310Please respect copyright.PENANAux6UIODzbC
It was a cold and dark day.310Please respect copyright.PENANASYOmqY8x8A
Wet. Dreary. Certainly, not a day one would wish to be married on. But for310Please respect copyright.PENANA6HeNII0TnQ
them, there wasn’t a more perfect day. And they were being married in the310Please respect copyright.PENANAYNQjIBw3Eq
church, after all; it wasn’t like they had to worry about being rained on, or310Please respect copyright.PENANANeRYT1SEph
their entire wedding being ruined, altogether. Nothing could ruin this day for310Please respect copyright.PENANA7gjMgTVxK3
them. Not the weather, not a kink in plans, nothing.310Please respect copyright.PENANAEkxj1jBOEe
310Please respect copyright.PENANAnktzY59eQk
“Do you, Justin Daniels, take310Please respect copyright.PENANAcd6HSGpZL8
this woman, Mary Smith, to be your wife? To have and to hold, to love and to310Please respect copyright.PENANAdnR1muwUGc
cherish, and to honor and respect her, until death do you part?” The priest, who310Please respect copyright.PENANAlD1vESMwdY
was their good friend, Jacoby, asked with a smile.310Please respect copyright.PENANAEfO3IbP1kZ
310Please respect copyright.PENANAaYR6l8moME
Justin beamed, tears in his eyes,310Please respect copyright.PENANAheRqCck78b
as he stared down at Mary, right into her eyes. He didn’t even have to think310Please respect copyright.PENANA9bV0NwvIuK
about it. He gulped down the lump in his throat and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”310Please respect copyright.PENANAIFdWRgF84t
310Please respect copyright.PENANANGVZGaEYt1
Then turning to Mary, Jacoby310Please respect copyright.PENANADshgNwU51B
directed the words to her. “Do you, Mary Smith, take this man, Justin Daniels,310Please respect copyright.PENANAeaXTiRWHH4
to be your husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, and to honor310Please respect copyright.PENANAyNc8kW10My
and respect him, until death do you part?”310Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0xoDuPscg
310Please respect copyright.PENANACt4theZhna
She couldn’t help it; her310Please respect copyright.PENANAQkLE66LfvX
tears fell freely down her unblemished face, as she nodded without a second310Please respect copyright.PENANAdslENXWSXr
thought. “I do.” She said with a strangled voice. Justin smiled at her310Please respect copyright.PENANAq4z62mNZx9
confirmation, as if previously afraid that she would change her mind.310Please respect copyright.PENANAcVijHakzP5
310Please respect copyright.PENANAB5lLdTgA5y
“Then, without further wait,310Please respect copyright.PENANAYcWeXXueHW
I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” Jocoby announced310Please respect copyright.PENANAdB2dCxwn6f
with his thick accent weighing heavily throughout the small room.310Please respect copyright.PENANAs4vywyVKtQ
310Please respect copyright.PENANAz2koW8X0Pl
Not waiting a second longer,310Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7w49X4lwI
Justin slid his hands over Mary’s slender hips and pulled her near to him.310Please respect copyright.PENANAE2STb02hz7
Smiles lit their faces as they kissed passionately, but still innocently enough310Please respect copyright.PENANAxfqaDWmhon
while in front of a crowd. Cheers rang through the whole room, as they sealed310Please respect copyright.PENANAv3WHSLeitr
their marriage officially, finalizing their union as one.310Please respect copyright.PENANATHi6ePhuVg
310Please respect copyright.PENANAHtS5jrXd95
After the marriage ceremony,310Please respect copyright.PENANA3q0PujhKJi
the crowd hauled over to the bar just across town. For hours, they drank, sang,310Please respect copyright.PENANA3wTinZGHSW
and danced the day away. When it came time for supper, they all gathered310Please respect copyright.PENANAqzvlBLUOoW
around, the finest mugs, filled to the brim with the best whisky, in their310Please respect copyright.PENANANA3zagQF0W
hands. It was time for the bride and groom toasts. Justin’s best man, Mark310Please respect copyright.PENANAkW5AKwdXBu
Avery, went first.310Please respect copyright.PENANABXiNWzDNgs
310Please respect copyright.PENANAaOQVL1nmZz
“I have known Justin and Mary310Please respect copyright.PENANA6vRG00Bjbk
for most of my life. Separately, of course. But I know that there isn’t a310Please respect copyright.PENANApwPpYIdRvW
