308Please respect copyright.PENANARKXqleFcYp
It was a cold and dark day.308Please respect copyright.PENANAgqrAQExKZO
Wet. Dreary. Certainly, not a day one would wish to be married on. But for308Please respect copyright.PENANAK0ws4LsfdH
them, there wasn’t a more perfect day. And they were being married in the308Please respect copyright.PENANAaEoLwyw7Rq
church, after all; it wasn’t like they had to worry about being rained on, or308Please respect copyright.PENANAxnKTUIMXdf
their entire wedding being ruined, altogether. Nothing could ruin this day for308Please respect copyright.PENANAcFRbV6KMAQ
them. Not the weather, not a kink in plans, nothing.308Please respect copyright.PENANAT6KhdqtRC4
308Please respect copyright.PENANAo22EE0En7C
“Do you, Justin Daniels, take308Please respect copyright.PENANA1uy9jXdXK1
this woman, Mary Smith, to be your wife? To have and to hold, to love and to308Please respect copyright.PENANAkS2uN1ZC7j
cherish, and to honor and respect her, until death do you part?” The priest, who308Please respect copyright.PENANAUbtlhe9pnu
was their good friend, Jacoby, asked with a smile.308Please respect copyright.PENANA102oOB0dxD
308Please respect copyright.PENANAgFBM86O41O
Justin beamed, tears in his eyes,308Please respect copyright.PENANAfSY4zEBV8j
as he stared down at Mary, right into her eyes. He didn’t even have to think308Please respect copyright.PENANADZ0s4oDXlY
about it. He gulped down the lump in his throat and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”308Please respect copyright.PENANAP3F4ibaEUB
308Please respect copyright.PENANAw6jWpV0vf3
Then turning to Mary, Jacoby308Please respect copyright.PENANAAq6KSwwpWn
directed the words to her. “Do you, Mary Smith, take this man, Justin Daniels,308Please respect copyright.PENANAg6gcHpQtNw
to be your husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, and to honor308Please respect copyright.PENANABiIhE41qnI
and respect him, until death do you part?”308Please respect copyright.PENANAZX1aq7uLIN
308Please respect copyright.PENANAJGCkmY37Pw
She couldn’t help it; her308Please respect copyright.PENANAGdX9jHzmmg
tears fell freely down her unblemished face, as she nodded without a second308Please respect copyright.PENANApasR8Q5ALt
thought. “I do.” She said with a strangled voice. Justin smiled at her308Please respect copyright.PENANA01bGflXoAU
confirmation, as if previously afraid that she would change her mind.308Please respect copyright.PENANAdVxt0cZicx
308Please respect copyright.PENANA5cDIRmsCNm
“Then, without further wait,308Please respect copyright.PENANAfRluSrYs0Q
I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” Jocoby announced308Please respect copyright.PENANAxT8ixX0Lv4
with his thick accent weighing heavily throughout the small room.308Please respect copyright.PENANAxrJtTWXTx9
308Please respect copyright.PENANAFyYB6oxPTA
Not waiting a second longer,308Please respect copyright.PENANAfNpQKH1wNI
Justin slid his hands over Mary’s slender hips and pulled her near to him.308Please respect copyright.PENANAFw0Zkw2xL7
Smiles lit their faces as they kissed passionately, but still innocently enough308Please respect copyright.PENANAVspcxvgAY6
while in front of a crowd. Cheers rang through the whole room, as they sealed308Please respect copyright.PENANAJ4PYPVtwnZ
their marriage officially, finalizing their union as one.308Please respect copyright.PENANAslofNEIhJs
308Please respect copyright.PENANA3BTtYzuoKn
After the marriage ceremony,308Please respect copyright.PENANACGYiHxLWQC
the crowd hauled over to the bar just across town. For hours, they drank, sang,308Please respect copyright.PENANAINo7jyjmvq
and danced the day away. When it came time for supper, they all gathered308Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1ZjqDPSqP
around, the finest mugs, filled to the brim with the best whisky, in their308Please respect copyright.PENANARzSIewoRzZ
hands. It was time for the bride and groom toasts. Justin’s best man, Mark308Please respect copyright.PENANArVHVrLZ7ot
Avery, went first.308Please respect copyright.PENANAG28Y8sEp8l
308Please respect copyright.PENANAP6ivSp2z7t
“I have known Justin and Mary308Please respect copyright.PENANA19U9QxopRv
for most of my life. Separately, of course. But I know that there isn’t a308Please respect copyright.PENANA8V2JOrWzjK
