“You doing okay, Jamal?” Zach patted the young man’s shoulder as they stood stage left and waited for the end of the White Christmas number.

Jamal shrugged. “Dunno. I guess. Ms. Harris told us about that place? We’re gonna go after school.”

Zach smiled. She’d told them about it. That was something. He’d been half-convinced she wouldn’t. Not after he’d mentioned marriage. Which he still wasn’t convinced was the wrong solution. “You going to college next year, Jamal?”

The boy shook his head. “Nah. I’ve been doing an apprenticeship with my uncle at his garage. I’m pretty good with my hands. Once I graduate, he’s willing to take me full time, with health insurance and everything. After six months, if I don’t screw it up, he’ll put me through a certification program at night. I’ll owe him three years when that’s done, paid, but I like it, so I figure I might as well.”

That was the most passion Zach had ever seen from the boy. “That’s great. What about Rhiann? You know her plans?”

His shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “She’s been doing hair at Ms. Marla’s. But with the baby? I dunno. Maybe we can work our schedules out so it works for her to keep going. She’s working on her license through an apprenticeship deal they’ve got, too, she’s mostly done, maybe another couple classes plus time behind the chair. She’s only finishing school ‘cause her mom’s makin' her, says a diploma’s better than a GED.”

They were on their way to making a decent life for themselves. Sure, a baby wasn’t necessarily what they’d planned on, but the two of them together were going to be able to do a better job than if they were apart. Could it hurt to plant a seed? “You ever think of marrying her?”

“Yeah. She says we can’t afford a wedding. And when she lays it all out, the dress, all the food? Man, I don’t know how anyone gets married.” Jamal shrugged. “So I guess I’ll save up.”

What was it with people? Zach scooted out of the way as the dancers and singers filed off the stage to the smattering of applause from their peers. Jamal squeezed Rhiann’s hand as she slipped by him. She grinned at him and gave him a thumbs up. He hitched up his pants and swaggered onto the stage in time with the music that had just begun. He met the three other guys who made up the act in the middle of the stage and began to beatbox under their rhythmic rapping.

The Christmas program was turning out really well. He hadn’t done much, as far as he could tell, though the time he’d had with the kids who did the bulk of the work had been great. These kids...his heart swelled...they were great. He was lucky—blessed—that God had put him here, even if he hadn’t understood it until recently. No magnet school could ever compete. Maybe their budget could, but that’d be about it.

“What are you smirking about?” Amy’s voice was a tickle in his ear.

He turned and slipped his arm over her shoulders as he continued to watch the number on stage. “Just thinking that my life is pretty grand.”

Her arm snaked around his waist, and she nestled against his shoulder. “I can’t help but agree.”

“Jamal says he and Rhiann are going to the pregnancy resource center after rehearsal. Thanks.”

She shrugged. “I looked them up, talked to my parents who were amazed I hadn’t thought of them right away. Apparently our family has been supporting them for years. Who knew?”

Zach snickered. “Pay close attention, do you?”

“So it seems. Anyway, with that being the case, I told Rhiann I’d tag along if they wanted me to. She looked like I’d just told her she won the lottery. So...I guess that’s where I’m going to be going.”

“Want me to come?” Not that it was high on his list of things to do, but Jamal was a good kid. And this was a tiny way he could lend a hand.

“You’d do that?” She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “That’d be great.”

His heart warmed. “You know people can see us, right?”

“Don’t care. I love you, Zach. I think it’s time people understood that.”

Zach stood outside the pregnancy resource center, hands tucked in his pockets, and studied Jamal. The young man looked scared. There was no other way to describe it. “That’s a lot of information they just gave you.”

“No kidding.” Jamal’s panicked eyes met Zach’s. “I don’t know how we’re gonna do this.”

“You’re going to take it one day, one task, at a time. You’ve got nine months. You’ll both graduate in seven. That’s two months without even having to worry about school. Two months with full-time employment under your belt.”

