(Untitled)

[1000_cranes]

By the third day, she's starting to feel more like herself. She's getting used to the rhythm of motherhood, trying to sleep when the baby's sleeping, waking up to feed her. She's tired and she's pale, and Paul keeps taking her pulse and frowning. She lost a lot of blood, apparently. She at least persuaded him to let Ianto take her home, so she'

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[polly_okeefe]

I knocked on the door with my elbow, as I had my hands full with a pie. "Hey," I said, my voice kept low in case the baby was sleeping. "How's the new mother?"

[1000_cranes]

"Sleepy," says Charlie, cradling the top of Cadi's head as she shifted her weight in her arms and beamed up at Polly as she comes through the door.

"But I'm doin' fine."

[polly_okeefe]

"Oh," I said softly upon seeing Cadi. "Oh, she's beautiful." I came over, practically tiptoeing, and reached out to touch baby and mother gently.

[1000_cranes]

"Thankyou, honey," says Charlie, all but glowing with pride as she shifts her sleeping daughter in her arms. "Come on. Sit. I mean, she's gorgeous and all, but she's not much of a conversationalist, just yet."

[polly_okeefe]

I took a seat by the bedside of mother and child. "So, how are you doing? Did everything go all right?"

[1000_cranes]

"My Doctor thinks I lost a little too much blood so he's fussin' over me like a mother hen but other than we're good," say Charlie, stroking the top of Cadi's head. "And she's great. Eatin' more than she's sleepin' but that'll level out eventually."

[polly_okeefe]

"A big adjustment," I said. "I remember when Johnny and Rosy, my two youngest siblings were born. I was old enough to do some of the chores, then, and we ended up sleeping a lot on their schedules. Still, I can hardly imagine having one of my own. I suppose it's one of those things you're never prepared for, until it happens."

In that moment, I felt a surge of emotion. Not exactly wanting a child of my own, though I suspected some of that feeling was there, but I missed my siblings, especially my youngest siblings, something fierce. I sighed, a little sadly.

[1000_cranes]

"Yeah. Me and Ianto thought we were ready and then, bang! Here she is." She shifts. "Hey, honey. Do you want to hold her? Have a bit of a cuddle?"

[polly_okeefe]

I had twin reactions of fear and eagerness, which was silly, since I had held babies before. But she was so small and so cute and--

"Oh," I said, taking her gingerly and letting her rest on my shoulder. "Oh," I gasped. "You're so beautiful!"