couple better suited for each other, than the one right here. Justin, you’re my310Please respect copyright.PENANAMrzrS5snsB
best friend, though I know that, to you, I come in second place of Mary. My310Please respect copyright.PENANACTyh2YJhEI
friend, you chose well. If only there were more women like Mary out there. And310Please respect copyright.PENANAwdaOKUNyqW
let me say, you deserve the finest. After Catharine broke your heart, I thought310Please respect copyright.PENANAmFKh2d6EiY
you’d never move on. I’m glad you proved me wrong. To Justin and Mary Daniels!310Please respect copyright.PENANASN1hJsE1s3
May you two live long, and happy together!” He cheered before raising his mug310Please respect copyright.PENANA7pXUXrklVA
to his lips and taking a long swing, just as everyone else did.310Please respect copyright.PENANAh5DYSOp4rT
310Please respect copyright.PENANADLQlaJdTl7
Mary’s maid of honor, Leah310Please respect copyright.PENANAIwKA6pTYLp
Cassidy, went next. “Mary, I have seen you struggle through everything in your310Please respect copyright.PENANAKLopQSIdpX
life, since the day your mother passed. All the things you went through with310Please respect copyright.PENANAqubRFhURSP
your father, they were tough. But, they also made you strong. And I couldn’t be310Please respect copyright.PENANAFd7HgPmHoA
happier to see you as the strong woman you are now. I know that you will work310Please respect copyright.PENANARTai3JNr4g
hard in your marriage. Justin loves you, I think everyone here can see that.310Please respect copyright.PENANAsqJRgjJ4Uq
What can I say? He has a great taste. To Justin and Mary Daniels! May you know310Please respect copyright.PENANARGGXBs1lTO
bright and happy days, and always know how lucky you are!” Once again, everyone310Please respect copyright.PENANA9LPperBGy7
took a swig of their whisky.310Please respect copyright.PENANA4sxARljA2l
310Please respect copyright.PENANAitjvLT6Cas
After the bride and groom310Please respect copyright.PENANAVOnhaHGJl3
were toasted, the people went back to dancing, and before to long it was time310Please respect copyright.PENANArlaorYXOjq
for the first dance of the newly wedded. Against the wishes of his parents,310Please respect copyright.PENANA0O7VmKfKBE
Justin and Mary had decided they wanted a lively reception; so their first song310Please respect copyright.PENANAvF8T2ToXrZ
was The Old Zip Coon. It was a spry dance, one that kept people moving310Please respect copyright.PENANANYZIg2RalS
constantly.310Please respect copyright.PENANAEFMqcGPYUN
310Please respect copyright.PENANAeaRG0oLhRh
Hoots of fun-filled laughter310Please respect copyright.PENANA05RjJQtJJ8
filled the air, as the couple swung around with the biggest smiles. Soon, the310Please respect copyright.PENANAlV32rDYp1U
whole community joined in, and the room was full of women and men bounding310Please respect copyright.PENANAExY4vtWh7g
around the spacious bar. Without a doubt, it would be a time for the small town310Please respect copyright.PENANAHIDDUx3oDf
of Berk to always remember. But, for Justin and Mary, the most memorable part310Please respect copyright.PENANAcaN0hlj9Ej
came that night.310Please respect copyright.PENANA81QDKXBfAB
310Please respect copyright.PENANATjkeXFJqhX
That was seven years ago,310Please respect copyright.PENANAZzUMjqNePZ
though. All but a faded memory, left in the past.310Please respect copyright.PENANAsWyESzVzBP
310Please respect copyright.PENANAoGvGGp0PBa
310Please respect copyright.PENANAWh9cmPdcvK
310Please respect copyright.PENANAkeG9fvbhwg
Present day310Please respect copyright.PENANAVcZsIEpZI3
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310Please respect copyright.PENANAgKpt3K7ZBc
She was bleak, weary, and310Please respect copyright.PENANAPv0A3JXNFK
couldn’t find it in her heart to smile. She longed for it, yearned for it. all310Please respect copyright.PENANAbA0IYaeTBY
she wanted was to look out at them, running around in the sunlit yard. They310Please respect copyright.PENANAF4ooJLmeCg
were so graceful and beautiful, her two oldest daughters. They had finally310Please respect copyright.PENANA14H93EExwi
cheered up, she just wished she could join in their happiness.310Please respect copyright.PENANAU5YaKDLGwO
