"Ready to go home?" Dr. Weeks asked Anne.
"I don't know," she replied. "I've quite enjoyed just lying here and having all my needs met."
Dr. Weeks laughed. "Well, all good things must come to an end. You're perfectly healthy, so I'm releasing you today."
"You can rest as much as you need to at home," Louis offered. "I'll do everything except feed and change the baby - all right, I guess I could change a diaper every now and then, too."
"You're so sweet!" Anne kissed his cheek. She went into the bathroom to change while Louis strapped his sleeping daughter into her new car seat. He'd forgotten how lightweight a newborn really was. It was like lifting a pillow.
Anne emerged in black shorts and a black-and-white striped shirt.
"You look just as sexy as ever," Louis told her.
"I know I don't, but thanks." Anne gave a weak smile.
Louis picked the car seat up, and they walked back out to the car, where he placed the car seat into its base in the back seat, then joined his wife in the front seat.
"I can still hardly believe she's really ours," Anne remarked as they rode along. Louis smiled and squeezed her hand. "I keep thinking I'll wake up and it will all be a dream."
"It's no dream," Louis assured her.
Beth slept all the way home, and when they were inside the house, Louis took her into the nursery and placed her into her crib without waking her up. Then he went into the living room, where Anne sat on the sofa.
"Would you like for me to bring you anything?" he asked.
"Oh no, I'm fine," Anne replied. "I just want to rest some more."
"You're certainly entitled," Louis told her. For the rest of that day, she mostly just rested in bed or on the sofa, except for when she was taking the sitz baths Dr. Weeks had told her to take because of her stitches. Around nine thirty, Beth stirred, then awakened and began to cry. Anne nursed her for about thirty minutes, then returned her to the crib, only to see that her eyes were still open and she was squirming.
Anne lifted her from the crib and began to rock while singing to her, but as soon as she stopped, Beth began to fuss.
Anne alternated nursing, rocking, and changing diapers until about four in the morning, when Beth finally settled down.
Anne slept for several hours, and then it was time to make breakfast for Louis. She yawned as she turned the percolator on.
"What a night!" she sighed.
Louis laughed. "Reese was the same way when we first brought her home," he said. "She just has her days and nights mixed up. It won't last."
A couple of weeks later, Louis stayed home with Beth while Anne returned to Dr. Weeks for her follow-up visit.
"How's nursing going?" he asked.
"My nipples are so sore!" she replied.
"They'll toughen up soon," Dr. Weeks assured her. "Still doing your sitz baths several times a day?"
"Yes."
"Are they helping with the pain?"
"Some."
Dr. Weeks smiled. "I'm sure you'll be good as new in six weeks' time."
Over the next month, Beth's body filled out. Her skin no longer looked red and wrinkled, and her legs grew chubby. She slept all the way through the night when she was exactly six weeks old.
The next day, Anne took her to the pediatrician, Dr. Jenkins. He was the same pediatrician Henry used for Edward.
First the doctor checked Beth's vision and hearing.
"Everything seems to be fine." He placed her on the scale. "Ten pounds even. Perfect." He undressed her and checked her over. "Everything is perfectly normal so far. Do you have any questions for me?"
"How long can she stay outside in the sunshine?" asked Anne.
"She shouldn't be exposed to direct sunlight at all until she's at least six months old," said Dr. Weeks. "But you can put her in front of a window so she'll get indirect sunlight."
"I'll do that," said Anne.
The following week, Reese came to visit for the summer. Anne stayed home with Beth while Louis went to the airport to pick her up. Beth was wide awake and playing in her infant's 'gym' when her older sister ran into the house.
"Where is she? Where's my baby sister?" she called, and then her eyes fell on Beth. "There she is!"
Anne, who was sitting on the sofa, looked up and smiled. "Would you like to hold her?"
"Oh, yes!"
Anne lifted her daughter from the floor, then showed Reese how to support the baby's head. The little girl sat on the sofa holding the infant, and Louis took a photograph with his phone to share with his family and friends.
George and Elisabeth were married in Elisabeth's church a few days later. As the congregation sang 'The Gloria', a thrill went through Elisabeth. This was the moment she'd been waiting for so very long - to be standing beside the man she loved, about to join her life to his, for the rest of their lives.
After the song came the prayer, the reading, the psalm, and the homily. Then came the part Elisabeth had anticipated most: the exchanging of vows, and then rings. George slid Elisabeth's ring onto her finger, and then she slid his onto his finger.
Next was the Our Father, then the sign of peace, and then the Eucharist. At last, the ceremony ended, and George and Elisabeth were husband and wife.
At the reception, Elisabeth's friends from college and church and her family members all swarmed around her, congratulating her on her marriage. George stood at her side, smiling and shaking hands with everyone. Elisabeth saw Louis and Anne standing with Reese. Anne held Beth, who wore a lacy light pink dress and matching headband.
"You look very pretty, Aunt Elisabeth!" Reese said, beaming up at her.
"Thanks, sweetheart," Elisabeth replied. "So do you!"
Elisabeth always looked forward to summers, when she could spend time with Reese, baking cookies, doing craft projects, and visiting the library.
"I'm so glad we're sisters twice over now," Anne told Elisabeth as she gave her a hug.
The reception finally ended, and Elisabeth joined her new husband in the car on the way to their honeymoon - the beginning of their new life together.