The Light of My Life

They laid her in my arms, and I burst into tears. I know, I know- when you have a baby, it's supposed to be the happiest moment of your life. It was, I assure you. A surge of emotion and love for this little being crashed over me, utterly overwhelming, so strong that I couldn't do anything but bust out crying. I held her close, marveling at her tiny little fingers, the head of curly dark hair, the way she snuggled trustingly against me, and my own relief. I'd never had a baby before, and I had been so afraid I wouldn't have those maternal emotions. Not that I doubted my capability for loving- God knows I have very strong relationships with my mother, my grandmother, and my friends. I just couldn't figure out how you can love somebody you've never really 'met' before, even if she'd spent the last nine months in my  womb. My fears on that account were instantly eased the moment I held my beautiful little daughter.

On that account. Yes. On others, though...

I was soon ensconced in a private room in the maternity ward; little Tanya was sleeping along with the rest of the hospital's newborns, swaddled in a white blanket striped with blue and pink in an array of cribs a few yards down the hall. You'd think I'd be exhausted after giving birth, but I was wide awake. Adrenalin, I guess. My OB-GYN joined me a few hours later, as I was snacking on green jello (with whipped cream!). He seemed rather disconcerted, though he smiled as warmly as he always did.

"So," he said cheerily, checking the clipboard in his hand, "How are we feeling?"

I had to grin. "Fine. Great. Wonderful! What about you?" Sometimes I can be blunt.

He blinked, and chuckled, running a hand through his thinning silver hair. "I'm still trying to figure this out. We've talked about this before. As far as I can tell, you've never had sexual intercourse, but..."

"Doctor."

It was my mother's voice. I was surprised. I hadn't seen her enter the room, but there she was. She made an odd gesture, a circle with her hand, three fingers raised, as she continued, politely but firmly. "Thank you for coming by."

He smiled brightly. "Anything I can do to help." He turned to pat my hand. "You just rest now. I think you and your little girl will be fine to go home tomorrow morning." And he left.

Needless to say, this left me rather confused. It was as if he'd completely forgotten what he'd been about to say. I shook my head a little, trying to figure this out, as Mother pulled a chair to my bedside. She gave me the most loving smile imaginable when she sat down.

"Mom?" I asked. "Did that seem kind of weird to you?"

"Not at all." There was an odd note to her voice, confident, strong, that made me focus on her. She said, "He doesn't remember. I made him forget that you were a virgin."

Okay, this was getting weird. "Huh?"

Mom reached over to squeeze my hand. "It's okay, I promise. It's just time that I explain a few things for you." She sat back with a warm smile. "Your little girl, your precious little girl- have you picked a name? She was born at 11:11 in the morning, November 11, 2011."

"Tanya," I answered automatically. "And yes, she was. Your point?" I was starting to get a bit impatient.

She continued unruffled. "You were born at 9:28 in the morning- 88 minutes after 8 A.M.- on August 8, 1988. I was born at 5:55 in the morning on May 5, 1955. Your grandmother was born at 2:22 in the morning, on February 22, 1922." She paused, looking at me.

I stared back as the numbers and dates added up in my mind. I'd known them, but never put it together before. "That has to be coincidence!" I protested.

She looked back at me with serene grace. "I was a virgin when you were born. My mother was a virgin when I was born. And so on, back for countless generations.

"We are special," she said. "Some have called us witches. Some, goddesses. At some point, we give birth, without ever having known a man. Then, we can access our powers, like the power to make a person forget a thought." She gestured toward the door, indicating my departed doctor. "You'll develop them soon. But they're limited, very limited. Your little girl, though, will not be limited. She's what the world has been waiting for. She'll bring  peace and harmony to this planet. True peace. Then humankind will be able to find its- our- destiny. We will reach for the stars and beyond."

I could only stare at her, speechless. But it explained so much! At that moment, the door opened, and they brought Tanya in, to lay her in my arms. She was hungry. My beautiful little girl. The light of my life. The light of the world.

(Dedicated to my own little girl, the light of my life.)