310Please respect copyright.PENANAX5YD4HOESA
Mary looked behind her, where310Please respect copyright.PENANAPqwdKZQPmW
her youngest was sitting up on the floor with a big smile. So much like her310Please respect copyright.PENANATYO1rmShAB
father, she thought. Sallie was, indeed, the spitting image of her war-bound310Please respect copyright.PENANAUIXAj64YYu
father, all but those green s. She had his face, his nose, his hair and310Please respect copyright.PENANARjNsRiEMdi
freckles, everything. The Violet eyes had passed over her though, instead being310Please respect copyright.PENANARvTqKwHQo5
given to little Ethel.310Please respect copyright.PENANAhV2bkIuzoH
310Please respect copyright.PENANAICiBZWqebn
Turning completely to keep a310Please respect copyright.PENANAS1L37E381D
full eye on her daughter, and make sure she didn’t wander off, she leaned310Please respect copyright.PENANAcmGV6DKm89
against her chair and sighed. Resting a hand on the swell of her belly, she310Please respect copyright.PENANAXNLnq93bzt
rubbed it gently, lovingly. For the hundredth time since Justin left for war, she310Please respect copyright.PENANAFTjcjFfenb
felt her heart break again. She didn’t understand how it was possible to310Please respect copyright.PENANApAyTTrBVtK
experience heartbreak so many times, in such a short amount of time; all she310Please respect copyright.PENANARtd9kMiqMP
knew was that she hated it.310Please respect copyright.PENANAHVojveJwze
310Please respect copyright.PENANAXu6BlTvmdx
Not even a month after Justin310Please respect copyright.PENANAW1rZjb0A0q
left, she discovered that she was once again with child. She was pregnant, with310Please respect copyright.PENANABDrw9jsL7N
a baby Justin didn’t even know about; a baby she wouldn’t get to tell him about310Please respect copyright.PENANADKCEeWLo0d
until he returned. Now, not only would Sallie be estranged from her father, but310Please respect copyright.PENANA6IpfCyCk3l
another baby of theirs wouldn’t know him. He would be a total stranger, in the310Please respect copyright.PENANAYUZoNZ2Jxp
eyes of his own two children.310Please respect copyright.PENANAvPSS2QpwBj
310Please respect copyright.PENANAlIsBNrHIpX
She was currently seven310Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4Z8UF6H0t
months along, and her belly was already round and swollen. Women of the town310Please respect copyright.PENANA31YL1U8PLZ
had talked, first thinking she’d had an affair. But when she vehemently told310Please respect copyright.PENANA2Q5ZlrWDhL
them that that was certainly not the case, that she would never do that to310Please respect copyright.PENANA8yqNgZD4QK
Justin and their girls, the women began to take pity on her. She hated it, but310Please respect copyright.PENANAlLmEksvp6N
had to admit that their bugging petty was a step up from their thinking she was310Please respect copyright.PENANA6cQC0pX87d
having an affair.310Please respect copyright.PENANA3T8liQe0Xi
310Please respect copyright.PENANAVVzdNZUUdK
A hiss brushed past her lips,310Please respect copyright.PENANA9bbQe5zwKW
as she felt a sharp jab to the side of her stomach. “Easy, little one.” She310Please respect copyright.PENANAdwo1F8gthB
whispered, directing it toward the baby inside her. Lately, she hadn’t been310Please respect copyright.PENANAQVyvaV94xY
feeling right. She was throwing up more, and the baby had been much more active310Please respect copyright.PENANAFUS5X26CQS
than he/she had in the beginning stages of movement. Almost constantly, she310Please respect copyright.PENANA0NeuGr4XJ0
felt the baby turning completely around, which just wasn’t normal. It worried310Please respect copyright.PENANAaVSGuisrRK
her, yet she decided not to go to the town doctor.310Please respect copyright.PENANA6c8fe0Wdhp
310Please respect copyright.PENANAK2GAl0Up2z
Just then, a whinny could be310Please respect copyright.PENANAUVYdt9kzlR
heard from down the trail. Mary frowned, as no one ever came this far out of310Please respect copyright.PENANAiuDmhfXYqh
town. Maybe it was a passerby? Someone looking for direction? She didn’t know;310Please respect copyright.PENANAQiSA9ZMCme
but taking extra precaution, she grabbed the rifle that had always been kept by310Please respect copyright.PENANAMWtCo0zhGz
