279Please respect copyright.PENANAnCSWCXBITN
It was a cold and dark day.279Please respect copyright.PENANAYkkfEtU0jN
Wet. Dreary. Certainly, not a day one would wish to be married on. But for279Please respect copyright.PENANAE52MBH8kDR
them, there wasn’t a more perfect day. And they were being married in the279Please respect copyright.PENANA4Cdhc4lqF8
church, after all; it wasn’t like they had to worry about being rained on, or279Please respect copyright.PENANAHDbtMCCsQC
their entire wedding being ruined, altogether. Nothing could ruin this day for279Please respect copyright.PENANA4QOSqECWrZ
them. Not the weather, not a kink in plans, nothing.279Please respect copyright.PENANAtaLKyqzPb8
279Please respect copyright.PENANA2HmIMeJjen
“Do you, Justin Daniels, take279Please respect copyright.PENANAarUqO5Wq9d
this woman, Mary Smith, to be your wife? To have and to hold, to love and to279Please respect copyright.PENANAv8YZJtZ3Ff
cherish, and to honor and respect her, until death do you part?” The priest, who279Please respect copyright.PENANAlCZnUrR964
was their good friend, Jacoby, asked with a smile.279Please respect copyright.PENANAwF79r7RefN
279Please respect copyright.PENANAyV4E2w79S2
Justin beamed, tears in his eyes,279Please respect copyright.PENANACEj5E8JSVA
as he stared down at Mary, right into her eyes. He didn’t even have to think279Please respect copyright.PENANAMoMo0GWmS7
about it. He gulped down the lump in his throat and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”279Please respect copyright.PENANAKcCv9TYNs9
279Please respect copyright.PENANArtRHeNjbL8
Then turning to Mary, Jacoby279Please respect copyright.PENANA9Vn6XjUqLd
directed the words to her. “Do you, Mary Smith, take this man, Justin Daniels,279Please respect copyright.PENANA4G4iWpTZC3
to be your husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, and to honor279Please respect copyright.PENANAWAsHqyHgxG
and respect him, until death do you part?”279Please respect copyright.PENANAidfFsMGKOQ
279Please respect copyright.PENANApjJ8KznA2E
She couldn’t help it; her279Please respect copyright.PENANAK83CB8rJ93
tears fell freely down her unblemished face, as she nodded without a second279Please respect copyright.PENANAGBltuoNTnJ
thought. “I do.” She said with a strangled voice. Justin smiled at her279Please respect copyright.PENANASWu1tlUeQp
confirmation, as if previously afraid that she would change her mind.279Please respect copyright.PENANA5RWrdequmN
279Please respect copyright.PENANAcSbCmcgEyK
“Then, without further wait,279Please respect copyright.PENANA9OSPRAm7zj
I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” Jocoby announced279Please respect copyright.PENANAhvFZIbICug
with his thick accent weighing heavily throughout the small room.279Please respect copyright.PENANADSARYPJ70n
279Please respect copyright.PENANACfi4SARjtb
Not waiting a second longer,279Please respect copyright.PENANAW2L3yVDH4D
Justin slid his hands over Mary’s slender hips and pulled her near to him.279Please respect copyright.PENANA5gxivSNbTS
Smiles lit their faces as they kissed passionately, but still innocently enough279Please respect copyright.PENANA6WoAKJN0yw
while in front of a crowd. Cheers rang through the whole room, as they sealed279Please respect copyright.PENANAI8vG5CPuIr
their marriage officially, finalizing their union as one.279Please respect copyright.PENANA9ELn2Zp1k4
279Please respect copyright.PENANAzh8ySbd75m
After the marriage ceremony,279Please respect copyright.PENANAOWQPHuzxUf
the crowd hauled over to the bar just across town. For hours, they drank, sang,279Please respect copyright.PENANAxDUB1ZWFMi
and danced the day away. When it came time for supper, they all gathered279Please respect copyright.PENANAhFbz0WT3rx
around, the finest mugs, filled to the brim with the best whisky, in their279Please respect copyright.PENANAQZRRecCMlf
hands. It was time for the bride and groom toasts. Justin’s best man, Mark279Please respect copyright.PENANA3j9Yjy9hKH
Avery, went first.279Please respect copyright.PENANApJrE72AVCH
279Please respect copyright.PENANA1lVm7m3qnr
“I have known Justin and Mary279Please respect copyright.PENANAuiYqHQ5b9Z
for most of my life. Separately, of course. But I know that there isn’t a279Please respect copyright.PENANA5M1twMIoCO
