Allie sat in the stiff, lavishly decorated dining chair, appreciatively sipping the finest wine money had been able to buy this season. Lon, at the opposite end of the table, did likewise.

"Lon, this wine really is fantastic!" She exclaimed.

Lon jerked his head in agreement but otherwise ignored her.

They'd already had dinner which, unfortunately, had been just as uncomfortably silent, which confused Allie. She'd never seen him so withdrawn from her.

"You know, Mr. Cooper called again today. He said he really nee-" She tried again, but was interrupted.

"Allie, just stop!" He burst out, leaping out of his chair and striding out of the room.

Allie sat, bewildered. Just last night, when she had last seen him, he had been perfectly cheerful and pleasant to talk to. What could have possibly happened to make him so miserable? She didn't think it could have been anything she did; she had barely said two words to him this evening, before he had lost his temper.

She considered waiting an extra night to tell him, but stopped herself. That is what she had said to herself last night and the night before that and the night before that; waiting wouldn't make it any less hard and he deserved to know.

She smoothed her hair one last time and calmly walked up the stairs to the bedroom. She knocked gently before calling his name.

He opened the door, looking disheveled and anxious. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have blown up like that."

She just looked at him. "Lon, why...what did I do? I don't know what I did..."

His face softened. "Allie, darling, you didn't do anything. I'm so sorry. I just...it's been a really, really hectic day. I should have never yelled at you, though."

She nodded, accepting the apology. "We all have those days, I guess. Lon, I have something to tell you, something that might cheer you up a little."

He sighed. "I have some news, too. Nothing very cheerful though."

"Well, you go first. Let's get the bad news out of the way first," She offered hastily. Coward, she chastised herself.

He took a deep breath. "The company wants me to start making business trips more often. And for longer."

Her eyes widened. No, no, no… "Well, how long are we talking? Because, I mean, you go on business trips all the time and we both do fine."

He appraised her apprehensively. "They've scheduled a dozen or so business trips this year, all lasting three weeks or so, each."

Allie felt the breath leave her suddenly. Using the math she had been forced to learn so long ago by her parents, she figured he might be gone about thirty six or so weeks out of the year. Out of fifty two weeks.

Why now? Why now? He couldn't afford to leave…not now, not with everything going on.

She started to cry weakly. Just the prospect of all those empty weeks, stretched out before her, as she waited for him to come home…alone in this stupid, great, big house. Well, not completely alone.

He gathered her up in his arms. "Oh, sweetheart, I know…"

She pushed him away. "No, you don't. Lon, I'm pregnant."

She looked up, gauging his expression, and her heart broke. First, there was the initial shock of the news settling in. Then, happiness. Then, horror.

He wouldn't be able to cancel his business trips.

.

Weeks and months flew by as she waited and her stomach grew. Two days after she told him, he left on his first business trip. Now, she was heavily pregnant, due any day now, and he wasn't home. He had promised her he would come home near the due date but thus far, he had not shown up.

Allie sighed and looked down at her humongous stomach. Rubbing it with bittersweet affection, she choked back tears. "Hey, little baby," She cooed, trying to smile. "You know how much I love you?"

For awhile, there was a problem with Allie's pregnancy; she had passed her approximate due date. But finally, the tell-tale contractions began…

"Just push, Ms. Hammond! Push!" The nurse ordered.

She didn't feel like Ms. Hammond; that was the name reserved for Lon's wife. And right now, she was just Allie. All alone, simply Allie. Tears streaming from her eyes, her hair sticking to her face because of all the sweat. But nevertheless, she pushed. And pushed.

It felt like eternity before the pain stopped and that small, pink baby was placed in her tired arms.

"Congratulations, Ms. Hammond! You've given birth to a healthy baby boy!" The nurse beamed.

Clutching the baby close to her, Allie looked around. "My husband?" She asked.

The nurse's smile faltered. "He called while you were in labor. He said he was sorry, but he couldn't get away. He apologized again and then hung up."

Allie struggled to fight back the anger and grief that came with that news and tried to smile. "Alright. Alright, thank you, ma'am."

The nurse smiled again and nodded, before walking away.

Allie looked down at this beautiful, precious baby and not for the first time, wondered how life would have been different if she had chosen Noah.

Suddenly, Allie woke up, covered in cold sweat. Breathing fast, she looked around her and calmed down. It was just a dream. Beside her, asleep, was Noah. On the bedside table next to her was the wedding ring he had given her when they said their vows.

And when she looked down, she could see the small but significant bump that indicated the baby growing inside of her.

Except with Noah, the scene had gone completely differently. When she had told him, there had only been joy.

Allie breathed out shakily. Everything was alright. Everything. Was. Alright.

Beside her, Noah stirred. "Allie?" He asked sleepily.

Without saying anything, she lay back down and buried her face in the crook of his neck in a tight hug.

A bit more alert now, he put his arms around her. "Baby, is everything okay?"

She nodded decidedly.

"Are you sure?" He asked, puzzled.

She nodded again but drew back a little bit so she could see his face. "Just please…can you promise me that you'll be here? For the baby? For me? Can you do that, Noah?" She asked, the words tripping over each other in their rush to be said, her eyes wide and pleading.

He looked even more confused but nodded. "Allie, you and this baby are the most important things to me. You know that, right?"

She nodded, tears threatening to spill over. Stupid hormones. But still, it really was what she had needed to hear.

"Allie…what happened?"

She shook her head. "Bad dream." Quickly pecking him on the lips, she let go and fell back on the pillows.

"Good night, Allie. I love you." She heard Noah say softly.

She smiled. He's perfect… "Good night, Noah. I love you, too."