410Please respect copyright.PENANAurPwGumXYk
It was a cold and dark day.410Please respect copyright.PENANAzSqUwOkriW
Wet. Dreary. Certainly, not a day one would wish to be married on. But for410Please respect copyright.PENANAt2if1mxExA
them, there wasn’t a more perfect day. And they were being married in the410Please respect copyright.PENANA8PdPcmG2LL
church, after all; it wasn’t like they had to worry about being rained on, or410Please respect copyright.PENANAMgXyqSFqW2
their entire wedding being ruined, altogether. Nothing could ruin this day for410Please respect copyright.PENANAnUPW4MmFSW
them. Not the weather, not a kink in plans, nothing.410Please respect copyright.PENANAWeC5w5NCUz
410Please respect copyright.PENANAXg4qoqJBlO
“Do you, Justin Daniels, take410Please respect copyright.PENANAyGEByCc2Xj
this woman, Mary Smith, to be your wife? To have and to hold, to love and to410Please respect copyright.PENANAGUSViUBqZE
cherish, and to honor and respect her, until death do you part?” The priest, who410Please respect copyright.PENANAEst1deGzz0
was their good friend, Jacoby, asked with a smile.410Please respect copyright.PENANA1jg3SX7dJX
410Please respect copyright.PENANAqxVq2bkQ3e
Justin beamed, tears in his eyes,410Please respect copyright.PENANAlQBc9osNmX
as he stared down at Mary, right into her eyes. He didn’t even have to think410Please respect copyright.PENANAKG9ArAPd0S
about it. He gulped down the lump in his throat and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”410Please respect copyright.PENANAsurRPYlC02
410Please respect copyright.PENANAf4XaLoXru6
Then turning to Mary, Jacoby410Please respect copyright.PENANARoENHI3vJV
directed the words to her. “Do you, Mary Smith, take this man, Justin Daniels,410Please respect copyright.PENANAIGhw2w22t5
to be your husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, and to honor410Please respect copyright.PENANAizK0U2KBA1
and respect him, until death do you part?”410Please respect copyright.PENANA0UWcM4Mris
410Please respect copyright.PENANAz8NGYeRKoo
She couldn’t help it; her410Please respect copyright.PENANA8yhqC5ApGN
tears fell freely down her unblemished face, as she nodded without a second410Please respect copyright.PENANAL5gp5CxIZ1
thought. “I do.” She said with a strangled voice. Justin smiled at her410Please respect copyright.PENANAn1fSrRzBLF
confirmation, as if previously afraid that she would change her mind.410Please respect copyright.PENANA3UMWXKxjGQ
410Please respect copyright.PENANApXvdbBhm2s
“Then, without further wait,410Please respect copyright.PENANASYO3ttUTLC
I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” Jocoby announced410Please respect copyright.PENANAV0VzKCGKQN
with his thick accent weighing heavily throughout the small room.410Please respect copyright.PENANATUkWEjoFRi
410Please respect copyright.PENANAbn3Av2sD4p
Not waiting a second longer,410Please respect copyright.PENANA6DCsB5YZCK
Justin slid his hands over Mary’s slender hips and pulled her near to him.410Please respect copyright.PENANAtIBuXtZJZX
Smiles lit their faces as they kissed passionately, but still innocently enough410Please respect copyright.PENANADeazQP8cES
while in front of a crowd. Cheers rang through the whole room, as they sealed410Please respect copyright.PENANA1DjjavgPQ9
their marriage officially, finalizing their union as one.410Please respect copyright.PENANA2KaEdvBjeY
410Please respect copyright.PENANA99bwOhcWDJ
After the marriage ceremony,410Please respect copyright.PENANAxQ6lfm79zk
the crowd hauled over to the bar just across town. For hours, they drank, sang,410Please respect copyright.PENANA62KHo1NlNl
and danced the day away. When it came time for supper, they all gathered410Please respect copyright.PENANA7T37xQuwGB
around, the finest mugs, filled to the brim with the best whisky, in their410Please respect copyright.PENANA7eh9KzPUT5
hands. It was time for the bride and groom toasts. Justin’s best man, Mark410Please respect copyright.PENANARAJv0efEuN
Avery, went first.410Please respect copyright.PENANARBQg8NF0Ze
410Please respect copyright.PENANA6P71pL6oXO
“I have known Justin and Mary410Please respect copyright.PENANAB6j2uY9d6h
for most of my life. Separately, of course. But I know that there isn’t a410Please respect copyright.PENANADbvTVWoqtJ
