It took a few tries for Joyanna and I to get the hang of breastfeeding. Once we figured it out, however, she looked like she had been doing this all of her life. (Technically, she had.)

I was amazed. Here was the tiny person I had been waiting to meet. Had I ever waited this long for something so important? Here she was, counting on me to feed her, to protect her, to love her. And here I was, ready to give her that and more.

During my childhood and teen years and even during college, everything was about me. I'd always been given a lot of praise and attention for being a genius. I was always under pressure to top myself time and time again. But who put the pressure on me? I did. And I did it because I craved more praise, more attention. It was my only joy in life. I did things back then that showed how self-centered I was. Little things like using big words around my sister just because I wanted to feel more important than she was. Things I regret.

But raising Joy would not be a selfish act. For once, it would not be about me.

"Look at her go," James came back into the room, suddenly, and I came back to the present. He kissed Joy and I both. "How do you feel?"

"Better." We laughed.

"Not pregnant," I added. "Actually a mother now. How do you feel?"

James smiled as if he couldn't think of words to express his emotions. Again, this was a new smile for him. Something in his eyes was different. It was as though, after being in this world for only a few short hours, Joy had already transformed my husband into a new man.

"Her name truly is appropriate," he said, watching her. She had finished drinking and was now giving me this look of satisfaction. Her deep, brown eyes twinkled. They were my eyes, and when she smiled, I saw dimples just like her daddy's. Her chin had a little dimple on it, too. Also from James. Her nose was just the nose of a baby, a tiny button of a nose. Although it was hidden under her little hat, she had fine, black hair that was a little patchy. Her head was slightly cone-shaped from birth, but it would look normal in no time. I could close my eyes and picture her so clearly. I had memorized all of the features on her face hours ago.

James reached for her, and I let him take her while I pulled my gown back up. He settled down in the rocking chair, and the two of them stared at one another.

"Zach came along when I was ten, you know," James said. "I helped out with him a little. I looked after him sometimes. Fed him a bottle. Even changed his diaper. But a little brother and a daughter are completely different. I can't put it into words quite how I feel. A good feeling. I just...want to do everything for her, you know? With a little brother, it was more like a chore. This is different."

"Mm-hmm," I nodded, knowing exactly what he meant.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I said.

The door swung open, and there stood Grace.

"Hi!" I exclaimed. Beaming, she rushed to my bedside and leaned over to give me a gentle hug.

"Look at you," she grinned at me. "And look at this gorgeous child!"

"Would you like to hold her?" James asked. Grace nodded enthusiastically, and James eased her into Grace's arms.

"My goodness," Grace smiled at Joy, who was already so used to being passed around from one stranger to the next that it did not phase her. "What did you call her?"

"Joy," I said. "Joyanna Rioko Yamakawa."

"That's so original," Grace said. "With a name like that, she should be famous."

"We'll see."

She studied me. "How do you feel? I heard you were in labor for a long time."

"All of yesterday," I said. "Part of Monday, too, I think. Didn't even know that the contractions were the real thing at first. They tell me that I screamed a lot during delivery. I only remember doing it a few times, but Claudia said that it happened practically every other time I had to push."

"Wow," Grace raised her eyebrows. "And now, how do you feel?"

"Well, I got up awhile ago," I winced at the memory. "I tried to walk around, but it hurt too much."

"You'll be back to your old self in no time," Grace assured me. "You look a little like you did when I first met you. Back when you were like, what, twenty weeks along?"

I laughed. "I guess so, yeah. Look at you... you look great."

She had lost more weight since the last time I had seen her, which was about a month ago when she came by the school for a visit. Grace had been taking a few classes at the local community college and working a full-time job at a daycare center. The great part about her job was that she could easily bring the twins with her to work.

She made a face. "I doubt my body will ever be the same. Pregnancy left me with wider hips, a larger bust, and stretch marks."

I groaned. "Don't say the s-word. Stretch marks. Please, I was trying to forget about that." We laughed. "Anything new with you?"

"I sort of... met a guy," she said, shyly.

"Yeah? What's he like?"

She blushed. "His name is Cliffton, and he's really sweet. He started coming to my church, and we went for lunch a few times. And he came over to my house a few times. He really likes the twins. And he doesn't act like I have the plague or something just because I'm a teen mom."

"That's wonderful, Grace," I told her. "I hope it works out."

"Me too. Even if it doesn't turn into a relationship, though, I've made a great friend."

"You seem happy," I commented.

"Mostly," she nodded. Then she looked down at Joy, again. "Oooh, you're gorgeous!"

"Thank you," James and I spoke in unision and exchanged a smile.

Grace stayed and talked with us for awhile longer, and then left to pick up Mark and Luke from home and head off to work for the day. It was still early, and I was anticipating many visitors for the rest of the day.

Later on, Peaches was coming back and bringing Russ and my three little cousins. My parents had to work, but they would be back afterwards. Claudia, Will, and Zach all had school, but Claudia planned on coming back after school. And she was even planning to bring her friends MaryAnne, Kristy, and Abby.

With a long day ahead of us, we took a family nap. James made himself as comfortable as he could be, lying in a hospital chair that reclined back with a pillow and blanket. Joy had fallen asleep in the bassinet next to my bed after Grace left. And I, although exhausted, watched the two of them sleeping now.

We were a family now.

Joyanna stirred a bit, and a tiny cry escaped her lips. Her eyes fluttered open, and she scrunched up her face. She wailed slightly and looked at me. Then she let out another cry. I, being her mother, knew what to do. Leaning over, I picked her up and held her. That settled her down right away. Just having her mother hold her.

Janine the Genius. Ever since I breezed through my first IQ test at age seven, that's who I've been...

I once thought that I would be nothing more than that.

As I take in the miracle, the Godsend, that I hold, I realize that one of the most important roles I'll ever have from now until the day I die is simply being a mother to Joyanna.

And that is the story of how I took on a new role. One of many, many more to come.

The End.



A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you for staying with me while I wrote this story! Your awesome, overwhelming response to the story has been what kept it going. This is the longest story I have ever finished. And it is thanks to all of you!