"How was work?" Loris said.

"It was work!" I snapped. I yanked the door open and stomped up the stairs to the apartment, tossed my jacket on the floor and sank down on the mattress, running my fingers through my hair. It didn't come as much surprise when he came to stand in the doorway a few moments later.

"Don't look at me with that stupid look on your face." I growled.

He grinned. "Don't smile."

"I won't." I rolled over on the mattress so my back was to him and curled into the fetal position. The floorboards creaked, the springs in the mattress squeaked as he sat down and rested a hand on my leg. "This place is falling apart."

"You don't know that."

"I do know." I said grimly. "I see it every day down there. Why don't you see it, Barrow? It's staring you right in the face, and you refuse to see it." I rolled over on my back to look at him. "Or is it that you do see it, and you just don't want to acknowledge it?"

He sighed. "Row, what's wrong? You're not at all your usual cheery self."

I gave sarcastic smile. "Ha ha."

He laid down next to me and propped himself up with his elbow so he could look down at me. "What are you afraid of, Row?"

I took his hand and held it to my lips. "A lot of things. But most of all I'm scared of a dead end. Of not moving forward or backward. It's hard to go anywhere when you can't see where you're going. When you're in the dark. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why do you love me? I'm the most temperamental person in the entire city. Jilly Rock could sing, Olitte Morethwart could weave and sew. All I do is tend pipes all day long, and come home disgusting and sweaty. Even the way we met, I was drenched in steam and covered in pipe rust with a helmet too big for my head. How did you decide you loved me?"

He shrugged. "Maybe it's because I love your moodiness. Because I loved Rowen Fairfax for who she was, not for who people thought she should be. I love you because you're kind, you're smart, you're hardworking. You're my Rowen, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Now, it's your turn. Why do you love me?"

I rolled my eyes. "Because you were there. Because you're handy in a fix. Because you were the only person who could look at me and see past all the gloom and anger and stress and just see me. Because you know I don't have to smile to let you know I'm happy. Because you can tell when I'm angry and frustrated, and even though I tell you to leave me alone and mind your own business, you don't, because you know exactly what I need. I love you because you are the most forgiving man I have ever met. And that's why I'm so glad."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm glad I get to be the woman lucky enough to have Loris Harrow's baby."

"What? Really?" He sat up a little straighter. "Row, are you…are you sure?"

"Course I'm sure. You didn't think I was getting fat from all this food, did you?"

He was so distracted he forgot to scold my sarcasm. "Fat? N-no, you're not-" He hesitantly reached over and rested his hand on my stomach.

I readjusted it so his fingers slipped beneath my waistband, resting a few inches below my belly button. "Right there." I whispered.

"How do you know?"

"Because I felt it kicking today."

His lips curved in a shy smile. "Wow."