the new Daniels.” She beckoned to307Please respect copyright.PENANASW4hsvrHtC
them gently, yet eagerly.307Please respect copyright.PENANAkzyOdwKYKZ
307Please respect copyright.PENANAm7JU4OqySe
They came in and stood beside307Please respect copyright.PENANAJOMha9X0tl
her, admiring the beautiful baby that was nestled within her arms. They smiled307Please respect copyright.PENANAV0iuj3tNLo
at each other, and then back at her. “She’s beautiful, Mary.” Mark said softly.307Please respect copyright.PENANA9DvVxcEYCr
307Please respect copyright.PENANAL28WOxaRIy
The exhausted mother managed307Please respect copyright.PENANATp0wZjtGiL
a laugh as she nodded. “She gets it from her father.” Looking back down at her307Please respect copyright.PENANAIVVK3Bgn0R
newborn, she brought the girl up slightly and kissed her small, pink forehead.307Please respect copyright.PENANA0OyTTpbPIh
“I love you, my sweet girl. Daddy would have loved you too. But remember, little307Please respect copyright.PENANAWEUHSjOX7v
one, he’s always with you.” Looking around at all of them, tears embraced her307Please respect copyright.PENANAdH8B9szHmY
eyes and caressed her cheeks. She tried licking them away, but to no use. “He’s307Please respect copyright.PENANAKzgTP7a8Rt
with all of us.” She whimpered.307Please respect copyright.PENANASK4FWG30jG
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The Avery’s embraced her and307Please respect copyright.PENANAVckcXMyFYN
the girls, and the Avery boys were quick to join in, always loving hugs. They307Please respect copyright.PENANAza5Q60rLkz
knew this was not a typical hug, but they could feel the love than ran through,307Please respect copyright.PENANAC9KPjVVjx1
just as much as the heartache. The one thing they could all feel though, was307Please respect copyright.PENANAY0LNOU01hh
how it uplifted them. They were stronger together. The past months had been307Please respect copyright.PENANAJFjgACd1Jn
hard, but they were sure now that they could get through this hard time. Mary307Please respect copyright.PENANAkHuJh4kWUx
and her daughters would make it. They would all make it; together.