Willa

Chapter Twenty: A Little Bird is Born

She is here
Willa
And she is everything true
And I am saved, I start a new
Ten fingers and Ten toes
a flick of auburn hair, eyes that stare
she looks like she's been here
an old soul who knew
like you,
that I needed a hand to hold
And her little fists grab my finger firm
a promise of forever
and we flew
Birds of a feather
Starting new
We flew

***
"What is her name" my mama asks, coming into the family room with my father who beamed as he reached for the baby. I lifted her, and Ben took her out of my hands with a smile before gently placing her into my fathers arms. I gazed upon them, as he slowly sat back in the armchair, a look of love plastered on his face, my mama sitting on the arm and lovingly gazing upon her too, our little creation.

"Her name" Ben began and he looked at me for reassurance. I nodded for him to continue. "Her name is Harper" he revealed.

My father looked up with a large smile spreading across his face "Harper" he repeats softy, looking back to her as he he gently stroked her red hair. "Helena look" he says looking up to my mama with a deep affection "She has the hair" he muses.

Mama strokes his forehead, and kisses him, and I can't help but feel such content at my parents and the love that they share.

"Welcome to our family Harper Jameson" he whispers, and he kisses her forehead.

"Yes little darling ... welcome..." my mama says softly "your grandparents love you dearly, my fiery little grandprincess"

I smile "Isn't she perfect" I ask, and they look up at me, full of joy. My mama comes over and wraps me in her arms. I am still living in a floaty white night dress, my long auburn hair pulled into a messy bun, trying to heal from the traumatic delivery as comfortably as possible. I don't quite feel human yet.

"She is Perfect, just like you my darling" my mama muses "just ...like...you" she emphasised, as she kisses my cheek.

"We haven't picked out a middle name yet" Ben says, taking the seat opposite my dad. He runs his hand through his short dark hair and looks at me with a slight pout of his lips, an irritation really, it's because of me she doesn't have a middle name yet.

"What are the options" my dad asks.

Ben laughs a little nervously.

"Only one that I want really" he replies.

My mama looks up at him, and away from me "what is it" she asks.

He looks to me a little unsure of whether he should say.

"Willa" I cut in, short and to the point.

My mama senses the way in which I say it isn't with the usual affection, and she frowns at me.

"Well that's lovely, isn't it Alberta" my dad asks.

I look out of the window and away from them all, focusing on the clouds that float by, feeling the ache.

"Alberta" my mama pushes.

"She doesn't want that as her middle name" Ben states disappointedly.

"I couldn't think of anything more perfect" my mama states, and I slowly return to the room, my attentions back on my mama's concerned gaze.