couple better suited for each other, than the one right here. Justin, you’re my279Please respect copyright.PENANA0aqluNbLuw
best friend, though I know that, to you, I come in second place of Mary. My279Please respect copyright.PENANAKFaqkoYyUG
friend, you chose well. If only there were more women like Mary out there. And279Please respect copyright.PENANAPgZBez6lHT
let me say, you deserve the finest. After Catharine broke your heart, I thought279Please respect copyright.PENANAJFLXjSLFU4
you’d never move on. I’m glad you proved me wrong. To Justin and Mary Daniels!279Please respect copyright.PENANAkU3OkpXdB1
May you two live long, and happy together!” He cheered before raising his mug279Please respect copyright.PENANA0LEflfQthl
to his lips and taking a long swing, just as everyone else did.279Please respect copyright.PENANACJpy0UR5ih
279Please respect copyright.PENANAzy9RQxjlL1
Mary’s maid of honor, Leah279Please respect copyright.PENANA2h9LHCF763
Cassidy, went next. “Mary, I have seen you struggle through everything in your279Please respect copyright.PENANASRIOl8VaKn
life, since the day your mother passed. All the things you went through with279Please respect copyright.PENANAsJbF4laj0N
your father, they were tough. But, they also made you strong. And I couldn’t be279Please respect copyright.PENANABCio4rO2d3
happier to see you as the strong woman you are now. I know that you will work279Please respect copyright.PENANALDN2nY9LDd
hard in your marriage. Justin loves you, I think everyone here can see that.279Please respect copyright.PENANAX026dpciAO
What can I say? He has a great taste. To Justin and Mary Daniels! May you know279Please respect copyright.PENANAQlblNtWPjb
bright and happy days, and always know how lucky you are!” Once again, everyone279Please respect copyright.PENANAXqu3eXi2e8
took a swig of their whisky.279Please respect copyright.PENANAvKDGnA2CKk
279Please respect copyright.PENANAFuOg3H6w9r
After the bride and groom279Please respect copyright.PENANASCg2SYle0j
were toasted, the people went back to dancing, and before to long it was time279Please respect copyright.PENANA2zIyPvp4Zd
for the first dance of the newly wedded. Against the wishes of his parents,279Please respect copyright.PENANAV8Y2uiO28L
Justin and Mary had decided they wanted a lively reception; so their first song279Please respect copyright.PENANAWvtUv2pceP
was The Old Zip Coon. It was a spry dance, one that kept people moving279Please respect copyright.PENANAI0VxAGuudL
constantly.279Please respect copyright.PENANACYPBzw40Fk
279Please respect copyright.PENANAYHeAoL01AP
Hoots of fun-filled laughter279Please respect copyright.PENANA4x00CbEa8u
filled the air, as the couple swung around with the biggest smiles. Soon, the279Please respect copyright.PENANAjiaQA14m7P
whole community joined in, and the room was full of women and men bounding279Please respect copyright.PENANAE7HmMV6o5G
around the spacious bar. Without a doubt, it would be a time for the small town279Please respect copyright.PENANAE4YM5bbAiZ
of Berk to always remember. But, for Justin and Mary, the most memorable part279Please respect copyright.PENANADPnfubfAx9
came that night.279Please respect copyright.PENANAouc5CPZ0HS
279Please respect copyright.PENANAfy973ZBWVH
That was seven years ago,279Please respect copyright.PENANAS0l3PFS8eN
though. All but a faded memory, left in the past.279Please respect copyright.PENANAdvHiG0PXOl
279Please respect copyright.PENANA9AKKygzDK1
279Please respect copyright.PENANAu2gBawWfjW
279Please respect copyright.PENANAr2M0Qqg7Nx
Present day279Please respect copyright.PENANAhoRsy3AaB5
279Please respect copyright.PENANAafo3mfY6U4
279Please respect copyright.PENANAlhAXBV7zHQ
279Please respect copyright.PENANAL5yAnIOdSf
She was bleak, weary, and279Please respect copyright.PENANAaZhKUYHNYg
couldn’t find it in her heart to smile. She longed for it, yearned for it. all279Please respect copyright.PENANAhtibs9CMat
she wanted was to look out at them, running around in the sunlit yard. They279Please respect copyright.PENANAbqnSFWvv6q
were so graceful and beautiful, her two oldest daughters. They had finally279Please respect copyright.PENANAmhTGtCRqaF
cheered up, she just wished she could join in their happiness.279Please respect copyright.PENANAbOZHlyNblQ
