410Please respect copyright.PENANAYtBNqB3Bgl
It was a cold and dark day.410Please respect copyright.PENANASBul1UODWf
Wet. Dreary. Certainly, not a day one would wish to be married on. But for410Please respect copyright.PENANA9brZZ7URMT
them, there wasn’t a more perfect day. And they were being married in the410Please respect copyright.PENANA08azvlNDWh
church, after all; it wasn’t like they had to worry about being rained on, or410Please respect copyright.PENANAEFkWVT4K7M
their entire wedding being ruined, altogether. Nothing could ruin this day for410Please respect copyright.PENANADq2L3IxOLn
them. Not the weather, not a kink in plans, nothing.410Please respect copyright.PENANA3UDCeEMQpB
410Please respect copyright.PENANAyVJDCCnbPv
“Do you, Justin Daniels, take410Please respect copyright.PENANAiG5wHr7LIU
this woman, Mary Smith, to be your wife? To have and to hold, to love and to410Please respect copyright.PENANAb7nq0eJTWE
cherish, and to honor and respect her, until death do you part?” The priest, who410Please respect copyright.PENANAFpmqgPr67O
was their good friend, Jacoby, asked with a smile.410Please respect copyright.PENANAKcA0WxdoSl
410Please respect copyright.PENANAL3vJoXfIrS
Justin beamed, tears in his eyes,410Please respect copyright.PENANAXEGx5H0aeX
as he stared down at Mary, right into her eyes. He didn’t even have to think410Please respect copyright.PENANAzBAt8bpQqk
about it. He gulped down the lump in his throat and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”410Please respect copyright.PENANAyMKyRu6RqF
410Please respect copyright.PENANANuM2FVSaEj
Then turning to Mary, Jacoby410Please respect copyright.PENANAlMLjqgkHTV
directed the words to her. “Do you, Mary Smith, take this man, Justin Daniels,410Please respect copyright.PENANA4hqqS3UeEs
to be your husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, and to honor410Please respect copyright.PENANAPoLXAawfFd
and respect him, until death do you part?”410Please respect copyright.PENANAbvZG99nCkm
410Please respect copyright.PENANAvvSfuvCtx8
She couldn’t help it; her410Please respect copyright.PENANAn7PD0S2VSM
tears fell freely down her unblemished face, as she nodded without a second410Please respect copyright.PENANAUPlI7LLQa7
thought. “I do.” She said with a strangled voice. Justin smiled at her410Please respect copyright.PENANApWgA9zcutB
confirmation, as if previously afraid that she would change her mind.410Please respect copyright.PENANAIJxCa37YqY
410Please respect copyright.PENANA5HfqxKQZr7
“Then, without further wait,410Please respect copyright.PENANAb1uOpVLo3s
I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” Jocoby announced410Please respect copyright.PENANAEoTdL8goaI
with his thick accent weighing heavily throughout the small room.410Please respect copyright.PENANAuFysXNhN9A
410Please respect copyright.PENANAm6xJlUdR1k
Not waiting a second longer,410Please respect copyright.PENANAuT7ONEhz2P
Justin slid his hands over Mary’s slender hips and pulled her near to him.410Please respect copyright.PENANAo6NKZCRnF2
Smiles lit their faces as they kissed passionately, but still innocently enough410Please respect copyright.PENANAmvN66yAuiN
while in front of a crowd. Cheers rang through the whole room, as they sealed410Please respect copyright.PENANAklEmsxUhww
their marriage officially, finalizing their union as one.410Please respect copyright.PENANAWkmeWymbwM
410Please respect copyright.PENANADOaxhSHPAG
After the marriage ceremony,410Please respect copyright.PENANAK6qHtq9Cto
the crowd hauled over to the bar just across town. For hours, they drank, sang,410Please respect copyright.PENANA1xqhICmjIS
and danced the day away. When it came time for supper, they all gathered410Please respect copyright.PENANAXpK4awxAUk
around, the finest mugs, filled to the brim with the best whisky, in their410Please respect copyright.PENANA0yX0wCTHEn
hands. It was time for the bride and groom toasts. Justin’s best man, Mark410Please respect copyright.PENANAqDmNMh7eWt
Avery, went first.410Please respect copyright.PENANAJLi6gVW7e7
410Please respect copyright.PENANAVa1FuN65vF
“I have known Justin and Mary410Please respect copyright.PENANAq8RLucQM6m
for most of my life. Separately, of course. But I know that there isn’t a410Please respect copyright.PENANA185E1aoVpE
