Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 102136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Ruth moved to the bottom of the bed. “Let us meet your baby,” she pronounced, and I clutched Flame’s hand to my chest.
“Our baby, Flame,” I said. “Our baby…” Flame followed the path of my body to Ruth. His breathing was too fast, and his nervous gaze flitted around the room, thankfully it always landed back on me.
“Ready?” Sister Ruth asked. Taking a deep breath I pushed. Over the next hour I pushed until I felt drained of energy. Flame had gone silent beside me.
“I cannot,” I whispered, my voice broken.
“This is the final push, Maddie. I see the baby clearly,” Ruth said. Mae held my other hand.
“One more push, Maddie and your baby will be here. This is it. Just one more push.” Looking into Flame’s eyes, I took a deep breath and pushed. I gasped as I felt my baby being born. Flame’s lips were parted but he was numb. In truth he had been numb for a while. His mind was protecting him from the pain he felt on seeing me in discomfort.
I focused on Ruth and my baby in her arms. “A girl,” Ruth announced, checking her tiny body, cutting the cord and wiping her skin. “You have a baby girl.” A rush of happiness, so magnificent, washed through me and left me breathless. I cried out in elation, happiness pouring forth from my mouth, into the sacred air around us. And then our baby cried. Her voice pierced the air, the sound anchoring her to my heart. I could not take my eyes off her, as Ruth brought her to my chest.
Mae released my hand as I held our baby to my bare chest. Her warm skin felt perfect against mine, like it was always meant to be. The tears pouring from my eyes blanketed my vision. With my hand still clasped in Flame’s, I wiped at my eyes and truly looked at our daughter. The world paused, time itself stilled, as I glanced down at the living example of our love. My arms shook slightly with the sheer magnitude of the moment.
I was a mother.
I am a mother.
“I love you,” I declared and kissed the top of her head. I choked on a laugh at her short cropping of hair. It was jet black… just like her mama’s and papa’s. “Flame,” I cried and looked at my husband. His gaze was fixed on our daughter. “We have a baby girl.” I cried. “We have a precious baby girl.” Flame did not speak. He simply stared at our daughter. Stared, speechless at the living miracle in my arms.
“You are perfect,” I said to our daughter and ran my finger over her tiny brow.” Her eyes opened and dark blue eyes stared back at me. The sight captured my breath and welded itself on to my soul. “Hello…” I repeated. I squeezed Flame’s hand which helped me to support her back. “Beatrix,” I said, and I smiled at our little girl. “Beatrix Mary Cade.”
Flame hissed through his teeth, the first sound he had made in quite some time. When I met his eyes, he was looking at me. “Mary…” I explained, “In honor of your mama, Flame. Mary, the woman who gave you to me.” I choked back a sob. “The woman with Isaiah in her arms, who is right now looking down on you from Heaven. And she is smiling.”
“Beatrix Mary Cade,” Mae repeated from beside me. I looked to my sisters. All three were standing by the bed. Mae kissed me on my forehead. “She is beautiful. Little Beatrix.”
“It means ‘blessed’. ‘She who brings happiness’.” Flame’s hand lay iron clasped in mine. Beatrix was our biggest blessing. She was our chance at happiness. “Flame…” I said, smiling, so overcome with unspeakable joy. I shifted on the bed, “Baby, would you like to hold her?” I said, moving to let Flame meet his daughter. Flame moved back from the bed as though she were a naked flame and he a statue of stone. “Flame?” Flame released my hand and got to his feet. He backed away from the bed, eyes wide. But his dark stare never moved from Beatrix. I held her closer. My heart sank at seeing my husband so scared. His fingers ran down his arms, yet he never looked away from Beatrix, as if he glanced away, she would disappear.
“It is okay,” I hushed, hating how scared he appeared, how petrified he was of our baby. Our precious, delicate baby. “It is okay, baby. We are both okay.” Flame dropped to the chair beside us, still watching over us. But he made no move to hold her. He did not speak. Yet I could see the love for her in his eyes. Beatrix started crying, and the blood drained from his face. Realization dawned in my tired mind. Isaiah had cried… Flame had held him because he had cried, then his tears had dried and his crying ceased. “She is well,” I assured Flame, heart melting when I stroked his cheek with my finger.