The Marriage Solution. Brenda Harlen

though she’d scheduled her first prenatal appointment, she still didn’t know what was the best thing to do for her baby. What she did know was that she’d drive herself insane if she continued to stare at the same four walls inside her apartment. So Saturday morning, with no destination in mind, she climbed in her Saturn coupe and drove. When she found herself in the west end of town, she decided to drop in on her sister.

      Technically, Laurie was Tess’s stepsister but neither of them had any biological siblings and the relationship they’d developed over the years was as strong as any made by blood. Although the marriage between their respective parents hadn’t worked out, the girls had stayed in touch after the divorce. Laurie was the only other person Tess could imagine confiding in about her current situation, and right now she desperately needed to confide in someone.

      “It’s not even 10:00 a.m.,” Laurie complained as she pulled open the front door.

      Tess held up the tray of coffee and the box of doughnuts. “I brought breakfast.”

      Laurie stepped away from the door and Tess followed her into the kitchen. She set the doughnuts and coffee on the table, then scooped ten-week-old Devin out of his infant carrier. She always loved spending time with her sister’s kids, had always dreamed of having a baby of her own someday. Now that day was on the horizon.

      “I can’t believe how much he’s grown.” Her voice was filled with awe as she stared at the chubby infant cradled in her arms.

      Laurie smiled. “He’s gained five pounds already.”

      “Is that normal?” she asked, struck once again by how little she knew about babies, how much she needed to learn.

      “The doctor likes to see newborns gain at least a pound a month, so he’s a little ahead of schedule.”

      She brushed a kiss on the soft, downy head, breathed in his soft, baby scent. “Already an overachiever, aren’t you?”

      The baby, of course, didn’t respond.

      But then his big sister wandered into the kitchen.

      “Juice, mommy.” Two-year-old Becca waved a plastic cup at her mother.

      “Please,” Laurie told her, taking the cup.

      Becca shook her head no. “Ap-ple.”

      Tess smiled as the child’s mother shook her head.

      “She doesn’t quite understand ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ yet,” Laurie explained as she took the juice from the refrigerator and refilled the cup. Becca took the cup back to the living room where she’d been playing with the building blocks scattered across the carpet.

      “What does Becca think of her little brother?” Tess asked.

      “It varies from day to day, although usually she just ignores him. Once he’s big enough to actually play with, I suspect that will change.” Laurie sat down on the other side of the table and took one of the paper cups from the tray. She removed the lid and smiled as she inhaled deeply. “Cappuccino. I guess I’ll have to forgive you for arriving before noon.”

      “I am sorry for dropping by without calling first,” she apologized. “But I really need to talk to you about something.”

      Her sister waved off the apology. “You know you’re always welcome—and I’m always starved for adult conversation.”

      Tess managed a smile as she stroked a hand lightly over Devin’s soft, downy head. He’d already settled against her breast and was sleeping soundly. In less than eight months, she’d be able to cradle her own baby this way. The realization filled her with a strange sort of longing and almost none of the panic she’d learned to expect since her pregnancy was confirmed. “Where’s Dave?”