Carter was washing up the dishes from a late dinner as Abby tried to get a fussy Eve to sleep in the nursery. Even from the kitchen, Carter could tell that Eve was doing her very best to fight off sleep, but eventually her cries became softer and softer, until finally she only choked out an occasional sob and hiccup. Carter dried his hands and crept quietly into the nursery, inching the door open bit by bit and then tiptoeing over to the rocking chair where Abby sat singing a familiar song to their baby daughter. It was an almost ethereal scene. The beautiful pair were bathed in moonlight that streamed in from the window. As Abby sang softly, Eve's head rested on Abby's shoulder, her eyes closed, her dark lashes laying on her full cheeks.
"There's a song that they sing as they take to the highways,
A song that they sing as they take to the seas,
A song that they sing of their home in the sky..."
"James Taylor?" Carter asked in a whisper. Abby nodded and continued singing in her throaty voice, rocking so gently that she barely seemed to be moving.
"Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep,
but singing works just fine for me..."
Carter quietly joined in for the chorus of the unconventional lullaby.
"So goodnight, you moonlight ladies.
Rock-a-bye sweet baby James.
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose,
Won't you let me go down in my dreams?
And rock-a-bye sweet baby James."
The young family stayed absolutely still, just drinking in the beauty of the moment. Carter stood behind the rocking chair in a daze, looking upon his child and her mother. Soft, dark hair, the rhythm of their steady breaths, the scent of baby powder and milk...it was more intoxicating than anything Carter had ever experienced. His eyes repeatedly filled with warm, wet tears, no matter how many times he tried to blink them away. He had no idea that it was possible to love this much. He almost ached at the intensity of it. Reluctantly, Abby rose to her feet with Eve in her arms. She seemed to glide across the room to put the baby into her crib. She bent slowly and gently laid the child into her bed. Eve's breath quickened as she was removed from the warmth of her mother, but she decided to remain sleeping as Abby covered her with a soft white blanket.
When Abby turned from the crib, Carter immediately caught her in an embrace. She laid her head against his chest, and he gently stroked her hair.
"Marry me," he whispered. Abby looked up at him, her eyes searching his and finding nothing but love and sincerity.
"Marry me, Abby," he repeated. She smiled softly up at him and nodded. One word, the only word that mattered, escaped from her lips.
"Yes."
"There's a song that they sing as they take to the highways,
A song that they sing as they take to the seas,
A song that they sing of their home in the sky..."
"James Taylor?" Carter asked in a whisper. Abby nodded and continued singing in her throaty voice, rocking so gently that she barely seemed to be moving.
"Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep,
but singing works just fine for me..."
Carter quietly joined in for the chorus of the unconventional lullaby.
"So goodnight, you moonlight ladies.
Rock-a-bye sweet baby James.
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose,
Won't you let me go down in my dreams?
And rock-a-bye sweet baby James."
The young family stayed absolutely still, just drinking in the beauty of the moment. Carter stood behind the rocking chair in a daze, looking upon his child and her mother. Soft, dark hair, the rhythm of their steady breaths, the scent of baby powder and milk...it was more intoxicating than anything Carter had ever experienced. His eyes repeatedly filled with warm, wet tears, no matter how many times he tried to blink them away. He had no idea that it was possible to love this much. He almost ached at the intensity of it. Reluctantly, Abby rose to her feet with Eve in her arms. She seemed to glide across the room to put the baby into her crib. She bent slowly and gently laid the child into her bed. Eve's breath quickened as she was removed from the warmth of her mother, but she decided to remain sleeping as Abby covered her with a soft white blanket.
When Abby turned from the crib, Carter immediately caught her in an embrace. She laid her head against his chest, and he gently stroked her hair.
"Marry me," he whispered. Abby looked up at him, her eyes searching his and finding nothing but love and sincerity.
"Marry me, Abby," he repeated. She smiled softly up at him and nodded. One word, the only word that mattered, escaped from her lips.
"Yes."