Emily was showing the animal onesies to Rea, who would run her hands over each one of them with a soft smile.

"Look at that panda one. But it such a pity we will need to wait for Richard to grow up a little before we place him in one of these," Rea mused. The onesies were made for a baby, true, but for a full-term one. Not a premature baby.

"I have been making something a little closer to his size. With a bit of room to grow," Emily pulled a half-finished onesie of a hamster and handed it to Rea. The hood didn't have anything on it, as that part was something that Emily was still practicing on spare pieces of fabric, but, other than that, the beige onesie had all the details it needed. Even paws at the hands.

"Good work," Rea commented, and she flipped the onesie around. This was the fruit of Rebecca's labor, in a sense. For Rebecca had taught Emily how to make clothes, in general. And Rea was glad that the woman who had replaced her was doing something to honor her.

"I am also finishing a couple of handkerchiefs that Rebecca started, but," Emily pulled out handkerchiefs that were only had half of their corners adorned with embroidery.

It was obvious to anyone with a sharp eye that the patterns had been picked up by someone else, recently. But, the stitches were not crocked, and Rea reasoned with herself that Emily could have saved herself the trouble and just thrown them away. 

"I think she is happy, watching you finish her work," Rea's tone was light when she said that, and she was surprised at herself that she meant every word.

After the funeral, Frank had come to her side, without Emily, and had invited her over to pick up Rebecca's things. And Rea, who wanted every piece of her daughter she could get, had jumped at the opportunity.

What started with Frank piling boxes into Rea's car continued on with tea and biscuits and was now progressing into looking at clothes with Emily.

With Frank having gone out so that he wouldn't miss his dog's walk. He had said something about the dog's son waiting for him, and Rea had been left to spend time alone with Emily.

At first, Rea had been worried. She remembered her own petty thoughts about the woman and felt shame and fear that something would give her away.

But now, as the two were going through the clothes, Rea felt peace. Emily was doing her best to put her at ease and befriend her. The unspoken message that Rea was welcomed to be a part of her grandson’s life was also there.

"And these are the comforter and the baby blanket we, Frank and I, made him," Emily pulled a fluffy baby blue comforter out of the bottom most drawer of the wardrobe and a lovely bright orange baby blanket that had a teddy bear stitched on it.

The comforter looked empty next to the blanket, and Rea wanted to fix that.

"May I take the comforter and stitch something on it?" Emily tilted her head and looked at the plain comforter. She had never thought that it needed more details, but, let it not be said, she didn't let a grandmother do something for her grandson. 

"Sure, here," Emily handed the comforter and folded the blanket and placed it back in the wardrobe. She then went and took out the knitted socks that Rebecca had made Richard and showed those off to Rea.

"So tiny," Rea commented. There were a couple of sizes, clearly made for different stages of Richard's development. But, again, they had been made with a full-term baby in mind. "But too big."

"I am not that good at knitting," Emily admitted. She had focused on sewing. Going as far as to buy herself a sewing machine to make herself simple things like scarfs and handkerchiefs. She had even made herself a polka-dot skirt, once. But, for now, she wasn't as skilled as Rebecca had been.

"I taught Rebecca. Come on, we need to see Richard, so I can have an idea about how big the socks should be. And he would most surely need a cap and gloves," Emily looked surprised at being invited to share in such a delicate moment as the first meeting between Rea and Richard, but she smiled all the same.

They piled into the car and Rea drove them to the hospital. The nurses didn't want to let them visit. They had already spent their visiting hours, but when Rea admitted to never seeing Richard, the nurse's eyes softened, and she made an exception.

Richard was tiny, Rea admitted to herself, and her heart broke at that. So small, yet his eyes were so lively. They were a bright baby blue, so, there was still hope that they could become Rebecca's green ones as the boy aged.

But his nose was all Rebecca, his ears were all Frank, and so was the long face. But when Richard smiled, it was like Rea saw Rebecca smiling again. 

A stray tear fell down on Rea's cheek. The little boy looked at her with the same small smile that promised mischief on his mother's face. First impressions were important, so Rea choose her words carefully.

"Hello, Richard. I am your grandmother. You know, the one who is going to feed you even when you are not hungry and tease you every time you speak to a girl," Emily giggled next to her, and Rea continued on. "But, for now, I will be making you countless socks, caps and gloves. You will be the best outfitted baby in your neighborhood."

Richard's dimples showed and he blinked. Not understanding what was being said, but liking the attention.

"You be good now. Take many naps and don't fuss too much," Rea advised with a serious tone, and the boy blinked up at her again, his little hand reaching out of the incubator. 

Rea extended a finger and let the baby hold it for a while, and she pulled the finger away only when Richard let go.

"Now, I will leave you to your dreams. Dream of Becca, too, if you can. She loved you a lot," Rea waved at the boy, and he clenched and unclenched his little hand. That was a good first conversation, Rea thought gleefully. One that Rebecca would have liked.