Chapter 10 - The Sacred Membrane
The party continued downstairs late into the afternoon, filled with music, delicious food, and joyful conversation.
Around five o’clock, as the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of gold, rose, and amber, I took Wren upstairs to give her a bath and get her ready for bed.
I sat beside the small white baby tub in the bathroom, gently washing Wren’s warm skin with lavender-scented soap. Wren splashed her chubby legs in the water, giggling happily as bubbles floated through the air.
As I washed her back, my thumb brushed against a tiny, faint mark near her right shoulder blade—a tiny, thin red line barely a quarter of an inch long, faded so light it was almost invisible unless you looked closely under direct light.
It was the birthmark left by the aberrant vessel—the exact spot where the artery had run along the amniotic sac wall.
A tear welled in my eye, but it wasn't a tear of sorrow or fear. It was a tear of profound, overwhelming gratitude.
Reid stepped into the bathroom, holding a warm hooded towel shaped like a little bear. He saw me staring at the mark and knelt down beside me, wrapping his arm around my waist.
“The mark of the sac,” Reid whispered gently, pressing his lips to my neck.
“It’s her guardian mark,” I smiled softly, lifting Wren out of the warm water and wrapping her in the bear towel. “A reminder that she was protected before she even took her first breath.”
We carried Wren into her nursery, turning off the main lights and leaving only the warm, amber nightlight glowing in the corner. Reid rocked her gently in his arms, singing a low, quiet lullaby until her tiny eyelids grew heavy and her breathing slowed into the deep, sweet rhythm of sleep.
He gently laid her down in her crib, pulling the star-patterned blanket over her chest. Wren snuggled into her mattress, letting out a soft, contented sigh.
Reid and I stood side by side over the crib, our fingers intertwined, watching our daughter sleep.
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“We made it, Maren,” Reid whispered, pulling me tight against his chest. “We finally made it home.”
“We made it,” I repeated, leaning my head against his heart, listening to its steady, calming beat.
