September 7, 1916
Still no baby. There was a false alarm last night, though. I was positive it was time, and Jack rushed to get the doctor. But, it turned out to be a false alarm. Needless to say, I was frustrated and embarrassed. What also gets more frustrating with each passing day is to hear the comments every time I walk down the street: "Mrs. Thornton, that baby has to be coming soon!" "I'll bet that baby is going to weigh at least 9 pounds!" Or my very favorite, "You poor dear! You look absolutely miserable." I have to bite my tongue to refrain from emphatically shouting back, "Let me tell you how miserable I really am!"
Poor Jack has been getting the worst of my frustrations. Unfortunately, it's often those we love most who see us at our worst. I try to remain positive, but I've never dealt well with physical discomfort and pain. This morning, I'm ashamed to admit that I shouted at Jack when he scolded me (for the thousandth time) for doing too much. I know he's only worried about me, and I don't mean to be irritable, but it's almost as if I can't control my emotions these days. They spill out like a bursting dam with nothing to hold them back. I'm just ready for all of this—the aches and swelling and exhaustion and impending labor—to be over and to be holding a healthy baby boy or girl in my arms.
The doctor assures me that it can't be much longer and has encouraged me to rest as much as possible, although that's becoming increasingly difficult. In the meantime, Jack has taken to hovering and staring at me quite often as if I were a time bomb waiting to explode. Whenever I make a face, he asks if it's time, which earns him an irritated glare.
I don't think either of us can take much more of this. What's made it even more difficult is seeing school begin. I was expecting to have already had the baby at this point. Watching the children walking to the schoolhouse the last few mornings, I've wanted more than anything to be healthy and right there with them, and I've had nothing but physical misery to take my mind off of it. And guess who's listened to my complaints?
Despite my negativity, I've been amazed at Jack's patience and selflessness towards me through all of this. I realize more every day how blessed I am to be his wife and to have him as the father of my children. I can't wait to see him with this baby. Every day brings new opportunities and experiences—tomorrow I pray that includes a new Thornton making its way into the world.
"Elizabeth, are you coming to bed?" Jack called from the other room.
Elizabeth set down her pen with a smile, determined to be more positive in her response. "I'm coming." She tried to pull herself up from her chair but involuntarily groaned from the effort.
"What's wrong?" Jack quickly called out. Elizabeth looked up to see him, hair disheveled, eyes groggy, standing in the doorframe to the bedroom.
Elizabeth sighed; he was obviously exhausted, also thanks to her and her recent issues with being able to sleep. "I was just getting out of the chair. Nothing's wrong," she said, walking towards him. She looked down when she reached him and briefly hesitated before saying, "Jack, I was just writing in my journal and thinking about how horrible I've been to you recently. I'm sorry."
"Elizabeth," Jack sighed and grabbed her by the shoulders. "You have nothing to apologize for. I'm amazed at how well you're dealing with everything."
Elizabeth shook her head, "Still, I feel really bad about some of the things I've said to you recently. And I know I've been keeping you up at night…"
"Elizabeth," Jack cut her off, "Do you hear yourself right now? You've been keeping me up?" He shook his head. "You're quite something, Elizabeth Thornton."
Her lips turning up in a smile, Elizabeth grabbed his hand, "I'll take that as a compliment. And you look as exhausted as I feel. Let's get some sleep while we can, shall we?"
"I thought you'd never ask," he said, reaching over to turn off the light in the main room. As he did so, though, a resounding knock on the door caused both of them to jump. "Who on earth could that be?" Jack exclaimed.
"At this hour, it can't be anyone with good news," Elizabeth lamented as she followed her husband to the door.
He turned to her, "Stand back until I know who this is."
Frowning, Elizabeth nodded and held her breath as Jack peered out the window trying to get a glimpse of the visitor.
The door pounded again. "Who is it?" Jack called out.
"Someone important," a familiar voice called back.
Jack quickly reached for the door and swung it open to reveal a tall middle-aged woman with long brown hair, smiling from ear to ear. "Mom," he called out in utter surprise.
"Here I am," she replied with a laugh, stepping into the doorway and giving him a hug.
"Did I miss something? You act as though we should have been expecting you," her son teased.
She swatted him playfully, "You and that sass." She glanced past Jack towards her daughter-in-law. "Lizzie, you mean to tell me there's still no baby?" she exclaimed and reached out her arms to give Elizabeth a hug.