couple better suited for each other, than the one right here. Justin, you’re my410Please respect copyright.PENANA3xaDEMPXYA
best friend, though I know that, to you, I come in second place of Mary. My410Please respect copyright.PENANActtocW5El4
friend, you chose well. If only there were more women like Mary out there. And410Please respect copyright.PENANA1SIpmyzfvh
let me say, you deserve the finest. After Catharine broke your heart, I thought410Please respect copyright.PENANArGTrQomx6j
you’d never move on. I’m glad you proved me wrong. To Justin and Mary Daniels!410Please respect copyright.PENANAxW9m0KA9Xr
May you two live long, and happy together!” He cheered before raising his mug410Please respect copyright.PENANAVcb9x8IyDO
to his lips and taking a long swing, just as everyone else did.410Please respect copyright.PENANAqADcVjITmh
410Please respect copyright.PENANAG0APqTYMaB
Mary’s maid of honor, Leah410Please respect copyright.PENANAfDvSL9vbUz
Cassidy, went next. “Mary, I have seen you struggle through everything in your410Please respect copyright.PENANAu3dJa746T6
life, since the day your mother passed. All the things you went through with410Please respect copyright.PENANAlLIEAgUkqr
your father, they were tough. But, they also made you strong. And I couldn’t be410Please respect copyright.PENANACU9SyVtCbF
happier to see you as the strong woman you are now. I know that you will work410Please respect copyright.PENANA5izhNeOduD
hard in your marriage. Justin loves you, I think everyone here can see that.410Please respect copyright.PENANAMniBUhqf8T
What can I say? He has a great taste. To Justin and Mary Daniels! May you know410Please respect copyright.PENANAY6VBEnFbuo
bright and happy days, and always know how lucky you are!” Once again, everyone410Please respect copyright.PENANAbyae3PTnhF
took a swig of their whisky.410Please respect copyright.PENANA7JRFA4cYSI
410Please respect copyright.PENANAAdUHyBNbsS
After the bride and groom410Please respect copyright.PENANAsiZcneNUZg
were toasted, the people went back to dancing, and before to long it was time410Please respect copyright.PENANASRDeHVR1Lq
for the first dance of the newly wedded. Against the wishes of his parents,410Please respect copyright.PENANAA1VwJOxNcO
Justin and Mary had decided they wanted a lively reception; so their first song410Please respect copyright.PENANAWHxkBOmgUc
was The Old Zip Coon. It was a spry dance, one that kept people moving410Please respect copyright.PENANAOQ4eZyLmcg
constantly.410Please respect copyright.PENANAFLs4BzjnwK
410Please respect copyright.PENANAuZ9Qj4vNA3
Hoots of fun-filled laughter410Please respect copyright.PENANAF0erQ8ApCV
filled the air, as the couple swung around with the biggest smiles. Soon, the410Please respect copyright.PENANAc3sSIRAZz4
whole community joined in, and the room was full of women and men bounding410Please respect copyright.PENANAJeilQSAFAo
around the spacious bar. Without a doubt, it would be a time for the small town410Please respect copyright.PENANAidkB5Hz3rA
of Berk to always remember. But, for Justin and Mary, the most memorable part410Please respect copyright.PENANAjHdpzE9xwP
came that night.410Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2omT9YNzI
410Please respect copyright.PENANAnPV5vmLbfb
That was seven years ago,410Please respect copyright.PENANA07rfv5k6Ar
though. All but a faded memory, left in the past.410Please respect copyright.PENANAZqd7JWfvnC
410Please respect copyright.PENANAZDg17IYdm8
410Please respect copyright.PENANAClujZCLlan
410Please respect copyright.PENANA6mOeC8Y1CB
Present day410Please respect copyright.PENANA7lVQQ7DmT5
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She was bleak, weary, and410Please respect copyright.PENANAxprmGVMFWV
couldn’t find it in her heart to smile. She longed for it, yearned for it. all410Please respect copyright.PENANAQAqj6qbbRE
she wanted was to look out at them, running around in the sunlit yard. They410Please respect copyright.PENANAOtBQkWZ1qa
were so graceful and beautiful, her two oldest daughters. They had finally410Please respect copyright.PENANAz69cPeLUFU
cheered up, she just wished she could join in their happiness.410Please respect copyright.PENANAaZQFABk2wZ
410Please respect copyright.PENANABvueE2h17i
