“It’s a girl!”

Everyone in the waiting room claps and cheers at the newest arrival in the Flanders Flock. We all walk over to congratulate Luke on his firstborn. Thankfully, the hospital forbade the camera crew from filming in the hospital.

The excitement of another member of the flock was even enough to warm the air between my parents and Rhys as we waited. Over the past few months, we’ve both been visiting Rutherford more and more, mostly using Hope’s pregnancy as an excuse. Something she was more than happy to be used for.

When Daddy’s hand-shaking finally comes around to Rhys, it’s slightly less stiff than usual. “It’s good to have you out here for this special occasion.”

“I understand how important family is, sir,” Rhys says, surprising both of us with that one. He’s always polite, sometimes to such a sycophantic degree I’m sure that he’s not being entirely serious. Something in his tone this time leaves both of us speechless.

Daddy actually reaches his other hand out to place on top of the one holding Rhys’s, which he only does when he’s truly impressed with someone. “I’m glad to hear it, Rhys.”

Mama has, as usual, been an easier weed to pull. Filled with the joy of being a grandma yet again—she loves babies—she hugs him tightly and beams up at him as though he were the new dad. Or maybe that was just her way of giving him a not so subtle hint. “Isn’t it a wonderful occasion?”

“It is indeed,” Rhys says, beaming right back at her.

“This is a good day,” Daddy says turning back around to the rest of the family. “Let’s all take a moment to pray and thank God for another blessing.”

Rhys knows the drill by now, taking the hand of my brother Daniel, who happens to be standing on the other side of him, and bowing his head, eyes closed. These instantaneous bouts of prayer seem to be far more common whenever Rhys visits than what I remember growing up. I know it’s Daddy’s way of testing him. When Rhys takes my hand, he pumps it twice, as usual. Our little secret signal to each other.

All for the sake of family.

My parents still have no idea that we’re living together in New York—living in sin, as they would call it. At least if they do, they choose to ignore it.

When I finally see my niece in my sister’s arms, I can feel my ovaries explode.

“Meet Clara Ruth Walker,” Hope says proudly, not missing the opportunity to raise her eyebrows at Rhys with a not-so-subtle hint. That’s my twin, once again reading my mind. I can’t wait to have my own little one resting in my arms the way she does.

That feeling doesn’t fade when Rhys and I are out by the lake, where we often gravitate when we need to escape the overwhelming quivers that populate Rutherford. It’s too cold to go swimming so he pushes the tire I’m sitting in while we talk. The same one I swung from as a little girl, jumping out as far as possible with a riotous Tarzan yell. The same one I swung from earlier this summer late at night with Rhys, both of us completely naked.

“…and did you see those cheeks! Ugh, I could just die!”

“Was that before or after she began bursting my eardrums with that very impressive battle cry of hers?” he teases.

“Oh come on, don’t tell me you didn’t get a teeny weeny bit of baby fever.”

“I think that’s a disease specific to the female population,” he says, pushing me again. “She was kind of cute though, I’ll give you that.”

“Stop it, she was amazing! That might be what ours looks like one day, you know,” I say as I swing back into him. I say it with the full confidence of knowing one day it will be true. He hasn’t proposed yet, but it’s only a matter of time. I don’t need to fill any quivers and we’re still having fun.

But I know he’s mine.

Rhys grabs the rope and turns the tire to face him. He leans down and gives me a skeptical look. “Why Prynne, is that your way of saying you want me to knock you up?”

I laugh and kick out at him.

“Hey!” he says, arching his body away from me, then turning the tire so the rope twists up. “Anyway, I have a feeling that your parents would literally kill me if I did that. Mostly because you’ve skipped a rather important step.”

He lets go and the world turns into a blur as I spin in place. I laugh as my head goes dizzy with the passing scenery.

Part of which is Rhys dropping to one knee.

He reaches out one hand to abruptly stop the tire and I’m still reeling, mostly because of the small, open jewelry box he has in his hand.

“The step where I marry you.”

I stare in shock, still waiting for the spinning world to catch up to this moment.

“Prynne Dawson would you make an honest man out of me and do me the honor of accepting this ring?”

I’m too speechless to say anything, still wondering if this is real or just my brain still trying to settle into place.

“Or we could just skip that step and—” he begins a teasing but very worried smile coming to his lips.

“Yes! Of course I will!”

He visibly breathes a sigh of relief and I nearly break my neck trying to get out of the swing. I fall on top of him and we tumble to the ground.

“You’re finally mine, Rhys Connors.”

“I was always yours, soon-to-be Prynne Connors.”