Erica blinked and opened her eyes, confused for a moment. Then she saw Yuri sitting beside the bed, smiling and holding the baby, and remembered.
"Let me hold her."
"Of course." Yuri helped her to sit up and then handed her the baby.
She looked into baby Toni's tiny but perfect face, eyelashes soft against her rosy cheeks, lips puckered into a heart shape, and felt an overwhelming love. "She's beautiful, Yuri."
Yuri grinned. "She look just like Sonya."
"Maybe Sonya could be her middle name."
"Middle name is Yuryevna," Yuri said softly.
"Yer what?"
"Yuryevna. It is tradition in my country." Erica frowned and shook her head. "Please, Erica."
Erica sighed. "Well...all right. But I'm sure I'll never be able to spell or even pronounce it right."
Yuri laughed, and Erica joined in.
"I know we're going to have to put Schmidt on the birth certificate, but what's her real last name?"
"Shikova."
Toni awakened a short time later and turned her head toward Erica's breast, her lips searching, whimpering softly.
"I think she's hungry," said Erica. She moved her hospital gown aside and offered Toni her nipple. Toni immediately latched on and began to suckle hungrily.
"That's what she wanted, all right," Erica chuckled.
As Toni nursed, Erica began to feel pleasantly drowsy and leaned her head on Yuri's shoulder. "My God, I just love her so much," she said. "I've never loved anybody before like I love her."
"You are wonderful woman, Erica," said Yuri. "I am so glad that you are mother of my baby."
"Toni would have loved her so much."
"Sonya would love her too, if she could see her."
Erica didn't say anything. Yuri knew what she was thinking and gave her a comforting hug. "I love you, sweet Erica."
Toni soon fell asleep again, and Yuri held her so that Erica could rest some more. Eventually the woman from the medical records department arrived to fill out the birth certificate.
"That sure is an unusual name," she commented when Yuri told her Toni's middle name.
"It is German name," he told her. She frowned and didn't say anything.
Erica and Toni were in the hospital for two days. Yuri spent most of the day at the hospital with them and went back to the apartment at night.
On the third day, they were discharged with instructions for taking care of Toni's umbilical stump, samples of baby lotion and powder, a trial size package of diapers, sitz bath instructions for Erica, and a pediatrician's appointment for Toni.
Erica settled Toni down to sleep in her new crib, then sat down to write a letter to Matt.
Dear Matt,
Yuri and I are now the parents of a beautiful baby girl. Her name is Toni Yuryevna Shikova, but she doesn't look much like my sister. Yuri says that she looks like his sister Sonya. Anyway she's healthy and we are both very thankful for that. I never would have imagined becoming a mother at my age before, but I love little Toni dearly and I'm so happy that I had her. To me she represents hope, a new beginning. I think Yuri feels the same way.
I hope that everything is still going OK for you. If you see Jed, give him my love.
Love,
Erica
Erica saw that Toni was beginning to stir, so she hurriedly sealed the envelope and addressed it. Yuri walked into the room a moment later while she was nursing Toni and saw the letter lying on the table.
"You want I should take to post office for you? I have also letter to mail to my family. I tell them I meet nice lady and I am father now. They will be so proud."
"What's your family like, Yuri? You've never told me much about them."
"They are farmers, have been for many generations. They suffer greatly under Tsarist regime. Not enough to eat, no way to keep warm in winter." Yuri's face turned dark with anger. "He and his family live in palace, eat off gold plates. But no matter. They pay the price."
"What happened to them?"
"They were driven away. New government take over, government of working people."
"So that's what the hammer and sickle stand for."
"Yes, you are right."
"So are things better for your family now that the Tsar is gone?"
"Yes, they are better. Not perfect, but better. But that happen long ago, many years before I was born."
Toni finished nursing, and Erica put the baby on her shoulder to burp her. Yuri kissed Erica good-bye and headed for the post office with the letters.