Disclaimer: Tale of Two Cities is not mine

Charles paced the length of the hallway in his home as his wife was delivering their first baby. He was fearful because it had been a very difficult pregnancy. Lucie's father was in with her, helping her to deliver her child. Charles could not be in with her because she was weakened by the pregnancy. Dr. Manette promised to come to him the moment the child was born.

His checked his watch. It was a good half quarter past 11 o'clock.
Is birthing supposed to take so long, he thought to himself. He didn't know. It felt so uneasy. Something was not right. Why was it taking so long? She was in labor for already nearly 36 hours. Suddenly the doorknob turned and Dr. Manette came out with a smile.

"Congratulations," Dr. Manette smiled at his son in law, "you have a newborn baby daughter"

"And Lucie," Charles asked weeping, "is she-"

"She's fine," he told her, "sleeping right now. Would you care to see your daughter?"

"Would I care to- of course"

"Follow me," Dr. Mannet replied, "Ms. Pros is bathing and dressing her"

Charles anxiously followed his father-in-law to the bedroom he shared with Lucie.

Ms. Pros finished dressing the baby the second that Charles and Dr. Manette came into the room.

"Ah… the new father… congratulations young man. Would you care to hold the new babe?"

"Please," Charles implored then held out his arms and Ms. Pros gently placed the infant in his arms. The moment this child was in his arms he gazed at her. She was the most beautiful child he had ever seen. Gently he caressed her bald head. She was the most beautiful child on this side of the world or the other side for that matter. She looked up at him and smiled. Most people would have said it was just gas but Charles knew better. His daughter was smiling and she was smiling at him.

"I never thought," he told her tenderly, "that another woman could take your mother's place in my heart. Not until I met you. My GOD you're only 4 minutes old and already you have me wrapped around your little finger."

"Have you chosen a name for her," the doctor asked.

"Lucie was sure we were having a girl," Charles said not taking his eyes off the infant, "and I knew she was right."

"And she was," doctor Manett replied, "but do you have a name picked out for her?"

Charles hated making any decision without consulting Lucie. But she was asleep right now and she had just had a very difficult birth. He tried to remember what she wanted. Suddenly it came to him.
"If we have a boy we should name him after you," Lucie had said, "and if it's a girl we should name her after me"

"Little Lucie Anne," Charles replied. Anne was Lucie's middle name.

"So," Alexandre (Dr. Manett) asked, "how does it feel to be a father?"

"I never thought another woman could take Lucie's place in my heart. I never thought I would love another woman as much as I love Lucie but she has"

Lucie woke up.

"How did I do?"

"We have a baby girl," he told her kissing her, "and she is the best of both of us"

"May I- may I hold her?"

He paused for a second and then gently handed the infant to his wife"

"You did great," he told her

"How can you love someone so much that you just met," she said crying

"I never thought that anyone could be as dear to me as you," Charles said, "but you know she definitely outshined you"

"Hey," Lucie laughed and then admitted, "I agree"

"It's because she's the best of you and the best of me"

"Charles do you think I'm going to be a good mother?"

"You," he told her kissing her, "are going to be the best mother that ever was made"

"But I don't know how to be a mother"

"And I don't know how to be a father yet," Charles said, "we'll figure it out together"

45 months later another child, a little boy would wing his way into and out of the world through Lucie and Charles. They would name him C.J for Charles Junior and they would love him till the very last breathe he took and beyond. Their first child however was never replaced in their heart.