“All I need to know is if you are willing to try,” I say quietly, though my chest tightens at the meaning of her words.

Her eyes flicker with something that seems like hesitation. “I don’t know,” she admits. “I’m afraid of what happens if we do.”

I swallow hard, a lump forming in my throat. “But look at what happens if we don’t.”

Silence fills the air once more as she shifts in my lap. I know she’s fighting her inner turmoil and I don’t know what to think.

After a ...