three months later...

Sarah was bathing in the matel basin, relaxing luxouriously. She smiled and touched her rapidly showing belly, knowing that in just a few months she wouldn't be able to enjoy such luxeries for quite a while. She leaned back in the tub and closed her eyes, running the washcloth over her shoulders. Suddenly the door opened and James entered, putting some towels on one of the chairs. He gazed upon his wife with love and tenderness, then snuck up on her and reached down, kissing her upon the top of her head. Sarah looked up at him. "Sir,"she teased, "may I remind you I am a happily married woman AND a soon to be mother?"

James smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, edging them up and up her body. "This is how you get that way," he whispered teasingly, making her laugh. She lifted her head and kissed him directly on his lips. She sighed and rested her head on his chest. James picked up the washcloth and started to wash her back. Sarah smiled and lifted up her hair.

"Thank you," she said.

James kissed her cheek. "You're welcome. How are you feeling?"

"All right," she touched her full stomach and sighed again. "But I must tell you the truth, I really am getting a bit nervous."

"I am as well," James agreed. "I mean, every time I see you and the baby gets bigger and bigger, it dawns on me again that you and I are about to be parents."

"The same thoughts come to me every time the child kicks," Sarah confided to her husband. She felt a gasp and touched her stomach. "It did it right now,"she laughed.

"Does that hurt?" James asked with concern. Sarah squeesed his hand reassuringly.

"No, Love, it doesn't," she said. "It just feels a bit strange..but at the same time I wouldn't trade a feeling like this for the world. But I still have these questions at the back of my head, will I be a good mother? Can I give this child all it wants?"

"Can I be a good father, will I be ableto provide for itsneeds?" Jamessaid. "It really hits me hard cause I never had a father."

Sarah touched his hand. "My Mother told me she had these exact same questions when she carried me." She lifted up one of her legs, and reached for the washcloth. James knew she could NOT reach her leg in her condition, so he raced over to the end of the basin and began to wash her foot for her. Sarah smiled tenderly at him. "Thank you, Love."

"Sarah?"

"Yes, James?"

"What DID your Mother say when you told her those things?"

"She said te best we can do is to have faith in ourselves and in God, and do the best we can, which I think we've always done."

James smiled. "I KNOW we have, Sarah, I know it."

A few days later Sarah was sitting with her mother at the table in their kitchen sipping tea and having one of their mother-daughter talks. Sarah couldn't help but notice that her mother was staring at her almost the entire time. Finallyshe coudln't help but ask, "Is something wrong, Mother?"

"No, Dear, why do you ask?"

"It's just that you keep staring at me, Mother."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dear. It's just that...oh, look at you.." her eyes couldn't help but well up with tears. "You..five months along..I still can't believe it," she took her hand. "My baby's having a baby. My little girl's not my little girl anymore.."

Sarah fought back tears of her own. "Oh, Mother, please don't cry. You know I'm always your little girl, no matter what."

Her mother smiled and squeesed her hand gentily. "I know my dear, believe me, I know. You know, my Dear, I still remember when you were born, and the doctor put you in my arms. You were so beautiful and so sweet and happy. I remembered your very first smile..how your eyes just glimmered, and shone. I decided right then and there that if all babies were as lovely and as sweet as you, I definitely wanted to have another. But, unfortunately, I was never able to."

Sarah couldn't help but smile at these tender words of love from her mother. But at the same time she had to tell her the truth. She took a deep breath and covered her mother's hand with her other one. "Mother.." she confessed. "I'm scared. I..I just don't know if I'm ready for this. James feels the same way as well..so many questions are going through our heads..will we be good parents, how will we know what to do, can we support this child,.."

Elizabeth looked at her tenderly, "I felt the exact same way when I was carrying you, all those questions were in my head as well. Will I be able to be a good mother.."

"But you've been a wonderful Mother!" Sarah cried out. "I couldn't ask for a better one! You've always been the first person I thought of when I woke up in the morning in Doctor Franklin's print shop! I've always known your loveand I know I can come to you for everything!"

Elizabeth smiled and kised her dear daughter on her cheek. "Thank you my Dear. Now, I'm not going to lie to you. Even though it's going to hurt....a LOT.....a WHOLE lot..the one thing this child will definitely have is a lot of love. And THAT, my Dear, is the MOST IMPORTANT thing in the entire world. Just remember that, if you give this child al the love in your heart, you will give it everything."

Sarah smiled, a bit worried. "Mother..just how muchy will it hurt?"

Elizabeth squeesed her hand tighhter. "Dear, it WILL really hurt, a lot. But I know you can do it, I'll be right here."

:James will be as well. He was trying to wrap me up in cotton even when I was only three months along! I swear, he is so wonderful, but so overprotective! He begged me to stay in bed today, but I just HAD to speak with you.":

Elizabeth laughed. "Your father was the exact same way. He loves you so much my Dear, and I can already tell he loves your child.":

Sarah touched her protruding belly. "I know, he loved this child..and so do I. The fact that there's a brand new life growing inside of me..it;s more incredible than any feeling I have ever had in all of my life. Every time the baby kicks or moves, I fel this way all over again. I feel so important and like I'm carrying the most precious thing in the world."

"My Dear, you are. When the baby is born, this feeling will be doubled..I garentee, you'll never want to let go if it," she put her arm around Sarah. " I still don't want to," both young women hugged tenderly. "Believe me, my Dear, I'll always be here for you. I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Mother," Sarah said as she hugged her mother. She felt much better, and she waited for James to come home to tell him this wisdom her mother had given to her.