"Charlotte," Elizabeth plastered a smile on her face, returning the embrace. "Believe me, we're all as surprised as you are. I've never been so ready for anything in my life."
"Except maybe marrying Jack. I've never seen two people move at such a snail's pace," Charlotte laughed, glancing over at her son. She looked back down at Elizabeth's stomach. "I just can't believe this baby hasn't come yet," she repeated. "I was sure by now I would be meeting my grandson."
"Or granddaughter," Jack added, moving over to put his arm around his wife.
"Well, girls don't exactly run in our family," Charlotte matter-of-factly replied.
"Boys don't run in Elizabeth's family," Jack retorted.
Charlotte smiled, "Well, I guess we'll see. Maybe we can wager something on who's right. What do you think, Lizzie?"
"Ma," Jack sighed and turned to nervously glance at his wife. He could only imagine what she was thinking right now, but he knew from the fake smile indelibly etched on her face that it wasn't good. His fear was that as soon as his mother was out of earshot, he would be seeing that mask removed. And who could blame her? This was the last thing she needed with the way she'd been feeling recently.
"I think," Elizabeth started to reply, and then paused, seeming to rethink her words. "It's very late," she finally finished. "Why don't we catch up in the morning? Jack, you want to show your mother to our guest room?"
Jack nodded tensely, turning to his mother.
"Oh, there's no need for that," Charlotte said before Jack could say anything. "I've been here before, you know. You two go on to bed. It's obvious you're both exhausted."
Elizabeth immediately nodded, "Well goodnight then. We'll see you in the morning." She turned to her husband. "Jack?" she said, beckoning him towards their room. Her eyes were saying volumes.
"Goodnight, Ma," he said with a reassuring smile to his mother before following his wife's lead.
As soon as he stepped inside the bedroom, Elizabeth shut the door. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
"I'm so sorry, darling," Jack said sympathetically. "Leave it to my mother to show up unannounced at the worst possible time. I know this is the last thing you needed right now."
Elizabeth just shook her head, remaining silent for several more seconds. Finally, she took a deep breath and tensely pursed her lips together before saying, "It'll be fine. Maybe she'll help out after the baby comes." Jack could hear that she was trying to convince herself more than anyone.
He wanted to say, "By doing what? Cooking us lard-infested meals?" But instead, he settled for something much more positive: "I'm sure she'll do her best." Jack continued, taking Elizabeth by the arm, "Regardless, we know she's an early riser. We'd better get to bed."
With resignation, Elizabeth nodded, walked toward the bed, and climbed in, tossing her shawl to the side. As Jack laid down on the other side and reached for the light, he could see how hard his wife was trying to be calm despite her feelings.
In the ensuing darkness, he reached out for her, pulling her as close to him as he could in her condition. "Elizabeth, really, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, Jack. I just want to have this baby this very second."
"And my mother…" Jack prodded. "She can be difficult to handle."
"Jack, she is your mother. She has every right to want to meet her new grandchild." She was silent for a few seconds. "But how long do you think she'll stay?" Elizabeth asked nervously.
Jack chuckled, "Knowing Ma, once the baby comes, she might have a hard time leaving."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Elizabeth admitted. "I just wanted this experience to be special for us. I was hoping for some time to ourselves to adjust to becoming a family of three."
"I know. So was I," Jack agreed and reassuringly kissed her forehead. "But my mother does know how to take care of infants; she might be able to help us with that."
Elizabeth nodded. "Right now, all I can focus on is tomorrow and hope that there is an infant to take care of in the immediate future. Plus I'm so tired that I'm sure things will look better in the morning."
Jack squeezed her tightly. "Well, let's get some sleep then," he said simply, then pressed another kiss to her forehead and added, "I love you."
"I love you, too," Elizabeth yawned, pulling away and sprawling out beside him trying to get comfortable. Suddenly, Jack heard her groan.
"What's wrong? Are you having a contraction?" he asked, sitting up quickly.
"Really, Jack?" came the sarcastic reply.
Jack sighed as he lay back down on the narrow strip Elizabeth left for him in her sprawled position. He was equally ready for this pregnancy to come to an end; his nerves couldn't take much more of this. But he had to admit that he was impressed with his wife's self-control tonight, and he prayed she was right about things looking better tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow will be the day, Jack could literally be within hours of meeting this baby. For Elizabeth's sake, he hoped that was the case.
"Morning, Mrs. Thornton."