279Please respect copyright.PENANAQKzVCBkvB0
Mary looked behind her, where279Please respect copyright.PENANAGP5Z76TULB
her youngest was sitting up on the floor with a big smile. So much like her279Please respect copyright.PENANAjBG30jFnYY
father, she thought. Sallie was, indeed, the spitting image of her war-bound279Please respect copyright.PENANAUqjPECPFeW
father, all but those green s. She had his face, his nose, his hair and279Please respect copyright.PENANAFMGsnWE0fq
freckles, everything. The Violet eyes had passed over her though, instead being279Please respect copyright.PENANAAr3jm2m0Df
given to little Ethel.279Please respect copyright.PENANATQneDd3CCg
279Please respect copyright.PENANAYXPtEioGds
Turning completely to keep a279Please respect copyright.PENANAvIvGc2zIhu
full eye on her daughter, and make sure she didn’t wander off, she leaned279Please respect copyright.PENANAeBfNAp3Ojz
against her chair and sighed. Resting a hand on the swell of her belly, she279Please respect copyright.PENANAAP4yuE2KeO
rubbed it gently, lovingly. For the hundredth time since Justin left for war, she279Please respect copyright.PENANABr4gLhoCbC
felt her heart break again. She didn’t understand how it was possible to279Please respect copyright.PENANAywDBqCE0c1
experience heartbreak so many times, in such a short amount of time; all she279Please respect copyright.PENANADhdqhiu55Y
knew was that she hated it.279Please respect copyright.PENANAesiai96qjc
279Please respect copyright.PENANAVZouoaY3OR
Not even a month after Justin279Please respect copyright.PENANAecDYqOLZiV
left, she discovered that she was once again with child. She was pregnant, with279Please respect copyright.PENANAhVyJPNadeH
a baby Justin didn’t even know about; a baby she wouldn’t get to tell him about279Please respect copyright.PENANAF1UC7XXV5p
until he returned. Now, not only would Sallie be estranged from her father, but279Please respect copyright.PENANA8f75rCCFI5
another baby of theirs wouldn’t know him. He would be a total stranger, in the279Please respect copyright.PENANA289hdVmVNt
eyes of his own two children.279Please respect copyright.PENANAi1FoAonlH4
279Please respect copyright.PENANALDLlSISTlh
She was currently seven279Please respect copyright.PENANAYP8FQXL8Ef
months along, and her belly was already round and swollen. Women of the town279Please respect copyright.PENANAu01gmE6klF
had talked, first thinking she’d had an affair. But when she vehemently told279Please respect copyright.PENANAFiWQNcO9Tw
them that that was certainly not the case, that she would never do that to279Please respect copyright.PENANAWiREuwhO7e
Justin and their girls, the women began to take pity on her. She hated it, but279Please respect copyright.PENANA9k0yzrVinf
had to admit that their bugging petty was a step up from their thinking she was279Please respect copyright.PENANAUWXkVngWL3
having an affair.279Please respect copyright.PENANAEkDDOEAr4z
279Please respect copyright.PENANAwiy6mcEt70
A hiss brushed past her lips,279Please respect copyright.PENANAzHgLvlbD6o
as she felt a sharp jab to the side of her stomach. “Easy, little one.” She279Please respect copyright.PENANAFtPJxttSCW
whispered, directing it toward the baby inside her. Lately, she hadn’t been279Please respect copyright.PENANA5UHIs7P8ED
feeling right. She was throwing up more, and the baby had been much more active279Please respect copyright.PENANANKymjOl40a
than he/she had in the beginning stages of movement. Almost constantly, she279Please respect copyright.PENANAAb47erRdEu
felt the baby turning completely around, which just wasn’t normal. It worried279Please respect copyright.PENANAMR6i2Rx7EZ
her, yet she decided not to go to the town doctor.279Please respect copyright.PENANAo1EGhWG2G7
279Please respect copyright.PENANA3prS5lnAmf
Just then, a whinny could be279Please respect copyright.PENANAmUKZknbmPp
heard from down the trail. Mary frowned, as no one ever came this far out of279Please respect copyright.PENANAZGY6otdOtR
town. Maybe it was a passerby? Someone looking for direction? She didn’t know;279Please respect copyright.PENANARrNSqAwFMI
but taking extra precaution, she grabbed the rifle that had always been kept by279Please respect copyright.PENANARGswI55TCP
