"I do," Bruce commented.

Jolene had been forced to take the swimming test three times before advancing. In addition, she'd gotten a B-on her algebra final. Both tests had been hard for her. Rachel was proud of Jolene, although the girl had scorned her praise.

"This isn't about making it into the intermediate swimming class or doing well on your algebra final," Rachel told her.

Jolene looked blankly at her father. "Then what are we celebrating?"

Bruce glanced at Rachel and offered her a soft, reassuring smile. "Rachel told me some exciting news recently."

"Rachel did?" This was asked as if she had difficulty believing Rachel was capable of saying anything of interest.

"Jolene, tonight we're celebrating the fact that you're going to become a big sister."

The girl looked from her father to Rachel, and then back at Bruce before the light dawned. She turned to face Rachel. "You're having a baby?" The question was an accusation more than an inquiry.

Gazing down at the table, Rachel nodded and then, reminding herself that she had nothing to be ashamed of, boldly met Jolene's eyes.

"Daddy?" The girl turned to her father. Her face crumpled as if she was begging him to tell her it wasn't true.

"Didn't you hear me?" Bruce asked in the same animated way he'd announced her pregnancy. "We're having a baby."

"I heard," Jolene muttered.

"Aren't you happy?"

Reluctantly she nodded.

"You can name the baby if you want," Bruce said next.

He hadn't discussed this with Rachel. However, if it helped Jolene adjust, she was more than willing to let the girl make suggestions.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" she asked sullenly.

"It's too early to tell," Rachel said. "I won't have an ultrasound for several weeks." Personally, she'd rather not know the sex of their baby. However, it seemed important to Jolene. Rachel took longer than she should have to realize why. Jolene was afraid a baby girl would be competition for her father's affection.

"I thought you'd show more enthusiasm than this," Bruce complained.

"Give her time," Rachel said, hoping a gentle approach would soothe Jolene's feelings. She directed her subsequent remark to Jolene. "I understand this is a shock and I apologize if it upsets you."

"Jolene's not upset," Bruce said. "You aren't, are you?"

She didn't respond. Instead, she glared straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with both her father and Rachel.

The waitress brought the bill and Bruce reached for his wallet. "How about a movie?" he suggested as he slid his credit card into the holder.

Rachel couldn't imagine Jolene agreeing to spend any more time with her than necessary.

"Can we just go home?" the girl asked.

"Sure." Bruce was more than eager to appease his daughter in any way he could.

They left the restaurant and drove back to the house. Bruce stopped to set the garbage cans by the curb while Rachel and Jolene went inside. Jolene immediately raced to her bedroom.

Rachel slumped down in a living room chair. This had gone exactly as she'd expected.

"Where's Jolene?" Bruce asked as he threw his car keys on the kitchen counter.

"Her room." Rachel guessed she was on her cell, talking to her friends, spilling the disastrous news to anyone and everyone who'd listen. And once Bruce was out of the house, the silent treatment would start. It was either that or a tirade against Rachel because of how she'd single-handedly ruined the girl's life.

Bruce stood in the middle of the room, hands on his hips. "Why's everyone so miserable?" he asked. "I couldn't be happier about the baby. I'm thrilled to death. Okay, I know we agreed to wait for Jolene's sake, but the deed is done. She'll get used to it."

Rachel feared that was simply wishful thinking on his part. "I hope so," she whispered.

"Give the kid some credit," Bruce said. "Jolene is flexible. It might take her a while to come to terms with the fact that we're adding to the family, but eventually she'll be as happy as we are."

"Eventually," Rachel echoed. She wasn't a pessimist by nature, but she didn't share his optimism about Jolene.

He studied her for a moment. "You look tired."

"I am," she said. It was a mild exaggeration, but she needed time alone to think. "Would you mind if I went to bed?"

Glancing at his watch, he arched his brows. "It's only seven-thirty."

"I know."

He smiled slowly. "Interested in company?"

She smiled back. "Sorry, not tonight."

His face fell. "Is it going to be like this during the whole pregnancy?" He sounded like a little boy who'd been deprived of dessert.

"Bruce," she snapped, in no mood to deal with this.

"All right, all right, I apologize. It's just that it's been a while."

"Three days," she reminded him.

"Are you keeping track?" he asked. "Isn't that like closing the barn door after the cow gets out?"

"It's a horse."

"Whatever."

"I suppose you're right. We should've paid more attention before now." She stood and started toward their bedroom.

Reaching out, Bruce grabbed her hand. His eyes were dark. "Are you saying you'd rather you weren't pregnant?"

"Oh, honestly, Bruce. You have to know the timing's all wrong. Jolene is upset and-"

He released her hand. "Fine. If having my baby is such a hardship, then I won't trouble you again. I'll move into the spare bedroom and you can rest assured I won't interrupt your precious sleep."

