Gary sits in the passenger seat of his little brother's extended cab Chevy. His eyes are glazed over and his heart almost pounds in his chest. The rest of his family has already made their way inside the Midland Memorial Hospital, but he can't bring himself to. Even to look at the outside of the building makes him feel like a thousand walls are falling inside his chest. To see the inside would be like walking into a nightmare.

Before his mind can carry that thought away into the land of exaggeration there is a knock on the opposite window. He turns his gaze to find Brooke peering through the glass with concern and care glowing from her heart through her eyes. Not trusting his voice he waves her to join him in the cab.

"I hope I'm not interrupting something," she says with the sound of a car door clanging behind her.

He shakes his head. "Not at all."

There is a pause before she looks at him then stares straight ahead through the windshield. "I need to make a confession."

With one eyebrow cocked he turns to look at her. "Okay, what 'cha got?"

"The other night in the hotel lobby. I saw you having a intimate time with the Lord."

This brings a long two minutes of silence. He is stunned that she saw it let alone remembered it and she is too scared of what he might think of her to move. Finally he clears his throat. "I'm sorry, I'm not very graceful when I have those moments."

"Oh no! That's not at all what I meant. I just felt like I was spying on something special. I've never experienced a time like that."

Gary feels a pang in his heart for her. "I'm sorry you haven't. It is something special I can't describe. It is an amazing feeling and an amazing time. Usually during that time I pray for my future wife." Admitting this makes him blush.

Brooke looks at him for a brief moment. "Oh. That's cool." A blush covers her own cheeks and doubt overtakes her heart. No guy who has a deep daily relationship with Christ and prays for his future wife wants a girl like her that has had a past relationship that didn't end well and is three-hundred years away from being anywhere near the Proverbs 31 woman.

"Thanks," his voice interrupts her doubtful and sorrowful cry, "I started to a couple years ago when my dad told me he and mom's romantic story." He stops as if to realize that he is getting all lovey-dovey.

She forces a smile and nods. "Y'all must be quite the love struck family. Jaelyn and Tyson's story is straight out of a story book and what you are doing is ten times better than a story book!" A giggle she didn't prepare for escapes her causing a even darker blush to rise up her neck and onto her cheeks.

"I don't know about that." He chuckles a bit. "I guess Little Lynn made up for us boys."

Brooke just smiles at him not really knowing what to say or talk about next.

After a couple minutes of silence Gary runs his hand over the back of his neck in obvious thought. He looks at Brooke momentarily then blows a breath out between his lips. "I need to tell you something."

"Okay," she feels like her voice would start to shake if she utters another word, but she isn't really sure why. They aren't in a serious relationship. Yes, she cares about him and thinks he cares about her, but by no stretch of the imagination are they married.

Once again he runs his hand across the back of his neck. "I want you to know that I won't be in Fort Stockton much longer. Now that Peter isn't here to run the family's ranch Mrs. Carol asked me to. I'll be back and forth for a month or so helping Jaelyn now that baby is here."

Although her heart sinks she can't help but to be happy for him. The sparkle in his eye shows how much he wants to do this and how much he will enjoy it. "That's good. I'm sure Mrs. Carol will be very glad to have you around all the time and know you are the one taking care of things."

"I'm looking forward to it. I just feel bad that I'm leaving everyone high and dry with no warning."

"No, don't think about it like that. You are helping Mrs. Carol out a lot and I can tell that this is really what you want to do." She turns so that she is a little in front of him. "You are such a hard working and servant hearted man."

A small yet heartfelt smile curves up the corners of his lips. "Well let's go see how things are going in there," he says after a little bit. "Who knows I might be an uncle by now!"
***

After six long hours of waiting, many laps around the hospital, and seemingly endless contractions for Jaelyn, a currently nameless little girl is born.

Tyson smiles down at the little bundle in his arms as he sits next to Jaelyn's bed. "She's so tiny."

Benjamin, Trisha, Karl, Andrew, Gary, and Brooke are scattered through out the room gazing on with smiles. Each of them patiently waiting their turn to cuddle the new little girl and welcome her into the world.

"What's her name going to be?" Karl asks as he sinks into a near by chair.

Tyson looks up momentarily and Jaelyn shrugs. "We haven't settled on a first name. Her middle name is Fiddle," Jaelyn answers looking from her little family to meet her mom's loving eyes.

"So that she will always remember to be up beat and add something beautiful from within her wherever she goes," Tyson finishes.

Gary cracks a smile then chuckles. "Oh Lord help us all if she is anything like her momma! The two of them together will be like fighting with congress." This makes everyone laugh.

As Tyson hands the center of attention over to Trisha he grins. "She shouldn't have any shortage of love for animals, that's for certain."

"No, she sure won't," Benjamin echoes.

Andrew touches her tiny little toes from where he sits behind his mom. "Already got the guys attention and her eyes a have hardly opened!"

"Now, don't be talking like that. I'll have to buy Academy out of bullets with that kind of talk!" As soon as his naturedly loud voice booms out Tyson looks to Jaelyn with wide eyes. She smiles and places her hand on his leg reassuringly.

Brooke speaks up for the first time since entering the room, "Y'all know I'm only a phone call away for babysitting or any kind of help."

"Thank you, Brooke," Jaelyn answers with a smile and a knowing look.

"That goes for all of us," Gary adds, although his voice holds a bit of regret and sadness. No one pushes it though, since everyone is worried about the newest Reed family member.

After each of them has had their turn holding little miss Reed they begin to go their separate ways. Karl and Andrew go to pick up food for Tyson and Jaelyn, Brooke goes baby girl clothes shopping, and Gary leaves the building with no real designation in mind.

He roams the busy Midland streets, past major chain stores and restaurants, and out the Greenwood highway. The city lights behind him he tries to relax his aching muscles, but just as he does his phone begins to ring startling him. Although he doesn't recognize the number it is from San Angelo so he answers it anyway, "Hello?"
***

Brooke enters the sliding doors of Baby's R Us with a bright smile on her face, yet mixed emotions in her heart. The new arrival off sets the pain of the passing of Peter, but it doesn't take it away. For her it almost is as though watching Gary and Mrs. Carol's pain is more painful than knowing Peter passed.

As she enters the little girls clothing section though she can't help but to feel her spirits rise. The bright colors and cutest little designs are full of hope and encouragement.

For the most part she spends her time gazing at the tiny clothes and smiling. She chooses a package of three newborn onesies, a couple of blankets, and package of socks to buy and take back for the new little family. Her mind runs wild with all the things she wants to get for them and do for them not to mention the excitement that it all brings.

"That little girl is going to be so spoiled she can't stand herself," she tells herself with a giggle.

Just before she checks out she turn down the diaper aisle and grabs a box of newborn and a box of ones. "They can always use diapers!"

After she checks out she grabs her a burrito at Taco Casa before making her way back to the hospital to steal some more baby girl cuddles. And deliver the goods she got them, of course!

Entering the room she smiles at the mother daughter pair curled up on the bed. "Hello," she whispers stepping inside.

Jaelyn looks up from where gazing at her daughter. "Hey, come on in."

Smiling, holding up the bag, and walking closer Brooke says, "I brought some goodies for y'all and of course came to steal some lovin's."

"Aw, thanks Brooke!" Jaelyn smiles and lays the sleeping little girl in her friend's arms. "God really knew when we would all need her."