Clusters of snow twisted across an ebony night sky, tossing in the breeze before finally falling to join their already accumulated brothers and sisters. The moon cast a light muted by heavy clouds across the snowy piles, causing a magical shimmer. Branches of trees, made bare by the changing of the seasons months before knocked against each other in an inaudible tussle. Any wild creature had long ago taken their winter nap. And the creatures normally bustling about the modest bed and breakfast set in the middle of this winter scene had been at rest for hours. The night was indeed silent.
Inside the room at the far corner of the home rested three slumbering figures. The light from the moon illuminated the features of the women in the bed, mostly silent except for a stray snore or two escaping the taller woman's throat. The smaller woman had an arm and leg draped across her bedmate as her eyes danced behind her eyelids. Her sleep was dreamless, quiet and welcome. A cry, shrill and sudden coming from the smallest occupant of the room interrupted her rest and she shot up out of bed. The woman next to her stirred also, groaning as she stretched her long limbs. The smaller woman leaned over placing a hand on her partner's arm and whispered, "Go back to sleep, love."
"But it's my turn." She responded rubbing her eyes.
"I don't mind." She was given an appreciative smile before the curly haired woman turned on her side and again closed her eyes. The cries continued as she made her way over to the beautiful mahogany crib, a gift from their warehouse family. When she peaked over the side of the crib an immediate smile arose on her face despite the ceaseless cries from the crib's occupant. "Hello darling." She whispered before bending to reach into the bed and lift her daughter onto her shoulder. The crying began to subside as soon as the baby hit her shoulder. Gently bouncing the baby in her arms she paused to glide on her slippers before exiting the room. As she made her way down the stairs she placed continuous kisses to the baby's forehead.
Noticing the Christmas tree lighting the living room she expected to find another one of her co-workers up and about. But save for the ticking grandfather clock in the corner, the downstairs was abandoned. Shaking her head she made a mental note to chastise whomever was negligent in their unplugging duties- Claudia no doubt. The baby in her arms let out a squeal, interrupting her thoughts. She smiled and placed another kiss on her head before making her way into the kitchen. "I'm getting there, love." She spoke aloud.
Balancing the baby in one arm she made quick work of preparing a bottle with the store bought formula-a modern invention for which she was both thankful and bit horrified for. She was proud of how good she was becoming at juggling both baby and bottle preparation when the occasion called for it. As she waited for the bottle to warm she turned her daughter in her arms and took in her tiny face with a wide smile. Harper Lee Wells. At just three months she already couldn't believe how big her daughter was getting. Her green eyes opened much wider than they had when she was newborn. And she reacted to the people and things she was seeing. She had more dark, thick hair than Helena had ever seen on a baby so small. Her smiles were becoming more frequent and though her Uncle Pete had a way with her she reserved her biggest smiles for her beaming parents. She was starting to grasp things that came close to her tiny hands – fingers, toys, and her personal favorite, hair. Helena imagined that the great battle between sadness and joy in her heart at her daughter's growth would only increase in severity as her daughter continued to grow up.
The beeping of the bottle warmer startled both mother and baby and Harper resumed her earlier piercing cries. Gently shushing her daughter before placing her on her shoulder she took the bottle out with one hand, shaking and testing the liquid. Satisfied with the temperature she made her way back into the inviting front room. She sat down on the large couch and shifted Harper into the crook of her arm. "Here you go, darling." She said before placing the bottle into her daughter's eager mouth. The baby quickly set to work with draining the bottle of its contents.
As she watched her daughter eat she watched right back, eyes wide and searching as she drank. She raised her free hand and stroked the baby's cheek with one finger, taking in her daughter in pure wonderment. It didn't feel that long ago to Helena that she was a broken woman- bitter, despondent, vengeful, self-destructive. So hopeless in fact that she had been set upon destroying the world. And before she knew what was happening she was saved by the one woman who was strong enough to fix her. Perhaps the only person capable enough to pick up her broken pieces one by one and put them back together. She had been given a second chance. And she had found love, acceptance, understanding, and a home. What great lengths she had come- from not believing she would ever love, in any sense of the word, again to falling utterly and harmoniously in love twice. Albeit two very different loves.
Having a child after Christina was something that had never even visited her mind. But once she figured out that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Myka she realized that there was nothing she wanted more than a child created out of the love they shared for each other. They had been hesitant to use the limitless resources of the warehouse to accomplish this desire at first. But Artie had assured them, insisted even, that the warehouse method they selected was safe. Their risk had paid off and they were blessed with a miracle of a daughter who was equal parts both women.
She grasped for the locket at her neck at the thought of her firstborn but felt nothing. She must have put it on her side table before bed. She made a note to look for it when she went back upstairs. Her daughter let out cries of protest as she removed the bottle from her mouth and patted her back in order to burp her. Every time the girl cried her heart felt an overwhelming guilt and helplessness. Myka insisted these were normal reactions and that she felt it too but Helena couldn't help but feel a bit worried at these deep emotions which ran through her.
