The cries of a newborn erupted into the air. A relieved sigh nearly escaped anyone who waited outside the 'delivery room'. It was a makeshift delivery ward, put together by Rachel, the town doctor slash surgeon. She did what she could; everyone was thankful, and grateful, for her services.

Tommy was a sweating mess. Maria's father too. They practically chewed through their fingernails.

Maeve couldn't help but grimace. Pregnancy, from what she'd seen, and all that she'd read and learned about, was difficult. And the birth. It sounded as painful as she thought it'd be. She felt bad for Maria's...life portal.

Word got out real fast about Maria going into labor. At first, for the whole afternoon, the clinic was packed with loyal friends. They brought homemade food, gifts, and cards. Even Margaret, an older woman who just turned seventy-six brought in a quilt she'd been working on since she came to Jackson. It was for both the baby and Maria.

The sun had just gone down, not long before the baby was out.

A boy Tommy and Maria named Andy.

He was the cutest thing, so tiny.

Maeve and TJ were the only ones besides Tommy and Maria's dad to be in the room with the baby and Maria.

She felt like she was intruding on their bonding. Because the only relation she had with them, was because she was dating TJ. But when she tried excusing herself, Tommy jumped in before she could leave, clapping her on the back and telling her that she belonged there. Maria wanted her there, too. That alone made her stay.

And it was worth it.

Andy - Andrew Tobias Miller - was the cutest baby she had ever laid eyes on. Mostly bald, thin tufts of silver-blond gleamed in the light, and, well he had his eyes closed, but maybe they'd be blue, like Maria's. Or green, like Tommy's. Maybe a mix of them, hazel. She didn't know much about genetics, so she assumed he'd have one or the other. And if she were being completely honest with herself, she hoped he'd have blue eyes.

Tommy looked a nervous wreck when he was finally able to hold his newborn son. She'd only ever seen him hold dogs that way, with care as if he were made of the most fragile glass.

Her chest swelled at the sight. And then she glanced at TJ, a thought occurring to her. He never got the dad he wanted or deserved. Joel was his uncle, but he raised him. Now, Tommy had another son. A son who would get his father in his life. She felt bad for him. She could hear him now. "Don't pity me," he'd say. She imitated the grumpiness of his voice when he was irate.

"You did good, Maria." Maeve sat on the chair by Maria's bed. She looked drained of life, ironic considering she just squeezed a life out of her.

The woman wearily grinned at her. "Don't feel like it."

She chuckled. "Yeah, well."

Maria sucked in a breath, wincing. "Don't get me wrong, Maeve. Pregnancy is fun and all, but when you gotta push something the size of a watermelon out of something the size of a lemon, you'll rethink having kids."

Over the next few days, Ellie and Joel came back. Boy, were they in for a surprise when they saw Jackson's newest addition. Everyone was still reeling from the excitement.

Maria kept Andy close to her as she recovered from the birth. Maeve read somewhere in a book about motherhood that often the mother was clingy to their newborns. Territorial, even. Or was that about wildlife?

Not that it mattered. Wildlife, humans. When it came to offspring, it was essentially the same mannerisms.

And it was during the absence of Maria, Andy, and Tommy that she realized TJ's absence as well. She couldn't say she was surprised; she wondered if Andy's birth affected him in any way. Like, how he had a brother seventeen years younger than him. Unresolved issues, really. Not that she could say anything, she was more concerned.

As the day became another, slowly, the chatter decreased. Only a special few were allowed out of their regular routines. A few girls and she were given the tasks of tending the greenhouses, just in case Maria needed one of them. Though, Maria specifically told Tommy to not assign anyone as a designated nanny.

She got that he was just a worried husband and father.

And TJ certainly entertained the idea that he would care for Andy whenever. That surprised her a million miles to the sky. Kids are cute. HOWEVER. The crying, whining, and clinginess made her want to tear her hair out. But she made herself promise she would work on that, make herself better. But she figured she'd probably break that promise in the future somewhere.

"It sucks I missed the birth." Ellie glumly slouched beside her.

Maeve couldn't help but grimace. "Didn't miss much. You would've gotten bored. Maria was in labor the whole day, and she was in constant pain. Rachel couldn't give her any medicine to help with that pain. And trust me when I say this, Ellie, be glad you have no interest in dicks."

Her sister laughed. "Bet TJ got all mopey when he heard that."

"He has no say in it," Maeve chuffed. "If we ever do want kids, he's gonna be the one to push it out of his body, not me."

"So, how's he doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"With the baby...uh, what did Maria name him again?"

"Andrew, but we've all been calling him Andy."

"How's TJ been dealing with all this? I mean, Tommy wasn't in his life before, and now that he is, he's had another kid."

Maeve fell silent. "Oh. I...I don't know. He seems okay. He's been nothing but gentle and loving toward Andy, from what I've seen."

"Maybe it's just me," Ellie shrugged and then glanced at her. "I know you were young too, but sometimes I feel envious that you had more time with Mom than I did."

"Ellie - "

"I know, I know! Selfish thinking," Ellie leaned forward on the porch swing. "But I don't even know what she looked like."

Maeve furrowed her brows, a strange sensation coming over her. She had no idea Ellie felt this way. She wished she had known it a long time ago. "I can barely remember her too, but what I do remember is that she was beautiful. And gentle. That knife you have? It was hers."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Ellie nibbled her bottom lip. "Do...do you think she'd be...proud of who we are?"

Maeve thought about her words for a moment. "I can't say. I think she would be."

The younger sister went silent, her lips thinning. "I can't TJ doubt to be jealous of Andy for having a dad to grow up to; just as it feels unfair to me that you knew Mom, he might find it unfair that he didn't have Tommy in his life."

"That, my sister, is something you'll have to ask TJ when you see him again."