**********

It wasn’t as difficult as I’d imagined, getting used to having Kallie around. She was a good baby and started sleeping through the night fairly soon after we’d brought her home, but we liked to go check on her in the middle of the night sometimes and just watch her. Al and I usually had happy arguments over who would get to feed her, and we’d have less happy ones over whose duty it was to change her that time.

It was a lot of fun. I loved just spreading a blanket on the living room floor and lying on it with her while she played with her rattles and chew toys and things. Shane had brought her a stuffed rattle the day after we brought her home, and from then on, it was usually around her. It didn’t drive us nuts because it was pretty soft even when she shook it hard, so I was grateful for that.

Everyone adored her, but she gravitated most toward Jenny. We all found that a little bit amusing, but every time Kallie heard Jenny’s voice she would grin. Sometimes she’d laugh too, and we all thought it was the cutest thing ever, although Jenny acted more than a little surprised at being Kallie’s favorite aunt.

“You should have kids,” I told Jenny one afternoon. We were in the living room, sitting with Kallie in her blanket while she laughed at all her toys. She was always doing that. She was a very happy baby and was easily amused, and seemed to think every toy she had was hilarious, because she always laughed at them.

“I don’t know if I could do that,” Jenny replied. She wasn’t looking at me, and I thought maybe I’d offended her.

“I didn’t mean right now or anything. You’re just really good with Kallie and she adores you.”

“Maybe,” Jenny said, a faraway look in her eyes. I decided not to press it, and Kallie appeared to be overjoyed with her toys and her Aunt Jenny, because she laughed all afternoon.

**********

Alice and I spent a lot of time at the house with Kallie, and fell utterly in love. Alice was constantly grinning, and it was such a nice change from the way she’d been sulking around since she’d broken down on Shane’s shoulder that I was really happy. Alice was still writing, usually late at night and while Kallie was napping, because it was so much fun spending time with her when she was awake.

“Jesus. She’s too damn cute, Dana. She hardly ever cries and she laughs at everything. We’re not gonna be able to take her anywhere!” Alice said one night. We were in the living room. Helena was with us, and she was sprawled on the floor next to Kallie, dangling toys in front of her face. Kallie was eating it up, and Alice was taking pictures like always.

“Can you imagine trying to take her to the Planet? Every single customer and employee would try to kidnap her,” Al continued. I looked at her and grinned.

“Yeah, I can see that. But I won’t let it happen,” I assured her.

“You better not,” Alice said, trying to sound threatening. It didn’t work, and I laughed at her. Kallie heard me and started laughing too, which meant that everyone else did the same thing.

It was the beginning of one of the very best times of my life, having our daughter home with us.