Not much time slips away before the baby is due.

   It is three o’clock in  the morning and Cindy is sitting on the living room sofa.  Shannon awakens and joins her, “Mom, is it time?   Are you going to have the baby tonight?”                                                  

   Shannon curls up beside Mom, hugging her.  Cindy wraps her arms around Shannon, “No.  I think the baby will come next week.  I was just up praying.  And I was attempting to finalize my choice of names.”
                 
   Shannon hugs Mom extra close, “I just felt the baby kick.  I think the baby is as eager to see us as we are to see the baby.”
                 
   Cindy kisses Shannon on top of the head, “I know you don’t like the acronyms, but if it’s a girl, I’ve decided on the name, Hannah Esther.  So, it’ll be either H.E.R. or S.I.R. ."
                 
   Shannon looks up into Mom’s eyes, “You’re still feeling guilty for not letting Dad name Josiah, aren’t you?”
                 
   Cindy admits, “Yes.  I told him he could name him, then I went ahead and didn’t let him.”
                 
   Shannon kisses Mom’s tummy, “Well, I still hope it’s a girl.  But if it’s a boy, I’ll just have to get used to it.   And I agree with you now.   If it’s a boy, he should have the name Dad had picked out …Samuel Isaac.”
                 
   Cindy encloses Shannon’s hand within her two hands, “That’s a big relief to me.  I wouldn’t want you disliking your brother for his name.”
                 
   Shannon reassures, “I wouldn’t let a silly thing like that make me think less of my brother.  I guess I was just feeling my own guilt.  Having the intials, S.I.R., reminded me of Stan always calling George, ‘Sir’.   George loves Stan so much.  He’s taken such great care of Stan.  He adopted Stan as his own son, yet Stan still calls him, ‘Sir’.   It reminds me of how I never brought myself to call Dad …‘Dad’.   I used to say, ‘Yes, sir’, too.  And I still sit up in bed, unable to sleep at night, when I think of how I treated him.”
                 
   Cindy realizes, “Okay, I’ll pick another name.  I never realized how you felt about it.  We all have some painful memories.  And we should all try to do what we can not to add to the pain.  We should try to avoid living with regrets.”
                 
   Shannon speaks up, “No.  I don’t want you to choose another name.  It was Dad’s wish.  I want you to stick with Samuel Isaac, unless of course, it’s a girl.   And I’m still hoping it’s a girl.  Leah says she wants a little sister, you know.”