the door, and readied it, in case it was a robber, or someone who would harm310Please respect copyright.PENANAT2ilxGab0r
her or her girls.310Please respect copyright.PENANA6qDpGKOPFZ
310Please respect copyright.PENANAZYO8hkruX1
Waiting by the porch, rifle310Please respect copyright.PENANAgEsTFXdnPa
readied, she watched as the mounted horse glided toward them. “Girls, come up310Please respect copyright.PENANA0owGJyCIVU
here, please!” She called to her daughters, and they obeyed without argument.310Please respect copyright.PENANAW1HY2KtRRM
Watching the horse and rider come closer, she could finally see what the person310Please respect copyright.PENANAtUL3dEXbQn
was wearing: blue army jacket, with a blue cap. Gold lined the jacket and cap,310Please respect copyright.PENANAb4W3VICIuq
and the clothes could be seen as clean. The horse was also well groomed, and310Please respect copyright.PENANAWdXp6p2dPm
it’s saddle appeared to be fancy.310Please respect copyright.PENANAMPdM9W8oOS
310Please respect copyright.PENANAgoxpDc4uyD
She didn’t dare to hope, but310Please respect copyright.PENANA4xI5P0G5zI
the closer the rider neared, the more she felt her heart begin to lift. “Justin?”310Please respect copyright.PENANAt5U12GNNch
She choked. Closer and closer. Faster and faster, her heart beat. But it310Please respect copyright.PENANAQZq38J3YQF
suddenly dropped, when the man came to a stop and unmounted. It fell, hitting310Please respect copyright.PENANA1a90Gc21bb
the dirt ground hard and painfully.310Please respect copyright.PENANAocH3jOgSbg
310Please respect copyright.PENANAJOns3OKopd
It wasn’t Justin.310Please respect copyright.PENANAPUDwseWEIG
310Please respect copyright.PENANA5IaOpPWEVe
The man walked up briskly,310Please respect copyright.PENANADRM9HTnB9f
taking off his cap as he came up the steps. His gaze drifted down to the two310Please respect copyright.PENANAjn2wxS8vm6
girls behind her, clinging to her dress. A tone of sympathy edged his eyes as310Please respect copyright.PENANAq61l0DI4tx
he slowly lifted them back up to meet Mary’s. “Ma’am, I’m sergeant Michael,310Please respect copyright.PENANAsIDzbz4dOm
are you Mary Daniels?” He asked softly.310Please respect copyright.PENANAZ59dP5Nfk9
310Please respect copyright.PENANAjEZ5y92E1C
She forced the lump down her310Please respect copyright.PENANAoZz15q3baV
throat and nodded. “That I am. Is-is my husband alright?”310Please respect copyright.PENANARUJvPfDUwZ
310Please respect copyright.PENANAVst1IfBLbn
He ran a shaky hand through310Please respect copyright.PENANAkSyAkjjekl
his hair and closed his eyes briefly. “Mrs. Daniels, I’m…I’m sorry to inform310Please respect copyright.PENANAKB952zTS4D
you that yesterday, July 2, 1863, at 5 in the afternoon, your husband was310Please respect copyright.PENANAT9hZa9VoaJ
killed on the field of battle at Gettysburg. I’m so sorry for your loss.” One310Please respect copyright.PENANA3wvqU5OKRK
last look at her and her daughters, then he turned and left.310Please respect copyright.PENANAfStkN59l5E
310Please respect copyright.PENANA6nTxn2e9ri
Shock filled her at first.310Please respect copyright.PENANAmBwVdOr2Mv
Against her will, a sob ripped through her lips, and she slapped a hand over310Please respect copyright.PENANANWZKWOWGWA
her mouth to stifle her cry. Slowly dropping her eyes downward, she looked to310Please respect copyright.PENANAy5a7OXfIHJ
her daughters. They looked scared, confused, and worried.310Please respect copyright.PENANAJzYhLqIwCg
310Please respect copyright.PENANAQhuaQhIisX
“Daddy coming home?” Ethel310Please respect copyright.PENANA2kGHxxekUI
asked her softly.310Please respect copyright.PENANA5FApkqYJdu
310Please respect copyright.PENANAvB9fWlCz5E
The tears raged down her face310Please respect copyright.PENANAhC8qszUWIz
and she shut her eyes tight for a moment. As best as she could, she knelt down310Please respect copyright.PENANA3oLHh2B66v
and pulled the girls close to her. “No, Ethel.” She whispered. “Daddy’s not310Please respect copyright.PENANAsbdyo3y8G9
coming home. He’s…he’s with the angels, baby.” She choked, the lump in her throat310Please respect copyright.PENANA7zFGk71BDo
growing by the second. Her daughters were too young for this. The pain of310Please respect copyright.PENANAPLqY6ivmNd
losing a parent was difficult no matter what, but none of her children were310Please respect copyright.PENANA2oZYpun6fJ