the door, and readied it, in case it was a robber, or someone who would harm279Please respect copyright.PENANA3Svy3Q6iUO
her or her girls.279Please respect copyright.PENANAlw6Tn9DylT
279Please respect copyright.PENANAUOPPQ2fIdQ
Waiting by the porch, rifle279Please respect copyright.PENANAwjYyF5FQSL
readied, she watched as the mounted horse glided toward them. “Girls, come up279Please respect copyright.PENANAEajuOPHehP
here, please!” She called to her daughters, and they obeyed without argument.279Please respect copyright.PENANA5uqZVjAfGq
Watching the horse and rider come closer, she could finally see what the person279Please respect copyright.PENANA7IHFsQxBt8
was wearing: blue army jacket, with a blue cap. Gold lined the jacket and cap,279Please respect copyright.PENANAQsE6xtYFeh
and the clothes could be seen as clean. The horse was also well groomed, and279Please respect copyright.PENANApBEHc0FtYh
it’s saddle appeared to be fancy.279Please respect copyright.PENANAPgzJvjeIky
279Please respect copyright.PENANAHVW8ffQ6J4
She didn’t dare to hope, but279Please respect copyright.PENANA9WHIZoXh6P
the closer the rider neared, the more she felt her heart begin to lift. “Justin?”279Please respect copyright.PENANAFHOLb9vKBh
She choked. Closer and closer. Faster and faster, her heart beat. But it279Please respect copyright.PENANACmljuzfTm8
suddenly dropped, when the man came to a stop and unmounted. It fell, hitting279Please respect copyright.PENANAibV8qdUAmq
the dirt ground hard and painfully.279Please respect copyright.PENANAUU6TnAefLv
279Please respect copyright.PENANAL9vWdp7s3u
It wasn’t Justin.279Please respect copyright.PENANASgMAuhFLsx
279Please respect copyright.PENANA0gWya8iDRO
The man walked up briskly,279Please respect copyright.PENANAnyRbR9DjPY
taking off his cap as he came up the steps. His gaze drifted down to the two279Please respect copyright.PENANAai8QwhBtim
girls behind her, clinging to her dress. A tone of sympathy edged his eyes as279Please respect copyright.PENANA0cRQkpBIKx
he slowly lifted them back up to meet Mary’s. “Ma’am, I’m sergeant Michael,279Please respect copyright.PENANA5BmFFbsEvx
are you Mary Daniels?” He asked softly.279Please respect copyright.PENANAEguOvT0NOE
279Please respect copyright.PENANAbF12noHtUl
She forced the lump down her279Please respect copyright.PENANA4VC0y9Sqou
throat and nodded. “That I am. Is-is my husband alright?”279Please respect copyright.PENANAKNSrw7Dx2a
279Please respect copyright.PENANAuultfv8C6o
He ran a shaky hand through279Please respect copyright.PENANA5wVoRUznt4
his hair and closed his eyes briefly. “Mrs. Daniels, I’m…I’m sorry to inform279Please respect copyright.PENANAJoKC31ZP8z
you that yesterday, July 2, 1863, at 5 in the afternoon, your husband was279Please respect copyright.PENANAfINStEk2P5
killed on the field of battle at Gettysburg. I’m so sorry for your loss.” One279Please respect copyright.PENANAzFB1WW8SqH
last look at her and her daughters, then he turned and left.279Please respect copyright.PENANAcEzax3vItH
279Please respect copyright.PENANARDRQv7hpsb
Shock filled her at first.279Please respect copyright.PENANA5OgXPIEg1T
Against her will, a sob ripped through her lips, and she slapped a hand over279Please respect copyright.PENANAlI5uic4eeE
her mouth to stifle her cry. Slowly dropping her eyes downward, she looked to279Please respect copyright.PENANA1VWgm9PNTo
her daughters. They looked scared, confused, and worried.279Please respect copyright.PENANA4M2CXCitmS
279Please respect copyright.PENANAPaiFF6dDlz
“Daddy coming home?” Ethel279Please respect copyright.PENANAWYz5j67bIh
asked her softly.279Please respect copyright.PENANAhqzEVDsMeS
279Please respect copyright.PENANA4n0mwKTOVJ
The tears raged down her face279Please respect copyright.PENANAbqKh4dUDWU
and she shut her eyes tight for a moment. As best as she could, she knelt down279Please respect copyright.PENANAcw4EofYAfJ
and pulled the girls close to her. “No, Ethel.” She whispered. “Daddy’s not279Please respect copyright.PENANAajBaWlrYND
coming home. He’s…he’s with the angels, baby.” She choked, the lump in her throat279Please respect copyright.PENANAxMzR7objuU
growing by the second. Her daughters were too young for this. The pain of279Please respect copyright.PENANAoVn4UE0T4p
losing a parent was difficult no matter what, but none of her children were279Please respect copyright.PENANAAmKHkYjYVJ