Elizabeth nodded to the voice, the father of one of her students, grateful it wasn't someone who wanted to stop and chat. There was only one person she wanted to talk to right now. Hurriedly, she ascended the steps to the café.
The bell rang as she stepped inside and looked around. A couple of unfamiliar faces were seated at a table, and Abigail stood behind the counter.
"Elizabeth," she said in surprise. "I wasn't expecting to see you in town at this hour."
"I came with Jack," Elizabeth explained, approaching her friend. "I needed to get out of the house."
"Charlotte?" Abigail asked.
"How did you know she was here?" Elizabeth exclaimed.
"Frank came in a few minutes ago. He said Tom at the saloon told him."
"I don't even want to know," Elizabeth sighed.
Abigail laughed, "I take it she surprised you last night."
"That's an understatement."
"Where is she this morning?"
Elizabeth pursed her lips, "Out riding. You know Charlotte."
Abigail raised her eyebrows, "Yes, I do." She paused, looking at Elizabeth with concern, "And how are you holding up?"
"Considering I feel like I'm about to burst, my mother-in-law is now staying in my house, and I can't get a decent night's sleep, I'm doing okay I think," Elizabeth spouted with a half smile.
Abigail squeezed her hand, "Well, come into the kitchen, and let me take care of you for a little while. We'll have a hot cup of my raspberry tea. Did you know some people say it can induce labor?"
"I'll have a gallon of it then," Elizabeth laughed as she followed her friend into the next room.
A couple of hours later, Abigail's calming demeanor had worked its magic, and Elizabeth had to admit she felt better as she walked across the street to the jail. Jack had made her promise she wouldn't walk home without him; really, he'd tried to dissuade her from walking into town in the first place, but she'd been adamant.
"Elizabeth!"
Elizabeth looked up to see who'd called out to her. "Rosemary," she smiled.
"You poor thing," Rosemary exclaimed as she came closer, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were carrying twins with how big you are! You must be absolutely miserable. And I hear Charlotte is in town?"
"She is. She arrived last night," Elizabeth said, suddenly feeling very ready to be home.
Rosemary continued, "That's got to be difficult, especially with you being so on edge with the baby coming anytime. I remember that feeling all too well, and I didn't have a challenging mother-in-law to deal with."
"Well," Elizabeth started, "Charlotte can be a handful, but I don't blame her for wanting to meet the baby." Elizabeth paused, not sure what else to say; she was trying to avoid more negativity, but everyone was making it terribly easy. Thankfully, she saw Jack's red serge out of the corner of her eye, emerging from his office. "Jack," she greeted, grateful for a shift in the subject.
He smiled, "How was your visit with Abigail?"
"Helpful," she replied.
"I'm glad." He looked over, "Good morning, Rosemary."
"Jack," she greeted, then hurried to scold, "I can't believe you let your wife come into town in her condition. She looks terrible."
"Elizabeth never looks terrible, Rosie. But you honestly think I could stop this woman from doing what she wants?' Jack quipped. He looked over at Elizabeth, who narrowed her eyes teasingly at him.
She turned to Rosemary, "Where's Freddy this morning?"
"Hickam is watching him at the mill. I just had to run over to the mercantile for a couple of things and thought it would be faster if I left him there."
"Lee doesn't mind you using his workers as babysitters?" Jack asked.
"He complained, but I told him I wouldn't be over twenty minutes. Last time I checked though that was an hour ago, so I'd really better run," she chuckled. But grabbing Elizabeth's hand, she quickly turned serious, "Please let me know the second anything happens. Lee and I will be praying for you."
"Thank you, Rosemary," Elizabeth said sincerely. "I promise you'll be one of the very first to know."
Rosemary smiled, "We'll see you soon."
Jack took Elizabeth's hand as they watched their friend walk away. "Well, are you ready for your Mountie escort home?" he asked.
Elizabeth nodded, "Lead the way, kind sir."
Squeezing her hand, Jack took a step forward; however, Elizabeth suddenly yanked him forcefully back. He looked at her to see wide eyes and worry written on her face. "Elizabeth, what's wrong?"
She clutched her stomach and looked down, "Take me into the jail for a minute."
"What's going on? Is it time?" Jack demanded.
"Just help me up."
"Elizabeth…"
"Just help me up!" the pregnant woman said more forcefully.
Quickly, Jack led her up the steps and opened the door to the jail, helping her inside.
