Memoirs of Retribution

Chapter 1 - Birth

Evelyn, my mom's memories.

"Honey. Honey I'm home. Come meet her." I excitedly shouted from the kitchen to my husband Eric upstairs. "Coming. Do you have her? Has our baby girl finally come home?" He shouted back to me as he ran down the stairs to greet us. I've waited five long years to have a child of my own. After five years of miscarriages and one stillbirth, I finally have a child of my own. A daughter. I didn't care that I had to adopt her. I was going to love her, protect her and nurture her just the same as if she came from my own womb.

Eric had his reservations about the whole idea but seeing him looking into her tiny scrunched-up babyface, you wouldn't think she was anyone else's but ours. It was as if his heart swelled with so much love it poured from him, having nowhere else to go. He held us tightly in his arms and kissed my temple, the love in his eyes for us both was something that I haven't quite seen before. My baby's gorgeously bright golden eyes opened, and for the first time, she looked at her new forever home.

She was swathed in a beautiful pale pink blanket that had a hand-stitched design of a white baby elephant in the corner. It was the very first item I bought for the first child that I conceived, but that pregnancy wasn't meant to be.

She snuggled into me closer and yawned before going back to sleep, the baby noises she made, caused my heart to grow with love and happiness. Eric pulled us towards the living room to sit down as a family. He wanted to hold her, but I could tell he was nervous. I directed him on how to hold her and placed her lightly within his arms. He kissed her head and told whispered how much he loved her already, that's when I knew our family was complete.

After Eric had his fill, he went back to the nursery to finish off. For several perfect moments, I just held her in my arms, watching her sleep. I fed her and changed her, and Eric finally convinced me to put her in her bassinet, with the baby monitors to mind her. He was excited to show me the finished nursery he was completing while I went to pick up our perfect little gift from the hospital.

"Do you like it, Evelyn?" He asked with apprehension. I marvelled at the transformation the room had undertaken, it was amazing. Its once dark and chaotic disarray of junk now had a pale pink feature wall that was decorated with lilac flourishes and a silver frame that outlined the baby's chosen name.

My eyes teared up at the sight of her name, we agonised for months about what to call her, we vetoed so many names that I thought we would run out before we settled on one. Eric, in the end finally came up with the most perfect name for her after she opened her eyes for the first time since her birth.

Amber.

Repeating her name to myself sent tingles of pride down my spine, and I went to collect her from the bassinet. On arriving back, I placed her down in her wooden sleigh-style crib and again just watched her. I adored her and couldn't wait to show her to the world.

"Come on, let's go get some dinner." Eric said softly while holding me. I reluctantly walked to the door and with a last look into the room, I became anxious. Eric smiled sweetly when he saw my anxiety of leaving her and passed me the baby monitor that had a camera feed, so I could always see her. I pressed myself into his chest, this man knew me all too well and I loved him for that.

14 Years Later

Many perfect years passed, while she grew and grew, becoming pinacol to our family unit. Eric was the most loving father and husband we could ever ask for. He provided for our every need and spent all his free time with us when he wasn't working. His job was high-pressure, but he never brought the stresses of it home to us.

Being a firefighter was his dream after leaving college, he was promoted up the ranks and is now a fire chief of our local station. I was so proud of him when he got his promotion, he beamed from ear to ear when the news was announced. Amber was so excited that day, she got to wear her new little pink dress for the ceremony, I remember that day like it was yesterday.