even through their first decade of life. Her oldest was barely seven.279Please respect copyright.PENANA8kHo49OTVm
279Please respect copyright.PENANAFTsqlSfVEA
The small girl had tears in her279Please respect copyright.PENANAoPXv9R6YiB
eyes, and her lip quivered. “Daddy left us forever?” She whimpered.279Please respect copyright.PENANAhxeCdArof7
279Please respect copyright.PENANAUTPkUzUJ8X
Mary hated to think of it279Please respect copyright.PENANAPUYe6uSYxO
that way, but what other way was there to explain to her daughters? Unable to279Please respect copyright.PENANAOc0fbK4moP
say anything, she nodded and pulled her daughters into the safety of her arms.279Please respect copyright.PENANAMrYqdJHxI9
“He loved you girls. So very much. You and your sister were everything to him.279Please respect copyright.PENANAKnxYhnNbpK
And if he were here, right now, he would tell you how much he loves you.”279Please respect copyright.PENANAbJ8fy3Sqby
279Please respect copyright.PENANABZ33unXkpx
Her heart ached so much279Please respect copyright.PENANAr82DarI9cK
though. Sallie wasn’t even a year old, and the father she would never remember279Please respect copyright.PENANAQOVdhAZR7i
was gone. The baby growing inside her would never even meet his/her father. He279Please respect copyright.PENANAKbUJXz1DvD
hadn’t even known about her pregnancy. Now he would never know. He would never279Please respect copyright.PENANAuT4lFujm0u
know his youngest daughter. He would never know his unborn child. He would279Please respect copyright.PENANAJNw4bB9ww7
never walk his daughters down the aisle on their wedding days. He’d miss out on279Please respect copyright.PENANAc9krV4lRjO
his grandchildren being born and growing up. All of that, he would never have a279Please respect copyright.PENANA78n875mgfx
chance to do or see.279Please respect copyright.PENANAUoloDnElEy
279Please respect copyright.PENANARNQWtGlSMi
279Please respect copyright.PENANA6zeYSMWU0H
279Please respect copyright.PENANAqezsByfCce
……279Please respect copyright.PENANAgBpDytu0qe
279Please respect copyright.PENANAfuC1OHbbcp
279Please respect copyright.PENANAPsl7XIZKas
279Please respect copyright.PENANAmQJhcXB0b1
For several days, the Daniels279Please respect copyright.PENANA9WrLUFtpGV
girls were all in a state of melancholy. Townspeople had stopped by a few279Please respect copyright.PENANAvbifMLtoDx
times, both to give their condolences, and to offer Mary anything she needed:279Please respect copyright.PENANAbYMjMG9B7u
help with the girls, food for the next few days, someone to talk to, anything.279Please respect copyright.PENANA5Qo4HyxuZ0
The young widow refused though. She didn’t wish for charity, and she thought it279Please respect copyright.PENANAoOXQD7B7NI
best that she be the one to care for the girls, especially through such a time279Please respect copyright.PENANAgjaSFq9nGs
as the news of their father’s death.279Please respect copyright.PENANApy0GD3l1aS
279Please respect copyright.PENANAhdvKrP50NI
Ida and Ethel, while still279Please respect copyright.PENANAEufzl60lPi
not fully comprehending that their father was gone forever, seemed to279Please respect copyright.PENANAHEksdug7sb
understand that something really bad had happened to him. Mary hated seeing it279Please respect copyright.PENANAD8I21CXtCJ
on her daughters; she’d gone through the same thing when she was not much older279Please respect copyright.PENANAvub26pgdaU
than Ida. She knew it wasn’t fair, on anybody.279Please respect copyright.PENANAsWrwm5sykt
279Please respect copyright.PENANAY5Wf39KY9Q
It was barely a week after279Please respect copyright.PENANAD2TCT3YYxk
receiving the news, when Mary felt a hard kick to her lower abdomen. At first,279Please respect copyright.PENANAhe2Vj82X6K
she didn’t take it to mean anything, just the baby putting up a fuss; but when279Please respect copyright.PENANAVMGua1gBv6
the kicks increased in severity, she became slightly worried.279Please respect copyright.PENANAXxYBEhlZZE
279Please respect copyright.PENANAwyxDTrJpuq
Just as she was getting up to279Please respect copyright.PENANAtw0gP1sTlN
make something for the girls to eat, she felt something wet between her legs.279Please respect copyright.PENANAgRaeZkeL4H