Mary looked behind her, where410Please respect copyright.PENANAPexC8IhbRc
her youngest was sitting up on the floor with a big smile. So much like her410Please respect copyright.PENANAthHQXddB3z
father, she thought. Sallie was, indeed, the spitting image of her war-bound410Please respect copyright.PENANA4EMmk4J3Lu
father, all but those green s. She had his face, his nose, his hair and410Please respect copyright.PENANAJlsPeW9n1N
freckles, everything. The Violet eyes had passed over her though, instead being410Please respect copyright.PENANAteSUvMnCNZ
given to little Ethel.410Please respect copyright.PENANAVi4IWdERX8
410Please respect copyright.PENANAmo9ZEG1umg
Turning completely to keep a410Please respect copyright.PENANAjpx345ohxK
full eye on her daughter, and make sure she didn’t wander off, she leaned410Please respect copyright.PENANAeFeBNnNFd1
against her chair and sighed. Resting a hand on the swell of her belly, she410Please respect copyright.PENANAbNPLHIoBVB
rubbed it gently, lovingly. For the hundredth time since Justin left for war, she410Please respect copyright.PENANAU1m7Cp4PAp
felt her heart break again. She didn’t understand how it was possible to410Please respect copyright.PENANAyXqP3krsKh
experience heartbreak so many times, in such a short amount of time; all she410Please respect copyright.PENANAgMYG2jLN8J
knew was that she hated it.410Please respect copyright.PENANAQolPdGnZrN
410Please respect copyright.PENANAtVkdn1su6O
Not even a month after Justin410Please respect copyright.PENANA6z6CgUoQvp
left, she discovered that she was once again with child. She was pregnant, with410Please respect copyright.PENANA4bkzIzTRIZ
a baby Justin didn’t even know about; a baby she wouldn’t get to tell him about410Please respect copyright.PENANAReLGtRm4WK
until he returned. Now, not only would Sallie be estranged from her father, but410Please respect copyright.PENANA1kPSTQntfN
another baby of theirs wouldn’t know him. He would be a total stranger, in the410Please respect copyright.PENANAkSPxiISa7m
eyes of his own two children.410Please respect copyright.PENANAu6TBmEClhl
410Please respect copyright.PENANAgbJU1qP2UO
She was currently seven410Please respect copyright.PENANA8ojulQuDz6
months along, and her belly was already round and swollen. Women of the town410Please respect copyright.PENANA1BeDGBc8fy
had talked, first thinking she’d had an affair. But when she vehemently told410Please respect copyright.PENANABEstZJ86bA
them that that was certainly not the case, that she would never do that to410Please respect copyright.PENANAfU5K9BjUCi
Justin and their girls, the women began to take pity on her. She hated it, but410Please respect copyright.PENANA9R1kLFOaSs
had to admit that their bugging petty was a step up from their thinking she was410Please respect copyright.PENANA9lWgG3vvTF
having an affair.410Please respect copyright.PENANAr7iYzhx95o
410Please respect copyright.PENANAj2wQd94gMf
A hiss brushed past her lips,410Please respect copyright.PENANAToypnlHvpI
as she felt a sharp jab to the side of her stomach. “Easy, little one.” She410Please respect copyright.PENANAWrQaHAadmh
whispered, directing it toward the baby inside her. Lately, she hadn’t been410Please respect copyright.PENANAqwdevfO8Ww
feeling right. She was throwing up more, and the baby had been much more active410Please respect copyright.PENANAn2oh74S1bi
than he/she had in the beginning stages of movement. Almost constantly, she410Please respect copyright.PENANAxdE3GG8ECv
felt the baby turning completely around, which just wasn’t normal. It worried410Please respect copyright.PENANAKuku62Cgve
her, yet she decided not to go to the town doctor.410Please respect copyright.PENANACHF2mycFHl
410Please respect copyright.PENANA35Z8nbQiVX
Just then, a whinny could be410Please respect copyright.PENANAn8ZPf5FJTD
heard from down the trail. Mary frowned, as no one ever came this far out of410Please respect copyright.PENANANf7A9VmGII
town. Maybe it was a passerby? Someone looking for direction? She didn’t know;410Please respect copyright.PENANA8Q6UGNFASA
but taking extra precaution, she grabbed the rifle that had always been kept by410Please respect copyright.PENANAjWv3yKV693
the door, and readied it, in case it was a robber, or someone who would harm410Please respect copyright.PENANA7pDjyPT09U
