AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The light shines in the darkness.”The words floated into his consciousness.“And the darkness has not overcome it.”
Fitz’s voice rasped with a chuckle. Mary always had gotten in the last word. He studied Faith, heartened by the telltale flutter of her lashes.
“Look, Faith.” He held the staring baby in such a way that she could see her mother’s face. “Open your eyes, Faith. You’ll want to see this.”
She finally did. “My baby?”
“Yes.”
“Oh!” She visibly melted as she beheld her newborn. “She looks just like Olivia did, only smaller. I wonder if she’ll have blue eyes. Can I hold her?”
The nurse overheard her. “No, you let Daddy hold on to the baby for now, Mama. Gotta get your strength back first.”
With a bemused glance at Fitz, Faith satisfied herself by combing her fingers through the baby’s hair. “Look at this hair! My mother was a redhead. She’ll be ecstatic.”
“Faith?”
She wrested her attention from the staring baby to look at him.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you.”
The medical professionals busied themselves, everyone allegedly too preoccupied to overhear their conversation.
“I was afraid of being real.” Faith would understand what that meant. “But now I’m not. Now I’m ready.”
When she didn’t say anything, Fitz persisted. “I could never take Jerry’s place, I know that. But you deserve a partner in life. I’ve been fighting that because…my job cost my entire family their lives.”
Her face reflected shock, making him realize he’d never told her exactly what had happened. “But I’ve realized, I might as well have died with them. I’ve just been going through the motions, not really living. But I’m ready now. I want to live again—with you.” His gaze dropped to the baby. “With all of you.”
Her lovely brown eyes flooded with tears. “It won’t be easy,” she warned him.
“No, but that’s okay.” He looked forward to the challenges.
They both regarded the baby, who studied her mother with unwavering attention.
Faith stroked her downy cheek again, causing the baby to turn its tiny mouth toward her finger. “What are we going to call you, pumpkin? I don’t even have names picked out.”
“What’s your mother’s name?” he asked.
“Mary.”
A chill moved from the top of Fitz’s head, down both arms. “That was my late wife’s name.”
Faith wrested her attention from the baby. “Oh? How would you feel if I called the baby Mary Mae, after both grandmothers?”
Fitz had to clear his throat to speak. “I’d love it.” One day he would tell her about the light shining in the darkness.
“Would you take the baby for a moment and show her to Grayson and Olivia? They need to know the baby and I are okay.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, just don’t be gone long.”
“I’ll be right back.” He carried the baby carefully out of the room and down the hall to the waiting area.
Grayson caught sight of him first and jumped up from the couch. “How’s Mom?”
“She’s good. She wanted you to meet your little sister.”
