Instant

They’d been dating for over a year, and she’d begun to wonder where it was going. She knew the next step was the big step, and she needed it to be right. Absolutely right. They’d spend countless hours talking, sharing and defining their relationship, but in her heart, an ember of uncertainty smoldered.

How could she truly know the heart of this man? How could she look into his future, and know who he might become? How could she know where his heart would be tomorrow?

The answer was simple. She couldn’t

He noticed she’d grown quieter over the past few days, but when he asked why, she said she had a lot on her mind, and for him not to worry. He nodded, shrugged, and worried.

He called her at work on Friday, and said they’d been invited to his sister’s house to meet the newborn daughter. She knew he and his sister were close, and thought it would be fun. After all, who doesn’t love babies?

That Saturday evening, as she watched him hold the tiny bundle, she saw a gentle tranquility his eyes. She’d never seen him so focused or attentive. He was completely oblivious to anyone else, as he whispered softly to the baby. For an instant, she saw the father of her babies.

And with a smile, in that single instant, she knew who he was, and who he would become.