After Brock left, Mallory started wrapping gifts. The next day was Christmas Eve and she and Brock still hadn’t wrapped anything. Tears slid slowly down her cheeks as she wrapped a gift for Jocelyn’s baby, when there was a slight knock on the door.

“Mallory?” Jocelyn said from the other side. “Are you alright?”

Mallory wiped the tears from her cheeks as she quickly covered the gifts. When she was presentable, she opened the door. “Jocelyn, what are you doing up here? You shouldn’t be climbing the stairs in your condition.”

“May I come in?” Jocelyn asked, concern filling her eyes as her blonde hair fell into waves over her...