couple better suited for each other, than the one right here. Justin, you’re my410Please respect copyright.PENANA3zBLhKy6S7
best friend, though I know that, to you, I come in second place of Mary. My410Please respect copyright.PENANA0Ou2GhiBDq
friend, you chose well. If only there were more women like Mary out there. And410Please respect copyright.PENANAQDLY7I3gMw
let me say, you deserve the finest. After Catharine broke your heart, I thought410Please respect copyright.PENANAwJCtqtbxME
you’d never move on. I’m glad you proved me wrong. To Justin and Mary Daniels!410Please respect copyright.PENANAnGamv4CKIC
May you two live long, and happy together!” He cheered before raising his mug410Please respect copyright.PENANAEiF6uWPsLL
to his lips and taking a long swing, just as everyone else did.410Please respect copyright.PENANAIdY4hSvqAz
410Please respect copyright.PENANADkMSLLTexU
Mary’s maid of honor, Leah410Please respect copyright.PENANAs9UDf1lfHR
Cassidy, went next. “Mary, I have seen you struggle through everything in your410Please respect copyright.PENANAGuFYmBrdvY
life, since the day your mother passed. All the things you went through with410Please respect copyright.PENANAOgbXoZOFlB
your father, they were tough. But, they also made you strong. And I couldn’t be410Please respect copyright.PENANA8Nuntlp01J
happier to see you as the strong woman you are now. I know that you will work410Please respect copyright.PENANAPsWGQftm9c
hard in your marriage. Justin loves you, I think everyone here can see that.410Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6DnhhOo09
What can I say? He has a great taste. To Justin and Mary Daniels! May you know410Please respect copyright.PENANApP6q5LOeMI
bright and happy days, and always know how lucky you are!” Once again, everyone410Please respect copyright.PENANALY35IRpzx4
took a swig of their whisky.410Please respect copyright.PENANAV2Dg7RWb1U
410Please respect copyright.PENANACAW2G2twbI
After the bride and groom410Please respect copyright.PENANAOE2K7t48RN
were toasted, the people went back to dancing, and before to long it was time410Please respect copyright.PENANAaJDY6Ua2Bb
for the first dance of the newly wedded. Against the wishes of his parents,410Please respect copyright.PENANADlU5gqkVlv
Justin and Mary had decided they wanted a lively reception; so their first song410Please respect copyright.PENANAzOxxvurQik
was The Old Zip Coon. It was a spry dance, one that kept people moving410Please respect copyright.PENANAXkNQB4aKcL
constantly.410Please respect copyright.PENANADHZaowadjn
410Please respect copyright.PENANAgicNuJtdYN
Hoots of fun-filled laughter410Please respect copyright.PENANA4kTFHdi1Ex
filled the air, as the couple swung around with the biggest smiles. Soon, the410Please respect copyright.PENANAM2Z3Y1plZu
whole community joined in, and the room was full of women and men bounding410Please respect copyright.PENANA2LQ0ZH0JpB
around the spacious bar. Without a doubt, it would be a time for the small town410Please respect copyright.PENANAdafujGO8hG
of Berk to always remember. But, for Justin and Mary, the most memorable part410Please respect copyright.PENANAXKWd2Khnba
came that night.410Please respect copyright.PENANAFjWaMwtyUL
410Please respect copyright.PENANANbP0zZynBZ
That was seven years ago,410Please respect copyright.PENANAyHz4XjngW5
though. All but a faded memory, left in the past.410Please respect copyright.PENANA14F0EO2Oxr
410Please respect copyright.PENANAdQHi6PWonN
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410Please respect copyright.PENANAFA0mO8OcFd
Present day410Please respect copyright.PENANAgA3FLyYxgk
410Please respect copyright.PENANAg33JfQy0UV
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She was bleak, weary, and410Please respect copyright.PENANAPPj1J9N2HT
couldn’t find it in her heart to smile. She longed for it, yearned for it. all410Please respect copyright.PENANAxDfJ7sNSXE
she wanted was to look out at them, running around in the sunlit yard. They410Please respect copyright.PENANAP586cTKhhP
were so graceful and beautiful, her two oldest daughters. They had finally410Please respect copyright.PENANAN9IorsJlOe
cheered up, she just wished she could join in their happiness.410Please respect copyright.PENANABH67kiffLl