Shutting her eyes, not wanting to admit to herself what she already knew was279Please respect copyright.PENANAHlrREuMU4k
happening, she looked to the ground under her feet. There it was; that small279Please respect copyright.PENANALKVJWhevjV
puddle that could only mean one thing: she was in labor.279Please respect copyright.PENANANeFoIGac60
279Please respect copyright.PENANAHnePsKM82U
It’s to early, she said in279Please respect copyright.PENANA7zUlXvLhoW
her mind. The same thing had happened with her baby boy a few years ago. She’d279Please respect copyright.PENANAOP6c6eZnD6
gone into early labor, and he only lasted a few minutes after birth. The first279Please respect copyright.PENANA89qEW11ZjO
thing since her father’s death, and it broke her. Losing her child, the child279Please respect copyright.PENANAfNTcFqULbX
she had carried for six months, the child she felt moving inside her, was the279Please respect copyright.PENANAnIdDqwbh90
hardest thing. She couldn’t go through it again, especially after the279Please respect copyright.PENANADS1YFUOS6V
heartbreak of losing her beloved husband.279Please respect copyright.PENANADF27f0gvCt
279Please respect copyright.PENANA2IZdl2M5dQ
Braving through her fear for279Please respect copyright.PENANAjTprggHLLO
the moment, she looked to Ida, holding her stomach tightly. “Idie, I need to to279Please respect copyright.PENANAcWLLEfPoC9
ride Bobbie into town and tell auntie Leah that your baby brother or sister is279Please respect copyright.PENANA9Zo4xjspe3
coming.” She said in a steady, but still fearful voice.279Please respect copyright.PENANAXDJsGoqxgT
279Please respect copyright.PENANATmH8uL7Ca5
The seven year old wasted no279Please respect copyright.PENANALhKdxafUBL
time in jumping up from the floor, racing to pull on her coat, and running out279Please respect copyright.PENANAQyjwJ33n4L
the door. She was thankful to know that her father’s horse was already saddled279Please respect copyright.PENANAFmo8ttyXwh
up and ready to go. Climbing up, she gripped the reins in shaking hands and279Please respect copyright.PENANA4kAxSaAwnC
gave them a snap.279Please respect copyright.PENANAgFP3eOVkqk
279Please respect copyright.PENANAmzUMEBYiiR
Only half an hour later, she279Please respect copyright.PENANAwQa1HdbPf1
returned with Leah riding behind her. They slid off their horses, and Leah immediately279Please respect copyright.PENANAxnBqpfumfo
made a beeline for the house. “Mary!” She called in a panic.279Please respect copyright.PENANARADZVYfIFK
279Please respect copyright.PENANAf3glw6cIUy
“Back here, Lee!” Mary called279Please respect copyright.PENANA77RRLeEPUW
back to her best friend. When Leah stood beside her, she took a deep breath and279Please respect copyright.PENANAUCMsyZ3eHT
leaned back slightly. “I’m sorry. I know you have to take care of the boys-“279Please respect copyright.PENANAz5oEEqOfZv
279Please respect copyright.PENANA0fG5AwiC5o
“Mary, Ivan and Timothy are279Please respect copyright.PENANAOHDn4yWF4l
fine. Mark is watching them. What matters is that you’re in labor. Now, listen,279Please respect copyright.PENANAclwIwbF1uG
since you’ve gone into early labor, you know what we have to do.” Leah stroked279Please respect copyright.PENANA6sK5RJCjUp
her friend’s hair sympathetically and dabbed her already sweaty forehead.279Please respect copyright.PENANAL8ffsy1caR
“Let’s get you in bed, and I’ll do what I can to bring your little one into the279Please respect copyright.PENANABhOKYqoxLa
world.” She guided her over to the bed and helped her lay down.279Please respect copyright.PENANAkMx4jDVqUh
279Please respect copyright.PENANAo2WGtWT9fj
Hours passed by, and the only279Please respect copyright.PENANAp8nXMkAMZ2
thing that seemed to change was the pitch in Mary’s screams. They varied from279Please respect copyright.PENANArPJyVMlL5e
loud, to quiet, to high pitched, and real low. The three girls, Ida, Ethel, and279Please respect copyright.PENANAaKt8GLC4vV
Sallie, all sat in the corner. They worried for their dear mother, as they279Please respect copyright.PENANAXpTIyeJfn8
didn’t understand what was going on, but they stayed silent and kept patient.279Please respect copyright.PENANASVy52ZJmvB
279Please respect copyright.PENANA5sT3RK6K5v
It was well into the night,279Please respect copyright.PENANAw3DoiuuYeA
