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Cherish almost whispered the word, catching it just in time.
Febe still had love. She had it even though Bernie was gone. Cherish turned to Kendal and saw a mirror of the same love and sadness, braided together and stronger than either had been on their own.
The world seemed to tilt beneath Cherish’s feet, and she couldn’t have been more grateful for the small cries of the baby.
“Oh, hello sweetheart.” Febe reached in, and in the most tender of movements Cherish had ever seen, pulled the small bundle to her chest.
“I love his name.” Haylee’s voice reached through the murmur of voices, and all of the adults turned from the small child to the woman who had dared to mention the elephant in the room.
Cherish smiled thinking this moment summed up so much of Haylee—her fearlessness and her joy.
“Thank you,” Kendal replied and reached for her child. Long fingers stroked the bundle as Febe continued to hold her grandbaby close to her chest, rocking ever so slightly as she did.
“It was my wife’s name, and this little one’s grandmother.” Febe’s voice carried over to Cherish’s desk with a strength Cherish had missed.
“Her other grandmother.” Kendal looked pointedly at Febe, and in a moment that filled Cherish with clarity, Febe nodded and gave a small smile.
“Cherish?” Febe looked over, eyebrows raised in question.
“Yes, Ms. Aarts?” Cherish replied, ignoring Kendal’s furrowed brow at her response.
“Come have a look. He looks so much like Bernie.”
Cherish pushed herself up from her chair and walked over to the group.
Haylee continued to stand a little farther back, though they left space for her to step forward at any time.
Cherish pushed every emotion she could down into the pit of her stomach as they parted for her to join them. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Cherish.” Kendal leaned in for a hug.
“Cherish. Look.” Febe held the small bundle out a little from her chest. The way Febe held the baby, Cherish could have believed she had done this very thing a million times before.
“Beautiful.” Cherish’s voice came out rough and filled with more emotion than she had planned for.
“Yes,” Febe said, and they both looked up and their eyes met. “It really is.”
Cherish knew Febe said so much more in those few words, but her own heart beat too loud in her chest and her mind seemed fragmented, sharp edges threatening to cut her if she dared to examine them too closely, or heaven forbid try to put the pieces back together.
“Will you want some coffee before you head out for lunch?” Cherish had taken the time to reread the email she had skimmed earlier in the week.
“That would be lovely. Would you both like some?” Febe asked.
Cherish took the orders and turned on her heel, preparing to head to the kitchenette and make the requested drinks.
“Haylee, will you help?” Febe’s voice was its usual command.
Cherish’s stomach churned. The idea of being closer to Haylee filled her with excitement, while that very excitement filled her with a confusion that her mind fought against.
They began making the coffee. What might once have been a comfortable silence, sparked with tension and awkwardness.
“Haylee,” Cherish said.
“Yes?” Haylee looked at her, meeting her eyes without feeling and a thin-lipped line to her mouth.
“What happened?” Cherish groaned inwardly at the whine in her voice.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Haylee’s face cracked a little, showing the battle she fought within. It was enough for Cherish to push on, to refuse to back away.
