As each day passed she became more and more grateful for the life that she had. Both her Edwards were the center of her world. Little Edward was bright and outgoing like his father and kind and perceptive like his mother.

Though he had his mother’s coloring with his copper locks and peaches and cream complexion, he had his father’s looks, right down to the crooked smile that always seemed to be turning up one corner of his lips.

It was also fair to say that he had was just as spoiled as his own mother had been growing up, but despite the fact that both his parents as well as both sets of grandparents got him whatever he wanted and more, he did not act spoiled.

Elizabeth’s day was filled with love and laughter as she watched her son grow. When he began to crawl she clapped and cheered as if he were an Olympian. Then, when he started to walk she was quite sure that there was no baby on the planet that was more brilliant.

Her favorite times were always watching him from the back patio as he played. When he was three his favorite toy was his “Bwack ‘orsey” as he called the wooden horse on wheels that his father had made for him. When he was eight it was the hoop that he would run after, hitting with a stick. Then when he was older his father would play baseball with him while she watched. In general, any game that had him running from the time he was old enough to walk was good enough for him. At times she would even throw aside convention and hike up her skirts to run with him, chasing him as they played tag or other games. She loved him to pieces.

Although he was close to both his parents, he had a special bond with his mother. He seemed especially sensitive to the needs and desires of those around him, almost as if he could read their minds but, in her case he met those needs and wants without thinking and she did the same for him in return.

The first time she noticed this was when he was barely old enough to crawl. She didn’t realize that the clasp on the necklace on her diamond heart pendent had broken. It was a piece she wore everyday since her husband had put it on her the day of little Edward’s birth. She had been in the sitting room when she realized it was gone and had immediately gone into a panic.