“Glad to see you two lovebirds getting along so swimmingly,” Jenny teased.

“We’ve been spending a lot of time together,” Sydney said. “And not the fun kind of time.” Her long red hair was piled into a messy bun on the top of her head, and other than the dark circles under her eyes, she looked great.

Luke bent over the sofa to kiss his wife. “We’ll be back to fun in a couple of weeks. In the meantime,” he said to Jenny, “she’s under orders to take it easy. No heavy lifting or strenuous activity.”

“Got it,” Jenny said. “I’ll take good care of her. Don’t worry.”

“Call me if you need anything,” Luke said to Sydney. “I can be home in a couple of minutes.”

“Go already, would ya? Honestly, I can’t get rid of him.” This was said with a warm smile for her handsome husband.

“Never let it be said I can’t take a hint. Back in a couple of hours.”

“We’ll be here,” Syd said.

“Thanks again, Jenny,” he said on his way out. “I appreciate the break from the ball and chain.” He quickly shut the door so he could get in the last word, which left Sydney shaking with silent laughter.

“Hurts to laugh,” she said.

“You two are funny.”

“We’ve been together around the clock for more than a week. I knew he was dying to get back to the marina but would never say so. Thanks for coming over to babysit me. I told him I was fine by myself, but he wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“He’s very sweet.”

“Yes, he is. He’s been an absolute rock through the whole thing. All this hassle and who knows if it’ll even work?”

“It went well, though, right?”

“The doctor said it all went perfectly. Couldn’t have asked for better. He was able to successfully reconnect both of my fallopian tubes.”

“So why don’t you seem more excited? You want a baby, don’t you?”

“I do, but…”

“But what?”

“It’s scary to think about having a baby and then worrying all the time about something happening to it. I don’t know if I could survive that again. But I’m trying to follow Luke’s lead and think positively. He says I’ve used up my lifetime supply of bad luck.”

“I have to agree with him.”

“I do, too. But it’s still scary.”

“Could I ask you something that might seem weird and out of the blue?”

“Of course you can. You know that.”