410Please respect copyright.PENANAhtEKDPN7qs
Mary looked behind her, where410Please respect copyright.PENANAIKTDHve4LO
her youngest was sitting up on the floor with a big smile. So much like her410Please respect copyright.PENANArCmwehEsga
father, she thought. Sallie was, indeed, the spitting image of her war-bound410Please respect copyright.PENANA0kgX8LDRbZ
father, all but those green s. She had his face, his nose, his hair and410Please respect copyright.PENANAEwcl6jrunt
freckles, everything. The Violet eyes had passed over her though, instead being410Please respect copyright.PENANAZnsp5ubMbt
given to little Ethel.410Please respect copyright.PENANAvC9cPBgpRh
410Please respect copyright.PENANAQqLsTvvlM6
Turning completely to keep a410Please respect copyright.PENANAM1gDw7oPyP
full eye on her daughter, and make sure she didn’t wander off, she leaned410Please respect copyright.PENANA5LVeIptZr6
against her chair and sighed. Resting a hand on the swell of her belly, she410Please respect copyright.PENANADm0BuDCtdw
rubbed it gently, lovingly. For the hundredth time since Justin left for war, she410Please respect copyright.PENANAPTS76sV8m7
felt her heart break again. She didn’t understand how it was possible to410Please respect copyright.PENANADtbjrEdifn
experience heartbreak so many times, in such a short amount of time; all she410Please respect copyright.PENANA1WQjofe8kv
knew was that she hated it.410Please respect copyright.PENANAQKoOHoNy54
410Please respect copyright.PENANAdnV9VpDdjC
Not even a month after Justin410Please respect copyright.PENANAHYc22afasZ
left, she discovered that she was once again with child. She was pregnant, with410Please respect copyright.PENANAB6Wzw5nrQG
a baby Justin didn’t even know about; a baby she wouldn’t get to tell him about410Please respect copyright.PENANAqMxbX0HMIR
until he returned. Now, not only would Sallie be estranged from her father, but410Please respect copyright.PENANALXorOVfQ6F
another baby of theirs wouldn’t know him. He would be a total stranger, in the410Please respect copyright.PENANA7LTCCYhfqC
eyes of his own two children.410Please respect copyright.PENANA2Krtuk5Mlu
410Please respect copyright.PENANAEv5HF7LtAp
She was currently seven410Please respect copyright.PENANA7t5VFuJvP9
months along, and her belly was already round and swollen. Women of the town410Please respect copyright.PENANAerPQLd8No2
had talked, first thinking she’d had an affair. But when she vehemently told410Please respect copyright.PENANA41k5v76JLt
them that that was certainly not the case, that she would never do that to410Please respect copyright.PENANASMhfsml8Kk
Justin and their girls, the women began to take pity on her. She hated it, but410Please respect copyright.PENANAbspdvfqhp7
had to admit that their bugging petty was a step up from their thinking she was410Please respect copyright.PENANAr8qoHsbfTJ
having an affair.410Please respect copyright.PENANAdwncVV3gy3
410Please respect copyright.PENANArtqS1sMff2
A hiss brushed past her lips,410Please respect copyright.PENANAiH2fAM2nO5
as she felt a sharp jab to the side of her stomach. “Easy, little one.” She410Please respect copyright.PENANAhtcvVt0F4k
whispered, directing it toward the baby inside her. Lately, she hadn’t been410Please respect copyright.PENANAWYBGecalVM
feeling right. She was throwing up more, and the baby had been much more active410Please respect copyright.PENANAoXVLdABhid
than he/she had in the beginning stages of movement. Almost constantly, she410Please respect copyright.PENANAWf4NozYNJ1
felt the baby turning completely around, which just wasn’t normal. It worried410Please respect copyright.PENANAIFC7Ap4xKO
her, yet she decided not to go to the town doctor.410Please respect copyright.PENANAbL3tuRcRdE
410Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9BGyW4WHh
Just then, a whinny could be410Please respect copyright.PENANAX5V4D1xNCn
heard from down the trail. Mary frowned, as no one ever came this far out of410Please respect copyright.PENANA9h2DFb9NvJ
town. Maybe it was a passerby? Someone looking for direction? She didn’t know;410Please respect copyright.PENANAdPZzfTk3M9
but taking extra precaution, she grabbed the rifle that had always been kept by410Please respect copyright.PENANAXgNa2VnNz2