couple better suited for each other, than the one right here. Justin, you’re my308Please respect copyright.PENANApHO9JsSvRL
best friend, though I know that, to you, I come in second place of Mary. My308Please respect copyright.PENANAHo2QmlBNyf
friend, you chose well. If only there were more women like Mary out there. And308Please respect copyright.PENANAVm8FIwM7PK
let me say, you deserve the finest. After Catharine broke your heart, I thought308Please respect copyright.PENANAHQYhJfiRFb
you’d never move on. I’m glad you proved me wrong. To Justin and Mary Daniels!308Please respect copyright.PENANAgKjql8GkjM
May you two live long, and happy together!” He cheered before raising his mug308Please respect copyright.PENANAZc4Hy7QJn9
to his lips and taking a long swing, just as everyone else did.308Please respect copyright.PENANAtf9EoFBzXA
308Please respect copyright.PENANAPAgbAXri84
Mary’s maid of honor, Leah308Please respect copyright.PENANAprrz8at4kD
Cassidy, went next. “Mary, I have seen you struggle through everything in your308Please respect copyright.PENANAavLsC5ceJO
life, since the day your mother passed. All the things you went through with308Please respect copyright.PENANAwPTYGAtPNr
your father, they were tough. But, they also made you strong. And I couldn’t be308Please respect copyright.PENANAJ42ZPlGkrD
happier to see you as the strong woman you are now. I know that you will work308Please respect copyright.PENANAPW4ck3LnoQ
hard in your marriage. Justin loves you, I think everyone here can see that.308Please respect copyright.PENANAonZqUObXjm
What can I say? He has a great taste. To Justin and Mary Daniels! May you know308Please respect copyright.PENANAmstP2sNrNG
bright and happy days, and always know how lucky you are!” Once again, everyone308Please respect copyright.PENANAGlGRRCUYsG
took a swig of their whisky.308Please respect copyright.PENANAfE4CYvwlQH
308Please respect copyright.PENANAgBHkqh7fER
After the bride and groom308Please respect copyright.PENANAsh9eEIDvQ5
were toasted, the people went back to dancing, and before to long it was time308Please respect copyright.PENANA3cLdo7gdru
for the first dance of the newly wedded. Against the wishes of his parents,308Please respect copyright.PENANAkJhzkErXUA
Justin and Mary had decided they wanted a lively reception; so their first song308Please respect copyright.PENANAZaZ0YQGR4j
was The Old Zip Coon. It was a spry dance, one that kept people moving308Please respect copyright.PENANAzBRmb2rOn3
constantly.308Please respect copyright.PENANAiGDnTsIGwu
308Please respect copyright.PENANATEui1yu0DT
Hoots of fun-filled laughter308Please respect copyright.PENANAV06De5LanS
filled the air, as the couple swung around with the biggest smiles. Soon, the308Please respect copyright.PENANASjRXCMZH4w
whole community joined in, and the room was full of women and men bounding308Please respect copyright.PENANAnV0Op8Ekd7
around the spacious bar. Without a doubt, it would be a time for the small town308Please respect copyright.PENANA3M907HUD65
of Berk to always remember. But, for Justin and Mary, the most memorable part308Please respect copyright.PENANA6u3Qgbw3fl
came that night.308Please respect copyright.PENANAJI5gRA8GRI
308Please respect copyright.PENANAu5oShXvC5Q
That was seven years ago,308Please respect copyright.PENANAq9kSjc3MzH
though. All but a faded memory, left in the past.308Please respect copyright.PENANAIRijs4Nsud
308Please respect copyright.PENANAjI75Bw4VfS
308Please respect copyright.PENANA0qREnOmJ52
308Please respect copyright.PENANAFesiWT55Rx
Present day308Please respect copyright.PENANAaNiYDJgyPc
308Please respect copyright.PENANAeU0JMcOHoC
308Please respect copyright.PENANAegAEBsu0F0
308Please respect copyright.PENANAUIyyc78par
She was bleak, weary, and308Please respect copyright.PENANAxNkNUJYaZJ
couldn’t find it in her heart to smile. She longed for it, yearned for it. all308Please respect copyright.PENANAP0GZcqu5Zj
she wanted was to look out at them, running around in the sunlit yard. They308Please respect copyright.PENANAODOqV5yaHv
were so graceful and beautiful, her two oldest daughters. They had finally308Please respect copyright.PENANAmtXzgKAxGx
cheered up, she just wished she could join in their happiness.308Please respect copyright.PENANAgRx1IwQxLJ