"What is it?" he insisted. "It's time, isn't it?"
Elizabeth hesitantly nodded, "I think my water just broke."
Jack took a deep breath and looked down to see puddles dotting the path she'd just walked, confirming her statement. "Okay, stay calm," he said. "We can't get you home like this. We'll just have to go over to Abigail's."
Elizabeth shook her head, "No, I want to go home."
"Elizabeth," Jack sighed in exasperation, "There's no way we can get you home in your condition."
"Yes, you can," she argued. "Go tell the doctor to come to our place in a little while. After all, it's not like I'm going to have the baby this second. Then borrow a wagon from the livery, and you can drive while I ride in the back."
Jack ran his fingers through his hair, trying to think of a retort. But as much as he hated to move her, he had to admit she was right. "Fine," he finally conceded, "but you need to lie down until I get back. Understood?" He took her arm, pulling her towards the cot in the cell.
"I'm certainly not going to be reorganizing your desk while you're gone if that's what your worried about," Elizabeth quipped sarcastically, as she grimaced and clutched her stomach again. "Just hurry. I want to be home before these pains start getting worse."
Jack nodded, giving her a quick kiss, before running out the door. He sprinted across the street to Abigail's and darted inside. "Abigail," he yelled when he didn't see her. The woman scurried out of the kitchen, her eyes wide at the urgency in his voice.
"Jack, what's wrong? Is it Elizabeth?" she asked anxiously.
He nodded, "She's over at the jail. I'm going to get the doctor and a wagon to drive her back home. I know she'll want you with her."
"I'll go right over," she assured him as he quickly headed back out. He scowled: He'd known Elizabeth shouldn't be walking into town this morning, but her stubbornness had won out. Now, he just needed to get her home as quickly as possible. Worry engulfed him as he envisioned the road his wife was about to have to travel to bring their baby into the world. He hoped it wasn't all as bumpy as it was starting out to be.
The hours ticked by slowly. Jack lowered his head into his hands as he heard yet another loud cry emerge from the bedroom. He felt as though he were being subjected to some cruel form of punishment. How many times had he heard those cries at this point? How many more would he have to hear before this was over? It felt like he'd been waiting out here forever—one hour had turned into another and then another and another. He'd lost all sense of time; all he knew was that the sun had set long ago and there was still no baby…If it felt this way to him, the most tortuous question, though, was how did it feel for her?
That thought caused him to once again stand and begin to pace the floor, glancing towards the door of the bedroom—the barrier keeping him from the person he loved most. He was grateful Elizabeth had the doctor and Abigail in there with her; he knew she was in good hands. He could even hear their friend humming calming melodies and speaking soothing words of comfort and encouragement to his wife. But at the same time, he wanted, no he needed, to be doing something to help, too. He couldn't take much more of this.
Jack felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over at his mother, who gave him a supportive smile. "How much longer do you think it will be?" Jack asked her.
"It's hard to say," she sighed. "With a first baby, it can really vary; sometimes it take days."
"Days?" Jack abruptly repeated in dismay.
Charlotte nodded her head, "I know that's not what you want to hear, but when I had you, I was in labor for almost thirty hours. By the end, I swore to your father that you would be an only child."
"Well, I can see why. I'm not sure I can take much more of this." Jack glanced once more towards the door. "Maybe I would feel better if I could just see her."
"Jack," Charlotte said, looking intently at her son, "Lizzie is strong. She's going to be okay, and once she's holding that baby, you'll both forget all about this part."
Jack nodded grimly; he knew she was right, but at the moment, that really wasn't a huge comfort.
Charlotte stepped over to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee, handing it to her son. "You want me to make you something to eat?"
Jack shook his head, glancing over involuntarily as he heard Elizabeth once again groan. Just then, the door opened and Abigail stepped out, allowing Jack the glance he'd been craving of the woman he loved. From his vantage point, he could see the sheen of sweat on her forehead, her eyes cast downward in exhaustion and pain. In that moment, however, she briefly looked up. And in the split second her eyes found his, Elizabeth managed a feeble, but courageous smile as the door once again closed, abruptly ending the moment.
Jack sighed. His mother was right: Elizabeth was strong—she proved it time and time again. And to think she so often saw herself as weak compared to him…
"How's she doing, Abigail?" Jack asked anxiously.
