Title me: Gone

First, hello

August 2nd 1920

"What on earth took you so long," Elisabeth exclaimed, clutching her newly born, "You were late to your daughter's life." Her face held anger, although it was muted by tiredness. "Only you could managed to be late for that."

"I was caught up at work, how I supposed to know she would be early? I'm sorry my darling." James knelt down beside her bed and wrapped his arm around her. "She is already more efficient than you and she's only been in the world a handful of minutes," Elisabeth laughed, stroking the baby. "Clearly she has a better zest for life."

"So what shall we call this little bear?"
"I was thinking...Adelaide. Perhaps Adele for short."
"Hm," he pondered for a moment, "How about Adelaide, Ada for short."
"Ada..." She looked down at her baby. "Hello Ada. Happy birthday."

***

It was a busy week for Ada. Relatives were visiting constantly, holding her and congratulating her parents. The phrase, 'isn't she a lamb' was passed around frequently, as was 'look at those tiny fingers!' and 'Parenthood's a charm'.

James' cousin, Edward (Ted, he much preferred the shortening as he deemed it gave him an impish, fun short of sound, and as he was only 16 and the youngest of the family, he thought he fitted 'impish' rather well), was holding Ada in tightly in his arms, and Ada was sound asleep, much like her mother.
Teddy looked down at Ada and murmured, "You really are a beautiful child. I do wonder if you will turn out to be kind and aloof like your Father," he paused, "or strong and certified like your mother." Before any more thought could be given, James called up the staircase.

"Teddy, Elena and Anne are leaving now, come and say goodbye." He whispered to Ada, "I reckon you'll be a bit of both." Ada opened her pearly green eyes and looked at him.

Teddy left the nursery, as James impatiently called up the stairs again.

"I'm coming." Yelled Teddy, his speed accelerating. He reached the top of the carpeted staircase and hopped down, clutching the baby. He turned the corner and proceeded down the second flight of stairs.

Unfortunately, someone had left a present, something heavy and addressed to Elisabeth, on the stairs. Teddy, not really looking at his footing much, was concentrating on loud goodbye chatter that was echoing from the front room. He fell, the baby snatched from his arms by gravity and momentum, and the pretty gold present was kicked and came crashing down. Ada knew what was happening, and she hit the wall with a deafening crack.

Everything went white.

3,2,1

"I'm coming." Yelled Teddy, his speed accelerating. He reached the top of the carpeted staircase and hopped down, clutching the baby. He turned the corner and proceeded down the second flight of stairs.

The pretty gold present on the stairs reflected slightly from window light, and Teddy noticed it just as his foot clipped the top. He rapidly plunged to the ground, but he pulled Ada towards his chest and twisted so his back would hit the ground first. The base of the stairs collided with his spine, and his head hit the ground with a deafening crack. Ada, unharmed, wailed uncontrollably in Teddy's now limp arms, trying to drawn some attention.

"Teddy, what on earth is going-" James entered the corridor and saw Ada, surrounded by Teddy's blood, crying on his chest. On his unmoving, lifeless chest.

~ hey guys, this is the first chapter of this novel. I know I haven't finished 'let's run' yet but I wanted to start a different genre, set in a different time period. Might be some mistakes. Let me know what you think :) ~