308Please respect copyright.PENANAMsNsKJ7W1a
Mary looked behind her, where308Please respect copyright.PENANAvatZKFTNJs
her youngest was sitting up on the floor with a big smile. So much like her308Please respect copyright.PENANApgVV9tddrR
father, she thought. Sallie was, indeed, the spitting image of her war-bound308Please respect copyright.PENANAkdClJukThm
father, all but those green s. She had his face, his nose, his hair and308Please respect copyright.PENANAfZQYCGMRnk
freckles, everything. The Violet eyes had passed over her though, instead being308Please respect copyright.PENANAtSYmKgQ2mT
given to little Ethel.308Please respect copyright.PENANAS5mdRqHt7C
308Please respect copyright.PENANAY0jRVfXb3Q
Turning completely to keep a308Please respect copyright.PENANAsrJ5JkD0ye
full eye on her daughter, and make sure she didn’t wander off, she leaned308Please respect copyright.PENANAais4w565XY
against her chair and sighed. Resting a hand on the swell of her belly, she308Please respect copyright.PENANAwfKP0Lg7k5
rubbed it gently, lovingly. For the hundredth time since Justin left for war, she308Please respect copyright.PENANAIwPs9dk8ak
felt her heart break again. She didn’t understand how it was possible to308Please respect copyright.PENANAltXC3umm1K
experience heartbreak so many times, in such a short amount of time; all she308Please respect copyright.PENANAqP1fFU1Anb
knew was that she hated it.308Please respect copyright.PENANA8eFYaEd3Xi
308Please respect copyright.PENANA6s1q6Tr3Zm
Not even a month after Justin308Please respect copyright.PENANAcDRqq1uxdv
left, she discovered that she was once again with child. She was pregnant, with308Please respect copyright.PENANAXXE0yIdg15
a baby Justin didn’t even know about; a baby she wouldn’t get to tell him about308Please respect copyright.PENANA4wdZiG4AAs
until he returned. Now, not only would Sallie be estranged from her father, but308Please respect copyright.PENANAT004tsGuf4
another baby of theirs wouldn’t know him. He would be a total stranger, in the308Please respect copyright.PENANAXhpmQYhZ2o
eyes of his own two children.308Please respect copyright.PENANAGQMbmApW7S
308Please respect copyright.PENANAnxCPQxl16G
She was currently seven308Please respect copyright.PENANAK8qvYlrMwt
months along, and her belly was already round and swollen. Women of the town308Please respect copyright.PENANAAc3GtX4oFz
had talked, first thinking she’d had an affair. But when she vehemently told308Please respect copyright.PENANAUhKJnGPVDw
them that that was certainly not the case, that she would never do that to308Please respect copyright.PENANA7DndVh8Irx
Justin and their girls, the women began to take pity on her. She hated it, but308Please respect copyright.PENANA8owz5RwBRe
had to admit that their bugging petty was a step up from their thinking she was308Please respect copyright.PENANAPHTMrBHoZi
having an affair.308Please respect copyright.PENANAUabkkjudcg
308Please respect copyright.PENANA0Frfa7Ipyx
A hiss brushed past her lips,308Please respect copyright.PENANAfjxB6Jm27i
as she felt a sharp jab to the side of her stomach. “Easy, little one.” She308Please respect copyright.PENANA7dsCOSErrI
whispered, directing it toward the baby inside her. Lately, she hadn’t been308Please respect copyright.PENANAPgPmo96LST
feeling right. She was throwing up more, and the baby had been much more active308Please respect copyright.PENANAKhJz9gJdNn
than he/she had in the beginning stages of movement. Almost constantly, she308Please respect copyright.PENANAnooGjRHZGE
felt the baby turning completely around, which just wasn’t normal. It worried308Please respect copyright.PENANAZebU23V4wh
her, yet she decided not to go to the town doctor.308Please respect copyright.PENANAwVshW2GqOA
308Please respect copyright.PENANAvhRY9fK6j8
Just then, a whinny could be308Please respect copyright.PENANAqt0cy3hHQn
heard from down the trail. Mary frowned, as no one ever came this far out of308Please respect copyright.PENANAvwiFSMiBfc
town. Maybe it was a passerby? Someone looking for direction? She didn’t know;308Please respect copyright.PENANASEOwRtjT9v
but taking extra precaution, she grabbed the rifle that had always been kept by308Please respect copyright.PENANAZw9x7eEeER
