“Uh, you know… I don’t think so.”

“You don’t think so?”

“I’m a little uncomfortable, but it’s nothing I’d call labor pains.”

More fear. The idea of her going into labor out there at the house, alone, in the middle of the Eastern Shore countryside… that did not appeal to him. He wanted that baby born at a major medical center in the city, with all the technology, and the best doctors on duty. Some country doctor at a medical clinic…

He shook his head and took a deep breath. Okay, it’s okay. People have been coming into this world for a long time. Country doctors have delivered a lot of babies.

“Honey, if you think you might be going into labor, or that it might happen in the next day or two, why don’t you drive over to your mom and dad’s place? You’ll be close to the hospital then. I can meet you there.”

“Okay, Luke. If I feel that way, I will. I was waiting for you to be here.”

“Okay. Well, let’s not wait until you feel that way. Let’s anticipate and let’s act before the thing happens. If you wait until you go into labor to make that move, then it’s already too late.”

He hated the tone of his voice. He hated the worst-case scenario planning that his mind went to naturally, and imposed on everyone and everything, including his personal life. It had kept him alive all this time, but…

“Luke…”

“Yeah, babe, I’m just trying to—”

“I love you, honey. Everything is all right. I’m not in labor.”

He stopped.

“Okay. I know that. I love you, too. I love hearing the sound of your voice.”

Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He glanced behind him. It was Mark Swann. Swann was a big grinning stork, a doofus in yellow-tinted aviator glasses and a ponytail, standing there.

Behind Swann, a line of people were waiting for the telephone.

“How is it there?” Luke said.

“How is it?” she said.

“Yeah. What does it look like?”

“Well,” she said. “It’s really beautiful. Spring is in full bloom. I’m sitting at the kitchen table, looking out at Chesapeake Bay, which is sort of sun-dappled, I guess you’d say. There’s a big colorful sailboat out there with twin masts.”

He closed his eyes and pictured it.

Swann tapped him again. If he did it a third time, Luke was going to break his hand off. At the elbow.

“Honey, I’ve still got to take care of a couple of things related to the mission before the day is over,” he said. “You know, tying up loose ends. I’ve got people tapping me on the shoulder right now.”