Manassas, Virginia-1863 Louise McCloud Kidrickson smiled softly down into the angelic face of her daughter small daughter, Katerina and watched as the sleepy cerulean blue eyes fluttered closed. Katerina was not the child of her womb, but the child of her heart, and she loved her as only a mother could. Katerina was a great source of comfort and joy to her now that she and Kid were forced to be separated. Kid was a Confederate soldier fighting in the Civil War. For the last two years, their time together had been almost nonexistent, except on the few occasions he was allowed to come home on leave. The last time was last Christmas, and that had been nearly nine months ago. Communication between them via letters was scarce at best, and Lou fought daily with the fear that she would never see her beloved husband again. When she was certain that her daughter was asleep, Lou stretched out her cumbersome body on the bed next to Katerina and let out a moan of relief. Kid had given her the best gift of all when he left at the end of December, their child growing within her. Lou had initially believed she was just experiencing side effects from the long, tiresome days she spent as a maid in order to keep a roof over her and Katerina's heads, and food in their bellies until the telltale signs that her body was changing to accommodate a new life, became obvious. As soon as reality set in, Lou was initially flooded with fear. She had lost her first two babies, one when she and Kid were not married yet, and the second right after they were married. She worried at what would happen to Katerina if something happened to her along with the baby this time, but quickly dispelled those fears. She would not borrow trouble where there was not any. She had every confidence that Kid's boy would be strong and healthy when he came. Already he had survived past the time when she had lost the other two babies, and seemed to grow a little each day. Lou placed a protective hand upon her protruding stomach and touched the time life growing within. "I want you to live," she whispered softly so she would not disturb Katerina while she slept. "I want you to grow up to inherit some of the fine traits that each of your uncles and grandfather possess, but most of all, I want you to grow up to be just like your daddy." She felt a flutter of movement beneath her hand and tears filled her brown eyes. Her son had heard her words and knew how much he was already loved. Lou fell asleep with the imagine of a little boy with long chestnut curls and cerulean blue eyes smiling at her. Drop me a note and let me know what you thought!