"And the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'"
Silence descends over the darkened world, broken only by the sporadic chirping of crickets, the rustling of wind through the trees, and Neva's soft, whispery voice as she recites from the Book of Genesis.
"God, as always, was right," Rhett says, glancing up to meet her eyes.
A chuckle escapes Neva as she reaches to caress his hair, and a smile tugs at the corners of his lips.
Once more, he nestles his head against her baby bump as she continues to reflect on the Book of Genesis.
And a zephyr-like calmness cocoons her in the utter fulfilment of her Heavenly Father's presence, her husband, and their baby stirring gently inside her.
"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh," Neva reads. "And Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame."
"So should we," Rhett murmurs.
"What?" Neva asks, confused.
"Naked," he trails away.
A chuckle slips from her, when their baby gives a light kick, as though eager to join in on their conversation.
A grin curls across his lips as he glances at her, before lifting her coquettish blouse, revealing their baby's motions, her belly rolling like ocean waves.
"It's... marvelous," he says, "that you have a tiny, living, breathing human growing inside you."
"I know…" she murmurs, awe threading through her voice. "Father is truly miraculous."
"So, have we decided on the names?" he asks.
"I don't know..." She closes the Bible and settles it on the nightstand. "I like Rhean, the name you suggested,
if it's a boy, but I'm not sure about the girl's name."
"Rhean… it is." A languid smile lingers on his lips.
"You're already such a loving father," she says softly.
His smile deepens as he rises, one hand still resting over her baby bump as he leans in to kiss her slowly.
"Just a year ago, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined my life to be like this."
His eyes soften. "Now, I can't imagine how I survived before... I think I would've really
been lost if He hadn't brought you to me."
"Don't say that." She gently caresses his cheek.
"It's true." A deep sigh escapes him as he leans into her hand.
"I was losing my faith in whatever I thought I knew of the world. But it was ironic that, somehow, I kept clinging to God because of those very same things. He was there, waiting, while I simply closed my ears to Him. Until I heard Him again… when I found you."
A smile curls across her lips.
Truly, oh how she loves her Father for helping him remain rooted in faith, no matter how shaky that ground had been, and eventually guiding him to her.
"So…" A teasing lilt laces her voice. "No other woman ever made you imagine a life like this?"
"Of course not." A faint frown pulls between his brows.
"I didn't care about romance, and I had no hope of ever having a family of my own. Until you made me realize that, deep down, I did want this.
"I was just waiting for you." He smiles gently. "…My missing rib."
Her heart melts in a silent overflow of emotion before she cups his face and kisses him softly.
Yet another question still tickles at the back of her mind. "You know," she begins, "Emma said you had many admirers?"
He frowns. "Did I?"
Her smile deepens despite herself. "You don't know?"
"Well, I remember a few girls approaching me during high school." He pauses, and a quiet jealousy, sharp as rose thorns, curls around her heart.
"…And did you entertain them?" A hint of irritation slips beneath her voice despite her least efforts.
"No…" He blinks innocently at her. "Is this a trap?"
"No." She smiles artlessly.
"Am I not allowed to be curious... and deserving of a husband as I am for him?"
He chuckles, playfully booping the tip of her nose. "You mischievous woman."
A grin etches across her lips. "You wouldn't have liked me being shared either, would you?"
"Oh, absolutely not," he admits, his gaze darkening.
She giggles under her breath, utterly content with his reaction.
A smile softens his face before he kisses her again, her arms slipping around his neck.
"I didn't know you were stalking me through your friend," he murmurs against her lips, his fingers gently undoing the buttons of her blouse. "And here I thought you couldn't care less about me."
"I did care," she whispers, her breath uneven. "...And I definitely wasn't stalking you."
A chuckle escapes him before he presses a tender kiss to her neck, trailing lower along her chest,
as he lovingly consumes her with his lips again.