Trinity Maria.
My daughter.
She's gorgeous, precious, perfect.
Her skin is the same color as mine, a peachy, almost matte color. Her thick shock of dark hair flops over her forehead, curling only slightly on the ends. Her cheeks flush a pale, dusty rose color, the exact same shade as her lips.
So I didn't get my little Fang after all. Yet…I'm not disappointed. I stare at the tiny person in my arms, struck dumb, something close to wonderment stirring in my chest. It feels strange to think that; after all these months waiting for her, she's finally here, resting peacefully in my arms. Against my will a chuckle rises in my chest. "Trinity, my little Trinity," I murmur to myself, tasting the name on my tongue.
Oddly enough, it seems to fit her.
My daughter—a little shiver runs down my spine at the words—yawns suddenly, blinking open her eyes. I have to catch my breath.
Her eyes…her eyes are mine, copied exactly onto her tiny, almost angelic face. The same liquid-melted-milk-chocolate eyes that greet me every morning in the mirror. And…it makes her look better. She coos and smiles at me, and I have no choice but to smile back and brush a tiny strand of hair from her face.
For the first time I notice the fluffy downy feathers poking over her shoulders. I tenderly grasp one wing, careful not to hurt her, and the wing expands.
The first thing I notice is the color, a pale, dusky gray, like a dove's. The feathers are downy and soft, sticking out at all angles, virtually useless for flying, at least for a few years. I find it somehow hard to believe that someday these feathers will be sleek and straight, laying flat over skin and bone.
Trinity coos again, reaching for a strand of my hair. Her grasp is surprisingly strong for a newborn. "Ouch," I murmur, untangling the blonde strands from her fist. She screeches with laughter.
I'm a mother now. It's hard to wrap my head around. Me, Maximum Ride, a mom…
Pain suddenly seizes my stomach. A cry rises from my throat against my will. Trinity, sensing my distress starts to wail.
Wave after wave of pain wracks my body.
What's happening?