the door, and readied it, in case it was a robber, or someone who would harm308Please respect copyright.PENANA7G3Tp30YGD
her or her girls.308Please respect copyright.PENANAptyYOJhS5d
308Please respect copyright.PENANAzjeQXe0FFJ
Waiting by the porch, rifle308Please respect copyright.PENANA3fDmSN2Qcv
readied, she watched as the mounted horse glided toward them. “Girls, come up308Please respect copyright.PENANAV4rkHF4zKF
here, please!” She called to her daughters, and they obeyed without argument.308Please respect copyright.PENANA34etGklVII
Watching the horse and rider come closer, she could finally see what the person308Please respect copyright.PENANAKyDsq8SF71
was wearing: blue army jacket, with a blue cap. Gold lined the jacket and cap,308Please respect copyright.PENANAgJPKDgJUQ1
and the clothes could be seen as clean. The horse was also well groomed, and308Please respect copyright.PENANAQY27WLintB
it’s saddle appeared to be fancy.308Please respect copyright.PENANAoQ5Ztx26Vc
308Please respect copyright.PENANAvyGzrpfc6i
She didn’t dare to hope, but308Please respect copyright.PENANAKdm8YEyF52
the closer the rider neared, the more she felt her heart begin to lift. “Justin?”308Please respect copyright.PENANANX4H8cPh3a
She choked. Closer and closer. Faster and faster, her heart beat. But it308Please respect copyright.PENANAYZNiyKxlsc
suddenly dropped, when the man came to a stop and unmounted. It fell, hitting308Please respect copyright.PENANATxwaSJbx82
the dirt ground hard and painfully.308Please respect copyright.PENANA1YPycZGUWD
308Please respect copyright.PENANAJvamTqrioI
It wasn’t Justin.308Please respect copyright.PENANAE8rf92mdTp
308Please respect copyright.PENANALRabJ3MIsz
The man walked up briskly,308Please respect copyright.PENANAoBmYG2tNHP
taking off his cap as he came up the steps. His gaze drifted down to the two308Please respect copyright.PENANA4DrVQU6HvC
girls behind her, clinging to her dress. A tone of sympathy edged his eyes as308Please respect copyright.PENANAjEPAa46eas
he slowly lifted them back up to meet Mary’s. “Ma’am, I’m sergeant Michael,308Please respect copyright.PENANABdWM2qkf9S
are you Mary Daniels?” He asked softly.308Please respect copyright.PENANA2Unn8QiN3G
308Please respect copyright.PENANAkYRWBYmC3C
She forced the lump down her308Please respect copyright.PENANAkjFhUTsy4d
throat and nodded. “That I am. Is-is my husband alright?”308Please respect copyright.PENANAWqYWgIhuis
308Please respect copyright.PENANAUYSxvjMbmH
He ran a shaky hand through308Please respect copyright.PENANAKo9CcFzhnt
his hair and closed his eyes briefly. “Mrs. Daniels, I’m…I’m sorry to inform308Please respect copyright.PENANAFyxeiaM0Gz
you that yesterday, July 2, 1863, at 5 in the afternoon, your husband was308Please respect copyright.PENANAgL9hMrD0yd
killed on the field of battle at Gettysburg. I’m so sorry for your loss.” One308Please respect copyright.PENANAP8GW1XbXQX
last look at her and her daughters, then he turned and left.308Please respect copyright.PENANAMSQEK5JHT8
308Please respect copyright.PENANA8ppPnRaan9
Shock filled her at first.308Please respect copyright.PENANADxSOOONaK6
Against her will, a sob ripped through her lips, and she slapped a hand over308Please respect copyright.PENANAJwfRHSOFJd
her mouth to stifle her cry. Slowly dropping her eyes downward, she looked to308Please respect copyright.PENANAmb0A7MJ1Zq
her daughters. They looked scared, confused, and worried.308Please respect copyright.PENANAB1m8O3Y7nu
308Please respect copyright.PENANAn3lrzXCTWG
“Daddy coming home?” Ethel308Please respect copyright.PENANAOdU37gaPgy
asked her softly.308Please respect copyright.PENANArmoCKYrTEr
308Please respect copyright.PENANAyqYGNvAyYj
The tears raged down her face308Please respect copyright.PENANA8pMw5TfjmY
and she shut her eyes tight for a moment. As best as she could, she knelt down308Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0U0XVnnYn
and pulled the girls close to her. “No, Ethel.” She whispered. “Daddy’s not308Please respect copyright.PENANA8BCKZQIDHe
coming home. He’s…he’s with the angels, baby.” She choked, the lump in her throat308Please respect copyright.PENANAZET1WsxFVq
growing by the second. Her daughters were too young for this. The pain of308Please respect copyright.PENANAsMH5l5lMqT
