Carefully Danielle eased her weight off the mattress and stepped onto the carpeted floor of her bedroom. One more glance at David who remained sleeping and she was off down the hall--not running but definitely a few paces above a jog. She paused when she reached the door, waiting for sound, breathing, anything indicating she wasn't losing her mind. There. She could hear it. A sniffle. A cough. It was Emily. Danielle nearly squealed aloud at the thought of hugging her little girl after nearly 7 months. She peered anxiously out of the peephole and there she was. Her baby girl.

Danielle carefully turned the deadlock and unlatched the chain...