A moment later, Sylvia takes Elizabeth’s hands in both of hers as she says “ there’s no easy way to tell you this, but Lizzie you need to know. I want to talk to you about your mother.” Elizabeth laughs softly before she says “my mother is in the parlor right now with Norah Rose.” Sylvia’s breath begins to shake as she says “darling, your mother is sitting right in front of you.” Elizabeth'seyes widen in confusion before silently pleading for her to go on. Sylvia stands up and moves to the window before she says “ your father, Phillip and I were in love, engaged to be married. Phillip and I were both twenty nine years old and we thought that it wouldn’t cause any harm to consummate the marriage the day before we were to be married. Mixed marriages were extremely rare, so we didn’t see the harm in our actions. Little did I know what was right around the corner. I found out five years ago that Phillip was told later that evening that he had to choose between h
A few minutes later, Sadie comes into the dressing room after Elizabeth takes Norah Rose outside to the waiting car. Sadie quietly closes the door as she sees Sylviawith her head on her vanity and silently sobs.Soon the elder woman grasps her best friend's shoulder before taking her free hand and gently forcing Sylvia to look at her as she asks " you told her, didn't you? " Sylvia tearfully nods as Sadie bends down next to her before saying " sweetheart, give her time. Our daughter will eventually understand and come around. Now come on, we have a wedding to get to."
Later that evening after Sylvia and Phillip were married, the adults were all gathered in the sitting room after Norah Rose had fallen asleep and was carried to bed by her father. Nathan has a protective arm around his wife's waist as she asks the questions that have been on her mind since the talk with Sylvia "why did you give me up? Did you not want me? Did you love me? Phillip, when did you find out? Why did you tell me after all this time? What do you want me to call you two now? Phillip, did you want me?"
Phillip takes his new bride's hand as she says " Lizzie, honey I will answer the questions the next I know how. As you already know from our conversation earlier, I was an unmarried woman with an unplanned pregnancy which was deeply frowned upon on society back then. I had two marks against me; one was being an unmarried catholic and the other was that I was carrying a child that was half black. Once I found out, I left Colorado to go to Maine after writing to Sadie. If anyone found out about the pregnancy, your father's reputation would be tarnished and I would be out of a job. I couldn't have that not with a child on the way. I also couldn't stay in Colorado, not with Phillip choosing his career over me and I couldn't ask him to leave his parish behind, so I left. The pregnancy progressed smoothly and I soon got a job teaching for settlers. I knew shortly before you were born that I wanted Sadie and Paul to raise you. They had just lost a child and had
Phillip moved over to be close to Elizabeth as he said " You can call us whatever you would like to. We don't except anything, but I would like to get to know you if that is okay with you. I didn't find out about you until you were twenty. Sylvia wrote letters, but they never were transferred to my new post in Texas. We reconnected by chance one day in the market and vowed to never lose each other again. If I had known about you sooner I would have been the best father that I could be. I would have loved a chance to raise you. " Elizabeth stands up before going over to Phillip and hugging him after planting a kiss on Sylvia's cheek as the young woman whispers the words that they both were hoping to hear " I love you, mama and papa. "
Six months later, Sylvia comes into the house after a long day in the classroom and goes to her bedroom before sitting at the desk to write. Soon, the house is filled with laughter as Norah Rose brings her kitten to over to her adoptive grandmother in the living room while her mother is upstairs after a hectic day. Meanwhile, Elizabeth sighs as she paces the floor before going to knock on Sylvia's door. The young woman waits for permission to enter before going to sit next to her birth mother at her desk. Sylvia smiles softly before her daughter asks "Ma, may I talk to you?" The older woman nods as she turns her attention to Elizabeth and puts her free hand over her daughter's.
Elizabeth breaths deeply before saying "ma, I'm pregnant. I think about ten to twelve weeks given the fact that I'm starting to show and the morning sickness is starting to cease.Nathan is so excited, but I'm a little scared. This will be our first baby together. " Sylvia nods, but before she can say anything Sadie comes in with four month old Daniel and says the news that neither wanted to hear "there's been an accident in the woods, Patricia ran here to inform us. I don't know who's hurt. We need to get to the hospital. Patricia offered to watch the children. "
Two hours later in the waiting room, Sadie prays for healing and news soon while Elizabeth wraps her arms around her mothers as Sylvia fights the urge to throw up. The three women wait for what seems like an eternity as others clear out after learning about their loved ones. A few minutes later, Elizabeth goes to grab coffee while Sylvia curls up against Sadie on the grey couch by the only window in the waiting room. Sadie smiles softly as she moves her hand to her dear friend's stomach where her unborn child rests comfortably, a baby that only the women have known about for the last ten weeks, before moving to lay against Sylvia. Twenty minutes later, Elizabeth comes back from the cafeteria with the freshly made coffee and stops in her tracks as she watches her two mothers sleeping peacefully next to each other, Sadie sleepily playing with Sylvia's greying hair while Sylvia snores softly. Elizabeth chuckles softly at the sight of the two women with thier hands on Sylvia's stomach.
An hour later, Sylvia and Sadie wake up just as three doctors come in. A yong woman with blue eyes and black hair goes over to Elizabeth, her white coat reads Dr. Ellison, an older woman with green eyes and blonde hair goes over to Sylvia and finally an old gentleman with white hair and kind blue eyes comes over to Sadie. The three women link arms as the doctors come to the realization that the Sadie, Elizabeth and Sylvia were staying with each other. Dr. Ellison watches the group in front of her as she says "There was an accident while a someone was hunting. Nathan has a few cuts and bruises as well as a broken rib from trying to help Paul after the hunter attacked him,but he will recover. Phillip helped the two men and was injured by a stray bullet, but it doesn't look like there will be any lasting damage." The two women share a look of relief before Sadie asks "what about Paul? How's my husband?"