Two nights later, Jason sat alone on his back porch. Inside, he could hear Carly reading to the boys upstairs. Her even, quiet tone recited the familiar words to their favorite story for the millionth time. With her voice in the background like his favorite lullaby, he found himself reaching for the album he had carried out to the deck with him. There were images of the boys playing in the park and making snow angels on the Quartermaines lawn. Photographs of them reading a book in his favorite chair and one of them helping Carly make cookies in the kitchen were organized into the album. Finally, he reached the end and stared at the blank pages. Reserved for photographs of their daughter, he tried to imagine what snapshots would fill them in the coming years.
As he shut the back cover, he heard Carly's light footsteps coming toward him. "Is this a party for two?" she asked, handing him a bottle of beer. She took a sip of her water and smiled at him earnestly.
"Of course," he said, pulling her into his lap. Though heavier than she had been months ago when he held her like this for the first time, he barely noticed. She was absolutely radiant, glowing of pregnancy and love.
"What were you doing out here all alone?"
"Listening to you read to the boys. And thinking about what memories we are going to have with our little girl," Jason said. "How was your day? Sorry I couldn't make it to the doctor's appointment."
"Actually, we need to talk about that, Jase," she said. "Don't worry about missing the appointment, I know that there have been so many lately. But, I got some kinda scary news today."
"Carly, what aren't you telling me?" he asked, suddenly worried.
She looked beyond the porch toward the glimmering sky. Though he could feel her tenseness, she tried to remain as calm as possible. "There might be complications. The baby has turned."
"What does that mean?"
"It just means that the doctor will have to take certain precautions during delivery," she told him. Carly continued to explain everything the doctor had told her that afternoon, but it did little to appease him.
"Carly, I want you to relax. I'm not going to work until after the baby is born," Jason said. "I will help Leticia with the boys, and I will make sure everything else is taken care of."
She didn't say anything as she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck. She inhaled deeply, taking in his familiar scent, before lightly kissing his neck. "I love you, Jase."
"I love you, Carly," he reiterated. They sat that way for nearly an hour until she had finally fallen asleep. The gentle rise and fall of her breath was the only sound in the still night air. He carefully turned her around to lift her up and carry her into their bedroom. He laid her on the bed, removing her shoes and pulling the comforter over her body. Kneeling next to her, he dropped his head and folded his hands in hers.
"I've never asked you for much, God, but I am going to ask you for this now," he whispered. "This isn't a request for me, this is for my wife. I pray that you will just be with her and give her the will and courage to do this. I pray that you will be with our child and give her the strength to make it home to us. I pray that you will be with this family. Please, God, bless my wife and my daughter."
His simple prayer had wakened Carly. "And bless her father, my husband, for even in his prayers, he puts us first."