Gale opened her mouth but could not speak; tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Don't cry, Mommy. You told me that a girl's tears can't be shed easily because they are precious." Nicole gently wiped her tears.

"We are all here with you, trying to cheer you up. Don't be angry or sad, okay? I want to see you and Daddy being affectionate and even give us one more brother or sister!"

"Joshua and I both want a younger sibling, so I can be a big sister too!"

Gale hugged Nicole tightly, burying her face in her little shoulder, silently crying. Her sadness, and her vulnerability, were all laid bare in this moment. They were her most beloved, and she was theirs. She had to pull herself together and had to be happy again. That way, Joshua and Nicole would not worry about her.

Gale could not help but imagine Nicole learning to make a veil in kindergarten, and Joshua learning to make rings. The two kids must have been thinking they had to do their best, to make their parents happy. They were so