"Things are progressing well," Abigail replied, trying to sound enthusiastic, but Jack could see she was understandably tired. He glanced at the clock—it was 3am. "The doctor thinks she'll be ready to start pushing within the hour," Abigail explained. She walked over next to Charlotte in the kitchen and put a kettle on to boil.
"That's wonderful news," Charlotte said, looking intently at Jack with a smile of encouragement.
He tried to match her expression, just wishing it was all over with now. He glanced at Abigail and noticed she was also staring at him.
"How are you holding up out here?" she asked, seeming to discern his true feelings.
"That glimpse of her just now made me a feel a little better," he admitted. "I just want her to be out of pain."
"It's never easy seeing those we love suffer," Abigail agreed with a sigh. "But I think it deepens our love in ways few things can." She walked towards Jack, squeezing his arm, before turning to Charlotte, "I'd better get back in there. Will you bring this kettle in when it's hot?" she asked.
"Of course," Jack's mother replied, as both she and Jack watched their friend walk back into the bedroom. This time, Jack saw Elizabeth's head tilted back, her eyes closed. He took a deep breath. The waiting would continue…
Another hour had passed. "You know we could play a game of poker to pass the time," Charlotte finally suggested.
"Ma!" Jack sighed in exasperation from his current bent position on the couch, his eyes closed, his head resting in his palms.
Charlotte chuckled, "It was just an idea. However, we do still need to place a wager on whether it's a boy or a girl."
"A wager?" Jack asked skeptically, looking up. "What kind of wager?"
"How about the winner changes diapers for the first week?" Charlotte smiled.
"Why would I possibly agree to that?" Jack responded.
"Are you saying you're not confident it's a girl? Or are you just being a coward?" his mother countered playfully.
Jack shook his head. "Fine," he smirked, "it's a bet."
Charlotte laughed, "Prepare to lose."
Rolling his eyes, Jack couldn't help but smile at this woman who had raised him. However, his smile quickly disappeared: "Push, Elizabeth," he heard the doctor and Abigail unanimously direct, followed by the worst scream from his wife he'd heard yet.
He scowled, looking back at his mother, who reached up and gripped his hand, seeming to know there was nothing she could say. As frustrated as he'd been with her unannounced entrance, he had to admit, he was grateful to have his mother here right now—to share this moment with her.
With each passing minute, over and over again he heard the coaching directions repeated to Elizabeth. Over and over again, he heard her cries. He'd thought the last 18 hours had been tortuous, but this…How long did it take?
Jack ran his hands through his hair, offering a silent prayer. Please let this be over soon. Please let Elizabeth and the baby be okay. As he closed, Jack shut his eyes, willing the anguish he heard from his wife to cease. But, it kept going. Just when he thought he couldn't take anymore, though, suddenly everything was deadly silent. His heart started to beat faster. What was going on? Was something wrong? He unconsciously rose to his feet in anticipation and dread.
But then a new sound came: the unmistakable loud, high-pitched wail of an infant. And just with that sound, something stirred within Jack: feelings of love for that little voice he knew was his child. Tears came to his eyes, as he looked over at his mother whose expression of happiness and relief he was sure mirrored his own.
Quickly, Jack moved closer to the door and strained his ears to hear what was going on—was it a boy or a girl? Was everything alright? But he couldn't hear anything over the angry howls drowning out any other noise. He chuckled; there was fire in that little personality, that was for sure.
Finally, the door flew open to Abigail, wearing a wide grin. "It's here!" she announced excitedly.
"And?" Jack prodded.
Abigail smiled, seeming to enjoy how she was building the suspense. "And," she dramatically paused. "You have a beautiful daughter, Jack."
"A daughter," he echoed almost reverently, unable to contain his smile: So, Elizabeth's intuition had been right. He embraced Abigail, who was laughing with joy, then turned to his mother, reaching out his arms for her as well.
"Congratulations, son," she said excitedly, then teased, "I guess I should have held off on our wager."
"It's too late now," Jack chuckled, turning back to Abigail, "How's Elizabeth? Can I see her now?"
"She's fine. Just wait a few more minutes, and you can see both her and your daughter."
"My daughter," Jack repeated, still trying to get used to the idea. And at this point, he'd never been more ready to meet anyone in his life.
After what seemed an eternity, Jack was finally ushered into the bedroom for a moment alone with his new little family. As he looked at the sight before him, he wished he could capture it forever: There lay his wife, looking up at him in exhaustion but sheer joy—her smile radiated, lighting up her entire face. For curled in her arms was a small, squirming bundle.
