Elizabeth was jolted out of a sound sleep by her husband's gentle shaking.

"Wake up, Lizzie. It's time to get the kids up and ready for school."

She looked at the clock on the wall and was shocked.

"And you too, Paul! I can't believe I slept in this late! I don't know what's wrong!"

Paul laughed. "It's all right. You worked hard yesterday, so it's no surprise you were extra tired."

Rubbing her eyes, Elizabeth tossed back the covers and slipped a cautious foot to the floor, pulling it back immediately, her teeth chattering. She reached for her robe, then slipped her feet into her slippers and made her way to the kitchen, where she began to cook eggs and bacon. The smell of the sizzling bacon made her queasy, but she knew her family was hungry and eager to get off to school and work, so she tried to ignore it.

Paul and the children quickly ate breakfast, and then Max and Laura bundled up in their coats, hats and scarves.

"It's so cold this morning, I'll give you a ride to school, if you want," Paul offered.

"Yes!" they both exclaimed.

Paul looked at his wife, who was picking at her eggs and hadn't even touched her bacon.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she replied.

He went to her and lifted her chin to look into her eyes.

"Are you sure? You look a bit pale to me."

"I'm just a little tired, I guess. I'll be fine."

"Okay." His voice held a note of uncertainty as he kissed her goodbye, then left with Max and Laura.

"Well, Amon, we've got a busy day ahead of us today," she said and signed to Amon. "I have to do several loads of laundry. It's too cold for you to go out to the garage with me, so you can stay inside and play while I'm putting the clothes in the washing machine."

"Lonely," Amon signed.

Elizabeth burst out laughing. "It's only for a few minutes! Here, I'll put Captain Kangaroo on for you." Although Amon couldn't hear the audio track for the show, the ping pong balls falling down onto the moose always made him giggle.

Elizabeth was loading the dirty clothes into the washing machine when she was overcome with a wave of dizziness so strong she had to grab the machine to keep from falling down.

This is so strange, she thought to herself. I haven't felt like this since...oh, no! It couldn't be!

Her mind went back to Christmas Eve, which was a little over a month ago. She and Paul had sat up several hours after the children had gone to bed, drinking mulled wine, singing, and dancing. She recalled she'd had a bit more to drink than was usual for her and had awakened with a slight headache the next morning. Was it possible they hadn't been careful enough the previous night?

She recalled Paul's offer to have the operation after Laura's complicated and traumatic birth, how she'd talked him out of it. Had she made the right choice?

Refusing to dwell on the subject, she finished the laundry and her other chores, and by the time Max and Laura came home from school, she felt back to normal.

"How did it go?" she asked them.

"Terrific!" Max replied. "I drove all the way around the block in driver's ed and didn't make a single mistake."

"And how about you?" she asked Laura.

The young girl looked worried. "There's an exam coming up in math."

"Oh, you'll do fine," Elizabeth assured her.

She'd just prepared dinner and was setting the table when Paul arrived home from work. The family gathered around the table, Paul said the blessing, and they began to eat.

"This is the best pot roast I've ever tasted," Paul told his wife a few minutes later.

"Thank you." A smiling Elizabeth ate everything on her plate, which was unusual for her. She had two slices of cherry pie for dessert. Laughing and talking with her family, she forgot about her concerns until she was lying in bed with Paul that night.

"Dinner really was delicious tonight, hon." Paul smiled as he gently caressed his wife's breast.

"Ow!" Elizabeth cried out as he touched her tender nipple.

Paul jerked his hand away. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know!" Elizabeth felt her eyes fill with tears. "I don't know what's wrong!"

"Sweetheart." Paul puled her close and began to stroke her hair. "Perhaps you should see Dr. Banion."

"I know, but I'm scared!"

"What are you afraid of?"

"What he might say!"

Paul sucked in his breath. "Do you think there might be something seriously wrong, then?"

"No, but...Paul, remember last Christmas Eve?"

"Oh." He was silent for a long moment but continued to stroke her hair. "Well, the sooner we find out for sure, the better."

She sighed. "I know."

He kissed the top of he head. "Don't worry, love. Everything will be all right."


The following morning was just a little warmer. After Max and Laura went to school and Paul left for work, Elizabeth left Amon with the neighbor and went to Dr. Banion's office.

She glanced through a magazine in the waiting room until the nurse called her back to be examined.

Dr. Banion performed a thorough examination, then told her to get dressed.

"Congratulations," he said with a smile. "You're going to have another baby, in about the middle of September."