Epilogue

The day finally came when my baby would come out into this world. It was a cold day in mid November. We already had my hospital bags packed. Derek sped all the way to the hospital in the larger town near Duncan. I swear, he was more nervous than I was. The labor was difficult. The baby was turned the wrong way and the doctor decided that I would have to have a C-section. I wasn't too excited about that. I didn't want to be cut open. What if they cut the baby? The doctor assured me that they wouldn't hurt the baby. It actually had a better chance of making it this way than if I did it the regular way. The next thing I knew I had a crying baby girl on my stomach. I cried in joy and I saw Derek holding back tears too. "Let's name her Hope," Derek suggested. "It's perfect," I agreed. Hope had her father's beautiful hazel eyes and my dark hair. She was so beautiful and perfect I could hardly bare to part with her when the nurses took her to the nursery so I could rest. Erin had her baby a couple of days later. It was a boy who they named, Gregory after Anthony's father. So he had loved and cared for his father after all. I wanted my daughter to know her half cousin. Erin was still my half sister after all. I vowed that I would make up with Anthony and Erin. I didn't like to hold grudges; it was bad karma. I prayed that now, finally I could be blessed with a happy, simple life.

THE END