even through their first decade of life. Her oldest was barely seven.310Please respect copyright.PENANA7zKNALtPuB
310Please respect copyright.PENANA48K9uhMY1X
The small girl had tears in her310Please respect copyright.PENANArccl3O04Mp
eyes, and her lip quivered. “Daddy left us forever?” She whimpered.310Please respect copyright.PENANAH2FW8NnR1p
310Please respect copyright.PENANAPv3gLbH8IQ
Mary hated to think of it310Please respect copyright.PENANAs3SAcDc2H7
that way, but what other way was there to explain to her daughters? Unable to310Please respect copyright.PENANA4XPLXyF2Z0
say anything, she nodded and pulled her daughters into the safety of her arms.310Please respect copyright.PENANA65HAr6hAX6
“He loved you girls. So very much. You and your sister were everything to him.310Please respect copyright.PENANArDabJUsS9j
And if he were here, right now, he would tell you how much he loves you.”310Please respect copyright.PENANAtn3735qOCK
310Please respect copyright.PENANA8hQAwVP7Bx
Her heart ached so much310Please respect copyright.PENANAb1hB3k2JPO
though. Sallie wasn’t even a year old, and the father she would never remember310Please respect copyright.PENANA3Wv5dnTbkO
was gone. The baby growing inside her would never even meet his/her father. He310Please respect copyright.PENANAmAXCpfQ90r
hadn’t even known about her pregnancy. Now he would never know. He would never310Please respect copyright.PENANAd5vajbPJla
know his youngest daughter. He would never know his unborn child. He would310Please respect copyright.PENANA3WUB0ZY7eL
never walk his daughters down the aisle on their wedding days. He’d miss out on310Please respect copyright.PENANA8kgFTUaIGp
his grandchildren being born and growing up. All of that, he would never have a310Please respect copyright.PENANAGVNFhw7Mid
chance to do or see.310Please respect copyright.PENANAqrAdvvvFRc
310Please respect copyright.PENANA1DGL068P3P
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310Please respect copyright.PENANAD0DEMIFONW
……310Please respect copyright.PENANARNVq0TiePx
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For several days, the Daniels310Please respect copyright.PENANAGNqWV5WjVO
girls were all in a state of melancholy. Townspeople had stopped by a few310Please respect copyright.PENANATIV9yLYiiw
times, both to give their condolences, and to offer Mary anything she needed:310Please respect copyright.PENANApYfY517S7P
help with the girls, food for the next few days, someone to talk to, anything.310Please respect copyright.PENANAlfbi3oUR90
The young widow refused though. She didn’t wish for charity, and she thought it310Please respect copyright.PENANAYI8xTnfUOt
best that she be the one to care for the girls, especially through such a time310Please respect copyright.PENANAWhL9H7ylB3
as the news of their father’s death.310Please respect copyright.PENANAZSP96cqrIp
310Please respect copyright.PENANAU6FsvSp3Ub
Ida and Ethel, while still310Please respect copyright.PENANA6Rm9vhsYZA
not fully comprehending that their father was gone forever, seemed to310Please respect copyright.PENANAANioLAMvGy
understand that something really bad had happened to him. Mary hated seeing it310Please respect copyright.PENANADTMi0rp1OE
on her daughters; she’d gone through the same thing when she was not much older310Please respect copyright.PENANAkps9fSqf0H
than Ida. She knew it wasn’t fair, on anybody.310Please respect copyright.PENANAotWV9vCtEx
310Please respect copyright.PENANAMrs33WTKPu
It was barely a week after310Please respect copyright.PENANAzAROdfAeY1
receiving the news, when Mary felt a hard kick to her lower abdomen. At first,310Please respect copyright.PENANATdNNyVid6t
she didn’t take it to mean anything, just the baby putting up a fuss; but when310Please respect copyright.PENANAHYLwwDW5fz
the kicks increased in severity, she became slightly worried.310Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5ycSPbXFv
310Please respect copyright.PENANAgb8xlB81W9
Just as she was getting up to310Please respect copyright.PENANAqJwrLjNpCt
make something for the girls to eat, she felt something wet between her legs.310Please respect copyright.PENANAwADk7I9A5q
Shutting her eyes, not wanting to admit to herself what she already knew was310Please respect copyright.PENANAHbcqukgZ61
