The Fireman's Baby(18)

Annie was a very giggly baby. She learned how to laugh before anything else and it made Laura smile every time. She wondered if she gotten her exuberance from her father and was grateful that something in his genes had given her a healthy and happy little girl. Having a baby with a happy disposition made it much easier for Laura to take her into work with her. The customers adored her. Mrs. Thompson even came by with a little rattle and a congratulations card for Laura, apologizing that she had bought it elsewhere. Laura was grateful that she was her own boss and lived in a close community.

In fact, through all this, she had a lot to be thankful for. Her family, friends and customers offered her no end of support and she found it surprisingly easy to adjust to single motherhood. Annie brought her immeasurable joy and it was only Laura's occasional yearning for a partner to share it with that could spoil what had become a loving little family of two.

Time passed so quickly as a new mother. There was always something to do between running her store and looking after Annie. It helped in a way that she was so busy, as it meant that she had less time to think about the man who wasn't there. Of course, Laura didn't know Daniel well enough to miss him, but she missed the idea of him; the idea of a man to be by her side as she raised a child, a man to come home to after a long day at work and a man to make her feel complete.

Thoughts of their night together still came as frequently as they always had, and sometimes she indulged them and let the night play out again in her mind. Other times, she forced them away so that she wasn't filled with that uncomfortable longing for something that she couldn't have. Still, every time she looked at Annie, she couldn't feel regret for what had happened because her daughter was perfect in every way. Laura didn't realize that she had wanted to be a mother until motherhood had been thrust upon her and now, a couple of months after the birth of her daughter, Laura had to wonder how she had ever lived without her.





Chapter7



It was a nice change to be living for two. It somehow made every moment seem more meaningful than it had been before. Watching Annie grow gave Laura a sense of fulfillment that she didn't know had been missing. Annie was such a wonderful baby and Laura loved to dress her up in the little outfits that she carefully planned at the beginning of each week and hold her in her arms when she fed her and watch her when she slept with that adorable innocent expression on her face.

Laura found in herself depths of strength and courage that she never would have believed herself to hold before her life had taken a turn away from the plan. The determination and grit she'd always had to do things right and turn circumstances to her favor served her well now. Her natural resilience and resolve made her flourish where other women may have struggled. She enjoyed the challenge of juggling caring for Annie with working and every time that someone gave her a sympathetic smile and told her how much they admired her, she had to smile back and tell them that being Annie's mother was her greatest joy in life. Her baby's laughter got her through the tough days and that Annie's company got her through the lonely nights.

Yes, she was still lonely. The longing for the company of a man, in particular the longing for a reunion   with Annie's father, was a persistent yearning that wouldn't go away no matter how determinedly Laura pushed on with her duties or how many weeks passed by. Meeting someone new now would be almost impossible with a newborn baby. The first question on everybody's lips whenever they met Annie was “Where's the father?” Laura never quite knew what to say, no matter how many times she was asked.

In truth, as much as Laura longed for a partner to complete her family, she didn't feel she had the energy to try it all again. Men were difficult creatures who were so hard to find and even harder to hold onto, and Laura had a baby to look out for now. So she went on alone and sought company among friends and family to help ease her loneliness until thoughts of Daniel fell to the back of her mind and she found comfort in her routine and joy in her daughter.

It was on one of her Saturday afternoon trips out with Sophie, that everything was turned upside down once again. The two friends had been walking down the street, Laura pushing Annie in her stroller and Sophie cooing over her, when suddenly a familiar face in a café window caught Laura's eye and stopped her in her tracks.

“What's wrong?” Sophie asked, coming to a stop beside her friend.

“That's him!” Laura gasped.

Sophie didn't need her to explain and pressed her face against the window so obviously that Laura had to take her by the arm and pull her back.

“Don't!” Laura hissed. “You'll make him look this way!”