The thought made her chest tighten, it had been his dream more than hers. Now, when it was finally real, he was gone. That night, she barely slept. The baby stirred beside her, tiny breaths steady and peaceful, while Emily lay awake, counting the seconds between the creaks of the house.
At some point before dawn, she rose quietly, moving through the dark toward their bedroom. The room still smelled faintly of him, aftershave, detergent, something that already felt like memory. She hesitated at the closet. She’d never gone through his things before. But this time was different.