The door clicked shut behind them.
Nora reached out and brushed her fingers over the little mobile hanging above the crib — a delicate cloud in the center, surrounded by tiny stars that chimed softly when touched.
The room faced south, bright with sunlight. Half of it had been set up as a play area with mats; the safety railings still leaned against the wall, waiting to be installed. A sofa sat nearby, along with a diaper-changing table, a still-unopened bottle warmer, and a baby rocker.
The whole place radiated that quiet excitement of welcoming new life.
“You got news this good and didn’t think to tell us?” Nora smiled. Just two hours earlier, she’d found out — purely by accident — that Marcus’s fiancée was pregnant. Her tone carried no reproach.
Marcus turned, settling onto the s