losing a parent was difficult no matter what, but none of her children were308Please respect copyright.PENANAf0ohEIRBgS
even through their first decade of life. Her oldest was barely seven.308Please respect copyright.PENANAJWzzXeXqRk
308Please respect copyright.PENANAI9mJMOMzOk
The small girl had tears in her308Please respect copyright.PENANAtSLWzY4oZr
eyes, and her lip quivered. “Daddy left us forever?” She whimpered.308Please respect copyright.PENANAjc9952r1Yh
308Please respect copyright.PENANA8uleNEJ1Xo
Mary hated to think of it308Please respect copyright.PENANACZuGGu3coR
that way, but what other way was there to explain to her daughters? Unable to308Please respect copyright.PENANAY8MkcQTgeh
say anything, she nodded and pulled her daughters into the safety of her arms.308Please respect copyright.PENANAdSnXUBgjp5
“He loved you girls. So very much. You and your sister were everything to him.308Please respect copyright.PENANADdRp7Bsfqc
And if he were here, right now, he would tell you how much he loves you.”308Please respect copyright.PENANAfRmXXEZeUD
308Please respect copyright.PENANAA5Fdxj0QYY
Her heart ached so much308Please respect copyright.PENANAAbb68d097t
though. Sallie wasn’t even a year old, and the father she would never remember308Please respect copyright.PENANAXYnXAiLhcc
was gone. The baby growing inside her would never even meet his/her father. He308Please respect copyright.PENANAiYXeSS1bCy
hadn’t even known about her pregnancy. Now he would never know. He would never308Please respect copyright.PENANAOZyqn82bax
know his youngest daughter. He would never know his unborn child. He would308Please respect copyright.PENANAxrockP2GEg
never walk his daughters down the aisle on their wedding days. He’d miss out on308Please respect copyright.PENANAwJyXsyOB4B
his grandchildren being born and growing up. All of that, he would never have a308Please respect copyright.PENANAgwBACR9pYK
chance to do or see.308Please respect copyright.PENANASqtDwui7L9
308Please respect copyright.PENANA4DH1Q2CmEs
308Please respect copyright.PENANAEoJOdIRKH1
308Please respect copyright.PENANANbwf5UtBER
……308Please respect copyright.PENANAV8gVBA6VIM
308Please respect copyright.PENANAsEpEJv4SMO
308Please respect copyright.PENANAQNFynId2Yj
308Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZJCNEXqGa
For several days, the Daniels308Please respect copyright.PENANA0aJTUh5lFs
girls were all in a state of melancholy. Townspeople had stopped by a few308Please respect copyright.PENANAJDCi5JVVJD
times, both to give their condolences, and to offer Mary anything she needed:308Please respect copyright.PENANA0PFNUzbCZa
help with the girls, food for the next few days, someone to talk to, anything.308Please respect copyright.PENANAWuzUSYqVjz
The young widow refused though. She didn’t wish for charity, and she thought it308Please respect copyright.PENANA9jA3b764M0
best that she be the one to care for the girls, especially through such a time308Please respect copyright.PENANAE3EXX8kOeA
as the news of their father’s death.308Please respect copyright.PENANA5m31Iw4ISP
308Please respect copyright.PENANA4n6vXKnIRZ
Ida and Ethel, while still308Please respect copyright.PENANA6Q1o4IVteN
not fully comprehending that their father was gone forever, seemed to308Please respect copyright.PENANAtyIxyHCwo1
understand that something really bad had happened to him. Mary hated seeing it308Please respect copyright.PENANAcNORsT5Qrp
on her daughters; she’d gone through the same thing when she was not much older308Please respect copyright.PENANAkE605ndHWZ
than Ida. She knew it wasn’t fair, on anybody.308Please respect copyright.PENANAT1PbHin07h
308Please respect copyright.PENANAJy6zftKUuo
It was barely a week after308Please respect copyright.PENANA9LgoWwLF0D
receiving the news, when Mary felt a hard kick to her lower abdomen. At first,308Please respect copyright.PENANAtB0behcgyc
she didn’t take it to mean anything, just the baby putting up a fuss; but when308Please respect copyright.PENANAADn6TkJGW0
the kicks increased in severity, she became slightly worried.308Please respect copyright.PENANAMBTUy3u3TJ
308Please respect copyright.PENANAXJcVPzNixs
Just as she was getting up to308Please respect copyright.PENANA1ACVZlmZNn
make something for the girls to eat, she felt something wet between her legs.308Please respect copyright.PENANAktdlfA4KIq
