Tommy wandered through the house alone; Kristin had insisted on making dinner for him instead of letting him take her out so here he was, left to amuse himself until it was ready. He noticed a light on in one of the guest bedrooms down the hall so he wandered that way to check it out.

“Tommy!” Kristin called out from the kitchen.

“Yeh, babe?” he replied as he stopped halfway down the hall.

“What kind of dressing do you want on this salad?” she asked.

“Do you have any of that raspberry stuff you forced me to try that one night?” Tommy questioned.

“I thought you didn’t like that stuff?” Kristin called back.

“It’s ok,” Tommy answered as he smiled to himself; he was just glad to be home. “Use that.”

“Ok…” Kristin replied sceptically.

Tommy stopped in his tracks as he walked into the guest bedroom; this wasn’t the guest bedroom that he remembered! The room was filled with unopened boxes; a bassinette, a crib, a change table and there, in the corner, Kristin’s Grandmother’s rocking chair.

He made his way over to the chair and carefully ran his fingers over the intricately carved wood; it was a thing of beauty. There was a baby blanket hanging over the back of the chair that Tommy knew must have been made by Kristin’s mother; she had been bugging them to give her a grandchild since the day they were married.

He sat down in the antique chair as the reality of his life crashed down on him; he was going to be a father! Never, in his wildest dreams, had he ever dreamt of getting married, especially to a woman like Kristin; she was so sweet, so innocent, so genuine. Now, in addition to being married, he was going to have a child! He buried his head in his hands and just sat there.

After a minute he heard Kristin walk into the room and pause in the doorway; he must look like a wreck just sitting here practically curled up into a ball. After a second, she crossed the room and stood in front of him.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as she ran her fingers through his hair.

“I don’t know,” Tommy replied.

“If you tell me,” Kristin said soothingly. “I can help you.”

He wanted to tell her, more than anything, he just couldn’t. How could he tell the woman that he loved, the woman he was supposed to cherish and protect, that he was scared of becoming a father; scared he wouldn’t know what to do or say. He let his head fall against Kristin's pregnant belly.

"What was that?" he asked without raising his head; he thought he had felt something move inside of her.

"The baby is kicking," Kristin replied; smiling as she let her hands rest on her husband’s strong shoulders.

The baby was kicking. HIS baby was kicking; and he could feel it!

“Isn’t it amazing?” Kristin asked, her voice filled with emotion.

Suddenly, whether it made him look weak or not, Tommy needed Kristin to know how he was feeling.

“Kristin?” he asked, his head still resting on her belly.

“Hmm?” she sighed, her happiness evident in even that small little sound.

“What if I’m not a good father?” Tommy asked quickly, before he lost his nerve.

“What?” Kristin asked.

“I don’t know anything about kids,” Tommy confessed. “I’ve never had one before!”

“Well neither have I!” Kristin laughed.

“But you’re good with kids,” Tommy continued as he sat up straight and looked at Kristin. “Whenever my friends bring their kids over you always look so happy playing with them and you always know what to do.”

“I learned how to do all that,” Kristin told him. “I asked questions and when there was nobody to ask, I used my common sense.”

“You’re a girl,” Tommy stated.

“So I’ve heard,” Kristin replied with a smile.

“No,” Tommy clarified. “I mean, you know about this stuff; it’s like, instinct. Men are clueless—”

“I’ll give you that one,” Kristin said jokingly.

“Alright, I walked into that.” Tommy said as he smiled up at her.

“Tommy,” Kristin said. “If you have a question, all you have to do is ask me! If neither of us knows the answer; we’ll figure it out together.”

Tommy hadn’t thought he could love Kristin anymore than he already did but she had just proved him wrong.

“I love you more than anything,” he said as he pulled her down into his lap and cradled her in his arms. “Do you know that?”

“I had my suspicions,” Kristin replied before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him; he’d never get tired of her kisses.