Addison blinked to clear the spots left from the sun, and then she blinked again. Enough time had passed since her sprint across the lawns for her heart rate to return to normal, but it slowly began to increase again when she blinked one more time.

Joanna stood patiently waiting for Addison to get to her feet, but when the woman remained squatted on the ground, Joanna decided a nudge was in order. “Are you planning to stay down there all day or would you like to come up here and meet your daughter?”

Addison’s mouth dropped open, the blood slowly siphoning from her face as she stared up at Joanna.

“You really shouldn’t keep her waiting. Trust me, she won’t be this quiet for long.”

Addison rested back on her haunches as her breath was knocked from her body, and sniffling back her tears, she wiped the remainder from her face and got to her feet.

The birds in the trees ceased to chirp, the sun ceased to heat, and the breeze ceased to blow as Addison gazed at the slumbering baby in Joanna’s arms. All of a sudden, she felt dizzy, and her heart began to race, but then Addison felt something else, something she had never felt before. A sense of purpose that far outreached any she could have ever imagined. A sense of pride, of hope, of miracles, and of love, it was so overwhelming that while she believed her tears had dried up, Addison was wrong. Overcome, tears welled in her eyes as they remained locked on the babe swaddled in a pink blanket.

“Her name’s Sheridan. It means bright and untamed...just like her mother,” Joanna said quietly, her eyes fixed on the woman she loved.

“She’s so...she’s so tiny,” Addison said in a whisper.

“Yeah, that she is,” Joanna said. “She came a bit early.”

Addison stared at the baby in Joanna’s arms, and in awe, time stood still as she burned the moment into her memory. Her daughter’s cheeks were rosy and round, and her lips so pink and full that Addison knew if Sheridan ever pouted, she’d own Addison in an instant. Entranced by the child, Addison’s expression remained frozen until she saw a few wisps of thin hair sprouting from the baby’s head. They were the color of cinnamon, just like Joanna’s.

“She’s...she’s beautiful,” Addison said, raising her eyes. “She’s...she’s so beautiful.”

“Yeah, she takes after her mum.”

“Which one?” Addison said, a glint of humor appearing on her face as she looked at Joanna.

“You’ll see when she opens her eyes.”

Addison grew an inch taller. “Yeah?”