Shutting her eyes, not wanting to admit to herself what she already knew was308Please respect copyright.PENANAbqF9MY0L9k
happening, she looked to the ground under her feet. There it was; that small308Please respect copyright.PENANAO8F3kBDO46
puddle that could only mean one thing: she was in labor.308Please respect copyright.PENANAfWM6gKw63c
308Please respect copyright.PENANAhcT17jQeZ1
It’s to early, she said in308Please respect copyright.PENANAcnMJbVYlS7
her mind. The same thing had happened with her baby boy a few years ago. She’d308Please respect copyright.PENANAJLYTqinGpt
gone into early labor, and he only lasted a few minutes after birth. The first308Please respect copyright.PENANAkrP4IJqEkh
thing since her father’s death, and it broke her. Losing her child, the child308Please respect copyright.PENANANOELYoDHFU
she had carried for six months, the child she felt moving inside her, was the308Please respect copyright.PENANAqe1aGBXWBt
hardest thing. She couldn’t go through it again, especially after the308Please respect copyright.PENANAvy9mXUHJPf
heartbreak of losing her beloved husband.308Please respect copyright.PENANA7YE6Q05Zct
308Please respect copyright.PENANA7rlbSKKvzE
Braving through her fear for308Please respect copyright.PENANADfYzb5BjsU
the moment, she looked to Ida, holding her stomach tightly. “Idie, I need to to308Please respect copyright.PENANAbNY9Om7Ov4
ride Bobbie into town and tell auntie Leah that your baby brother or sister is308Please respect copyright.PENANA5Rw0vMPpiO
coming.” She said in a steady, but still fearful voice.308Please respect copyright.PENANALUuEnBR2Zr
308Please respect copyright.PENANAckpnZCtndH
The seven year old wasted no308Please respect copyright.PENANAxkV7KRNGjV
time in jumping up from the floor, racing to pull on her coat, and running out308Please respect copyright.PENANAD3fvvTeqUj
the door. She was thankful to know that her father’s horse was already saddled308Please respect copyright.PENANAUfpJ9qYxCl
up and ready to go. Climbing up, she gripped the reins in shaking hands and308Please respect copyright.PENANAqTh3MdjCfP
gave them a snap.308Please respect copyright.PENANAkIVkQS6wpJ
308Please respect copyright.PENANArWoswEwoUv
Only half an hour later, she308Please respect copyright.PENANAMeB5GZuhy7
returned with Leah riding behind her. They slid off their horses, and Leah immediately308Please respect copyright.PENANAlk8dowh8Ce
made a beeline for the house. “Mary!” She called in a panic.308Please respect copyright.PENANAG4EnWqxzFR
308Please respect copyright.PENANAoQSS4S72S1
“Back here, Lee!” Mary called308Please respect copyright.PENANAyGbCI47xy0
back to her best friend. When Leah stood beside her, she took a deep breath and308Please respect copyright.PENANAJXLv3BCU0O
leaned back slightly. “I’m sorry. I know you have to take care of the boys-“308Please respect copyright.PENANAtzKvwSDBtP
308Please respect copyright.PENANAHfryHZpXN7
“Mary, Ivan and Timothy are308Please respect copyright.PENANAoqm1y1FYr4
fine. Mark is watching them. What matters is that you’re in labor. Now, listen,308Please respect copyright.PENANAs6vuVcZGSR
since you’ve gone into early labor, you know what we have to do.” Leah stroked308Please respect copyright.PENANAtvCz1EF1m7
her friend’s hair sympathetically and dabbed her already sweaty forehead.308Please respect copyright.PENANAt8cZ2ad9dM
“Let’s get you in bed, and I’ll do what I can to bring your little one into the308Please respect copyright.PENANAxzh75MFZ3w
world.” She guided her over to the bed and helped her lay down.308Please respect copyright.PENANAkn5Q6qTR1X
308Please respect copyright.PENANA2igGtyIdeo
Hours passed by, and the only308Please respect copyright.PENANAVTFlbdGWre
thing that seemed to change was the pitch in Mary’s screams. They varied from308Please respect copyright.PENANABm0ID2kakq
loud, to quiet, to high pitched, and real low. The three girls, Ida, Ethel, and308Please respect copyright.PENANA7mrzC9yDvA
Sallie, all sat in the corner. They worried for their dear mother, as they308Please respect copyright.PENANAJbz9lGvPtg
didn’t understand what was going on, but they stayed silent and kept patient.308Please respect copyright.PENANAO1TfPxRPGP
308Please respect copyright.PENANA4trWKITF37
It was well into the night,308Please respect copyright.PENANAC6si4qtEm8
