Prompt: You find a sticky note with a message attached to your car door.

It’s been such a long day, he thought as he pushed the ground-floor button of the elevator. His feet ached from standing in front of his students all day. Just a few more moments. A ghost of a smile danced across his lips as he thought of the excitement of his second-grade class when he announced their upcoming field trip to the aquarium. His stomach tightened as it always did when he thought of his son, who would never be able to experience the excitement of a field trip, or any excitement at all. He would be in second grade this year, too, if he hadn’t been born with a disease that claimed his tiny little life 37 hours after it had begun.

Shaking off the heartache of eight years ago, he exited the elevator and hurried to his car, anxious, as always, to go home to his wife. He thought of her now, love squeezing his heart and quickening his step. As he approached his car, his head full of his wife, he almost missed the neon-green sticky note on the driver's side window. Apprehension and dread flooded his stomach as he read his wife’s message: “Kevin, We need to talk. Love, Dori.”

The whole way home, Kevin’s mind was filled with what this message could possibly mean, playing through one horrible scenario after another. Was she leaving him? Did he do something wrong? Did something happen to her? His body was rigid with worry when he pulled into the driveway and shut off the car. Taking a calming breath that did nothing for his nerves, he opened the car door and stepped into the chilly autumn evening. Kevin walked up to the front door and turned his key in the lock.

The warmth of the house rushed out to greet him, as did the soft glow of 20 candles situated throughout the living room. He inhaled the scent of vanilla and apple, his wife’s perfume. A soft giggle drew his attention to the red loveseat in the corner of the room. She looks as beautiful as the day I first laid eyes on her. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face, his worries fading. Dori stood and walked to her husband, putting her arms around his neck and standing on her tiptoes to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

Kevin immediately relaxed at her touch. He leaned back and looked in her eyes, the question on his face. She smiled brightly and put a hand on his cheek, a tender look crossing her face. “You’re gonna be a daddy.”