Felicity looked out over the ocean in a daze.   It had been 3 days since her husband's ship had sailed and she missed him so already.   Their good-bye had been all too brief their last evening together.  

 

She pondered the memory as the waves lapped at her feet.   "I'll be home before you know it.... a month at the most... I promise" he said as he held her in his arms.   Tears formed remembering how long he had been gone the time before.   Home only 3 months and already he had to leave again.. it wasn't fair, her heart shouted within her.

 

All about her, life danced merrily on... in the distance her mind could hear children laughing and birds singing somewhere... but in her heart.. only silence... the silence of the voice she would not hear for so long.

 

Her hand went to the softness of her stomach.... knowing that soon she would feel a new life stirring within her.   She had longed to tell Simon the joyous news.... and had indeed planned to do so when he got the unexpected call to aid in the transfer of food supplies to another ship out at sea.   His recent promotion to head of the home office of H & H Shipping was supposed to keep him home with her.   How like him to roll up his sleeves and pitch in when an emergency required it.   But then that was one of the things that made her love him so... his compassion for those in need.  

 

A smile formed as she remembered their first meeting.   It had been during the Christmas holidays... and she had been happily going among the shops finding just the right presents for her little brothers and sisters... all 6 of them total!   She had tried her best to balance things as she headed home... but a loose piece of brick on the public walkway sent her and the packages tumbling down before she knew what was happening.   And just as suddenly as she hit the ground a pair of strong arms was coming to her aid and she looked up into the bluest most beautiful eyes she had ever seen.   Her breath left her momentarily ... wether from the fall or the sight of her rescuer she was never quite sure. 

 

Fortunately no major damage had been done... except for the doll for her sister Lucy.... her beautiful porcelain face was broken in pieces.   Tears of disappointment came, for it was her sister's strongest request.  Her hero grew concerned at the tears, fearing an injury.  And when she explained what her real sorrow was his features grew warm and tender... and their eyes locked for what seemed an eternity.  

 

Sweet, sweet Simon.  Her heart smiled at the memory.  Oh how she loved him so.   Possibly from that very first moment.   But she knew it for sure the next week after her fall when he showed up at her parents home with the exact doll her sister had dreamt of having.   Her heart beat wildly that afternoon at the sight of him.. and of course the doll also.   That was when she learned who he was... the son of  Matthew Harrison... the owner of the largest shipping industry in the area.   No one else would have been able to get a replacement so quickly, and so close to Christmas.   The one she had purchased had been the last one anywhere she had thought... for she had checked several stores before finding it.  Until he showed up at their door she had resigned herself that her sister's heart would be broken that Christmas.   As well as her own, for she always did all within her power to bring joy to her brothers and sisters each Christmas.   That was her greatest delight in the season.  Her hero had restored her heart that year .... and stolen it at the same time.

 

Their first two years together had been spent more apart than actually together.... for Simon's father insisted he learn the company from the bottom up.  And that meant also knowing how things were done on the docks and the ships as well as in the office.   So his last year of internship had been spent often at sea gaining understanding of just what was required to fill their customers orders with as much care and also speed as possible.   Now.. here she was a new bride of 3 months.. and he's gone yet again.  Oh the agony she felt for his safety every time his ship left port.

 

What was it that caused the other ship in their line to be stranded out at sea an extra few days???... his explanation escaped her memory.   Quite possibly because she was only half listening as her heart was breaking inside at the news of his eminent departure.   She had just returned from her doctor's visit that day and was so elated at the good news of the coming baby.  Her mind had been racing with ideas for the perfect time and place to share their blessing with her husband.   Then, as he shared his news first instead,  her heart felt fallen and broken in pieces much like her sister's doll had been.  

 

What was it her mother had told her this morning .... "Dear, if you are to be the wife of a successful business man you must learn to take the bad with the good.   You must be there for him and support him in all areas of his work... it's your duty as his wife."   Well... she would be there for him... if he would just stay home long enough.   She suddenly felt like stomping her foot on the sand in her moment of frustration and self pity, much like a child. 

 

Child.   She was carrying Simon's child!   She was going to be a mother!!  "I'm going to have a baby!!" she suddenly shouted out loud joyfully.. her anquish towards her husband's absence gone.

 

"What did you say???"   Simon in turn practically shouted behind her.

 

She stopped in midstep at the sound of his voice behind her... and just as happened when he helped her after the fall when they first met... his strong hands grabbed her and suddenly she found herself turned around staring at those beautiful blue eyes again.  And again they had that wide-eyed look of concern boring into her.   Her shocked heart leaped in joy!

 

"What are you doing here??   I thought your father had sent you out to take aid to the Clondike..?.."  

 

"He did", Simon stammered... and with a racing heart and talking so fast she could scarce understand him he continued..."I.. I was... but at the last minute someone else was able to take my place so I came rushing back to you. When I got home your mother said you had come here for a walk so I was trying to sneak up on you and surprise you and was just fixing to call out to you when I heard you suddenly shout out...???... A baby??...Is it true?... Are you going to have a baby???" he gasped.

 

This time, it was her turn to give comfort to him... and as he had done for her so often in their courtship, her face now filled with warmth and tenderness for him.  With tear-filled eyes she smiled lovingly up to him ... "Yes my darling... you are going to be a father!"

 

With great glee he flung his arms around her, picked her up off the sand and swung her in circles, both of them giddy with laughter and delight.  

 

As he set her down and gazed upon her with intense love, he began to lean down to kiss her and their eyes locked yet again in that moment of eternity.  His lips slowly came closer with each heartbeat, and right before she closed her eyes to recieve that kiss...she couldn't help but hope that their child would inherit those beautiful, beautiful blue eyes.   Oh, yes, how she loved this man... her husband... the father of her child.