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"I'm sorry I didn't call," she apologized. "I should have."

Jake looked at her disappointedly and smiled in spite of his bruised feelings. It was difficult for him to be at odds with Abby for very long.

"Your dinner's in the oven," he told her with half a smile.

"Thanks for letting me off the hook so easily," she answered, turning to go to the kitchen. "Nice job on the mural, by the way."

After she ate, Abby went home and crawled into bed. She had had a long day, and was looking forward to bedtime more than she usually did. Minutes after her head hit the pillow, Abby was fast asleep. Quietly inside her womb, a new life was slowly taking shape.

Sometime the next morning, Abby was awakened from her rest by an odd noise.

"Hang on, I'm coming," she mumbled sleepily, thinking it was Jake and one of his flashbacks. As her eyes blinked open, however, Abby discovered him at the foot of her bed, holding a camera. "What are you doing?" she asked with a yawn.

"Terry showed me how to operate the digital camera he gave me at the baby shower," replied Jake, aiming the device at her and taking another picture of his half awake subject.

"I thought you didn't like cameras," she recalled.

"It's not as bad being behind the camera, as it is being in front of one," he shrugged. "Smile, Abby," coaxed Jake, taking aim at her once more.

"I hope you're going to erase those pictures," she frowned, suddenly realizing that he was documenting her unbrushed morning hair for posterity.

"Why? You look great," he smiled. "I was wondering," hesitated Jake, "if you're doing anything this evening?"

Abby eyed her handsome friend suspiciously.

"Why do you ask?" she questioned, for it sounded uncomfortably like someone about to ask her out on a date.

"I don't know," shrugged Jake, struggling to come off as nonchalantly as he could. "I thought maybe we could go somewhere."

"Whatever for?" asked Abby, more than a little puzzled.

"Because," answered Jake, his face brightening at the prospect, "because, the sun came up today... because, we're alive and we're going to have a baby... because, I'm happy and I feel like shouting! Don't you feel it, too, Abby?"

"I thought that's what the baby shower was for," she yawned sleepily.

"You're not getting the point," Jake sighed patiently. "I want to do something special with you-- as in together."

"What exactly is this 'special' thing you had in mind?" it suddenly occurred her to ask.

"I found some camping equipment in the garage," explained Jake, enthusiastically. "Dad said we could use it!"

"Wait a minute!" laughed Abby. "You want to go camping? Is that what this is all about? Jake, we can't take several days off to go on vacation! We both have work!"

"I wasn't thinking of days," proposed Jake, "just one night. We could set up camp above the high-water mark out on the beach this evening and put everything away in the morning. Oh, Abby, please say 'yes'!"

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