the door, and readied it, in case it was a robber, or someone who would harm410Please respect copyright.PENANAMhN65XRDwo
her or her girls.410Please respect copyright.PENANAaprXpfHb1x
410Please respect copyright.PENANA30J0DJLlDW
Waiting by the porch, rifle410Please respect copyright.PENANA3fvJzABDTq
readied, she watched as the mounted horse glided toward them. “Girls, come up410Please respect copyright.PENANAsk2zGac7if
here, please!” She called to her daughters, and they obeyed without argument.410Please respect copyright.PENANAJXHIekeINk
Watching the horse and rider come closer, she could finally see what the person410Please respect copyright.PENANAq454f4CAdR
was wearing: blue army jacket, with a blue cap. Gold lined the jacket and cap,410Please respect copyright.PENANAyYA3gwDuvO
and the clothes could be seen as clean. The horse was also well groomed, and410Please respect copyright.PENANAhDHrTjV9ZD
it’s saddle appeared to be fancy.410Please respect copyright.PENANA1v4PIyr6dM
410Please respect copyright.PENANAE3vngX0yx5
She didn’t dare to hope, but410Please respect copyright.PENANA9okh7i6MKU
the closer the rider neared, the more she felt her heart begin to lift. “Justin?”410Please respect copyright.PENANADhXgN5PIKa
She choked. Closer and closer. Faster and faster, her heart beat. But it410Please respect copyright.PENANADTg3xmpXQB
suddenly dropped, when the man came to a stop and unmounted. It fell, hitting410Please respect copyright.PENANAPlL3Li6ELc
the dirt ground hard and painfully.410Please respect copyright.PENANANOrogivxPY
410Please respect copyright.PENANAiXEtBzjNHJ
It wasn’t Justin.410Please respect copyright.PENANAajNb8hl6wA
410Please respect copyright.PENANAtykSuQvqBC
The man walked up briskly,410Please respect copyright.PENANAxc6fRkspC3
taking off his cap as he came up the steps. His gaze drifted down to the two410Please respect copyright.PENANAl0WhEmNyPB
girls behind her, clinging to her dress. A tone of sympathy edged his eyes as410Please respect copyright.PENANAv6mU9TCPFr
he slowly lifted them back up to meet Mary’s. “Ma’am, I’m sergeant Michael,410Please respect copyright.PENANA8cAj0mK3M5
are you Mary Daniels?” He asked softly.410Please respect copyright.PENANAw1T0R70Fxc
410Please respect copyright.PENANA29h9a89OIl
She forced the lump down her410Please respect copyright.PENANA1KdrC2esJC
throat and nodded. “That I am. Is-is my husband alright?”410Please respect copyright.PENANAsGrpIkGAye
410Please respect copyright.PENANA0C0MmmprVn
He ran a shaky hand through410Please respect copyright.PENANAxDIuVm1DU5
his hair and closed his eyes briefly. “Mrs. Daniels, I’m…I’m sorry to inform410Please respect copyright.PENANA9GwLWbAoRP
you that yesterday, July 2, 1863, at 5 in the afternoon, your husband was410Please respect copyright.PENANAlH3oKilAst
killed on the field of battle at Gettysburg. I’m so sorry for your loss.” One410Please respect copyright.PENANA2mPRHL56Z9
last look at her and her daughters, then he turned and left.410Please respect copyright.PENANA0Aq115HFSQ
410Please respect copyright.PENANARJ74r52xD4
Shock filled her at first.410Please respect copyright.PENANAL3hSHnQQns
Against her will, a sob ripped through her lips, and she slapped a hand over410Please respect copyright.PENANAeGzBRm8mdL
her mouth to stifle her cry. Slowly dropping her eyes downward, she looked to410Please respect copyright.PENANASuCifVPIVC
her daughters. They looked scared, confused, and worried.410Please respect copyright.PENANAMzbElbH9tr
410Please respect copyright.PENANAOI3yMvPnhx
“Daddy coming home?” Ethel410Please respect copyright.PENANAEJkPG9AQmL
asked her softly.410Please respect copyright.PENANAc5sEEySkEW
410Please respect copyright.PENANAy43ztx8J02
The tears raged down her face410Please respect copyright.PENANAJFSZ15p3CL
and she shut her eyes tight for a moment. As best as she could, she knelt down410Please respect copyright.PENANAiXpSjpk4Vw
and pulled the girls close to her. “No, Ethel.” She whispered. “Daddy’s not410Please respect copyright.PENANAXvbs0Ib2n8
coming home. He’s…he’s with the angels, baby.” She choked, the lump in her throat410Please respect copyright.PENANAxMP8gLdsUD
growing by the second. Her daughters were too young for this. The pain of410Please respect copyright.PENANAeXityn1XCa