her or her girls.410Please respect copyright.PENANAb5rtFDIciK
410Please respect copyright.PENANAkaxI1FuvgU
Waiting by the porch, rifle410Please respect copyright.PENANAMqkrrBwLjT
readied, she watched as the mounted horse glided toward them. “Girls, come up410Please respect copyright.PENANAJOn1rSzyrm
here, please!” She called to her daughters, and they obeyed without argument.410Please respect copyright.PENANAOaKr9TwWLL
Watching the horse and rider come closer, she could finally see what the person410Please respect copyright.PENANAkls6nBBdyQ
was wearing: blue army jacket, with a blue cap. Gold lined the jacket and cap,410Please respect copyright.PENANA25nVUf7BEY
and the clothes could be seen as clean. The horse was also well groomed, and410Please respect copyright.PENANAlLa7xkuF3H
it’s saddle appeared to be fancy.410Please respect copyright.PENANAM5tKVFi8F4
410Please respect copyright.PENANAWdemZNbcNV
She didn’t dare to hope, but410Please respect copyright.PENANAdKgARBjRWz
the closer the rider neared, the more she felt her heart begin to lift. “Justin?”410Please respect copyright.PENANAILKHtfLHML
She choked. Closer and closer. Faster and faster, her heart beat. But it410Please respect copyright.PENANAHoJWdrnGsI
suddenly dropped, when the man came to a stop and unmounted. It fell, hitting410Please respect copyright.PENANAypT44fKCqn
the dirt ground hard and painfully.410Please respect copyright.PENANAqEioPCOe00
410Please respect copyright.PENANAS203VWs6oz
It wasn’t Justin.410Please respect copyright.PENANA9MQLRCtunW
410Please respect copyright.PENANAak9RuriICW
The man walked up briskly,410Please respect copyright.PENANA97YeCWHf6P
taking off his cap as he came up the steps. His gaze drifted down to the two410Please respect copyright.PENANANKOiXpkLos
girls behind her, clinging to her dress. A tone of sympathy edged his eyes as410Please respect copyright.PENANAItX25pe1e1
he slowly lifted them back up to meet Mary’s. “Ma’am, I’m sergeant Michael,410Please respect copyright.PENANAD7OobtN4dj
are you Mary Daniels?” He asked softly.410Please respect copyright.PENANANfucnaF6iW
410Please respect copyright.PENANAosZNdUO8Wh
She forced the lump down her410Please respect copyright.PENANAcROzvEWag4
throat and nodded. “That I am. Is-is my husband alright?”410Please respect copyright.PENANA2KSCbaWb5p
410Please respect copyright.PENANAj8w90y0JWx
He ran a shaky hand through410Please respect copyright.PENANAnZldbBU4Wp
his hair and closed his eyes briefly. “Mrs. Daniels, I’m…I’m sorry to inform410Please respect copyright.PENANAscpnlqJUyA
you that yesterday, July 2, 1863, at 5 in the afternoon, your husband was410Please respect copyright.PENANAjLiX8zcv01
killed on the field of battle at Gettysburg. I’m so sorry for your loss.” One410Please respect copyright.PENANA7tuAYcx75c
last look at her and her daughters, then he turned and left.410Please respect copyright.PENANA3Vn3pmBaFL
410Please respect copyright.PENANA8xkbuL5vmo
Shock filled her at first.410Please respect copyright.PENANAKGJkzevo7w
Against her will, a sob ripped through her lips, and she slapped a hand over410Please respect copyright.PENANAHy7o3HRczP
her mouth to stifle her cry. Slowly dropping her eyes downward, she looked to410Please respect copyright.PENANALcM39g3HRp
her daughters. They looked scared, confused, and worried.410Please respect copyright.PENANAGqQDmg560c
410Please respect copyright.PENANACwCp6FXDUm
“Daddy coming home?” Ethel410Please respect copyright.PENANAcFBMc8Z7Et
asked her softly.410Please respect copyright.PENANAr0MU1C093Z
410Please respect copyright.PENANAf8AgOyzPEw
The tears raged down her face410Please respect copyright.PENANAvWdHN1DdzL
and she shut her eyes tight for a moment. As best as she could, she knelt down410Please respect copyright.PENANAqtLl8LHVeP
and pulled the girls close to her. “No, Ethel.” She whispered. “Daddy’s not410Please respect copyright.PENANAW8SxE3waGk
coming home. He’s…he’s with the angels, baby.” She choked, the lump in her throat410Please respect copyright.PENANALiZUizAyiN
growing by the second. Her daughters were too young for this. The pain of410Please respect copyright.PENANAbxY2kqspOx
losing a parent was difficult no matter what, but none of her children were410Please respect copyright.PENANAtmJ3uHkaNv
