Cross Roads

&

Building Blocks

Chapter 21

Daddy was so proud sitting in the chair holding his 6 pound 7 ounce and 20 inch Granddaughter Sophia telling her how happy he was she arrived after we were moved into the maternity ward. It was a once in a lifetime moments. I had happy tears watching them also a few bittersweet ones knowing Ranger wouldn't be saying those words to Sophia. Spud, Charlie, Pete, and Hunter were passing out pink bubble gum cigars as they left the hospital after the long evening. Elsie and Bessie left with them piling into Hunter's Jeep Cherokee. They were going to check on Garner since she was alone before going next-door. Grandma was still here with my parents fussing over my new daughter.

"Sophia looks like me," Grandma decided.

I heard Daddy mutter, "Please! She'll never be crazy like you!"

"Stephanie gets it from me and now it's passed to Sophie."

"Don't listen to Grandma Mazur," Daddy kissed her pink stocking cap as he laid her in my arms. "She's beyond crazy," nodding in his mother-in-law's direction, "take after Mommy, she's perfect."

They were leaving as the nurse was at my door shooing them out to take Sophia to the nursery so I could get some sleep. I was just a lot tired.

Mom kissed me and Sophia, "See you in the morning, Dear."

--- Welcome Sophia ---

Sophia and I were discharged after spending the entire day and another night in the hospital. She was breast feeding and I was glad she was able to suck to get my milk. Mom and Daddy came to bring us home. I chose a closed bottom nightgown with pink rosebuds as her going home outfit with pink booties and her pink cap. Once I got our discharge instructions and Dr. Harper, the pediatrician I chose whose office was next to the Dr Eva and Jacob's, checked Sophia and pronounced her ready to go home, I zipped her in her snuggle sack from Hunter and carefully strapped my little girl in the infant car seat top Daddy carried inside for me. We were wheeled out of the hospital to my waiting Impreza with a light dusting of snow covering the ground. The nurse double checked that the base and car seat were properly installed and locked into place before we were allowed to leave the hospital parking lot.

Daddy was so nervous driving us home, "Are you and Sophia all right?" He asked every so many feet and missed two turns.

Pulling up, I could see Grandma at the backdoor snapping pictures with the digital camera; Garner was wagging her tail right beside her happy for me to be home. She kept on sniffing the carrier as we came through the house to get Sophia's scent. I thought it so protective of her. Grandma wanted her chance to hold her great grandbaby before I let her sleep in the bassinet that had been waiting for her. As if on watch like I would expect a Rangeman, Garner laid down next to it.

I looked around the living room, there was Mom, Dad, Grandma, and me all watching my little girl sleeping surrounded in her pink world. After I fed her, Mom made me take a nap since I was now on her schedule. Daddy was in the oversized chair watching the news holding his sleeping granddaughter.

Coming downstairs a while later, I had to smile at the heartwarming scene in my living room. Sophia's other admirers were here. Now the three senior guys were watching her sleep along with Grandma, Mom, Elsie, Bessie, and Daddy. Garner was still at her guard post on the floor. Hunter showed up later with flowers and nervously held her.

My parents remained for a week and reluctantly went back to Trenton with tears in their eyes. Daddy said it was too lonely when he got back not holding Sophia while he watched hockey, they were back almost every other week for a few days so he could talk 'puck' with her as he called it. Daddy even bought a small pink hockey stick to teach her! Grandma continued to stay through out my maternity leave. When I returned to work, Kay was retiring and I would be named manager of the department.

Everyday I saw a change in Sophia. She had grown, put on weight, and became more aware of her world. She had blue eyes like mine but they had Ranger's shape. The one little patch of dark wavy hair was now beginning to cover her head. If she cried, Garner was up pacing until I quieted her down and slept under her crib at night. Any time the doorbell rang, my heart always skipped a beat hoping even though I knew better deep down inside when I opened the door I wouldn't be looking into those beautiful brown eyes I longed to see.

Sophia and I went shopping one day when I was going a little stir crazy in the house. Why I bought this I'll never know, but I did. Maybe it was a little of the let-down after being pregnant and those crazy hormones. I bought a double pewter frame for my desk which read 'Mommy's Girl' across the top and engraved with bows so I could put a picture of a newborn Sophia in it on one side and in the other one of her big blue eyes looking up as she laid in her pink bassinet. I bought the companion one with 'Daddy's Girl'. Before slipping the frame in the drawer under my bed for maybe a someday, I put a picture of my ultrasound on one side and her newborn one on the other. I wiped away my tears as I closed it in its keeping spot, one day possibly my cross road would intersect with Ranger's path and he would want those pictures. In my dreams, he would want us. I never realized how close that defining day would be here when we would crisscross again and the split-second turn I made on my cross road took would change it. Forever.

--- WELCOME SOPHIA ---

I need to know if everyone is ready for Ranger to come home?