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Another quiet evening together brought the At church Sunday, the subject that she was staying at his house was avoided Alex had been taking her to church for a long tiether war on her house

One of the girls atched the babies in the nursery was ill that , so Carmen volunteered to help Alex went to services with Katie and Bill Babysitting wasn’t soe how a person’schildren of her oas such a priority that she hada hy and confident She srateful that Alex didn’t knoas out of tune No one had the heart to tell him, and it didn’t really matter anyway

Gradually, the parents came in and picked up their babies until she was left with an 8-week-old little girl The baby woke and started crying, so Carmen warmed her bottle and sat down in the rocker to feed her No one was there to show her how to hold the baby, but the most natural position see it The infant stopped crying as soon as the bottle touched her lips, and started sucking the nipple She made baby sounds as she nursed – sounds that aroused an instinctive reaction Car the baby on the forehead It was so warm and soft, and sure in the doorway caught her attention Alex atching her His expression indicated he ht be a little annoyed

"The mother should be here any minute," she said quietly

He nodded "I’ll come back in a few minutes"

He disappeared down the hall without another word

The mother arrived a fewup the nursery, Mums and a few other women walked in They herded her back into another roo on Sunday

Carray, with the theet-ant the way the wo they discussed was her wedding dress, and Mued from the room

"I suppose itto get one?"

"What?" Alex asked as he joined the dress," Mu dress?"

Caretting more popular now"

"Why don’t you just buy one?" Alex said

Cared "Why? And wear it once? That see like the Salvation Arested

"Why don’t I just rent one?" Carht? It makes ht wear it again soave way to a sain"

She sements to rent one and I really like it"

He put an arm around her shoulders "If you really like it, then that’s the one you should get"

He glanced back at Mu them with a satisfied expression

"Bye Muo

It was the first time she had heard him call her that, and the tender smile on Mum’s face made it clear that she was pleased Mums had apparently accepted Alex as one of the family

Carmen slipped her hand into his and smiled up at him "I love you so much"