Free Beneath a Southern Sky by Deborah Raney

job openings that seemed like possibilities. Then she went to her closet to see if she could find even one outfit she could squeeze into that would be suitable for a job interview.
    She glanced down at Natalie, who was still awake but lying quietly on her back. A pair of bright little eyes darted back and forth, seeming to follow Daria as she moved from the closet to the full-length mirror and back, holding various skirts in front of her.
    “Oh, Nattie, your mommy doesn’t have a thing to wear!” she cooed, as though the baby could understand every word.
    She finally decided on a faded but still stylish, straight denim skirt. She could borrow a blouse from her mother to wear with it.
    She hated even bringing up the subject of a job with her parents. Margo and Erroll Haydon had fallen in love with their little granddaughter. Natalie was a blessing, and a powerful antidote to everyone’s grief. But it was time for them to be on their own—past time. And Daria was ready.
    Natalie began to squirm and fuss in the crib. Daria looked at her watch. “Are you hungry again , little girl? You must be in a growing spurt.”
    In reply Natalie puckered her bottom lip and burst into tears. Laughing, Daria scooped the baby into her arms. She sat down in the rocking chair and put her daughter to her breast. The eager little mouth latched on, and soon she was almost choking on the rich flow of milk. They were slowly getting the hang of this breast-feeding thing, and with the rush of milk, Daria felt the familiar sense of well-being spread over her like a warm quilt.
    “We’re in this together, kiddo,” she whispered. “You and me.”
    The thick, dark hair Natalie had been born with had fallen out within weeks of her birth and was slowly being replaced with silky, white-blond strands that made her look even more startlingly like Nate. Daria smoothed the flyaway hair with the palm of her hand and wished for the thousandth time that Nathan could have seen his daughter just once.
    Daria smiled as the baby’s eyelids fluttered, then closed as she fell into a milk-induced stupor. Overcome with love for her daughter, Daria stroked the rounded curve of Natalie’s down-soft cheek. A tear rolled down Daria’s cheek and soaked into the warm blanket surrounding her daughter.

    Set back from the highway, the Bristol Veterinary Clinic was at the edge of town. The unassuming office building in front was dwarfed by a modern, newly built barn that rose behind it.
    Daria got out of the car and nervously straightened her skirt and smoothed the wrinkles from her blouse. She went around to the opposite side of the car and opened the back door.
    Natalie slept soundly in her car seat. “Please, please, don’t wake up, sweetie,” she whispered under her breath. Spring had not quite arrived in Kansas and the afternoon breeze was brisk, so Daria threw a light blanket over Natalie, tucking it in around her.
    She picked up her daughter, car seat and all, and walked into the waiting room of the clinic’s front office.
    “Can I help you?” the girl at the desk asked through a wad of chewing gum. Daria guessed that she was a high-school student.
    “Yes, I’m here for an interview about the receptionist’s position.”
    “Oh, yeah, sure. Hang on.” The girl meandered down a hallway toward the back of the building, reappearing a few seconds later. She handed Daria a clipboard with a job application attached.
    Daria put Natalie’s carrier on the floor beside her, uncovered the still-sleeping baby, and sat down to fill out the information. When she was finished, she gave the clipboard to the girl, who disappeared through a back doorway with it.
    She returned a few minutes later. “Dr. Hunter says to come on back.”
    Toting the infant carrier, she followed the young woman through the door and down a narrow passageway.
    “I’m Jennifer, by the way.” The girl offered Daria a shy smile. “Your baby is adorable.”
    “Thanks,” she smiled. “I hope