Ray is sitting in the living room, watching television as he waits for the children to come home from school. They didn't know what was happening yet, they had been staying across the street and all they had been told was that their mom was in the hospital and that she was alright now. He needed to explain things to them, but how?
"Dad!" Ally exclaims as she bursts through the front door.
"Hey hun," Ray says, turning off the television and getting up to embrace his daughter.
"Dad, where's mom?" Ally asks, a note of worry in her voice. Her grandparents had told her she would get to see her mom today. She thought that meant Debra was coming home.
"Well," Ray begins. "She's still in the hospital."
"But," Ally begins. "Grandma said that I could see her today."
"Well you can," Ray explains. "As soon as your brothers come home you guys are going to come to the hospital with me and visit her."
"Oh," Ally replies, smiling.
"Ally," Ray says, causing her smile to fade from her face as she looks at her father's face. "There's something I need to explain to you."
"What?" Ally asks, setting down her backpack and taking a seat beside Ray on the couch.
"Well," Ray begins, thinking how to break the news to her. "Your mom is OK, she has a broken arm, but that's all."
"Yeah," Ally says, wondering why her dad looked so worried if Debra was alright.
"We don't know if the baby is alright," Ray explains. "The doctors ran some tests this morning."
"What?" Ally asks, tears forming in her eyes. She had finally just started to feel excited about having a new baby brother or sister, this couldn't be happening.
"Don't worry about it yet," Ray tells her. "We won't know anything for sure until tomorrow morning."
"How's mom taking it?" Ally asks, realizing it must be even harder for Debra.
"She's doing alright right now," Ray says. "But the reason I'm telling you this is because I don't want you to talk about it with her at the hospital."
"Why not?" Ally asks, puzzled.
"Your mom has had a rough couple of days," Ray tells her. "She's finally gotten to a place where she is not worrying about absolutely everything at the same time, and I want that to last as long as it can."
"Oh," Ally says, looking down.
"We have to prepare ourselves for the worst Ally," Ray begins, taking his daughter's hand in his. "We all have to pray that the baby did make it, but if not…"
Ray's voice trails off as a tear slides down his cheek. He quickly wipes it away before Ally looks up at him.
"If not?" Ally says, not even attempting to wipe away the tears that slide down her cheeks.
"If not," Ray begins again. "It's going to be hard. Your mom will not be able to handle it Ally, and I'll need your help."
"Of course Daddy," Ally says, holding her father's hand tighter. "You know I'll do anything."
Ray smiles at his daughter, noticing how grown up she's become. How could this young woman sitting in front of him be the same little baby girl he used to cradle in his arms.