Jamal took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Can you remind me of that when you see me at school?”

Zach smiled. “Of course. What’s step one?”

Jamal kicked a pebble and watched it bounce down the sidewalk and into the street. “Tell our folks. Ma’s gonna kill me. Rhiann’s ma too, probably.”

“They’ll be upset, but kill you?” Zach shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“You ain’t met Rhiann’s momma, have you?”

Zach searched his memory. He’d had Rhiann in class, but...had her mom ever come in for conference? Or was she one of the many perpetual no shows? “I don’t know. Maybe?”

“You’d remember. She don’t come to school stuff, always workin’.”

Zach nodded. “Her dad?”

Jamal scoffed. “Right. I’m not even sure anyone knows who he is. That’s part of why she’s gonna be so ticked. She wanted her baby girl to do it right. Now, here she is the same age as her momma was when she was born? She’s gonna kill me.”

Zach winced. Upset was definitely an understatement. Though it was a story he saw over and over, or at least guessed at, during parent-teacher conferences. “Your mom?”

Jamal shook his head. “She married my dad, for all the good it did. He took off when I was four, right after my sister was born. But at least I have my uncle. He helps us out a lot when ends don’t quite meet. I’m gonna break her heart.”

There was nothing to say. Jamal probably had a good grasp on the situation.

The boy cleared his throat. “Do you think there’s any way you can convince Rhiann that we don’t need a fancy wedding? She’s talking about finding a place together when school’s out. I know it’s dumb, but my momma’s not going to go for that. And...I don’t really want to unless we’re married. I don’t care if we just go down to City Hall, then have a big party later when we can afford it.”

“I don’t know, Jamal. I can try. But I don’t think she’s going to listen to me if she won’t listen to you.”

“You’ll try? Or maybe Ms. Harris?”

Zach scrubbed the back of his neck. “You should probably ask Ms. Harris yourself. She...”

“Ask Ms. Harris what?” Amy stepped out of the door, pulling it closed. “Rhiann’s just setting up an appointment for next week and getting their list of doctors who work for free or significantly reduced payment without insurance.”

Jamal turned pleading eyes on Zach.

“Jamal was hoping you might be able to talk to Rhiann about getting married, convince her she doesn’t have to have a huge expensive party to do right by her baby and the baby’s father.”

Amy narrowed her eyes. “Do right by?”

Zach hunched his shoulder. “Those are my words.”

“No. They’re mine, too. I know it don’t seem like it, Ms. Harris, seeing as Rhiann’s pregnant, but I wasn’t raised to believe livin' together’s okay. I want to be part of my baby’s life...but not if it means my momma’s gonna skin me alive every time we talk. She’ll get over it if we’re married when the baby gets here. But...I can’t make it worse.” Jamal kicked another pebble.

Amy frowned at Zach before turning her gaze to Jamal. “Are you sure? I know you think you’re doing the right thing, but rushing into marriage...that’s a lifetime commitment.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jamal looked up and met Amy’s gaze. “So’s a baby.”

She sighed. “I’ll try.”

Rhiann stepped out, holding a thick packet of information. She managed a weak smile and took Jamal’s outstretched hand. “Come on, Jamal. Let’s go get this over with. At least my momma’s at work. She won’t kill us in a crowded diner. Thanks Ms. Harris, Mr. Z.”

Jamal nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.”

Zach watched the two walk down the sidewalk to the corner.

Amy’s finger drilled into his shoulder. “I can’t believe you.”

“What?” Zach held up his hands to fend her off. “That’s all him.”

She frowned and studied him. “Married at eighteen, though? How can that work?”

“The same way any marriage does, I imagine. Hard work. I don’t think success in marriage has much to do with how old you are, or whether or not there’s a baby on the way. It’s the decision you make, every day, to love your spouse, to be faithful, and to stay married. Simple. And yet ridiculously hard.” Zach offered her his elbow.

“Such a romantic.” Her voice was dry as she slipped her arm through his.