So it had come to this. The two of them were at odds, attacking each other. This should be the happiest time of her life and it was all Rachel could do not to break into tears.

"Did you hear me?" Bruce demanded.

"If moving into the spare bedroom is what you want, then don't let me stop you."

Thirty-Four.

Roy McAfee wasn't a man who got involved in other people's affairs. In his line of work, he'd seen enough to make any man skeptical of the human heart. Because of that, he tried to stay away from divorce cases, especially those that included child custody disputes. Most of his work concerned background checks and insurance investigations. In his opinion, people had a right to live the way they wanted, unless they hurt or swindled others.

The reason he was making an exception now had to do with his daughter Gloria. She'd made her decision not to tell Chad Timmons she was pregnant. Corrie had given Gloria her word that she'd abide by that decision. Roy, however, saw his own situation reflected in Chad's-a situation that hadn't been righted for more than three decades. He refused to let that happen again.

"Where are you off to?" Corrie asked as he headed out the front door on Wednesday afternoon.

In an instance such as this, it was best to be vague. "There's something I need to do."

"Is this something I know about?" Corrie eyed him speculatively, as if she'd guessed exactly who he intended to see and what he intended to do.

Roy swore his wife had some sort of psychic ability. She seemed to instinctively know this had to do with Gloria and Chad. He hedged, reluctant to lie, and at the same time unwilling to admit he was a man on a mission-or to tell her what that mission entailed.

She raised her eyebrows. "Why don't you want me to know what this is about?"

He muttered a few words he'd rather she didn't hear and opened the door.

"Roy?"

"Like I said, this is something I need to do."

She slipped in front of him, blocking his exit. "You're going to talk to Chad Timmons, aren't you?"

He didn't confirm or deny the statement.

"Roy, don't. Please reconsider," Corrie whispered with an urgency that gave him pause.

He clutched the car keys so tightly they dug into his hands. "That young man has a right to know about his baby."

Corrie closed her eyes and he knew she was thinking back to the time she'd found herself pregnant and alone. The same memory had haunted him from the moment their daughter came to tell them she was pregnant and the father was out of her life.

"This is the first time Gloria has ever come to us with a problem," Corrie argued. "It's been a breakthrough in our relationship. If you say anything to Chad, it could destroy her trust. It could destroy everything. I'm begging you, Roy, don't do this."

Roy's eyes bored into hers and he stood his ground. They so rarely disagreed that it made this standoff even more difficult. Still, Roy was determined. "The young man has a right to know," he repeated.

Corrie gave him a sad smile. "What you're saying is that you had a right to know and I didn't tell you."

"Yes!" he all but shouted. When he'd discovered he had a daughter he would never meet, it had nearly broken his spirit. He loved Corrie and had asked her to be his wife, and yet she'd kept this secret for months. The anger and anguish had nearly consumed him. What she'd done had the power to tear them apart. Roy hadn't let that happen; instead, he'd buried his feelings. But he understood now that this unresolved matter could still undermine their marriage, their relationship.

"I've never begged you for anything," his wife said. "Don't do this. Please, Roy, don't do this."

Unsure now, he walked over to his recliner and sagged into it. His car keys dangled from his hand as he leaned forward, gripped by indecision. He believed that contacting Chad Timmons was the right thing to do for Gloria and her baby. Yet everything Corrie said was true. Their daughter, the very one he'd thought forever lost, was back in their lives. Corrie feared, as he did, that going against her will would destroy their fragile bond.

Corrie remained where she stood.

"I need to think," he murmured.

"Okay," she agreed after a prolonged moment.

He heard the reluctance in her voice.

"Think of Gloria-this is what she wants," Corrie said. "Right or wrong, these are her wishes."

Feeling the full weight of his years, Roy wiped a hand down his face. "Have you ever wondered what would've happened if I'd found out you were pregnant?" he asked.

Corrie didn't answer him.

"You'll never know because you made the decision not to tell me." He tried hard to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"You were seeing someone else." Her words rang with painful accusation. "What did you expect me to do?"

"I expected you to tell me," he barked. Corrie had taken the choice away from him. He'd been young and stupid, and even now he couldn't be completely sure how he would've handled the situation. He liked to think he would have stepped up and been a man, but again that was something he'd never know.

"Let me give it more thought," he said when he'd regained control of his emotions. What had happened had happened; they couldn't go back and undo the past. Reviving these dead emotions could only hurt them.

Corrie sat down on the sofa and pressed her hands between her knees. When she spoke she lowered her head, her words barely audible. "I know what Gloria feels."

"Tell me," he urged, wanting to understand how she'd rationalized her silence all those years ago.

"She's afraid."

"Of what?" he challenged.

Corrie glanced up. "Rejection. Blame."

"Blame?" Roy stared at her. "Why would I blame you? The responsibility for birth control should be shared."

"It was more than that."

"Explain it to me."

"I...had an important decision to make and I wanted to make it myself, without pressure from you."