and there was still nothing to be gained from the long hours of labor that Mary279Please respect copyright.PENANAfnhSjGgPd1
had endured. She’d been in labor for twelve hours already, and while Leah279Please respect copyright.PENANAc9Es87xJwL
wasn’t expecting her to have delivered by then, she was at least expecting her279Please respect copyright.PENANAgDWPzWLT7g
to be dilating; Mary wasn’t even so much as dilating. There was no doubt in the279Please respect copyright.PENANAhNqIzYIuBI
fellow mother’s mind, this was going to be a long birthing process.279Please respect copyright.PENANAnPs5SZNL59
279Please respect copyright.PENANAGUGkiuX2Ik
And so it was. Two days of279Please respect copyright.PENANAv7tNkHFRm9
labor, and still nothing to show for it. Mark eventually had to bring his and279Please respect copyright.PENANA6mHGOTclcD
Leah’s two sons out so that she could help them bathe, as he had no idea how to279Please respect copyright.PENANA7wVLdjexiZ
do it. Throughout the whole two days though, Mary still showed no signs of279Please respect copyright.PENANA59JmTMmN7v
actually giving birth.279Please respect copyright.PENANA72EEJGeFBX
279Please respect copyright.PENANANTAfNSDT3m
And then the third day came.279Please respect copyright.PENANA5U1xBeiIYF
279Please respect copyright.PENANA72bR9aUg7O
It hit them all, like a279Please respect copyright.PENANAFFyBWOmsoH
tornado. It came with piercing screams, and obvious signs that Mary had finally279Please respect copyright.PENANAMKShOcYfte
started crowning. For when Leah looked under the blanket that was sprawled over279Please respect copyright.PENANASowc5icWYN
Mary, she could clearly see a head full of black hair. And at that sight, she279Please respect copyright.PENANAgc8gZtoqhK
gave a joyous cry and told Mary that it was time. She shoved everyone else out279Please respect copyright.PENANAUwv5b6ELjt
in the meantime, asking Fabian to watch the children.279Please respect copyright.PENANAgduGzztxxk
279Please respect copyright.PENANAiLy7nd4CZN
That night was long and hard.279Please respect copyright.PENANAngraAbmbaj
And in the end, silence filled the small Daniels’ residence. It was so quiet,279Please respect copyright.PENANAjN1gh5ixtV
you could have heard a pin drop. But suddenly, tiny wails came from the room279Please respect copyright.PENANAD6U5lGB5mk
Mary was in. Newborn wails. Leah came in to the family room with a bright smile279Please respect copyright.PENANAnDHM5JuJ0B
upon her face. “The baby is good and healthy, though a bit small.” Taking279Please respect copyright.PENANAaP2fNBm6Is
Sallie from her husband, she looked to Ida and Ethel. “Your mother is waiting279Please respect copyright.PENANASXkVslNBfb
for you. Go on, I’ll be there in a minute.” She told them softly. She watched279Please respect copyright.PENANAJU2JGsB2VM
them leave before turning back to Mark, who looked worried.279Please respect copyright.PENANA2Aqibyn2x5
279Please respect copyright.PENANA8bMgRuOPB3
“So?” He said nervously.279Please respect copyright.PENANAAmuZGpuJdy
279Please respect copyright.PENANACG5fTDVag4
Her smile, still, didn’t279Please respect copyright.PENANANFA4oyBKvU
fade. “Healthy baby girl.” Her gaze fell then, though, and she looked morose.279Please respect copyright.PENANApq65VTX67z
“Mary…didn’t want to hold her at first. She-she looks like…like him.” She279Please respect copyright.PENANAJk4o7Gh3fA
whispered.279Please respect copyright.PENANAjAEh1Vdyxd
279Please respect copyright.PENANAMrglHe3paV
Mark sighed and shook his279Please respect copyright.PENANAOKClPRoSDM
head. “Those poor girls. And poor Mary, having to deal with four daughters, all279Please respect copyright.PENANAwg29oN2vZ8
on her own. This shouldn’t be happening.” He hesitated briefly before stating,279Please respect copyright.PENANAVXkOHml609
“What is she going to do?” A careful edge to his voice.279Please respect copyright.PENANAVV7cad3cHs
279Please respect copyright.PENANAWZQqnJr5oX
She chewed on her lip. “I279Please respect copyright.PENANAoa1LeQFa8N
think she’s going to go to work. How else is she going to care for the girls?279Please respect copyright.PENANA6fb82t5EYw
Still, you’re right; this shouldn’t be happening.”279Please respect copyright.PENANA3h02dY8niP
279Please respect copyright.PENANAjSTUhoYVXQ
