Chương 28: Echoes of Lullabies

"Rowan?" Sheera whispered as she entered the room. With Thai nestled in her arms, Sheera walked carefully toward the bed. Rowan, sensing movement, awoke with a start.

"Huh, what?" he mumbled, sleepily.

"Are you alright, honey?" he asked, reaching across the bed to feel for her. Finding that side empty, he bolted upright, squinting into the darkness. He sighed, relief washing over him as he made out the outline of his wife standing at the foot of the bed.

"What are you doing, sweetheart?" he asked gently.

"You should be resting, not walking the halls. What's wrong?" he added, trying to shake off the fog.

"I am perfect!" she giggled.

"And I'm hoping you will be too once I show you something…" She paused, looking down at Thai.

"Or more like… someone," she said, stepping closer to the bed.

"You're not making sense, Sheera," he whispered, reaching for the bedside lamp. Sheera sat down on the bed next to him, carefully cradling Thai while the infant suckled hungrily from her breast. As the light flickered on, Rowan turned to his wife.

"What…" he broke off, startled by the sight. He pushed himself upward, peering around Sheera to the small bundle lying in the cradle.

"Isn't she beautiful? She's ours, Rowan. Her name is Thalindra, Thai for short," she said matter-of-factly. The certainty in Sheera's voice caused Rowan to look over at the cradle again, doubt piercing his heart. Tears welled in his eyes upon seeing the tiny bundle. She was still there, exactly where he had placed her only a few hours ago. Still motionless. No rise and fall of breath. No sound… only devastating silence.

He didn't know who the child was, but he knew one thing for certain: the child at his wife's breast was not his child.

"Thai, this is your daddy," Sheera said, beaming. She stroked the baby's cheek with a finger, cooing softly. Thai reached up and wrapped her small hand around it, making Sheera's eyes fill with love. Rowan looked at his wife, a mixture of concern and fear etched across his face. She has lost her mind, he thought, struggling to find words. She truly thinks this is our baby. He pushed himself up further in the bed and swept a hand through his dark hair.

"But, Sheera, honey," he said, placing a hand tenderly on his wife's arm.

"Our baby… our daughter… she's…well, Sweetie, she's gone."

"I know, Rowan," she said, cocking her head to the side.

"I'm not saying…" she paused. Her eyes widened as she looked down at Thai, then it all clicked.

"You thought… oh my goodness. No!" she said, taking in a sharp breath. She turned to look at the cradle.

"I will never forget her, Rowan. A piece of me died with her," she said, casting a mournful glance back at her husband.

"We've been blessed with a second chance," she said, gazing down at Thai, lovingly.

"She may not be the daughter we created, but she is definitely the daughter we wanted." Rowan stood and ran his hand through his hair. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Where did she come from, Sheera?" he asked gently.

"I mean, you can't just take a baby, Sweetheart. I know how much you wanted… we wanted… a baby, but…" He broke off, unsure how to finish. Sheera stifled a laugh.

"Rowan, I didn't steal anyone's baby, if that's what you're thinking. Come on now, really?" she asked incredulously, standing up and placing the baby on her shoulder. She looked at him, then shook her head in disbelief. Thai, who had dozed off, began to fuss, prompting Sheera to instinctively pat her back.

"Come on," she said, beckoning him to follow her to the bedroom door. Rowan hesitated. He could not follow… not until he had some answers.

"Sheera, I don't understand. Where did the baby come from? And more importantly, why do you have her?"

"Come on," she said, gently tugging his arm, "all your questions will be answered shortly." Rowan reluctantly followed his wife out of the bedroom and down the hall. The conversational murmurs of Illianna, Seraphina, and Celestia suddenly ceased as the trio entered the room.

"You didn't tell me we had a house full, Sheera," Rowan said, looking embarrassed.

"I would have put some pants on." He glanced down at his pajama bottoms.

"Or at least put a shirt on." He sighed before rubbing the back of his neck.

"I apologize for my state of undress, ladies. If you will excuse me for just a moment," he said, shooting Sheera a harried glance before quickly walking back to the bedroom.

"So, you ladies buttoned your lips up pretty quickly when we walked in. Mind telling me what you were plotting in my absence?" Sheera asked boldly. She looked toward Illianna, "Mom, I know you have something to say, so please just spit it out?" Illianna sighed heavily, knowing her daughter would not relent. One thing she knew beyond a doubt was once Sheera had her mind set on something; she could be like a starving dog with a bone.

Illianna took a deep breath and looked at Seraphina, who gave her an encouraging nod.

"Well, quite frankly, I don't think any of this is a good idea," she said quickly, bracing for the fallout.

"Why, Mom?" Sheera asked, continuing to pat Thai's back. Illianna walked over to her daughter, knelt before her and took her free hand.

"Sweetheart, your grief is far too fresh to be making a life-changing decision like this one." Sheera pulled her hand back.

"Mother, I understand your concern, but take emotion out of the equation for a moment," she said, looking deep into her mother's eyes.

"Rowan and I have tried, this time was the last time. I don't have it in me to try and fail again. I think five heartaches are enough for anyone to endure. This is my chance to finally be a mother."

"But Sweetheart, raising someone else's child is not the same as raising one of your own." Illianna immediately regretted the words as they fell from her mouth.

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded." Sheera stood up and moved quickly past her mother, her eyes filled with hurt.

"What you're saying is, if I had been your flesh and blood child…" She paused to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"It would have been… what… different?" she asked softly, her voice trembling.

"No! That is not what I meant at all. Sheera, I couldn't love you anymore if you were biologically my child. The circumstances are different though," Illianna said, rushing to her daughter's side.

"I had not lost my own child mere hours before Seraphina brought you to me. I had been unable to conceive, so I never felt my own child moving within my body, only to have…"

"I think what your mother is trying to say here is…" Seraphina interrupted, "She is concerned that you may be avoiding the grief you feel for the loss of your own child by pouring all that love and promise into Thai." Thai let out a large burp, which caused Sheera to smile.

"I know, Thai…," she said, breaking off, then looked at her mother.

"Mom, I appreciate your concern, but I am not avoiding my grief. It's just that it's the same grief I have felt way too many times. You do realize that this is the fifth time I have lost a child, my child?" She sighed, tears coming to her eyes.

"I mourn the loss of each of my children every single day." She looked at Thai, smiling.

"If having Thai brings me joy, why would you begrudge me that happiness?" Illianna looked at Sheera sadly.

"I know, and I am not trying to diminish your happiness. Believe me, seeing you with that baby in your arms and the happiness in your eyes, means everything. I just think the timing is really bad."

"In my opinion, Mom, the timing could not be better," she said, smiling at Thai.

"Don't get me wrong, my heart is crushed for my little girl in the other room, and even if she had survived, I still would have taken this precious girl in." She walked toward her mother and kissed her cheek.

"I have enough love in my heart, just like you did all those years ago, when you took me in."

"If you're sure, Sweetheart?" Illianna said, her face softening.

"I mean, really sure."

"I'm sure. Mom, this sweet girl is just what Rowan and I need to make our family complete." she said, smiling at her.

"Well, give me my granddaughter then. I really want to get to know her better." she said, reaching for the baby smiling brightly.