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“Matthew…” Katherine’s eyes filled with tears.

“Is it okay that I said that?”

“I love that you said that.” She smiled, snuggling into his arms and falling asleep.

Around two a.m., Katherine awoke to the sound of Libby making noise in the next room. Quietly, she slipped out of Matthew’s embrace and off the bed to go check on her.

“You don’t have to do that,” came a voice through the darkness, causing Katherine to jump.

“Oh my gosh, you scared me.”

“Sorry, I thought you knew I was awake,” Matthew said, turning on the bedside lamp. “She usually falls back to sleep on her own.”

“What if she needs something? Like a diaper change or a drink of water. What if she had a bad dream?”

“If something was wrong, she’d be much louder. More than likely, she just wants to play.”

“In the middle of the night?”

“Yeah, that’s my fault. Before we moved here, the department was short on manpower, so I covered a couple of second shifts, but I hated missing bedtime, so I started to wake her up when I got home. I didn’t think a few nights here or there would make a difference.”

“Children are creatures of habit.”

“Yeah, in hindsight, it wasn’t my greatest idea.”

“Do you mind if I go rock her to sleep?”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know I don’t have to… but I’d like to.”

“Okay,” Matthew agreed. “Let me know if you need any help.”

“We’ll be fine,” she said, giving him a quick kiss. “Try to get some more sleep. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Turning off the lamp and leaving the room, Katherine tip toed down the hall, and peeked inside Libby’s bedroom door. As it creaked open, the sound caught Libby’s attention and brought her to her feet.

“Time for sleep, baby girl.”

Katherine’s excited heart beat even faster as she picked Libby up, along with a soft pink blanket from her crib. Lulling a baby to sleep was such a wonderful feeling. It was intimate and calming in a way that nothing else could compare. A realization notlost on Katherine years ago when she was a new mother. And certainly not lost on her now as she held Libby Brandon in the big rocking chair.

Something about those tiny, trusting eyes looking up at her and the smooth, rhythmic motion of gliding back and forth soothed Katherine’s soul. She missed this more than she realized.

Taking care of Libby earlier that day, she hadn’t slowed down long enough to enjoy that wonderful powdery baby smell or study her tiny cherubic features. Now, all she could do, in the warm glow of the nightlight, was gaze down at the adorably sleepy toddler in her arms.

“Close your eyes,” Katherine whispered, as her heart flooded with wonderful memories of motherhood. Of course, no one could ever replace her little Addison. Yet, in that moment, rocking Libby back and forth, she felt an overwhelming peace that was helping to heal some of the broken parts of her heart.

From his room, Matthew heard the rocking chair slow to a stop, and he got the feeling that the gentle lullaby Katherine had been humming to Libby might’ve put her to sleep as well.

“Katie,” he said softly, after putting Libby back in her crib. “I’m going pick you up and take you back to bed with me, okay?”

“Hmm?”

“You fell asleep.”

“What time is it?”

“Almost two thirty.”