and there was still nothing to be gained from the long hours of labor that Mary308Please respect copyright.PENANAryuBlupZjf
had endured. She’d been in labor for twelve hours already, and while Leah308Please respect copyright.PENANAnbVoMh2tgd
wasn’t expecting her to have delivered by then, she was at least expecting her308Please respect copyright.PENANAEr8UNKwsQb
to be dilating; Mary wasn’t even so much as dilating. There was no doubt in the308Please respect copyright.PENANAMhQSZ52o92
fellow mother’s mind, this was going to be a long birthing process.308Please respect copyright.PENANAATYSVD6YZE
308Please respect copyright.PENANAZmQs5Y28Id
And so it was. Two days of308Please respect copyright.PENANA1PjZ63px6v
labor, and still nothing to show for it. Mark eventually had to bring his and308Please respect copyright.PENANAqaxttgfgc5
Leah’s two sons out so that she could help them bathe, as he had no idea how to308Please respect copyright.PENANAL9QLnh65HO
do it. Throughout the whole two days though, Mary still showed no signs of308Please respect copyright.PENANA49c7gH9QNK
actually giving birth.308Please respect copyright.PENANA85aNgPKc5h
308Please respect copyright.PENANAY2FIxEq6kr
And then the third day came.308Please respect copyright.PENANAKlMbMwbtCp
308Please respect copyright.PENANAssgHZHn8nl
It hit them all, like a308Please respect copyright.PENANANPyaMs6QuM
tornado. It came with piercing screams, and obvious signs that Mary had finally308Please respect copyright.PENANAayfTfaEgBt
started crowning. For when Leah looked under the blanket that was sprawled over308Please respect copyright.PENANA6Y3EuYINSk
Mary, she could clearly see a head full of black hair. And at that sight, she308Please respect copyright.PENANAxvMY7ZBcTp
gave a joyous cry and told Mary that it was time. She shoved everyone else out308Please respect copyright.PENANAYJQItAQ4la
in the meantime, asking Fabian to watch the children.308Please respect copyright.PENANAHaFP3vMLER
308Please respect copyright.PENANAMNlCsSRnJQ
That night was long and hard.308Please respect copyright.PENANAJNN00LAUAe
And in the end, silence filled the small Daniels’ residence. It was so quiet,308Please respect copyright.PENANA8QEWlOWPe2
you could have heard a pin drop. But suddenly, tiny wails came from the room308Please respect copyright.PENANA77szMZ6snm
Mary was in. Newborn wails. Leah came in to the family room with a bright smile308Please respect copyright.PENANAvR4UorB4S2
upon her face. “The baby is good and healthy, though a bit small.” Taking308Please respect copyright.PENANA0ig99iZiXO
Sallie from her husband, she looked to Ida and Ethel. “Your mother is waiting308Please respect copyright.PENANAedVDHfav81
for you. Go on, I’ll be there in a minute.” She told them softly. She watched308Please respect copyright.PENANAeIU5Sj3vq9
them leave before turning back to Mark, who looked worried.308Please respect copyright.PENANAjN4vq2DsOj
308Please respect copyright.PENANAt8PNYLh5lL
“So?” He said nervously.308Please respect copyright.PENANAsPt2rwqMBL
308Please respect copyright.PENANAXahp1DQ9GB
Her smile, still, didn’t308Please respect copyright.PENANAN1FhIQlmWH
fade. “Healthy baby girl.” Her gaze fell then, though, and she looked morose.308Please respect copyright.PENANAX4xEj75DIN
“Mary…didn’t want to hold her at first. She-she looks like…like him.” She308Please respect copyright.PENANAKBDF1DK7t2
whispered.308Please respect copyright.PENANAGYilHt43OI
308Please respect copyright.PENANAcnbIUTyyAK
Mark sighed and shook his308Please respect copyright.PENANAfOfcG1V6pa
head. “Those poor girls. And poor Mary, having to deal with four daughters, all308Please respect copyright.PENANAUHB11w583j
on her own. This shouldn’t be happening.” He hesitated briefly before stating,308Please respect copyright.PENANAzBxckOEFoy
“What is she going to do?” A careful edge to his voice.308Please respect copyright.PENANAeyfTLIEBrU
308Please respect copyright.PENANArAhRRNd31u
She chewed on her lip. “I308Please respect copyright.PENANAQzfZ8fVIeY
think she’s going to go to work. How else is she going to care for the girls?308Please respect copyright.PENANAelLgzHXD0Q
Still, you’re right; this shouldn’t be happening.”308Please respect copyright.PENANA6VbDNhF4Bk
308Please respect copyright.PENANAc02eV8nsVY