As she gave the baby her bottle again she remembered the day her daughter was born. As she held the screaming newborn in her arms she had made a silent vow to do everything possible to make sure her daughter never felt any pain or discomfort. She knew she could not prevent every scrape or disappointment but she sure as hell would try.
Helena watched as her daughter's eyes flickered closed and she slid a finger into her tiny fist. She daringly and cautiously pulled the bottle out of Harper's mouth and the little girl remained sleeping. "Mommy loves you so very much." She spoke to her. She heard a sudden creak of a floorboard behind her, startling her head in the direction of the noise. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she saw her partner standing there smiling at her. "Darling." She whispered, placing a hand to the spot her locket usually laid. "You scared me."
"I'm sorry." Myka whispered back, making her way over to the couch and sitting down next to her.
"How long were you standing there?"
"Long enough to see that my daughter has the most adorable mother." She whispered, smiling and placing a hand on Harper's forehead.
"What are you doing awake? You must be exhausted." Myka turned her attention from her sleeping daughter to the eyes of her girlfriend and smiled.
"I was trying to go back to sleep when I realized something."
"What's that, darling?"
"Merry Christmas Helena." She smiled at her.
"Oh! I hadn't even…" Her eyes darted to the grandfather clock. It was indeed after midnight, and that means it was technically Christmas day. Her phrase was cut off by the curly haired woman's lips being pressed to her own for a brief moment before pulling back. "Merry Christmas Myka." She turned her attention back to her daughter. "And Merry Christmas Harper." She leaned down and kissed her forehead. Myka watched on fondly and then did the same.
"And I wanted to give you your gift now." She stood up from the couch and moved over to the tree.
She chuckled. "Isn't that cheating, darling?"
Myka looked at her over her shoulder. "No! It's Christmas! Technically." She turned around with a small neatly wrapped package in her hands. "Besides, I wanted to give you this when it was just the two of us." Then, catching sight of her daughter when she sat down she corrected herself. "Three of us." She set the package down on the couch then held out her arms and motioned for Helena to transfer their sleeping daughter into her arms. They made the transfer with the ease of far more experienced parents and Harper barely stirred. Myka ran her fingers over Harper's cheek and looked at Helena with green eyes identical to the smaller pair which had looked at Helena in the same expectant way earlier. "Well, open it!"
Helena chuckled at her girlfriend's eagerness and picked up the tiny package. Her heart stopped as she tore the wrapping and recognized the size and shape of the tiny box in her hands. She swallowed nervously as she prayed this wasn't what she thought it was. She had quite a similar box in her possession which she was saving for a particular occasion which she had spent months planning. She had hoped she would be the first one to be able to ask the all important question which constantly swam around on the tip of her tongue. Her hands shook as she took the lid off the tiny box to reveal an even smaller velvet covered box. She swallowed nervously and glanced up into the expectant eyes of her partner who gave her a warm smile. Her shaking hands had difficulty opening the lid to reveal the contents of the box- her locket. She looked up at Myka, she was sure with a look of confusion. "Wha-"
By the looks of it the nervousness she had been feeling in previous moments had transferred to the woman sitting across from her. "Open it." She whispered.
Still a bit confused, Helena opened the locket and gasped. There, next to the smiling face of her Christina was a picture of a smiling Harper, wearing an adorable white baby headband adorned by a bow. Helena was only mildly aware of the tears coursing down her cheeks.
"Helena." She heard Myka say as she continued to look at the locket. "Do you like it? Was that okay?" She could hear the other woman swallow. "I mean, I had thought-?"
"Darling, I-" She managed to sputter out among tears. "I love it. It's perfect."
She heard Myka's exhale of relief. "You love it?"
She looked up at her smiling and scooted closer to her on the couch before cupping her cheek. "I do. Myka- it's- how did you-"
"Well I waited until you fell asleep tonight and then I slipped it off of your neck."
"You sly rascal."
"You sleep like a rock, baby. Then I came down here and put in Harper's picture and wrapped it."
She looked down again at the picture. "It's quite a beautiful picture." She smiled.
"You have no idea how long it took Claud and I to capture that smile on camera." She looked down at her daughter. "She's stubborn like you."
Helena scoffed. "Excuse me, she is stubborn like you!" She pulled Myka's head towards her own and rested their foreheads together. "This gift is perfect, love."
Myka smiled and bit her lip. "I'm glad you like it."
"Love it." She corrected, capturing her lips. They shared a heated kiss until they heard a babble from their daughter as if reminding them she was still there. They both laughed and looked down at the still sleeping infant. They took turns placing a kiss on the baby's forehead before turning their attention back to each other.
"Let's go back to bed." Myka gave her a suggestive smile.
They both stood up and Myka placed the baby over her shoulder. "Do you think Claudia would mind if we put Harper in her room tonight?" Helena called to her back.
Myka paused on the bottom of the steps. "Why?"
Helena was beside her now and she raised her eyebrow and grinned. She placed a hand on her girlfriend's bottom and leaned in, her mouth brushing her ear as she whispered. "I have a gift of my own for you."
Myka let out a groan and snapped open her shut eyes, "No, nope, Claudia won't mind at all." And she held her daughter tight as she quickened her pace up the stairs, her girlfriend not too far behind.