“Romance is good, don’t get me wrong.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek. “But the thing I hear from couples with marital longevity is that it’s work. Hard work. Worth it. But still hard.”

Amy sighed. “Yeah, I guess. I hoped that maybe she’d consider adoption. So many families are out there desperate for a child. Families who are in a better position than they are.”

“They’re not so bad off, Amy. Jamal has a full-time job, with benefits and advancement opportunities, waiting for him when he graduates. Rhiann probably does as well. They could do a whole lot worse.”

“What about college? Making something of themselves? Getting out of the neighborhood?” Amy pulled her arm from his as she stopped and turned. “They’re throwing away such amazing potential.”

Zach frowned. Did she hear herself? Wasn’t she the one who was lobbying for him to move into the neighborhood? Hadn’t she gone to college and come straight back? “They seem to be a lot like someone I admire quite a bit, someone who’s perfectly content in the neighborhood where she grew up.”

“It’s not the same, Zach.” She threw her arms in the air and huffed out a breath. “I don’t know why I’d expect you to understand.”

Zach concentrated on keeping his voice low and even. “Neither of them planned on college. They weren’t—aren’t—looking for that. Why shouldn’t they make the best life together that they can?”

“I can’t explain. Not right now.” Amy swallowed, blinking furiously. “I’ve gotta get home.”

“Let me walk you.” Zach took her hand in his. She didn’t resist, but there was no warmth. He could practically feel her withdrawing as they walked, but despite a fervent prayer for help, no words came. So he walked with her in silence.

Zach carried his takeout bag to the table and glanced at Ben and Becca. “You two mind if I eat in here?”

Ben gestured to the side of the table opposite them. “Be our guest. Thought you’d have a date.”

“Yeah, me too.” He shrugged. Amy hadn’t said much when he’d left her at her apartment door. Just that she’d call him over the weekend. There was something going on, that much was obvious. Just as it was obvious that she wasn’t ready to tell him about it. So he’d wait. At least for a little while.

“Uh oh.” Rebecca looked up from the laptop positioned in front of her. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure.” Zach unwrapped his sandwich. “Don’t worry about it. What are you two up to?”

Rebecca grinned. “Well, since we now officially have a wedding date...”

“And it’s just five weeks away.”

She smiled at Ben and kissed the tip of his nose. “I was getting to that. We figured we should spend some time choosing which small venue for spontaneous weddings we should choose.”

Zach chuckled. “Seems reasonable. I imagine since they’re also hotels they fill up rather quickly for Christmas.”

“Yeah. At this point our selection process is rapidly becoming who has availability.” Ben shrugged. “Makes it a little easier, to be honest.”

“Oooh. Look at this one, Ben. And it’s near Montpelier. Mom was saying she wanted to see it, and Monticello, when they came out. So we could suggest staying here and day-tripping.” Rebecca tapped the laptop screen before fumbling for the mouse. “I always forget this is touch sensitive too.”

Ben chuckled. “Let’s give them a...oh wait, go back.”

Zach chewed and watched them. Did they have any idea how they looked and sounded? Perfect. They were perfect for each other. It was amazing how God had brought them back together after so much time. How they’d each been waiting—even if it was unconscious on Rebecca’s part—for one another. He sighed. Would he ever find that? He’d thought he had, with Amy. And maybe it was there, waiting to be unearthed. Or maybe it wasn’t. Every time they took a step forward, something came up and they ended up going two steps back.

“Yo.” Ben flipped a penny across the table at him. “Did you hear any of that?”

“No. Sorry. Thinking.”

“Obviously. Get this, this place? It has elopement packages. And they’re actually reasonable. Who knew that was a thing?” Ben cocked his head to the side. “You okay?”

Zach grinned and balled up his wrapper as he stood. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good. Think I’m going to go find a movie. Something with lots of explosions.”

He was half-way down the hall when Rebecca squealed. He’d just assume that meant they were still available for Christmas Eve. It was good someone’s Friday night was working out.