Christine and Ryan both jerked back, and stared at each other.  Their daughter was grinning at her Pa, and said it again, as if to prove to them they weren’t dreaming.  She’d said her first word.

     “Did she really say that,” Ryan asked his wife, who was sitting there with her mouth hanging open.  “Did she really say that?”

     “I think so,” Christine giggled, her hand over her mouth.

     “She said ‘Pa,’” he said then, yelled it so loud, the sun, in the sky, probably heard it, too.  “She said ‘Pa.’”

     He stood up, with a giggling baby girl, and threw her up in the air, catching her gently.  Then,...

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