Sheridan inched her eyes open as the pain radiated out from her spine. Grimacing as it tightened around her belly, she squinted at the bright red light assaulting her eyes from the bedside clock.

3:30. 3:30 a.m.

Sheridan's heartbeat accelerated.

This couldn't be happening right now.

Taking a deep breath in, Sheridan massaged her belly.

It was just Braxton Hicks. It had to be Braxton Hicks.

Martin and Pilar's ceremony was starting in just a few hours.

The pain intensifying, Sheridan squeezed her eyes shut and bit down on her lips.

She couldn't be going into labor right now.


"Sher, are you okay in there?" Luis called out from the bedroom.

"Yes, Luis, I'm fine," Sheridan replied from behind the bathroom door.

Tightening her fingers around the towel bar, Sheridan gasped for air. "Come on, little one. . . . We can do this. . . . We just have to get through your abuelo and abuela's ceremony."

The pain gripping her belly peaked and then began to ease.

Sinking down onto the toilet, Sheridan steadied her breathing.

Yes, her contractions had started getting longer and closer together, but that last one hadn't been so bad—they weren't unbearable yet.

It was already 8 a.m.—she only had to get through three more hours.

Luis had waited so long to see his parents recommit to each other.

She couldn't let him miss this.

She could let him enjoy the vow renewal without worrying about her—she could get through this on her own for the next few hours.


Smiling, Luis bounced in his shoes, rubbed his hands together, and glanced around Father Lonigan's office. He couldn't believe that his mother and father were about to be officially reunited—that their family was about to be officially reunited—after all these years of living apart.

If only Papa's physical therapy had progressed a little bit more. If only he could walk.

Yes, Mama had been overjoyed when Papa had surprised her with the idea of the ceremony this morning, but it would have been even better if he could stand up there at the altar with her. If everything could have gone off as originally planned.

Maybe this would be better, though. Maybe this small, intimate ceremony was exactly what was supposed to happen—a celebration that would allow his family to focus on each other and everything they had to be grateful for, instead of dwelling on everything they had lost.

And they had a lot to be grateful for, didn't they?

A returned father, two grandchildren on the way, and three successful marriages.

He had certainly lucked out in that department, hadn't he?

No matter how hard he had initially fought his attraction to Sheridan, she was definitely the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Speaking of Sheridan, she'd been much quieter than usual on the car ride over, and even though she was trying to hide it, he could tell she was exhausted. As soon as this was over, he was going to take her home and spend the rest of the day taking care of her—showing her how much he adored her.

Luis fingered his wedding ring and smiled. "I can't believe I got so lucky."

"You can say that again . . ."

Luis looked up.

Martin wheeled himself into the room, his eyes twinkling. "We're the luckiest guys on the planet, aren't we, Luis?"

Glancing back down at his wedding band, Luis's heart swelled with love. "We couldn't be luckier."


Sheridan excused herself from her conversation with Ethan and Theresa and beelined it to the ladies' room. She had managed to make it through the car ride to the church without incident, but she could feel another contraction coming on.

Bursting into the bathroom, she grabbed hold of the edge of the vanity and inhaled.

Damn, these were getting stronger.

Her brow creasing with pain, Sheridan exhaled. "Come on, little one. We can do this. We can give your daddy this morning."

A toilet flushed.

Sheridan looked up.

Paloma stepped out of a stall.

"¡Dios mío, Sheridan! Are you okay?" Paloma rushed to her side.

"I'm fine." Massaging her belly, Sheridan groaned. "I'm pretty sure that I'm still only in early labor."

"Where's Luis? I'll go find him right now."

"No, please don't," Sheridan begged her, the pain clutching her belly slowly intensifying. "He's been looking forward to this day for such a long time. It would kill me if he missed it."

Paloma raised one eyebrow. "Are you sure? Luis would want to know you're in labor."

"I know, but the baby won't be here for a while." Every muscle in Sheridan's face tensed. "My . . . water . . . hasn't even broken yet. . . . There's no need to ruin the ceremony for him."

"You really love him, don't you?" Paloma asked.

Sheridan nodded, the tension seeping from her face as the contraction began to subside. "More than anyone else in this world."

"Well, at least let me help you to your seat," Paloma offered, "—give you a hand to squeeze."

"Thank you." Sheridan gave Paloma a weak smile. "To tell the truth, I don't know if I can hide this for too much longer."

"Well, if you're squeezing my hand instead of Luis's, maybe you can hide it for a little while longer." Slipping her arm around Sheridan's waist, Paloma winked at her. "Come on, hermana—the sooner we get seated, the sooner the ceremony can start—and the sooner we can get you to the hospital."


Squeezing his mother's arm, Luis smiled at her and Miguel.

This day couldn't be any more perfect.

"Are you ready, Mama?" Miguel asked, beaming at her.

"I'm ready," Pilar smiled, her eyes glistening. "And I'm so thankful for my beautiful boys."

