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27
EVA
Our daughter was bornat exactly eight thirty-six in the morning, just as the first rays of the sun pierced the clouds outside the delivery room window. A healthy baby girl, who cried out the second she was born. She came a little earlier than expected, but she has been showing every sign of wanting to join us for a while now.
It’s past noon now, the sun shining brightly because the clouds are all gone. The wind that is bending the leafless branches of the birches outside the window chased them away.
Our daughter is sleeping peacefully in the see-through cot beside my bed, covered by a crocheted white blanket. It’s like she knows all danger is past now and she can rest. Mark is dozing in the armchair beside her and my bed. I should try to sleep too. But every time I close my eyes, that dingy house and Anica’s crazed look and terrible voice saying horrific things eventually filter through. All that is gone when I look at my baby’s tiny perfect little face though.
Mark stirs as I reach past him to touch her cheek.
I smile at him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
He smiles too. “And I didn't’ mean to fall asleep.”
“I know,” I say. “Every time I wake up, my first thought is that I’m still dreaming or just imagining this soft bed and this gorgeous little lady beside me.”
It’s true. The first time I woke up after giving birth, this room was awash in a soft white light and for a gut-wrenching moment I was sure Anica got her wish and I was waking up in the afterlife. But I didn’t want to say that and bring the word nightmare into this peaceful, happy moment.
“Yeah,” Mark says and chuckles. “We made it.”
“I just wish we found the time to pick a name for her,” I say, glancing at our daughter again. None of the names we tried out fit her.
“We have all the time in the world to do that now,” he says and chuckles.
“Notallthe time,” I correct him. “We can’t get away with just calling herbabyanymore now.”
“Well, enough time,” he corrects himself. Then his eyes turn very serious. “But this is the last time. No more running around chasing psychos.”
“No more,” I echo and it’s an easy promise to make on this sunny day, in this warm room, with the man I love and our beautiful daughter beside me. So easy I believe it to be true.
A soft knock on the door is followed by a short woman with big, light brown hair walking into the room. She’s wearing a pale orange velour tracksuit that brings out the golden flecks in her big brown eyes and I’d know her anywhere, even though I haven’t yet met her in person.
Mark straightens up in his seat. “Mom?”
“Yes, I’m here, finally.” She smiles wide and comes over to the bed, ruffling Mark’s hair, then clutching my hand. Her nails are about an inch long and gleaming in at least five different shades of gold, just like the thick necklace around her throat.
“It’s so good to finally meet you properly, Eva,” she says in a hearty voice. “I meant to come sooner. I really did.”
“It’s nice to meet you too,” I say clumsily. I’m at a bit of a loss since she just waltzed in here like a gust of strong summer wind and she’s the last person I expected.
“And is this my granddaughter?” she says and smiles at my sleeping child. “She’s beautiful. What’s her name?”
Mark and I exchange a glance.
“Still working on that,” he says.
“How about Sofia? After gran,” she suggests and looks at Mark with a cloudy, sad look in her eyes. It’s identical as the one in his.
“Gran would get a kick out of that and you know it,” she adds.
“Sofia? I like it,” I say into the silence that follows. “It suits her very well.”
“That’s settled then,” she says, all sadness gone from her eyes.
“When did you get in?” Mark asks her.
“Yesterday afternoon. So only a day late,” she says and laughs. “I tried calling you, but you weren’t picking up and your phone is dead today. I can see why now. I went to your workplace and they told me where you were. I just had to come right away and see all of you. But I’ll get out of your hair now.”