even through their first decade of life. Her oldest was barely seven.410Please respect copyright.PENANAWfASAgCbU3
410Please respect copyright.PENANAsn9gL6a8Wt
The small girl had tears in her410Please respect copyright.PENANAwzoEVXf85K
eyes, and her lip quivered. “Daddy left us forever?” She whimpered.410Please respect copyright.PENANAu40E3aAV05
410Please respect copyright.PENANAtDp1RiK9Rw
Mary hated to think of it410Please respect copyright.PENANAXLUAu2akgS
that way, but what other way was there to explain to her daughters? Unable to410Please respect copyright.PENANAdB8oLXxj7b
say anything, she nodded and pulled her daughters into the safety of her arms.410Please respect copyright.PENANA4hadTZHLuf
“He loved you girls. So very much. You and your sister were everything to him.410Please respect copyright.PENANAe1GJCgMkIM
And if he were here, right now, he would tell you how much he loves you.”410Please respect copyright.PENANA3PpXydWRVU
410Please respect copyright.PENANAK1HP2y3pGL
Her heart ached so much410Please respect copyright.PENANAdvsTspV9VP
though. Sallie wasn’t even a year old, and the father she would never remember410Please respect copyright.PENANAFhotKIj8XV
was gone. The baby growing inside her would never even meet his/her father. He410Please respect copyright.PENANAhVGoPRydha
hadn’t even known about her pregnancy. Now he would never know. He would never410Please respect copyright.PENANArWsqk6QeqZ
know his youngest daughter. He would never know his unborn child. He would410Please respect copyright.PENANAhyY5EKj91e
never walk his daughters down the aisle on their wedding days. He’d miss out on410Please respect copyright.PENANAkcchd3bpWA
his grandchildren being born and growing up. All of that, he would never have a410Please respect copyright.PENANAySjzPXSA5s
chance to do or see.410Please respect copyright.PENANA8lpzZXxVJv
410Please respect copyright.PENANAYwBScutouQ
410Please respect copyright.PENANAB2LPXyeHv7
410Please respect copyright.PENANAf137GZocVL
……410Please respect copyright.PENANAVXjtKG7pc3
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For several days, the Daniels410Please respect copyright.PENANANdiWGCunpV
girls were all in a state of melancholy. Townspeople had stopped by a few410Please respect copyright.PENANAuqH0s194Fu
times, both to give their condolences, and to offer Mary anything she needed:410Please respect copyright.PENANAzQHrrUiVXn
help with the girls, food for the next few days, someone to talk to, anything.410Please respect copyright.PENANAIQs0ZZwMfk
The young widow refused though. She didn’t wish for charity, and she thought it410Please respect copyright.PENANAnoqxbNldjy
best that she be the one to care for the girls, especially through such a time410Please respect copyright.PENANASBOe0ghuf3
as the news of their father’s death.410Please respect copyright.PENANAnArzBapHOQ
410Please respect copyright.PENANAbadvD4ouJY
Ida and Ethel, while still410Please respect copyright.PENANAetqS2v09JT
not fully comprehending that their father was gone forever, seemed to410Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZLIdW2V0e
understand that something really bad had happened to him. Mary hated seeing it410Please respect copyright.PENANA29uAvzP4lb
on her daughters; she’d gone through the same thing when she was not much older410Please respect copyright.PENANAigRvV5EHLq
than Ida. She knew it wasn’t fair, on anybody.410Please respect copyright.PENANAx8GkKUHQAy
410Please respect copyright.PENANAYI9RnZGiUW
It was barely a week after410Please respect copyright.PENANAkKAmT6E0QJ
receiving the news, when Mary felt a hard kick to her lower abdomen. At first,410Please respect copyright.PENANAxHrjCHPNER
she didn’t take it to mean anything, just the baby putting up a fuss; but when410Please respect copyright.PENANAAr6dO7AwXf
the kicks increased in severity, she became slightly worried.410Please respect copyright.PENANAy2a9WB2iPe
410Please respect copyright.PENANAmEJEdNy1a8
Just as she was getting up to410Please respect copyright.PENANARrNl3bdj2e
make something for the girls to eat, she felt something wet between her legs.410Please respect copyright.PENANAPJudzehvHz
Shutting her eyes, not wanting to admit to herself what she already knew was410Please respect copyright.PENANAzk6hSErAy8