happening, she looked to the ground under her feet. There it was; that small310Please respect copyright.PENANAN6a7HqVg0d
puddle that could only mean one thing: she was in labor.310Please respect copyright.PENANAhrhsXF5u0K
310Please respect copyright.PENANAZOHYwO5KnF
It’s to early, she said in310Please respect copyright.PENANApiTIkRzo9V
her mind. The same thing had happened with her baby boy a few years ago. She’d310Please respect copyright.PENANA795HA4Fb1B
gone into early labor, and he only lasted a few minutes after birth. The first310Please respect copyright.PENANAyOEZnooDDU
thing since her father’s death, and it broke her. Losing her child, the child310Please respect copyright.PENANALfGNJDwaAD
she had carried for six months, the child she felt moving inside her, was the310Please respect copyright.PENANAmH2vExNxBR
hardest thing. She couldn’t go through it again, especially after the310Please respect copyright.PENANATNs5XBQZUs
heartbreak of losing her beloved husband.310Please respect copyright.PENANAbHVYH8pTT4
310Please respect copyright.PENANAlONC7ydwSt
Braving through her fear for310Please respect copyright.PENANAkX62vCNjta
the moment, she looked to Ida, holding her stomach tightly. “Idie, I need to to310Please respect copyright.PENANAUy8TYhwNk4
ride Bobbie into town and tell auntie Leah that your baby brother or sister is310Please respect copyright.PENANAgGSf4QR8da
coming.” She said in a steady, but still fearful voice.310Please respect copyright.PENANAMKxpk6bxvH
310Please respect copyright.PENANAGEyyRA43QF
The seven year old wasted no310Please respect copyright.PENANAmVzuLHa9oH
time in jumping up from the floor, racing to pull on her coat, and running out310Please respect copyright.PENANAFoLtpkpljj
the door. She was thankful to know that her father’s horse was already saddled310Please respect copyright.PENANAvPFGYaYEL5
up and ready to go. Climbing up, she gripped the reins in shaking hands and310Please respect copyright.PENANAfXe1emRf4M
gave them a snap.310Please respect copyright.PENANAlEmqbgVKya
310Please respect copyright.PENANAIy7t0KyiBn
Only half an hour later, she310Please respect copyright.PENANAODVv2pFSCS
returned with Leah riding behind her. They slid off their horses, and Leah immediately310Please respect copyright.PENANAenHsLCvvUD
made a beeline for the house. “Mary!” She called in a panic.310Please respect copyright.PENANAiTil93V3mG
310Please respect copyright.PENANAz44yJmvfrK
“Back here, Lee!” Mary called310Please respect copyright.PENANAkz8YTGwklS
back to her best friend. When Leah stood beside her, she took a deep breath and310Please respect copyright.PENANAB6ZyaeTpLf
leaned back slightly. “I’m sorry. I know you have to take care of the boys-“310Please respect copyright.PENANAMxiEboXjMF
310Please respect copyright.PENANAwrqxkrzwEJ
“Mary, Ivan and Timothy are310Please respect copyright.PENANA3T3d4z8pFq
fine. Mark is watching them. What matters is that you’re in labor. Now, listen,310Please respect copyright.PENANAD91Zs4QQ0x
since you’ve gone into early labor, you know what we have to do.” Leah stroked310Please respect copyright.PENANAZuLyeRmTk2
her friend’s hair sympathetically and dabbed her already sweaty forehead.310Please respect copyright.PENANA7c5zWMHB6e
“Let’s get you in bed, and I’ll do what I can to bring your little one into the310Please respect copyright.PENANADqpxjmdKm7
world.” She guided her over to the bed and helped her lay down.310Please respect copyright.PENANApuXuJPwx4U
310Please respect copyright.PENANAgd7ai3ycQH
Hours passed by, and the only310Please respect copyright.PENANAWdsnX1Xa79
thing that seemed to change was the pitch in Mary’s screams. They varied from310Please respect copyright.PENANAm2Sb1pCcU8
loud, to quiet, to high pitched, and real low. The three girls, Ida, Ethel, and310Please respect copyright.PENANATZ4jSSCZSC
Sallie, all sat in the corner. They worried for their dear mother, as they310Please respect copyright.PENANALKswkDO8E9
didn’t understand what was going on, but they stayed silent and kept patient.310Please respect copyright.PENANAyUuxwLxan2
310Please respect copyright.PENANA5qR0K4ysDu
It was well into the night,310Please respect copyright.PENANA7UBNHOvti5
and there was still nothing to be gained from the long hours of labor that Mary310Please respect copyright.PENANAEfjKXAzsmy
