Chapter 1 - Jack and Lauren

The late summer night breeze blew softly through the open car wi.ndows. Lauren and Jack just sat in Jack's car and talked

They had been sitting in the car for over two hours, barely saying a word, mostly looking out over the river and the moonlight reflecting off the choppy water.

The old parking lot they were in was empty and had been for a while. The wind was blowing in through the trees and the cricket's laughter was more audible than ever.

"Are you ready to go?" Jack asked her, in a way as not to rush her.

"No, I would like to stay for a while longer." Her voice was soft.

"Okay." Jack reached over and grabbed her hand.

And there they sat. Not saying a word. Just looking at the water.

Finally she spoke, "It was a boy wasn't it?"

"Sure. I think so." The truth is, Jack didn't know. How could he know? He just wanted her to quit hurting.

"When we think of our baby, let's think of it as a boy, okay?"

"Okay." Jack pictured his little boy.

She continued, "And I don't want to think about the fact that he may have suffered any pain prior to the miscarriage, okay? I just need to know that."

"I'm sure God was looking over him." He tried to reassure her.

"That's what I want to know. I want to know that God was looking out for him."

"He was."

"I just want to know that He was. I want to know that He made this decision. You can tell me He was, but I have to feel that He was. I have to feel that God was looking out for our little boy. I have to know that he is in a safe place now."

Jack didn't know what to say. He just sat there.

"LOOK!"

Jack quickly looked over at Lauren. She was still staring out the windshield. Her look had noticeably changed.

"Look at that!"

She pointed now and he looked out the windshield and saw a lone firefly lighting up directly in front of our car.

Jack looked back at Lauren and she began to cry.

"There, there are more." Her voice was erratic as she was talking through her sobs.

Jack looked back out through the windshield and by now there were several dozen fireflies, all creating a generous light in front of the car.

Lauren reached for the door handle and jumped out of the car, running to the front. The fireflies bounced around her. She joyfully leapt around with the fireflies.

He looked at her. It was as if a ghost had visited the both of them. Life began to move in slow motion. Jack listened to her sobs and they reminded him of young children yearning for their mothers.

He just sat there and stared at her as she danced among the fireflies. She laughed and cried and as things turned in slow motion in his mind, he realized that this was her sign.

Then, she turned to Jack, gazed into his eyes and smiled. Jack stepped out of the car and she walked towards him crying and laughing. Then she fell into his arms and wept. The pain of her miscarriage was fading.