happening, she looked to the ground under her feet. There it was; that small410Please respect copyright.PENANAADQDAude5I
puddle that could only mean one thing: she was in labor.410Please respect copyright.PENANA7MxgGaZFEq
410Please respect copyright.PENANAYPcubjwwrs
It’s to early, she said in410Please respect copyright.PENANAn9XwjHZ6sc
her mind. The same thing had happened with her baby boy a few years ago. She’d410Please respect copyright.PENANAZaUwRLafgE
gone into early labor, and he only lasted a few minutes after birth. The first410Please respect copyright.PENANA9WV4gg7p4S
thing since her father’s death, and it broke her. Losing her child, the child410Please respect copyright.PENANAiMayI7INz0
she had carried for six months, the child she felt moving inside her, was the410Please respect copyright.PENANAkGdAIyGbYx
hardest thing. She couldn’t go through it again, especially after the410Please respect copyright.PENANAn24VoYxslI
heartbreak of losing her beloved husband.410Please respect copyright.PENANARSMijIs69z
410Please respect copyright.PENANAfXGPLgHgKs
Braving through her fear for410Please respect copyright.PENANAkayqP1KkpW
the moment, she looked to Ida, holding her stomach tightly. “Idie, I need to to410Please respect copyright.PENANAeZrxbyeob9
ride Bobbie into town and tell auntie Leah that your baby brother or sister is410Please respect copyright.PENANAp61poLOvf9
coming.” She said in a steady, but still fearful voice.410Please respect copyright.PENANAtGCIrP5iFq
410Please respect copyright.PENANAOKUN7MYtHk
The seven year old wasted no410Please respect copyright.PENANANa2VmEQ28D
time in jumping up from the floor, racing to pull on her coat, and running out410Please respect copyright.PENANASyrHZbkrrv
the door. She was thankful to know that her father’s horse was already saddled410Please respect copyright.PENANA3qCwBwXgAn
up and ready to go. Climbing up, she gripped the reins in shaking hands and410Please respect copyright.PENANApnzRHQnI0g
gave them a snap.410Please respect copyright.PENANAFomv2Ehdv3
410Please respect copyright.PENANA5Le0vBF86a
Only half an hour later, she410Please respect copyright.PENANAX7rzLcJSGX
returned with Leah riding behind her. They slid off their horses, and Leah immediately410Please respect copyright.PENANAIY5Taha6yS
made a beeline for the house. “Mary!” She called in a panic.410Please respect copyright.PENANA1pGHRXQzAi
410Please respect copyright.PENANA0qy0DRl4yV
“Back here, Lee!” Mary called410Please respect copyright.PENANAvaurklRmaK
back to her best friend. When Leah stood beside her, she took a deep breath and410Please respect copyright.PENANANRRzomeStJ
leaned back slightly. “I’m sorry. I know you have to take care of the boys-“410Please respect copyright.PENANA8gG5n6KTPz
410Please respect copyright.PENANAvBVv53w8jJ
“Mary, Ivan and Timothy are410Please respect copyright.PENANAmB9Y8aksbG
fine. Mark is watching them. What matters is that you’re in labor. Now, listen,410Please respect copyright.PENANARdPeSVoTGj
since you’ve gone into early labor, you know what we have to do.” Leah stroked410Please respect copyright.PENANANlWhP0teJa
her friend’s hair sympathetically and dabbed her already sweaty forehead.410Please respect copyright.PENANAhKhv33n7nX
“Let’s get you in bed, and I’ll do what I can to bring your little one into the410Please respect copyright.PENANAjRA82aWN1f
world.” She guided her over to the bed and helped her lay down.410Please respect copyright.PENANAEmZAdNnbLH
410Please respect copyright.PENANAwwIC1xdBUg
Hours passed by, and the only410Please respect copyright.PENANAvz37pDUQIO
thing that seemed to change was the pitch in Mary’s screams. They varied from410Please respect copyright.PENANA0xAVjSrm2v
loud, to quiet, to high pitched, and real low. The three girls, Ida, Ethel, and410Please respect copyright.PENANADIjRiFKb1l
Sallie, all sat in the corner. They worried for their dear mother, as they410Please respect copyright.PENANAkiC20IQ602
didn’t understand what was going on, but they stayed silent and kept patient.410Please respect copyright.PENANA9wiBMLe4Ji
410Please respect copyright.PENANAgSdEuyO5AJ
It was well into the night,410Please respect copyright.PENANA16nu3IM2Wr
and there was still nothing to be gained from the long hours of labor that Mary410Please respect copyright.PENANANIgVrB5UkN
