Keep Her

The young mother of the child lay on the bed, cradled the baby in her arms, smiling at her. There was pain and joy in her eyes, as a tear fell, dropping onto the baby's face. The mother wiped it away quickly. A girl, about the mothers age, stood beside the mother.
"She is beautiful, Lili."
Lili looked up at her friend.
"You think so?"
Her friend, Nia, placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Why of course!"
Lili laughed quietly and the baby reached her hand out to touch her mothers long blond curls. She let her baby's tiny hand curl around her finger.
"What shall I name it?" she asked.
Nia knelt down and touched its blond head.
"I don't know... What's a word for beautiful?"
The name suddenly came to Lili.
"Adele Mariah. But she will be called Mariah, because her father conceived her bitterly." a tear ran down her cheek.
She felt all the strength going out of her arms. She was breathing hard
"Take the child, Nia, before I drop her."
Nia took Mariah gently.
"You'll be fine, Lili. You just need to rest."
Lili shook her head weakly.
"No... No my friend. I can feel the life fading from me."
Nia took her hand, her eyes watering with unshed tears.
"Please, don't."
Lili looked at her friend, eyes looking tired but sure.
"Promise me, promise me Nia one thing before I die."
"Anything." Nia whispered.
"Do not let Mariah know the pain I have had to endure. Never let a man use her. Let this child live in the light, with happiness. Not having all her hopes and dreams and love crushed. Please promise me this!" her hands were shaking and her face showed the pain she was going through.
Her friend's tears came then.
"I promise, to the best of me, I will not let a man do this to her. May God bless her."
With that, Lili lay her head on the pillow and breathed her last few, painful breaths then darkness took her and she lay still.
Mariah began to cry and Nia looked down at her. She suddenly realized how special she was. She had to keep her safe, and safe she would keep her.