Her Name is Quinn

The Daily Houshold, 17:12

    Elizabeth Daily tugged her jacket over her shoulders and adjusted the beanie on her head.  "You called them, right?  They know we're coming?"
    "Yes, dear, I called them and texted them twice."  Her husband, Walker Daily told her as he wrapped a scarf around his neck.  The couple was fairly young, only in their mid twenties.  She picked up a plastic baby carrier that held their newborn daughter, Penelope.  Penny, as they called her, was sound asleep and drooling. 
    Walker went over to his wife, kissing her and pulling her waist close to him.  She let out a brief giggle and kissed him back.  This was their first time going out to see their friends since the baby was born. 
    Walker had just gotten his bachelor's degree in Architecture and Lizzie was in the process of getting hers in English when she got pregnant.  They were getting by in a simple two bedroom apartment with their small family.    
    Walker looked older than her by several years with narrow black eyes and dark hair and mustache (he was working on the beard).  As grumpy as he always looked, he had a warm heart and was friendly to all the people around him.  He made good connections with people and tended to get attached to quickly to the people he loved. 
    Lizzie was a bit more timid.  She was kind hearted and selfless to those in need, but was cautious around new people.  She had long red hair and a face covered in freckles.  She looked doll-like with her petiteness;  several people gave her odd looks when she was with Walker since he looked several years her senior.  It became worse when Penny came along. 

    It was early January in Washington, meaning it was very cold and very wet. Put as the snow fell lightly onto the ground, it left a sense of peace.  It was beginning to get dark if it wasn't already and it felt like the whole world went silent. 
    "Should I grab another blanket?"  Walker asked, grabbing the diaper bag.
    "I already have two, so she should stay warm.  And we won't be outside for too long."   Lizzie told him, tucking the blankets in around the baby. 
    He gave her a nod and opened up the door for her.  The wind was picking up and Lizzie shivered.  Walker had the started up the car ten minutes ago, so the only light outside their apartment was the neighbor's porch lights and the headlights that illuminated the white snowflakes that hit the pavement.
    They walked carefully to the car and Lizzie set the baby in the back seat.  Walker jogged around the car and falling into the driver's seat.
    "Be careful!"  Lizzie scolded.  "The last thing we need is broken bones.  Our medical bills are already atrocious."
    "I'm telling you," Walker said as he adjusted the heating. "We would've been better off if we just had her at the house." 
   Lizzie half-heartingly smacked his arm as she fastened her seatbelt.  "You know how risky thise are."
    The car was very old.  Lizzie bickered with him about the need to get a better car.  Something safer. The windshield wipers only half worked, the seatbelts only sometimes locked, and she was sure there was a problem with the gas tank. The radio had stopped working long ago.  The AC barely worked and the heater needed at least half an hour to get decently warm.  This was certainly not a family car. 
    The drove through town, chatteringabout the evening ahead of them.  They had been invited over by a few of their old high school friends to have dinner.  The particular friend whose house they were going to, lived out in the country.  It was a small town and it ended very abruptly and led out to a snowy blanket and tall trees that sheltered random spots of dirt.  Lizzie hummed a low tune.  Walker reached over and took her hand, giving it a squeez.  She smiled and gazed out of the window, continuing the tune. 
    "Queen?"  Walker asked.
    "Oh, c'mon, you've known me long enough to answer that question."  She teased.
    The tires of the car jerked on the ice, causing the car to rattle.  Out in the country where their friends lived, the snow plow hadn't come immediately when the snow had fallen.  The tires weren't new and the slipped around on the ice.
    "Slow down..."  Lizzie said softly.  Walker listened, cautiously slowing down.  The car began to jerk as they wend down a long winding road.  Out here, it was so dark that the only light was from the dim headlights.  Lizzie reached her hand into the backseat of the car where Penny was begginning to stir and make gurgling noises.  The small baby's hand grasped her finger. 
   