Jack stood at the door for several seconds, smiling at his wife, relishing this moment he'd dreamed of for so long.
Elizabeth returned his smile, seeming to mirror his feelings in her own expression. "Come meet your daughter, Jack," she said eagerly.
Anticipation building, Jack crossed the room and peered over Elizabeth's shoulder to behold the prettiest baby he'd ever seen. Wisps of blonde hair lined her miniature head, her cheeks were full and round, and Jack could see a hint of his dimples in her chin and at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes were dark with some of the longest eyelashes Jack had ever seen on an infant. Right now, she was wide-eyed and alert, as if she were trying to take in her brand new surroundings.
"Maybe I'm biased, but I think she's the most beautiful baby there ever was," Jack said finally, sitting on the edge of the bed, unable to take his eyes off of the perfect little face.
Elizabeth chuckled as she stroked the tiny forehead. "I'm a little biased myself, but I would have to agree. And look, Jack, she has your chin, and it looks like your dimples."
"And your nose and your mouth," Jack added. He looked up tenderly at his wife, leaned forward, and kissed her softly, unable to contain the overwhelming sense of love he felt for her in this moment. "I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth. You did all the work for this. Thank you."
Elizabeth smiled, her eyes filling with tears, looking back down at the now squirming infant. "She was worth it." She paused, "Isn't it amazing, Jack? The overpowering love we already feel for her."
"Yes, it's amazing," Jack agreed, placing his arm around his wife, his own eyes growing misty.
"It seems surreal: She's ours." Elizabeth pulled back the blanket, exposing the baby's tiny hands clenched into fists. "Look at her little hands and fingers, Jack. They're perfect," Elizabeth said adoringly. Every part of her face reflected the love she obviously felt for her child.
Jack couldn't contain his smile watching them together, finally seeing his wife as the wonderful mother he'd always envisioned her being.
Elizabeth sighed in contentment, then suddenly shifted the bundle towards him, "I think it's time her father held her."
Nervously, Jack removed his arm from his wife and gingerly took the squirming infant, carefully putting his hand under her tiny head. "She's so little," he exclaimed. "It's like she's almost weightless."
"I beg to differ," Elizabeth contended. "According to the doctor, she weighs almost ten pounds."
Grinning, Jack looked down at his daughter. As he gazed at this new life that he and Elizabeth had helped to create, he couldn't resist placing a gentle kiss on her chubby cheek. "Do you still like what we decided on for a name—Emma?" he asked his wife.
Elizabeth nodded, "I think Emma Charlotte Thornton fits her perfectly. After all, did you hear how she made her grand entrance, announcing her presence immediately with a vengeance? I think someone definitely takes after her grandmother."
Jack chuckled, "Well, she seems a little milder and more contented now." He looked intently at his wife, "How are you feeling now?"
"Tired," Elizabeth admitted, her eyes revealing the truth of her statement. "And relieved," she added with a sigh.
"Well, I would say you have every right to be. It was torture out there listening to you in so much pain. There were a couple of times your screams were loud enough that I almost came in here like I said I would. Next time, I think I will."
"Oh Jack," Elizabeth groaned, "don't talk about next time right now. Let's just enjoy Emma for the time being."
"Of course," Jack said sheepishly, reminded of what his mother had said earlier. He returned his gaze to his daughter, now staring up at him intently. "I can't get over how alert she is. It's like she's trying to be sure she doesn't miss anything."
"She's curious about things. I wonder where she gets that from?" Elizabeth teased.
Jack laughed, "Well, I think that's an excellent quality, but I just hope this alertness doesn't indicate how much sleep we'll be getting in the next few months."
"That makes two of us," Elizabeth said weakly.
Jack looked over and noticed that his wife's eyelids were getting heavy, succumbing to the exhaustion of her labors. He placed a kiss on her forehead, "Why don't you lie down and get some sorely earned rest?"
Elizabeth nodded. "Why don't you go show the baby to your mother?" she said softly, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.
"I will in a little while," Jack assured her. And he would. But for a few more minutes, he was going to relish the moment.
He looked down to see the perfect little eyelids begin to fall, as his daughter, too, submitted to slumber. "Welcome to the world, Emma," he cooed softly, unable to resist placing another kiss on her forehead. One thing Jack knew for sure, gazing down at this little girl—he and Elizabeth would never be the same.