The door clicked to a shut, and Nicole looked away from the television screen to find her husband of two years at the door, setting his keys down.

"Hey, Hun. How was work?" Nicole asked, sitting up and making room for him on the sofa. He sat down, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

"I was stressed mostly. I worried about you," he answered, kissing her forehead.

She smiled at him, tossing half of the blanket over his lap, "I guess I was just a bit nauseous. But I decided it was better safe than sorry, so I stayed home."

Dante kicked off his shoes, "So you feel alright?"

Nicole nodded and ran her hand over his jaw and chin, chuckling softly. "You need a shave."

"Well, I want to grow a nice looking beard," Dante grinned. The stubble forming on his face displayed a sense of maturity and manhood, yet behind the adult-like features, the goofy, light-hearted young adult was there to stay.

"Not while you're married to me, you aren't," she giggled. "Hey, I have a surprise for you!"

Nicole jumped off the couch and quickly ran up the staircase of their suburban house and to the master bedroom. Dante lagged behind, shocked by her sudden energy. He stepped up the stairs, slowly and patiently.

When he reached the top of the banister, he found Nicole standing there with a box in hand. It was small, about the size of a TV remote. She held it out, smiling, "I know it's early, but happy twenty-eighth birthday!"

"Nikkie, you shouldn't have!" He exclaimed, yet started to unwrap the box nonetheless. Right as he was about to lift the lid off of the box, Nicole stopped him with a wide grin.

"I've had this for about two and a half months. But let me explain shortly. Of course, we struggled with infertility in the past year, but today, I visited the fertility center. Now, I guess, you can continue."

Dante raised an eyebrow suspiciously, finally removing the lid off of the box and staring down at the item in the box. Tears stung his eyes and he looked up, shocked but ecstatic.

They both laughed, a crying mess of happiness as they embraced each other. Nicole continued to talk into his ear, "I'm four months pregnant, and we find out the sex next week."

He pulled away and held her at arms-length, the two of them gazing into each other's eyes. Dante whispered, "We're finally going to have a child... We're going to be parents!"

Nicole nodded, letting her tears of joy trickle down her cheeks. They kissed passionately, knowing they, soon, were going to have a rambunctious scamp running around their home soon.

She took his hand and placed it on her stomach, where a bump was already beginning to form. Her hand rested atop his, connecting the three as a family.

A very special bond that would be broken by nothing.