“What’s her name?”279Please respect copyright.PENANA3yN8esOYi5
279Please respect copyright.PENANAw8xJH8OzDH
Leah smiled again, having279Please respect copyright.PENANAhAdW7n1bRL
known the name Mary had picked. There was no doubt in her mind, it was a lovely279Please respect copyright.PENANA2U1c5FQ2Tw
name. “Margaret. Margaret Hope Daniels. Justin loved the name, and Mary thought279Please respect copyright.PENANAyOZbouEOhj
that it was perfectly suited.279Please respect copyright.PENANA4EyAwFHDPw
279Please respect copyright.PENANAMnvCLRVGiN
Mark knew, all to well, how279Please respect copyright.PENANApcW5ORAdeI
his friend had loved the name. They had discussed the topic a few months before279Please respect copyright.PENANAoB9Cewcr69
he left; he said that if he ever had another daughter, he wanted her name to be279Please respect copyright.PENANAKTWiccHuSS
Margaret Hope Daniels.279Please respect copyright.PENANA39eMsp93gs
279Please respect copyright.PENANAa6r9GUD1UQ
He wrapped and arm around his279Please respect copyright.PENANA6ryhx3xAli
wife as they started for Mary’s room, Sallie in Leah’s free arm. When they279Please respect copyright.PENANAG42wIdTbOE
arrived at the entrance, Mark couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene. The279Please respect copyright.PENANA1uQFKyzjpE
girls were on either side of Mary, on the bed, and were completely mesmerized279Please respect copyright.PENANARNn6HP9AjF
by their new baby sister. Even from such a distance, Mark could definitely see279Please respect copyright.PENANAo0wYlM7oV8
how baby Margaret resembled her late father. Her tiny face was a mold of his,279Please respect copyright.PENANA64uvGU8Ta8
and the small tufts of black hair were as dark and soft-looking as her279Please respect copyright.PENANANag25isFw2
father’s. He could only imagine how much more she would grow to look like her279Please respect copyright.PENANA9d4sOQ95fb
father; it was a painful thought.279Please respect copyright.PENANASXgrd5AWlC
279Please respect copyright.PENANAxxclwWDO9J
Mary’s head snapped up to her279Please respect copyright.PENANAacn8ARRiuR
friends, and she smiled wide. “Come and meet the new Daniels.” She beckoned to279Please respect copyright.PENANA8Bc3v73xK6
them gently, yet eagerly.279Please respect copyright.PENANARvZ7coQqMO
279Please respect copyright.PENANAe7SfhoxTbs
They came in and stood beside279Please respect copyright.PENANAgBeGNILcKn
her, admiring the beautiful baby that was nestled within her arms. They smiled279Please respect copyright.PENANAaeYr2Ba5ME
at each other, and then back at her. “She’s beautiful, Mary.” Mark said softly.279Please respect copyright.PENANAWfdWf3jL09
279Please respect copyright.PENANA2mZzOn37Iq
The exhausted mother managed279Please respect copyright.PENANAmc6IVo38ht
a laugh as she nodded. “She gets it from her father.” Looking back down at her279Please respect copyright.PENANAQDFlB6sd4Y
newborn, she brought the girl up slightly and kissed her small, pink forehead.279Please respect copyright.PENANArZoip3e0fE
“I love you, my sweet girl. Daddy would have loved you too. But remember, little279Please respect copyright.PENANAMS1belXnPo
one, he’s always with you.” Looking around at all of them, tears embraced her279Please respect copyright.PENANASB1hKOYf9z
eyes and caressed her cheeks. She tried licking them away, but to no use. “He’s279Please respect copyright.PENANAB9U0os6RXI
with all of us.” She whimpered.279Please respect copyright.PENANAcBNBek48oQ
279Please respect copyright.PENANADJrXzYLkz4
The Avery’s embraced her and279Please respect copyright.PENANAA3qUdgXTNf
the girls, and the Avery boys were quick to join in, always loving hugs. They279Please respect copyright.PENANASF1gaUEThM
knew this was not a typical hug, but they could feel the love than ran through,279Please respect copyright.PENANA8a52ioAr3W
just as much as the heartache. The one thing they could all feel though, was279Please respect copyright.PENANAd9A5AJAIOQ
how it uplifted them. They were stronger together. The past months had been279Please respect copyright.PENANAyHaQWnj8lB
hard, but they were sure now that they could get through this hard time. Mary279Please respect copyright.PENANAqU2F4hnLgA
and her daughters would make it. They would all make it; together.