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Part I Chapter 27

They arrived at the hospital by nightfall. Everyone was anxious to meet the new baby and see how Brianna was doing. Brian met them in the waiting room, beaming from ear to ear.
“She’s just fine, absolutely fine. Both are perfectly healthy and happy. Ah, Win! Thank the lord for you!” he said wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly.
“What would we have done without you!” he exclaimed.
“You’d have kicked into parent mode and done it yourself.” Win replied nervously.
“No, you were the difference, you really were. Come on, Brianna wants to see you.” Brian said leading her forward.
“No, really, you’re family should see her first.”
“No, besides, they won’t be here till tomorrow morning. Come, she’s been asking for you.” Brian pulled her into the room gently, but forcibly at the same time.
Brianna was in bed holding the baby in her arms. When she looked up and saw Win she smiled.
“Oh Winifred, I can’t thank you enough.” She sighed. Win gave a nervous smile.
“Well, uh, you’re welcome. But you did most of the work.” She said tugging at her shirt.
“Here, come hold her.” Win approached the side of the bed timidly, looking at the bundle of blankets that was the baby.
“Brian, here, give her the baby,” Brianna said handing the baby to Brian gently.
“Here you go Win,” Brian said placing the baby in her arms. She looked down into the child’s face, watching her sleep peacefully. She was definitely Brian’s child. She looked just like him. Her head was covered in light blond fuzz, resembling her mother. She was undeniably beautiful. She looked up and saw Brian taking her picture, she smiled as much as she could and he clicked again.
“She’s lovely.” Win replied.
“We talked it over and decided on a name.” Brianna said smiling, Brian taking her hand in his.
“What is it?” Win asked looking up.
“Winifred Grace.” Brian replied. Win did a double take.
“Excuse me?” she asked.
“Winifred, we’re naming her after you.” Brianna replied.
“Oh, you don’t want to do that, really.” Winifred said hastily, handing the baby back to Brian.
“Why not, you’re her Godmother,” Brian replied rocking the baby.
“I’m not her Godmother, you should have one of your close friends be a Godmother.” Win said scared.
“Win, you dove to the bottom of a dumpster to find my wedding ring, you delivered my baby, how much closer of a friend do you want to be?” Brianna asked reaching for her hand, but she started walking slowly towards the door.
“Really, you don’t want to name your baby after a former homeless drug addict, and you don’t want me looking after her.” Win replied. Brian handed the baby back to Brianna and headed Win off at the door.
“Winifred, you’ve done some wonderful things. We want you as a part of our life. We want you to be our child’s godmother, and we want her to be named Winifred. Please, don’t push us away.” Brian said putting his arms around her again and pulling her close.
“Okay, sure.” Win replied still unsure.
“I’m gonna go get something to eat, you guys enjoy. Congratulations.” Win said patting him on the back and waving to Brianna. She went out the door, letting him go and walked quickly away from everyone. A few minutes later she looked around and found herself at the nursery. She stopped and looked through the glass, watching the nurses attend to the babies. She couldn’t believe that less than five hours ago she had helped a woman deliver her baby.
As she stared at the babies she wondered. Which of these babies would end up with good loving parents like Brian and Brianna, which of these babies would end up in orphanages? Which of these babies would die within the next year? Which of these babies would have to endure the pain of no family or no love? She felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Which one would you want to take home?” AJ asked.
“The one that needs a home.” She replied.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Today just brought a lot of things back.” She replied.
“Like what?” he asked carefully.
“Just when I held the baby, right after she was born, I wanted to know, who, who could ever hurt a child. Who could abandon a child, looking at them and not seeing that they were needed?”
“I don’t know beautiful.” He said moving behind her and encircling her waist with his arms. She could feel the tears burning in her eyes.
“What I really want to know is how was I different from any of these babies, how was I different from Brian and Brianna’s baby? What did I do to be thrown in a dumpster?” She didn’t want to cry the tears blurring her vision. But when AJ turned her around and hugged her to his chest she started and couldn’t stop.
“Oh beautiful, you were one of those babies, you deserved good parents, they just couldn’t see it. But now you have people to care about you. I care about you, and I would never, never allow anyone to hurt you.” AJ said holding her tightly to him. Win clung to him, her tears still spilling on his shirt.
“No matter what happens, I will always care about you Win, always. Don’t you ever forget that. You have a family now, you have me. And no one can take me away from you.” Win cried even more at that. She hated crying, it made her feel weak. She didn’t like feeling weak but AJ was strong, and as he held her, she felt for the first time in seven years, safe. She looked up at him.
“I soaked your shirt now,” she said. He laughed.
“That’s okay. I don’t mind. Come on, lets go to the hotel, get something to eat and get some rest. Tomorrow, we fly to Maryland. Where you can meet another member of your family.” He replied touching her nose. He used his sleeve to wipe away the rest of her tears.
“No more crying, I don’t have a dry spot left for you to cry on.” He said, making her laugh again.
“Thank you.” She said.
“For what?”
“For being my family.”