had endured. She’d been in labor for twelve hours already, and while Leah410Please respect copyright.PENANA0V2eITaUhF
wasn’t expecting her to have delivered by then, she was at least expecting her410Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1XwDsBPdv
to be dilating; Mary wasn’t even so much as dilating. There was no doubt in the410Please respect copyright.PENANApLHQ9tjbq0
fellow mother’s mind, this was going to be a long birthing process.410Please respect copyright.PENANAhcgUKUU41q
410Please respect copyright.PENANAR3cTxlRLld
And so it was. Two days of410Please respect copyright.PENANATLl1cPWLAg
labor, and still nothing to show for it. Mark eventually had to bring his and410Please respect copyright.PENANA7vqEPGdao7
Leah’s two sons out so that she could help them bathe, as he had no idea how to410Please respect copyright.PENANA7GxGpAmiqi
do it. Throughout the whole two days though, Mary still showed no signs of410Please respect copyright.PENANAt0ZqaOoSSG
actually giving birth.410Please respect copyright.PENANA3100HuD99I
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And then the third day came.410Please respect copyright.PENANAJU4qHdJRM0
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It hit them all, like a410Please respect copyright.PENANAcv46e3mCIl
tornado. It came with piercing screams, and obvious signs that Mary had finally410Please respect copyright.PENANAFSKp27hxZf
started crowning. For when Leah looked under the blanket that was sprawled over410Please respect copyright.PENANAdKM1tEqXXI
Mary, she could clearly see a head full of black hair. And at that sight, she410Please respect copyright.PENANAEPO6bHfBnv
gave a joyous cry and told Mary that it was time. She shoved everyone else out410Please respect copyright.PENANALVeJGEqi8t
in the meantime, asking Fabian to watch the children.410Please respect copyright.PENANAU7d0BdDMb1
410Please respect copyright.PENANAlGx2oMejaJ
That night was long and hard.410Please respect copyright.PENANA7C2N0ptx35
And in the end, silence filled the small Daniels’ residence. It was so quiet,410Please respect copyright.PENANA9v8YbkOWga
you could have heard a pin drop. But suddenly, tiny wails came from the room410Please respect copyright.PENANAFuzGz7Enun
Mary was in. Newborn wails. Leah came in to the family room with a bright smile410Please respect copyright.PENANAoHTutJcZoq
upon her face. “The baby is good and healthy, though a bit small.” Taking410Please respect copyright.PENANA6Pc4aeRseV
Sallie from her husband, she looked to Ida and Ethel. “Your mother is waiting410Please respect copyright.PENANAcgH1T1YkYq
for you. Go on, I’ll be there in a minute.” She told them softly. She watched410Please respect copyright.PENANAdn6TAn7EPw
them leave before turning back to Mark, who looked worried.410Please respect copyright.PENANAIXtZ2CEBmw
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“So?” He said nervously.410Please respect copyright.PENANAKcZeM8Cdba
410Please respect copyright.PENANAqG1HkpGFNC
Her smile, still, didn’t410Please respect copyright.PENANAw96V3kWFk0
fade. “Healthy baby girl.” Her gaze fell then, though, and she looked morose.410Please respect copyright.PENANAioV9gZ09aq
“Mary…didn’t want to hold her at first. She-she looks like…like him.” She410Please respect copyright.PENANA4gEd5e4MdB
whispered.410Please respect copyright.PENANAssa8lMe1no
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Mark sighed and shook his410Please respect copyright.PENANApdUv8cftaN
head. “Those poor girls. And poor Mary, having to deal with four daughters, all410Please respect copyright.PENANAS6ynVARbuo
on her own. This shouldn’t be happening.” He hesitated briefly before stating,410Please respect copyright.PENANAgL8xEPz295
“What is she going to do?” A careful edge to his voice.410Please respect copyright.PENANACOFkEZ9mSA
410Please respect copyright.PENANAr6NTnA8AYX
She chewed on her lip. “I410Please respect copyright.PENANAHpoBxX6OT5
think she’s going to go to work. How else is she going to care for the girls?410Please respect copyright.PENANAoTrgEeBmt1
Still, you’re right; this shouldn’t be happening.”410Please respect copyright.PENANAarWs4EUrlI
410Please respect copyright.PENANAIwKdXx1ZOo