had endured. She’d been in labor for twelve hours already, and while Leah310Please respect copyright.PENANAZ7HGMgZ2NK
wasn’t expecting her to have delivered by then, she was at least expecting her310Please respect copyright.PENANAhsuljkbiBa
to be dilating; Mary wasn’t even so much as dilating. There was no doubt in the310Please respect copyright.PENANAeOh0KbyLGZ
fellow mother’s mind, this was going to be a long birthing process.310Please respect copyright.PENANAZQ91TFcbWQ
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And so it was. Two days of310Please respect copyright.PENANAx8KCrICDng
labor, and still nothing to show for it. Mark eventually had to bring his and310Please respect copyright.PENANAuyBuEZRozi
Leah’s two sons out so that she could help them bathe, as he had no idea how to310Please respect copyright.PENANA8GpyIyXW9I
do it. Throughout the whole two days though, Mary still showed no signs of310Please respect copyright.PENANA16yCaj8fz1
actually giving birth.310Please respect copyright.PENANAjAoCTxuDPS
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And then the third day came.310Please respect copyright.PENANA4TTwEyarRN
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It hit them all, like a310Please respect copyright.PENANA7W3hGzHauE
tornado. It came with piercing screams, and obvious signs that Mary had finally310Please respect copyright.PENANAiH3iMDJ5LX
started crowning. For when Leah looked under the blanket that was sprawled over310Please respect copyright.PENANAwffDq9vs9N
Mary, she could clearly see a head full of black hair. And at that sight, she310Please respect copyright.PENANAEDiF5tRam0
gave a joyous cry and told Mary that it was time. She shoved everyone else out310Please respect copyright.PENANAPUHwmTI3yx
in the meantime, asking Fabian to watch the children.310Please respect copyright.PENANA0aVZc9ArHh
310Please respect copyright.PENANAi8W0PL7hKp
That night was long and hard.310Please respect copyright.PENANA7XrWR64bDP
And in the end, silence filled the small Daniels’ residence. It was so quiet,310Please respect copyright.PENANAkHdwKUp0cD
you could have heard a pin drop. But suddenly, tiny wails came from the room310Please respect copyright.PENANAMiPDJIrD0p
Mary was in. Newborn wails. Leah came in to the family room with a bright smile310Please respect copyright.PENANAjeSFynF5w4
upon her face. “The baby is good and healthy, though a bit small.” Taking310Please respect copyright.PENANAAy9ktMvoSw
Sallie from her husband, she looked to Ida and Ethel. “Your mother is waiting310Please respect copyright.PENANAQG1IozIOBe
for you. Go on, I’ll be there in a minute.” She told them softly. She watched310Please respect copyright.PENANAMFzNubuE7g
them leave before turning back to Mark, who looked worried.310Please respect copyright.PENANAfQ6rimBjsF
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“So?” He said nervously.310Please respect copyright.PENANA3dn7YfrWVK
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Her smile, still, didn’t310Please respect copyright.PENANAjuSer0M6Ok
fade. “Healthy baby girl.” Her gaze fell then, though, and she looked morose.310Please respect copyright.PENANA19n2xsd0L9
“Mary…didn’t want to hold her at first. She-she looks like…like him.” She310Please respect copyright.PENANATqPfu3xjY9
whispered.310Please respect copyright.PENANAR85sFZnWGu
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Mark sighed and shook his310Please respect copyright.PENANAhREc9RbpNN
head. “Those poor girls. And poor Mary, having to deal with four daughters, all310Please respect copyright.PENANAiu1Qe37CyU
on her own. This shouldn’t be happening.” He hesitated briefly before stating,310Please respect copyright.PENANAOZTflKOap6
“What is she going to do?” A careful edge to his voice.310Please respect copyright.PENANAgCPnvTD42L
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She chewed on her lip. “I310Please respect copyright.PENANAHw9p0eOMCq
think she’s going to go to work. How else is she going to care for the girls?310Please respect copyright.PENANAWVSTqb90aL
Still, you’re right; this shouldn’t be happening.”310Please respect copyright.PENANAyCOSaWxELC
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“What’s her name?”310Please respect copyright.PENANA2180fMCjOX
