After the initial alarm, Adrienne realized she did want her father and brother here. She wanted to see their faces because she wanted comfort. She could tell Cash was barely hanging on as it was, clearly worrying about her, and she didn’t want him to have to be the one to maintain control. But she wasn’t one to go back on a request. So she nodded, and stopped struggling, obeying her husband and leaning back into the many voluminous pillows.

And in the strangest moment of clarity, Adrienne realized that it always seemed something was simmering just underneath the surface with Cash. She couldn’t describe it if she tried, but it was just a feeling that struck her as she focused on breathing. She lifted a hand to his face, shadowed as it was from the previous day and scruffy. She loved him. Of that much was certain. Before she could even think about broaching the previous thought that had crossed her mind, the squawking of a baby reached her and she inhaled sharply. “Cash…” She whispered, as if any more noise would suddenly make the baby disappear. “Is…is that him? Our son?”