Hello, lovely readers! I am once again so sorry for the long wait. I have been wrestling greatly with how to end this story that has come to mean so much to me. I've been putting it off because I'm not ready to let it go. Alas, it is time. There will be one more chapter, an epilogue of sorts, after this one. I hope it will bring perfect closure to this story. I appreciate all of you so much and want to thank you for sticking with me through this. So now, I turn it over to you for the second to last time. Read and review. Thank you and love to you all.
At two o'clock in the morning, on February 3rd, the moment they all had been waiting for finally arrived. Christy, with great apprehension and excitement, awoke David to tell him, and her husband flew from the bed, lit the lamp, and began the long process of waiting. Alice came, bringing with her a strong and commanding sense of control and peace, immediately easing Christy's fears. After confirming that the long awaited baby was indeed going to make its presence, she immediately took David and Christy's hands in her own and led them in prayer.
As the hours wore on and the sun peaked over the mountains, Christy drifted in and out of sleep, catching as much rest as possible between the pains. Neil came and went, checking on her even though his presence was not needed. Margaret for the most part stayed downstairs, working to keep an excited Ruby Mae occupied. David remained at Christy's side, his hand holding hers. When Christy was awake, they talked further of their plans and dreams to keep the fear at bay. Christy found that despite everything, she could smile and carry on conversation with her nervous husband.
At eleven o'clock that morning, David was at last sent downstairs. Fairlight, who had arrived a few hours before, and Alice took over, with Neil waiting in the hallway in case he was needed. A nervous air hung in the mission house, coupled with pacing, hurried talking, deafening silence and then at last a baby's cry pierced the cold morning air and brought with it everything new.
David entered the room slowly when he was allowed, moving toward Christy and the bundle in her arms. Christy beamed up at him with tired eyes. All the love and joy in the world was on her face.
"David, meet your daughter…" Christy said softly, moving the blankets so that David could see the newest edition to Cutter Gap.
"Oh, Christy," David gasped in awe as he saw the rosy baby. Her tiny fists were curled up around her face, and the longest eyelashes he had ever seen on a baby rested like a crescent moon on her sleeping eyes. "She's perfect."
Christy nodded, looking back down at her daughter as David reached out to touch her. The new parents enjoyed her alone for a few moments before Neil came to check her over. Christy watched as Neil lifted the baby from David's arms and set her down at the foot of the bed. After a check over and a lot of crooning, Neil looked up at them with a smile, his red curls bouncing as he did.
"Does she have a name?" Neil asked.
Christy looked up at David as he kissed her fingers and nodded. "Elizabeth Jane Grantland. Elizabeth means 'God is my oath' and Jane means 'God is gracious.'"
"That He most certainly is," Alice said from the doorway.
"It fits her perfectly," Neil nodded, returned the baby to the arms of her mother.
David smiled. "We picked it because despite everything behind her conception, God is in control and he was gracious to provide something so beautiful from something so horrible."
Christy looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "It's amazing. I've never felt God's love so fully as I do now."
Neil turned his head to see Margaret standing in the doorway, her hands cradling her own growing belly. She smiled at him, with a look that told him she finally understood. Finally, God had shown through into her heart.
By the grace of God, everyone in the room knew something wonderful; love was shown in no better way than new life.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17
"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life." Romans 6:4