losing a parent was difficult no matter what, but none of her children were410Please respect copyright.PENANAgjt21nEAQO
even through their first decade of life. Her oldest was barely seven.410Please respect copyright.PENANAIRCvwqy2b2
410Please respect copyright.PENANAaUda9ig44i
The small girl had tears in her410Please respect copyright.PENANAVOBTIeGpLI
eyes, and her lip quivered. “Daddy left us forever?” She whimpered.410Please respect copyright.PENANAVYnJTd9p3D
410Please respect copyright.PENANAj9slitEcPp
Mary hated to think of it410Please respect copyright.PENANA11ZwrGdeym
that way, but what other way was there to explain to her daughters? Unable to410Please respect copyright.PENANAISId0vcPxX
say anything, she nodded and pulled her daughters into the safety of her arms.410Please respect copyright.PENANAtciRUVj6pB
“He loved you girls. So very much. You and your sister were everything to him.410Please respect copyright.PENANAEXzWtZQoxP
And if he were here, right now, he would tell you how much he loves you.”410Please respect copyright.PENANAsxuRxM5gcV
410Please respect copyright.PENANAq6tO3u5P2h
Her heart ached so much410Please respect copyright.PENANApE7y6Mc3xv
though. Sallie wasn’t even a year old, and the father she would never remember410Please respect copyright.PENANAHgV4ZWtyjd
was gone. The baby growing inside her would never even meet his/her father. He410Please respect copyright.PENANAzoZCiQCL7b
hadn’t even known about her pregnancy. Now he would never know. He would never410Please respect copyright.PENANAcy6fKVGVBj
know his youngest daughter. He would never know his unborn child. He would410Please respect copyright.PENANAiTB7EUV1jO
never walk his daughters down the aisle on their wedding days. He’d miss out on410Please respect copyright.PENANAkNVxkCi8wm
his grandchildren being born and growing up. All of that, he would never have a410Please respect copyright.PENANAIOlsnNQENJ
chance to do or see.410Please respect copyright.PENANAXlRnsIJV8Z
410Please respect copyright.PENANA4nW5pyBOHy
410Please respect copyright.PENANAkpFnC6b9tg
410Please respect copyright.PENANADy0vIekkWb
……410Please respect copyright.PENANAWSiYFpHEja
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For several days, the Daniels410Please respect copyright.PENANATajPzgJ0sT
girls were all in a state of melancholy. Townspeople had stopped by a few410Please respect copyright.PENANAhAg0qXAK6l
times, both to give their condolences, and to offer Mary anything she needed:410Please respect copyright.PENANArkenAeAshH
help with the girls, food for the next few days, someone to talk to, anything.410Please respect copyright.PENANAmwL636RlZI
The young widow refused though. She didn’t wish for charity, and she thought it410Please respect copyright.PENANAl7XR0Dy2dQ
best that she be the one to care for the girls, especially through such a time410Please respect copyright.PENANAaakvgjVeRX
as the news of their father’s death.410Please respect copyright.PENANAJ4pnxrFwGS
410Please respect copyright.PENANAMd3cH9zNmi
Ida and Ethel, while still410Please respect copyright.PENANABBiGyBAF2j
not fully comprehending that their father was gone forever, seemed to410Please respect copyright.PENANAL7GazH4Ekt
understand that something really bad had happened to him. Mary hated seeing it410Please respect copyright.PENANAKWRWcqNvfz
on her daughters; she’d gone through the same thing when she was not much older410Please respect copyright.PENANAtrjclh4hlT
than Ida. She knew it wasn’t fair, on anybody.410Please respect copyright.PENANAHiutUq3cU6
410Please respect copyright.PENANAcXa7sfW0xr
It was barely a week after410Please respect copyright.PENANANGab5o7IXg
receiving the news, when Mary felt a hard kick to her lower abdomen. At first,410Please respect copyright.PENANAQrj4g9LfeI
she didn’t take it to mean anything, just the baby putting up a fuss; but when410Please respect copyright.PENANAybRbSSUNaf
the kicks increased in severity, she became slightly worried.410Please respect copyright.PENANAkjBpc1W932
410Please respect copyright.PENANAilI4n2J1jQ
Just as she was getting up to410Please respect copyright.PENANAU1oBaXn16G
make something for the girls to eat, she felt something wet between her legs.410Please respect copyright.PENANA4zW7Jpxz2p
Shutting her eyes, not wanting to admit to herself what she already knew was410Please respect copyright.PENANAcpjEYCPDmO