"We love you, Mama." Luis kissed her cheek.

"I love you both, too." Fixing her eyes on the man waiting for her up at the altar, Pilar's smile grew. "I can't believe this day is finally here."

"Neither can I," Luis said, smiling at his father.

Up at the altar, Martin smiled, sat up straighter in his wheelchair, and fixed his eyes on Pilar.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Pilar nodded at Miguel and Luis, and all three of them started down the aisle, Pilar nestled lovingly in between her sons.

Glancing over his mother's head at his brother, Luis smiled at Miguel.

Miguel smiled back.

As they approached the altar, Martin wheeled over to the bench in front of him and pulled out a hidden walker.

Luis's jaw went slack. "Papa, what are you doing?"

Martin gripped the top of the walker and pushed himself to his feet. "What I've been yearning to do for quite some time . . ." Martin looked at Pilar, his eyes twinkling. "Standing up here with my beautiful bride, in front of God, to renew my vows to her."

"Oh, Martin!" Pilar gasped, rushing over to her husband and wrapping her arms around him.

His heart swelling in his chest, tears sprang to Luis's eyes.

All this time, his father had been holding out on him—had been tamping down the progress he was making.

Despite all the struggles they all had been through—everything had really turned out okay.

A lump forming in his throat, Luis looked back at his wife.

From her seat next to Paloma, Sheridan beamed at him, a single tear slipping down her face.

"I love you," Luis mouthed to her.

Smiling, Sheridan wiped away another tear. "I love you, too, Luis."


Sheridan's heart burst in her chest as Martin repeated his vows to Pilar.

To see them this happy, after all this time—it truly made her believe in miracles.

And witnessing the way Luis was beaming—she had definitely made the right choice when she decided to let him enjoy this morning.

Father Lonigan turned to Pilar. "Do you, Pilar, take this man . . ."

A fresh pain snaked its way around Sheridan's body.

Willing herself to keep a straight face, Sheridan threaded her fingers through Paloma's and gripped the edge of the bench.

On the other side of her, Luis's eyes flew to hers. "Sheridan, are you okay?"

"Look, Luis." Sheridan nodded her head at the altar. "Have you ever seen your parents so happy?"

Luis blinked for a second and then turned to watch his parents.

Taking a deep breath in, Sheridan massaged her belly and exhaled.

Luis's eyes snapped back to hers. "Sheridan, what's wrong?"

Around them, everyone jumped to their feet and started clapping.

Sheridan's eyes flew to the altar, relief washing through her the second her eyes landed on the sight she had been waiting for: Martin and Pilar were kissing.

She had made it. The ceremony was finally over.

Letting go of Paloma's hand, Sheridan gripped the back of the bench in front of her where Ethan and Theresa had been sitting only seconds ago and pulled herself to her feet.

Luis sprang to his feet. "Sheridan, what's wrong? You look like you're having contractions."

"I . . . I'm . . . fi . . ." Gasping for air, Sheridan doubled over, tears springing to her eyes as the pain that had been gripping her belly peaked into a sharp and sudden crescendo.

The sounds of Theresa's, Ethan's, and Luis's utters of concern swirled in Sheridan's head; she felt Luis kneel down in front of her and grab hold of her arms.

"Sher, are you okay?" Luis asked.

Sheridan clutched her belly, her eyes pooling with tears. "I'm in labor, Luis—I have been for hours."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Luis's voice filled with disbelief.

"I didn't want you to miss your parents' ceremony," Sheridan cried, a trickle of warm liquid streaming down her leg.

"Still . . ." Luis sat her down on the bench. "I can't believe you've been going through this alone."

"She wasn't alone," Paloma announced. "I was helping her through the contractions."

Luis threw up his hands. "Were you going to deliver our baby, too?"

"I was going to tell you if it got much worse," Sheridan breathed, the stream of water between her thighs intensifying.

"Still, I can't believe this . . ." Luis started again.

"Luis, I think my water just broke," Sheridan said.

"Wha . . . what?" Luis jumped to his feet and yanked his keys out of his pocket. "I've got to go get the car."

"I . . . don't . . . think . . . I can get up yet . . ." Sheridan doubled over in pain again.

"Don't worry, mijo." Pilar rushed up beside him. "I'll stay here with Sheridan while you go get the car ready."

Moving past Luis, Pilar sat down next to Sheridan and pulled her into an embrace.

Sheridan sank into Pilar's arms.

Stroking Sheridan's hair, Pilar kissed the top of her head. "Breathe, mija. Just breathe."

Tossing his keys to the side, Luis dropped to his knees and intertwined his fingers through Sheridan's. "You've got this, Sheridan."

Her eyes drifting to Luis's, Sheridan inhaled.

"I love you," Luis said, his eyes glistening.

Tears in her eyes, Sheridan squeezed his fingers and slowly exhaled. "I love you so much, Luis."