“What’s her name?”410Please respect copyright.PENANACI9ZzCAWOz
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Leah smiled again, having410Please respect copyright.PENANAAQrX4zBrwe
known the name Mary had picked. There was no doubt in her mind, it was a lovely410Please respect copyright.PENANAZZ9gVaSLzH
name. “Margaret. Margaret Hope Daniels. Justin loved the name, and Mary thought410Please respect copyright.PENANATS8t5QThpW
that it was perfectly suited.410Please respect copyright.PENANAWQhRs8ws74
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Mark knew, all to well, how410Please respect copyright.PENANA5OvQ4gvVen
his friend had loved the name. They had discussed the topic a few months before410Please respect copyright.PENANAv4rg0NBUjZ
he left; he said that if he ever had another daughter, he wanted her name to be410Please respect copyright.PENANA0VVhdDTHhJ
Margaret Hope Daniels.410Please respect copyright.PENANAfPx12dhS2v
410Please respect copyright.PENANAehMFBYukxv
He wrapped and arm around his410Please respect copyright.PENANAzxLN1tdj4k
wife as they started for Mary’s room, Sallie in Leah’s free arm. When they410Please respect copyright.PENANALNnzFF7gao
arrived at the entrance, Mark couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene. The410Please respect copyright.PENANADtbwL5jURR
girls were on either side of Mary, on the bed, and were completely mesmerized410Please respect copyright.PENANAjfjozbOdrA
by their new baby sister. Even from such a distance, Mark could definitely see410Please respect copyright.PENANAenVQM2TIqG
how baby Margaret resembled her late father. Her tiny face was a mold of his,410Please respect copyright.PENANAZDrPxb545d
and the small tufts of black hair were as dark and soft-looking as her410Please respect copyright.PENANA3plyUSKR8T
father’s. He could only imagine how much more she would grow to look like her410Please respect copyright.PENANALkYpAUWkRc
father; it was a painful thought.410Please respect copyright.PENANA93K6TcXI8h
410Please respect copyright.PENANAMqw7x3qBlI
Mary’s head snapped up to her410Please respect copyright.PENANAUaPgg45p5U
friends, and she smiled wide. “Come and meet the new Daniels.” She beckoned to410Please respect copyright.PENANA2B4yHATd2b
them gently, yet eagerly.410Please respect copyright.PENANAv70BF43M1u
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They came in and stood beside410Please respect copyright.PENANABbgzCMFIEu
her, admiring the beautiful baby that was nestled within her arms. They smiled410Please respect copyright.PENANAIq0xoOw2j2
at each other, and then back at her. “She’s beautiful, Mary.” Mark said softly.410Please respect copyright.PENANAvFKWYuYVNw
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The exhausted mother managed410Please respect copyright.PENANADjQTVOEUWu
a laugh as she nodded. “She gets it from her father.” Looking back down at her410Please respect copyright.PENANAYhfogDfkc8
newborn, she brought the girl up slightly and kissed her small, pink forehead.410Please respect copyright.PENANAl2HwCVRJuQ
“I love you, my sweet girl. Daddy would have loved you too. But remember, little410Please respect copyright.PENANApQp4omZGE1
one, he’s always with you.” Looking around at all of them, tears embraced her410Please respect copyright.PENANAko9xLA5saP
eyes and caressed her cheeks. She tried licking them away, but to no use. “He’s410Please respect copyright.PENANAq32uWbQWVg
with all of us.” She whimpered.410Please respect copyright.PENANAf7OzUPoLdO
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The Avery’s embraced her and410Please respect copyright.PENANA13xkz6Kx7m
the girls, and the Avery boys were quick to join in, always loving hugs. They410Please respect copyright.PENANA34Dm6f842j
knew this was not a typical hug, but they could feel the love than ran through,410Please respect copyright.PENANAMGnksbFlIG
just as much as the heartache. The one thing they could all feel though, was410Please respect copyright.PENANAuSULGdkDLB
how it uplifted them. They were stronger together. The past months had been410Please respect copyright.PENANAIpDUQCnQge
hard, but they were sure now that they could get through this hard time. Mary410Please respect copyright.PENANAnHWZmyDj3j
and her daughters would make it. They would all make it; together.