happening, she looked to the ground under her feet. There it was; that small410Please respect copyright.PENANAiSHBvmODUG
puddle that could only mean one thing: she was in labor.410Please respect copyright.PENANA9aj9faKEC1
410Please respect copyright.PENANAi4P5xp0XHZ
It’s to early, she said in410Please respect copyright.PENANAUhEuarryVI
her mind. The same thing had happened with her baby boy a few years ago. She’d410Please respect copyright.PENANAqXy7kIFFLs
gone into early labor, and he only lasted a few minutes after birth. The first410Please respect copyright.PENANAyfdnIrc5Qy
thing since her father’s death, and it broke her. Losing her child, the child410Please respect copyright.PENANAkpjwDmRGtl
she had carried for six months, the child she felt moving inside her, was the410Please respect copyright.PENANAFOZujR2BWG
hardest thing. She couldn’t go through it again, especially after the410Please respect copyright.PENANAQr4IZ3tTHO
heartbreak of losing her beloved husband.410Please respect copyright.PENANAOMkmFJUuCr
410Please respect copyright.PENANATwDxjgrY7A
Braving through her fear for410Please respect copyright.PENANAfIhjY7C7tC
the moment, she looked to Ida, holding her stomach tightly. “Idie, I need to to410Please respect copyright.PENANAiEMi3QYeZN
ride Bobbie into town and tell auntie Leah that your baby brother or sister is410Please respect copyright.PENANAGMTqFtLm5H
coming.” She said in a steady, but still fearful voice.410Please respect copyright.PENANA3W3vJ8zeBh
410Please respect copyright.PENANAcH7x4qK2ua
The seven year old wasted no410Please respect copyright.PENANAKIYiCybVaP
time in jumping up from the floor, racing to pull on her coat, and running out410Please respect copyright.PENANA4a6X8WYOUg
the door. She was thankful to know that her father’s horse was already saddled410Please respect copyright.PENANAxGMF396TlN
up and ready to go. Climbing up, she gripped the reins in shaking hands and410Please respect copyright.PENANAiwGiBAW84Q
gave them a snap.410Please respect copyright.PENANAE7wBmwcTWy
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Only half an hour later, she410Please respect copyright.PENANAZzSScA9jLv
returned with Leah riding behind her. They slid off their horses, and Leah immediately410Please respect copyright.PENANA3uSSgz4Avx
made a beeline for the house. “Mary!” She called in a panic.410Please respect copyright.PENANAXScuF4W8P6
410Please respect copyright.PENANANijVzbbUGn
“Back here, Lee!” Mary called410Please respect copyright.PENANA7CyZtjmRG9
back to her best friend. When Leah stood beside her, she took a deep breath and410Please respect copyright.PENANA66eqnJQsJf
leaned back slightly. “I’m sorry. I know you have to take care of the boys-“410Please respect copyright.PENANAleZpXSU9yZ
410Please respect copyright.PENANAKPu4yLNNSL
“Mary, Ivan and Timothy are410Please respect copyright.PENANALRwDgCNrFi
fine. Mark is watching them. What matters is that you’re in labor. Now, listen,410Please respect copyright.PENANA5baccXG9Nf
since you’ve gone into early labor, you know what we have to do.” Leah stroked410Please respect copyright.PENANA9bZ1WFqICQ
her friend’s hair sympathetically and dabbed her already sweaty forehead.410Please respect copyright.PENANAots7gHtxt7
“Let’s get you in bed, and I’ll do what I can to bring your little one into the410Please respect copyright.PENANA0xV6XIMRCQ
world.” She guided her over to the bed and helped her lay down.410Please respect copyright.PENANA8fX7ztmB3b
410Please respect copyright.PENANAHuO0jc8IeH
Hours passed by, and the only410Please respect copyright.PENANACVzbUL7Dt0
thing that seemed to change was the pitch in Mary’s screams. They varied from410Please respect copyright.PENANA1r2IbeEUg9
loud, to quiet, to high pitched, and real low. The three girls, Ida, Ethel, and410Please respect copyright.PENANANnuJkLQCsJ
Sallie, all sat in the corner. They worried for their dear mother, as they410Please respect copyright.PENANAmPTRlFt7qd
didn’t understand what was going on, but they stayed silent and kept patient.410Please respect copyright.PENANAvBg6ZlO8ri
410Please respect copyright.PENANAPnRefQyCTJ
It was well into the night,410Please respect copyright.PENANAGgxE8m43Jg
