“Yes, please,” Ethan said quickly. Sadie noticed his own eyes were glassy. He let out a small exhale and collapsed into a nearby chair, running his hands through his hair. “Christ. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so worried in my life.”

“Exhausting, isn’t it?” Sadie said, though she couldn’t agree more. The couple listened to the soft whoosh of their child’s heartbeat, relief making her shaky. “That’s our baby, honey. Listen how strong they sound.”

Ethan reached over and stroked her thigh before holding her hand once again, this time looser, more relaxed.

Dr. Jennings let them listen a while longer before asking if they had any other questions. “No? Well, I’ll see you at your next scheduled appointment then,” she smiled, tossing her gloves into the trash. “And congratulations to you both.”

They talked about baby names the entire drive home.

“I want something old-fashioned and elegant for a girl, like Tabitha or Theodosia,” she mused. “And if it’s a boy, maybe Harrison or Alexander.”

“Not bad.” Ethan drummed his fingertips against the steering wheel. “Theodosia is a mouthful though. Maybe Thea?”

“Wouldn’t it be fun to have a girl? Of course, two boys would be great, too. I’d get to be the queen bee of my own wolf pack.”

“I love imagining Lincoln as a big brother. He is such a sweet kid…He reminds me so much of Stephen.”

“Yeah? I like that comparison.” Stephen Landry was Ethan’s older brother, a public defense lawyer who spent his downtime coaching his kids’ sports teams and volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House.

When they turned onto Seashell Lane, Ethan suggested Sadie pick up Lincoln from Renee’s house while he made them breakfast. “How do croque monsieurs sound?”

“Oh my God, yes, please!” Sadie loved Ethan’s gooey grilled cheese sandwiches with their slices of crisp, buttery bread, and savory folds of ham. “Thank you, honey.”

When Renee opened her door, she eyed Sadie cautiously, her brows furrowed but her eyes hopeful. “How did it go? Would you like to sit down?”

“The baby’s okay,” she sighed. “We got to hear the heartbeat, and it was the most glorious sound you can imagine.”

Renee took Sadie into her arms and gave her a wonderful, warm hug. When she finally released her neighbor, she was wiping tears from her eyes. “Sorry about the waterworks. I was just so worried.”

Sadie gave her a second hug and wondered if Renee knew how good it felt to have someone worrying about her. She hadn’t even bothered to tell her own parents, figuring it didn’t make any sense to worry them when everything could turn out okay.

The thought made her smile all over again: everything was okay.