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Leah smiled again, having310Please respect copyright.PENANAfKVoLHUlP0
known the name Mary had picked. There was no doubt in her mind, it was a lovely310Please respect copyright.PENANA2jbRoQe7pf
name. “Margaret. Margaret Hope Daniels. Justin loved the name, and Mary thought310Please respect copyright.PENANAfNbe6crOMy
that it was perfectly suited.310Please respect copyright.PENANAqCZ6aTzL5D
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Mark knew, all to well, how310Please respect copyright.PENANAF1b1AmFsG9
his friend had loved the name. They had discussed the topic a few months before310Please respect copyright.PENANA8o9VNDdMnK
he left; he said that if he ever had another daughter, he wanted her name to be310Please respect copyright.PENANAwUTqNWuE1d
Margaret Hope Daniels.310Please respect copyright.PENANArTIqZ4hxdJ
310Please respect copyright.PENANAXmzLay1xA1
He wrapped and arm around his310Please respect copyright.PENANAdKZbYzbb6S
wife as they started for Mary’s room, Sallie in Leah’s free arm. When they310Please respect copyright.PENANARChx4rWkRu
arrived at the entrance, Mark couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene. The310Please respect copyright.PENANAxguqCEJGkq
girls were on either side of Mary, on the bed, and were completely mesmerized310Please respect copyright.PENANAEoetLuAEdx
by their new baby sister. Even from such a distance, Mark could definitely see310Please respect copyright.PENANAv03EC1e26y
how baby Margaret resembled her late father. Her tiny face was a mold of his,310Please respect copyright.PENANAtqPjV1oR5Y
and the small tufts of black hair were as dark and soft-looking as her310Please respect copyright.PENANAE9RPiw3PTd
father’s. He could only imagine how much more she would grow to look like her310Please respect copyright.PENANAKCfejqXzVl
father; it was a painful thought.310Please respect copyright.PENANAkEeHdAYvA2
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Mary’s head snapped up to her310Please respect copyright.PENANAsGM2HGa1I5
friends, and she smiled wide. “Come and meet the new Daniels.” She beckoned to310Please respect copyright.PENANAdpzCSwfiuZ
them gently, yet eagerly.310Please respect copyright.PENANAUIeaIehYPO
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They came in and stood beside310Please respect copyright.PENANA457EGx8LSH
her, admiring the beautiful baby that was nestled within her arms. They smiled310Please respect copyright.PENANAfb7AhktRwh
at each other, and then back at her. “She’s beautiful, Mary.” Mark said softly.310Please respect copyright.PENANASQsCtuSYG5
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The exhausted mother managed310Please respect copyright.PENANALUOUvxJZ6K
a laugh as she nodded. “She gets it from her father.” Looking back down at her310Please respect copyright.PENANAGg6HamFHsn
newborn, she brought the girl up slightly and kissed her small, pink forehead.310Please respect copyright.PENANAHYzfiV2LeK
“I love you, my sweet girl. Daddy would have loved you too. But remember, little310Please respect copyright.PENANAIdSaWW9D1D
one, he’s always with you.” Looking around at all of them, tears embraced her310Please respect copyright.PENANAYs8Hd9l2kj
eyes and caressed her cheeks. She tried licking them away, but to no use. “He’s310Please respect copyright.PENANAs7ubZ7PYQ3
with all of us.” She whimpered.310Please respect copyright.PENANAX7KdbJuWRu
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The Avery’s embraced her and310Please respect copyright.PENANAKpuqLAbZiV
the girls, and the Avery boys were quick to join in, always loving hugs. They310Please respect copyright.PENANANDEo5D0Lfi
knew this was not a typical hug, but they could feel the love than ran through,310Please respect copyright.PENANAERUpVFmMmi
just as much as the heartache. The one thing they could all feel though, was310Please respect copyright.PENANAoK87z0Jhj4
how it uplifted them. They were stronger together. The past months had been310Please respect copyright.PENANANm8a2umsn0
hard, but they were sure now that they could get through this hard time. Mary310Please respect copyright.PENANAKKiC8C7I5p
and her daughters would make it. They would all make it; together.