    Walker pulled the car to a stop in front of the house.  It was still brightly lit from the christmas lights hanging off the roof.  Light from the front windows shined out with a warm yellow glow. Snow had settled calmly on the yard, only piled up where the walkway was. Through the curtains,  group of people were laughing and drinking could be seen.  Walker shut the  car off and climbed out.  The door was nearly frozen shut.
    "Here, I'll get the baby."  He said, walking around the car.  Lizzie got out with a good shove of the door. They walked up the steps to the front porch. "Watch out for that icy patch."  He pointed out. 
    Lizzie rang the doorbell.  The door swung open to reveal a tall blonde woman holding a glass of wine.  "Lizzie!" She exclaimed, welcoming the couple into the house that was just as festivaly decorated with a large Christmas tree.   
    The living room had a brunette woman and a dark man sitting on the far side of the room.  Next to them was a woman with short, dark hair who was holding a little girl with blonde curls.  In a chair by the tree, was a man with long black hair.  
    The brunette with blue eyes gasped, standing up.  "Oh my god!"   She squealed, walking over to Walker.  "She's adorable!"  Lizzie smiled, picking up Penny from the carrier and showing her to the woman. 
    "Say hi to your godmother, Penny." Lizzie cooed, handing her to the woman.
    "She seems likes you, Steph."  Walker smiled, setting the bag and carrier down in the corner.  Penny had woken up and was gurgling at Stephanie.  The blonde woman had resumed her position on the couch next to the woman holding the toddler, wrapping her arm around her.
    "Joey, come see her!"  Steph exclaimed, gently bouncing the baby.  The man that had been sitting next to her walked over.  Joey was Stephanie's fiancé and the godfather of Penny. The blonde woman was married to the woman sitting next to her and had given birth to the little girl in her lap.  The man with the long black hair, Charlie, was the brother of Walker.
    "She looks just like you, Liz."  Joey told her.  The little blonde girl jumped up and ran over.
    "Lemme see!"  She demanded, pulling at Stephanie's leg.
    "Be gentle, Chloe."  Her mother warned.
    Chloe peered up at the baby, who stared back with big, curious eyes.  The little girl smiled, chattering jibberish to the infant, whose eyes were searching around the room. 
    The blonde woman's wife stood up and walked over to hug Lizzie and Walker.  "I'm so happy for you guys!"  She said. 
    Lizzie smiled.  "Thanks, Jen. 
    "She's cute."  Charlie smiled.  "I like my little nieceey."  He took a sip of wine.
    "She looks just like you.  Like, seriously, those are your eyes!"  Steph mentioned.  "I swear, she's going to look just like you."
    Liz felt a happy tingling in her chest at the comment.  She had always been self conscious about herself, knowing she looked like a child.  But at the thought of her own daughter with the features put her in a state of awe. 

    The group of friends stayed together for several hours with both Penny and Chloe falling asleep.  Several glasses of wine had been drunk during and after dinner except by those who were designated drivers.  Walker held Lizzie's arm and helped her down the steps.  She secured Penny in the backseat and got into the car. 
    "Did you have a nice time?"  Walker asked.
    "It was a lot of fun."  She kissed him.
    He pulled the car out of the driveway.  The tires rattled and bumped on the frozen snow.  The car began to speed up.
    "Walker..."  Lizzie warned, panic slipping into her voice. 

Time seemed to slow down for the Dailys.  The brake was hit, causing a chain reaction of events;  the tire slid across the ice and spun almost out of control.  The car turned onto its side and slid, causing an awful ice-on-pavement-on-metal sound.   The airbags released.  Well, the airbag did.  The other one was jammed and hadn't gone off.  But there was the most gut-retching sound of all:  the plastic of the baby carrier hitting the window and the piercing scream of a baby. 

    When the metal settled on the ground and the car came to a complete stop, as things underneath the car rattled, Walker opened his eyes.  He couldn't move his head as it hurt too much. 
    "L-lizzie...?"  He asked.

    Walker had to undergo nearly five hours of surgery and it took several more for the anesthesia to wear off.  He awoke to the bright lights of the ICU and an insistant beeping noise of a heart monitor.  There was also a flushing sound of a ventilator. 
    "Mr. Daily?"  A nurse asked, pulling on things around him.  "Mr. Daily, can you hear me?"
    "Mmrph?" He responded.  He tried to reach up and touch his face, but hi  s arm wouldn't respond. 
    "Mr. Daily, you're in the Traverse County Hospital.  You were in a faral car accident out in the country.  You were  found by a group of your friends who were on their way home."  The nurse said.
    "Where... Where's my wife?"  Walker paused, choking up.  "Where's my baby?"
    "Mr. Daily..."  The nurse's voice became solemn.  "Your wife, Elizabeth and the baby... they didn't make it."