“What’s her name?”308Please respect copyright.PENANAuKRUQ5Vk87
308Please respect copyright.PENANATZTs8kH5Dp
Leah smiled again, having308Please respect copyright.PENANAJ9WC9MSXj5
known the name Mary had picked. There was no doubt in her mind, it was a lovely308Please respect copyright.PENANAnWVKIa3APg
name. “Margaret. Margaret Hope Daniels. Justin loved the name, and Mary thought308Please respect copyright.PENANA6vE37bEczD
that it was perfectly suited.308Please respect copyright.PENANAh3M2be9TQe
308Please respect copyright.PENANAVHfl2K7TBY
Mark knew, all to well, how308Please respect copyright.PENANAUHCRYecwpc
his friend had loved the name. They had discussed the topic a few months before308Please respect copyright.PENANAvskqqzpJds
he left; he said that if he ever had another daughter, he wanted her name to be308Please respect copyright.PENANAPpskNijwWR
Margaret Hope Daniels.308Please respect copyright.PENANAh78JCi2HIv
308Please respect copyright.PENANA9FNCEDYAKV
He wrapped and arm around his308Please respect copyright.PENANAnJUyXK26VZ
wife as they started for Mary’s room, Sallie in Leah’s free arm. When they308Please respect copyright.PENANAd4C8srWFJF
arrived at the entrance, Mark couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene. The308Please respect copyright.PENANAzAmRy5Islh
girls were on either side of Mary, on the bed, and were completely mesmerized308Please respect copyright.PENANALirGMmCJ8n
by their new baby sister. Even from such a distance, Mark could definitely see308Please respect copyright.PENANAh2jOoyZeJe
how baby Margaret resembled her late father. Her tiny face was a mold of his,308Please respect copyright.PENANAmzMjv2Ovlm
and the small tufts of black hair were as dark and soft-looking as her308Please respect copyright.PENANAAJAgpg9UJl
father’s. He could only imagine how much more she would grow to look like her308Please respect copyright.PENANAm6FIlZ5ApH
father; it was a painful thought.308Please respect copyright.PENANABRqVXKQilo
308Please respect copyright.PENANAHDKvUtV9JX
Mary’s head snapped up to her308Please respect copyright.PENANAO9FqoCi0fG
friends, and she smiled wide. “Come and meet the new Daniels.” She beckoned to308Please respect copyright.PENANA51v358EQbI
them gently, yet eagerly.308Please respect copyright.PENANAn6m3rEPsh4
308Please respect copyright.PENANA2qZjJjvBjL
They came in and stood beside308Please respect copyright.PENANAhf6Ql59Tlf
her, admiring the beautiful baby that was nestled within her arms. They smiled308Please respect copyright.PENANAAkaygmCln7
at each other, and then back at her. “She’s beautiful, Mary.” Mark said softly.308Please respect copyright.PENANAdwuOWo20AS
308Please respect copyright.PENANAsuAMUTlXvy
The exhausted mother managed308Please respect copyright.PENANA0uqhqRAKOa
a laugh as she nodded. “She gets it from her father.” Looking back down at her308Please respect copyright.PENANA0klr8qwO1Z
newborn, she brought the girl up slightly and kissed her small, pink forehead.308Please respect copyright.PENANATJD9VGVghU
“I love you, my sweet girl. Daddy would have loved you too. But remember, little308Please respect copyright.PENANA6x4wQgqp9Z
one, he’s always with you.” Looking around at all of them, tears embraced her308Please respect copyright.PENANAMpdyEPcUdX
eyes and caressed her cheeks. She tried licking them away, but to no use. “He’s308Please respect copyright.PENANA1p5EarPL6s
with all of us.” She whimpered.308Please respect copyright.PENANAWYrvq8cMET
308Please respect copyright.PENANAJlukyUAs4h
The Avery’s embraced her and308Please respect copyright.PENANABNxIhyecPW
the girls, and the Avery boys were quick to join in, always loving hugs. They308Please respect copyright.PENANAqKJjO7k97b
knew this was not a typical hug, but they could feel the love than ran through,308Please respect copyright.PENANAsTLwuaxrGE
just as much as the heartache. The one thing they could all feel though, was308Please respect copyright.PENANA7XV3jPF3nN
how it uplifted them. They were stronger together. The past months had been308Please respect copyright.PENANAVlAD24KxjA
hard, but they were sure now that they could get through this hard time. Mary308Please respect copyright.PENANAKHqZ1izqVh
and her daughters would make it. They would all make it; together.