“I only want us to have enough money for the new baby,” he said softly.

He gave my hand two pats, then picked up his yellow tape measure and turned back to the workbench.

“Go on inside where it’s warm,” he said.

“I’ll be in in twenty minutes.”

I turned around and went back through the laundry room into the silent kitchen.

The white stovetop was spotless, the iron skillet washed and dried next to the stainless steel sink.

I went into the front room and stopped right beside the dark glass coffee table.