and there was still nothing to be gained from the long hours of labor that Mary410Please respect copyright.PENANAYZUN2sKV1Z
had endured. She’d been in labor for twelve hours already, and while Leah410Please respect copyright.PENANAdtzqyb2CBR
wasn’t expecting her to have delivered by then, she was at least expecting her410Please respect copyright.PENANAIk0dr3Fi7B
to be dilating; Mary wasn’t even so much as dilating. There was no doubt in the410Please respect copyright.PENANA0Z4eY3DDDV
fellow mother’s mind, this was going to be a long birthing process.410Please respect copyright.PENANAEWEtzBb7x3
410Please respect copyright.PENANAY4BqTG9r7p
And so it was. Two days of410Please respect copyright.PENANAG2wo2wM6e5
labor, and still nothing to show for it. Mark eventually had to bring his and410Please respect copyright.PENANAR7JUfyEX30
Leah’s two sons out so that she could help them bathe, as he had no idea how to410Please respect copyright.PENANANTBpcXrkus
do it. Throughout the whole two days though, Mary still showed no signs of410Please respect copyright.PENANArE3nWhE4xO
actually giving birth.410Please respect copyright.PENANAoty8Bzl5Rs
410Please respect copyright.PENANAhUtARtnJl4
And then the third day came.410Please respect copyright.PENANA40p1emPANC
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It hit them all, like a410Please respect copyright.PENANA3tYfCY8x9b
tornado. It came with piercing screams, and obvious signs that Mary had finally410Please respect copyright.PENANAXCU7oqVYwd
started crowning. For when Leah looked under the blanket that was sprawled over410Please respect copyright.PENANAUdzbtU3ldh
Mary, she could clearly see a head full of black hair. And at that sight, she410Please respect copyright.PENANAfK2hOhvsYU
gave a joyous cry and told Mary that it was time. She shoved everyone else out410Please respect copyright.PENANAJoWFmWtIVC
in the meantime, asking Fabian to watch the children.410Please respect copyright.PENANAiNuWr5OyGi
410Please respect copyright.PENANAl4yP4lHXd9
That night was long and hard.410Please respect copyright.PENANAabqo77JAoL
And in the end, silence filled the small Daniels’ residence. It was so quiet,410Please respect copyright.PENANADD8mZkIN02
you could have heard a pin drop. But suddenly, tiny wails came from the room410Please respect copyright.PENANAimvhLP2Ssb
Mary was in. Newborn wails. Leah came in to the family room with a bright smile410Please respect copyright.PENANAMdUU0QHQrP
upon her face. “The baby is good and healthy, though a bit small.” Taking410Please respect copyright.PENANA5iXgIrpKzm
Sallie from her husband, she looked to Ida and Ethel. “Your mother is waiting410Please respect copyright.PENANAlUojObWxXB
for you. Go on, I’ll be there in a minute.” She told them softly. She watched410Please respect copyright.PENANAGrzL5yd1gQ
them leave before turning back to Mark, who looked worried.410Please respect copyright.PENANA8EBpUXp7CR
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“So?” He said nervously.410Please respect copyright.PENANAvtKFd1ahij
410Please respect copyright.PENANATuXTADYalD
Her smile, still, didn’t410Please respect copyright.PENANAXyzO92g1DB
fade. “Healthy baby girl.” Her gaze fell then, though, and she looked morose.410Please respect copyright.PENANArpdmpJzbGW
“Mary…didn’t want to hold her at first. She-she looks like…like him.” She410Please respect copyright.PENANAmJgsEbRTET
whispered.410Please respect copyright.PENANAU56uZX4qHR
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Mark sighed and shook his410Please respect copyright.PENANAtDzU1KKUUX
head. “Those poor girls. And poor Mary, having to deal with four daughters, all410Please respect copyright.PENANAi5qpQYnpl7
on her own. This shouldn’t be happening.” He hesitated briefly before stating,410Please respect copyright.PENANAq9XaRqiiRg
“What is she going to do?” A careful edge to his voice.410Please respect copyright.PENANAEmBQd8Zw5g
410Please respect copyright.PENANAebd6EzBotY
She chewed on her lip. “I410Please respect copyright.PENANAZOyN4fa6LT
think she’s going to go to work. How else is she going to care for the girls?410Please respect copyright.PENANAGGPhBjhp0T
Still, you’re right; this shouldn’t be happening.”410Please respect copyright.PENANAjhsR6soRFy
410Please respect copyright.PENANAM0lFCiSHpK
