Love Comes in Three

And Sometime Later . . .

It was a cold dampness pressing against my cheek that awoke me. The room was dark except for a few candles, but they were too far from me to be able to make out who was at my side, "Isaac, is that you? What happened?"

"Hush now, dear," it was Patience's voice, low and quiet as she pressed the damp cloth on my forehead, "You're all right."

"Where's Isaac?" I asked turning to face her, feeling very weak, "It's so dark, what happened?"

"You fainted," she said moving a candle to the nightstand so I could see better, "You need to rest now." Patience gently swiped the cloth over my cheeks before she dipped it in the basin again, "Isaac is in the other room. Once you get some rest you can see him."

I had trouble keeping my eyes open and decided it was probably best for me to sleep, as I smoothed the blankets my hands stopped over my stomach and I gasped in realization, "My baby! Where's my baby, Patience?"

"Ssssh, Margaret," she tried to calm my rising hysterics, "You're all right!" Patience did her best to keep me still, but even in my weakened state I fought against her to get up. "Please, you need to keep still!"

"No!" I screamed, "Where's Isaac? Where's my baby?"

As Patience tried earnestly to keep me in bed the door opened quickly, letting the light from the hall flood into the bedroom, "Margaret, you need to keep still," said the familiar voice of my brother.

"Freddie, I can't keep her down!," Patience pleaded.

Freddie moved to my other side and put his hand on my shoulder with a calming smile, "Be a good girl now and lie back." I tried to focus on him. He was always there for me. Surely he'd tell me what was happening.

"Please tell me . . .," I started, fighting back the urge to scream and cry.

"What's all this fuss?" I heard a whisper from behind Freddie.

"Isaac?" I gasped trying to look for him.

"It's okay, Freddie," he said stepping to his side, "I'm sure we can get her to settle." There was my Isaac standing in the dim light, as handsome as ever, holding a small bundle.

"Isaac?" I asked curiously, "Is that . . .," He slowly moved to sit beside me on the bed and gently moved the bundle from his arms to mine.

"Our daughter," he smiled serenely, "she's been waiting to meet you."

"Come now, Patience, let us give them some time together," Freddie said quietly extending his hand towards his wife.

"Only if she promises to rest . . . the doctor," Patience began.

"She promises," Isaac nodded, "and if she doesn't, I'll keep her here." He leaned close and pressed a soft kiss to my temple as I studied the tiny infant in my arms.

"What's her name?" I asked as Freddie and Patience left the room, "When was she born?"

"She was born yesterday, darling, but there were complications and you . . .," he moved closer so he could put his arms around me, "you scared me very much." I could hear something in his voice, there was relief but it was still tinged with worry.

"I'm sorry," it was all I could think to say as I continued to stare at our daughter. I felt him smile as he pressed his lips against my shoulder. "What did you name her?"

"I haven't," he laughed, "she's as much yours as she is mine. I was hoping we could name her together." Isaac let one finger gingerly stroke the baby's cheek, "she is so precious."

"She is, as is everything you've ever given me," I whispered as I held her close, "I know what I shall like to call her . . . Violet."

"Violet?" Isaac chuckled, "Surely you jest."

"No," I smiled, "Violet, because she, like all of the flowers you gave me, is a symbol of our love . . . faithful and evermore."

"Then Violet she shall be."