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Julia and her current husband had in fact married for their children from previous marriages, both finding single parenthood overwhelming. And somehow they'd discovered love.
    Except they'd been friends first, with common dreams and hopes.
    Rena's marriage of convenience had started with no such foundation.
    Still, the woman's words dinged Rena's resolve. So many years had passed since she'd brought a baby into the world. Did she even have the energy to chase a toddler around the house again? And late-night feedings for a newborn. It had all been hard enough even with J.T.'s help.
    She couldn't actually be considering…
    Of course, her emotions weren't clear-cut. Being ready to sign divorce papers didn't erase twenty-two years of history with the man. He was the father of her children. She'd once loved him.
    Now she didn't know what she felt for him anymore. Their marriage had crumbled slowly over twenty-two years from the stress of job separations, financial strains followed by his dogged determination not to touch her income.
    She'd been on the fence when she tossed him out six months ago. But when he'd left her at a time they should have clung to each other more than ever, she'd known. They didn't have what it took for the long haul. The children had been their only common link.
    Well, that and hot sex.
    "J.T. and I are getting a divorce. Of course, we'll have to redo the divorce papers anyway to include the new baby."
    "You don't have to do anything but take care of yourself. It's been a nightmarish few months for you two.
    Give yourself time to let it all settle out. Nothing has to be decided today or even tomorrow. Paint your nails to pretty up that injured foot. Let us pamper you." Julia waved the air over Rena's toes peeking free from the Ace bandage wrap. "It's not like you can get around much anyway."
    Sit still with nothing to do but count her failures? Ugh. She'd spent years busy bringing up her children, trying to build a marriage, hoping if she filled enough hours of the day she wouldn't see everything that was missing in her life.
    In her marriage.
    Sitting still with nothing to do but think about all the things she'd worked to ignore was a daunting proposition.
    Almost as daunting, as the impending showdown with her husband.

    * * *
J.T. turned the page, reading with a lone corner light while Rena slept. The hospital halls outside stayed silent in the early night but for the occasional rattle of a passing cart.
    He couldn't bring himself to wake her yet for the talk. Like he could have roused her anyway. Pregnant women slept like the dead.
    Dead.
    Pregnant.
    Baby.
    Breathe, damn it. Forcing breaths in and out, he loosened his grip on the bending paperback. Escape through the words.
    Who can control his fate?
    J.T. reread the line from Shakespeare's Othello , let it roll around in his head for an extra second. He liked the old Bard's take on life. Human nature stayed the same. Warriors such as Macbeth and Othello and Mark Anthony faced universal issues still relevant in modern day.
    The horrors of war.
    Getting screwed over by a woman.
    Which brought him right back to Rena. No escape through reading tonight. J.T. let himself look at her, something he used to do for hours on end while she slept. Not so easy to do now that he parked his ass in an apartment at the end of the workday.
    Her dark curls splayed over the stark white pillowcase. Odd how he still forgot how short she was until she slept and he realized what a small portion of the bed she occupied. A few more curves than when he'd first met her, but the softness from bearing their children only made him want to lose himself inside her all the more. She was a striking woman.
    Age had been kinder to her than he had over the years. He'd taken much and given little back.
    Well, he sure as hell wouldn't let her down when it came to her safety. Again, he studied the even rise and fall of the hospital blanket, reassured himself she'd come through the day alive.