As Bette tentatively approached the window of the nursery she knew immediately which baby belonged to them.  The bassinets were pushed towards the front window of the nursery forming two separate lines of babies.  As Bette stood in awe staring at her daughter a nurse walked among the babies.  She noticed the beautiful woman standing so alone at the window.  She exited the nursery and felt somehow drawn to Bette.  “There are some beautiful babies in the nursery today aren’t there?” she asked smiling at Bette.  As she looked at Bette she noticed that her eyes were full of unshed tears.  Bette spoke to the nurse in a voice barely above a whisper “The 2^nd one in the front row is my daughter.”  “I’m sorry?” asked the nurse slightly confused.  “My partner, I mean ex-partner Tina Kennard had her earlier this afternoon” replied Bette.  “I’ll bet your name is Bette” said the nurse.  “It is” answered Bette.  “How did you know my name?”  “I was in the recovery room when they brought in Ms. Kennard and as she started to wake up she was asking for Bette.  She was still pretty heavily sedated but she thought that one of our nurses who is a brunette was you” said the nurse.  Bette’s tears started again for what seemed like the hundredth time today.  “I’m not really supposed to do this, but would you like to hold your daughter?” asked the nurse as she gently touched Bette’s shoulder.  Raising her chin, Bette simply nodded her head.  The nurse re-entered the nursery and lifted up the baby girl.  She wrapped her in a blanket and then motioned for Bette to come into the nursery area.  There were several rocking chairs positioned throughout the area and she gently handed the baby to Bette and guided her towards one of the chairs.  Noting the look of love that was clearly displayed on Bette’s face she quietly moved to another area in the nursery leaving Bette alone with her daughter.

            “Oh my God” whispered Bette “You are perfect.”  She was suddenly confronted with a million different emotions for in their baby Bette saw almost a mirror image of both herself and Tina.  With amazement, she gently touched the baby’s tiny fingers and was immediately greeted by her daughter tightly clinching her finger.  It was not that she didn’t already love the little girl, but with the simple grasp of her finger by her daughter the bond between a mother and child was cemented into her heart.  Bette sat holding her daughter and began to gently rock her.  Walking up to the window of the nursery, Shane tapped gently on the glass to get Bette’s attention.  Bette looked up at them with the same look of love in her eyes that she had always reserved for Tina.  She stood up and walked towards the glass so that they could see the baby.  Tears began to form in both Shane and Dana’s eyes.  Alice stood back in wonderment as the love that she knew Bette had for Tina was flowing from her towards the baby.  The nurse came up to Bette and told her that she needed to monitor some vitals on the baby.  Bette leaned in towards her daughter and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.  Thanking the nurse for allowing her into the nursery she wiped her eyes and went out to greet her friends.  Not a word was spoken among the four women as one at a time they hugged Bette tightly.  The full impact of the day finally hit Bette and she began to cry deep wrenching sobs.  Tears for the pain she had caused Tina, tears for her daughter and tears for the uncertainty that faced them as a family.