The babies and mommy were fine. Kevin ended up spending the next hour with Jenny at the hospital. His mother-in-law went back home, where Grandpa was watching Gregory.

On their way out, Kevin held Jenny’s hand and said nothing. He was finally able to compose himself and stop worrying.

In the car, before starting it, Jenny began to cry.

“Hey—sweetie—what’s wrong?”

He held her for a while as she gently wept. “I’m fine, really,” she said several times.

It was just her nerves and her fears and her hormones, Jenny said.

“You just got frightened,” Kevin said as he held her in his arms in the hospital parking lot. “It’s okay. Everything’s okay.”

“I just—I don’t know what’d I do—Kev—”

“I know.”

She didn’t need to say any more. He knew the rest.

He glanced out a windshield that desperately needed cleaning. Then he closed his eyes for a moment, Jenny still in his arms.

“You know, every day I wake up and go to sleep thinking about our family and our future,” he said. “It’s so different from when we first got married. You know? I’ve always worried and always been anxious, I guess. But when Gregory came along, I realized that I had to worry about both of you. About taking care of this family. But that seemed doable. But sometimes—I don’t know.”

Jenny shifted and moved in her seat so she could look at him. She wiped her eyes with a tissue she’d pulled out of her purse. “What don’t you know?”

“The thought of taking care of three. I mean—three kids.”

She nodded. She got it.

“I know they say God doesn’t give you more than you can handle, but I’m not so sure, Jen. I really sometimes don’t know. I just—I know you think I worry too much.”

“You do,” she said.

“It’s almost like I feel—I know this is weird—that it’s my responsibility to worry.”

“Who told you that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just—everything my parents went through when I was little—when Dad was out of a job and they struggled. I’ve felt like I’ve been doing everything I can to provide for us. I feel like I’ve gotten nowhere.”

Jenny reached over and held his hand. Her eyes were red but still comforting and beautiful. “Nobody’s ever ready. Especially for twins.”

“Yeah. But if you could see inside my head.” He laughed as he shook it. “It’s like a circus in there.”

“Is that supposed to be some big revelation?” Jenny asked with a smile.

“What?”

“I’ve known that since the day we started dating.”

“Oh, really?” Kevin couldn’t help smiling now.

“That’s part of what I like about you.”

“Shut up,” Kevin said.

“Okay, only a little part. But it’s true. That’s just you.”

He sighed, looking out the windshield and holding her hand.

“Let’s not come back here for a while, okay?” he asked her.

“I’ll try,” Jenny said. “But it might not be up to me.”