“What’s her name?”410Please respect copyright.PENANACK6MMti5tZ
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Leah smiled again, having410Please respect copyright.PENANAagL5FtWpG0
known the name Mary had picked. There was no doubt in her mind, it was a lovely410Please respect copyright.PENANAqSrpWRthX1
name. “Margaret. Margaret Hope Daniels. Justin loved the name, and Mary thought410Please respect copyright.PENANAnxhczgugpZ
that it was perfectly suited.410Please respect copyright.PENANAzrdYse7bkE
410Please respect copyright.PENANAsbG38Jd7lO
Mark knew, all to well, how410Please respect copyright.PENANADWUgF4uuW1
his friend had loved the name. They had discussed the topic a few months before410Please respect copyright.PENANATjcsi4zxzp
he left; he said that if he ever had another daughter, he wanted her name to be410Please respect copyright.PENANA9W7DJFux0P
Margaret Hope Daniels.410Please respect copyright.PENANAF83DsplmXa
410Please respect copyright.PENANA5556nVlqSC
He wrapped and arm around his410Please respect copyright.PENANAdPTqHS5TtW
wife as they started for Mary’s room, Sallie in Leah’s free arm. When they410Please respect copyright.PENANAZeL5bYqn8j
arrived at the entrance, Mark couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene. The410Please respect copyright.PENANA0I5HJTrue7
girls were on either side of Mary, on the bed, and were completely mesmerized410Please respect copyright.PENANAQ51cTVwRTG
by their new baby sister. Even from such a distance, Mark could definitely see410Please respect copyright.PENANAVId0vUxg9x
how baby Margaret resembled her late father. Her tiny face was a mold of his,410Please respect copyright.PENANA07vSidYR4a
and the small tufts of black hair were as dark and soft-looking as her410Please respect copyright.PENANAQYa3znxcJj
father’s. He could only imagine how much more she would grow to look like her410Please respect copyright.PENANAsveH0J1VHj
father; it was a painful thought.410Please respect copyright.PENANA0N99lb1GGU
410Please respect copyright.PENANAffR3ByNP85
Mary’s head snapped up to her410Please respect copyright.PENANAzu6E6G6IMa
friends, and she smiled wide. “Come and meet the new Daniels.” She beckoned to410Please respect copyright.PENANAviKFhZY6Ep
them gently, yet eagerly.410Please respect copyright.PENANAwLHRLaR2Bp
410Please respect copyright.PENANAFnXlixCv03
They came in and stood beside410Please respect copyright.PENANAWaj1dynOvD
her, admiring the beautiful baby that was nestled within her arms. They smiled410Please respect copyright.PENANAZd09qDylkQ
at each other, and then back at her. “She’s beautiful, Mary.” Mark said softly.410Please respect copyright.PENANAzy8a0m62cU
410Please respect copyright.PENANAxXPvyGYwIJ
The exhausted mother managed410Please respect copyright.PENANAm6eFnl8K1X
a laugh as she nodded. “She gets it from her father.” Looking back down at her410Please respect copyright.PENANAVes16YiEX7
newborn, she brought the girl up slightly and kissed her small, pink forehead.410Please respect copyright.PENANASy1GdCNSIS
“I love you, my sweet girl. Daddy would have loved you too. But remember, little410Please respect copyright.PENANAHQQNd1F70C
one, he’s always with you.” Looking around at all of them, tears embraced her410Please respect copyright.PENANAOdpw4I7U4g
eyes and caressed her cheeks. She tried licking them away, but to no use. “He’s410Please respect copyright.PENANA00C0JHKNOq
with all of us.” She whimpered.410Please respect copyright.PENANAYMWOV8ReL5
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The Avery’s embraced her and410Please respect copyright.PENANAS086WDgJmU
the girls, and the Avery boys were quick to join in, always loving hugs. They410Please respect copyright.PENANAJp4GlwYT7M
knew this was not a typical hug, but they could feel the love than ran through,410Please respect copyright.PENANAwlVuuwhhSx
just as much as the heartache. The one thing they could all feel though, was410Please respect copyright.PENANA33tpsoZFKg
how it uplifted them. They were stronger together. The past months had been410Please respect copyright.PENANAvn66nx8mrJ
hard, but they were sure now that they could get through this hard time. Mary410Please respect copyright.PENANAbTEcaHbEQ8
and her daughters would make it. They would all make it; together.