The little one, his few baby teeth just poking through, still couldn’t speak clearly. But in his soft, milky voice, he called out with all his might to the couple playing ahead. “Daddy, Mommy, wait for me!” Behind him, another young man and woman chased each other along the shoreline, splashing in the shallows. The man was strikingly handsome; the woman, playfully beautiful. Suddenly, the woman let out a startled cry—her foot had caught on a small branch buried under the sand. She stumbled, tipping toward the water. The man behind her reacted instantly, stepping forward to catch her and pull her back upright. With a turn of her body, she found herself face to face with him. They were close—so close that they could feel each other’s warm breath against their skin. Heat crept into their faces, both blushing deeply. The little boy up ahead saw this and shook his head like a tiny adult, sighing, “Oh, not again.” Arthur and Ashley finally turned around at the sound. They caught sight of Taylor and Nina still frozen together in that embrace. Grinning, Arthur called, “Hey! Earth to you two!” The pair jolted apart as if shocked, their cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red. Taylor stammered, “Uh, Nina… she almost fell. I—I just caught her.” Nina’s face was bright as a cooked shrimp. She nodded quickly. “Yes! I tripped on a little stick. Luckily Taylor caught me in time.” Her eyes darted everywhere except at Taylor—or Arthur and Ashley. Five years had passed since Nina’s illness had nearly destroyed her. Now twenty-one, she understood feelings and relationships perfectly well. Taylor bobbed his head in agreement. “Exactly, that’s all!” His voice was a little too emphatic, as if trying to drive the point home. Arthur, Ashley, and the short, chubby toddler all nodded in exaggerated unison, their faces wearing the same mischievous expression. “Ohhh, I see,” they drawled, the teasing tone unmistakable. Flustered, Taylor insisted, “She really almost fell! I just caught her, that’s it!” “And you guys are making that face!” Nina protested. “I did almost fall!”Ashley nodded, grinning. “Of course. You almost fell, Taylor swooped in like a hero from the heavens, rescued you from danger, and then you two stared into each other’s eyes while sparks flew.” By the time Ashley finished, Nina’s face was scarlet. She hurried over and clamped a hand over Ashley’s mouth. “You’re getting worse and worse!” Arthur and Ashley broke into loud laughter. Taylor looked at Nina with nothing but fondness in his eyes. Then Norris bared his tiny teeth in a grin. “Taylor, when are you and my aunt going to have a baby? I want to play with it!” Boom. The words hit harder than the waves. Both faces turned a deep, burning red. “Norris! What are you talking about?!” Nina cried, stomping her foot. Norris giggled, his little laugh light and infectious. The sound had everyone smiling. Nina, caught between embarrassment and amusement, squeezed his chubby cheeks. “You little rascal, teasing me like that!” Her hands were gentle—she adored this nephew even more than his own parents did. In Norris’s words, “Mom and Dad are true love, I was an accident. Only Auntie loves me for real.” When Nina leaned close, Norris puckered his lips and planted a surprise kiss on her cheek. Then he grinned, showing his baby teeth. “I love you best.” One look at his sweet face, and Nina’s heart melted. A soft, bright smile spread across her own.