I was woken in the middle of the night by the first contraction. I gritted my teeth as I cradled my belly. I sat up and shook Gabe's shoulder. He groaned as he rolled onto his back.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I am having contractions," I said.

"What does that mean?"

"The baby is coming."

Gabe pushed himself up so that he was sitting. He reached over to the lamp and turned it on, filling the room with dim light.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"It doesn't hurt too much yet," I said.

Gabe reached out and brushed my hair off of my face and tucked it behind my ear. I let out a deep breath as I ran my hand over my belly.

"What if it is a girl?" I asked.

"It won't be," he said.

"We thought that about Bonnie."

Gabe bit down on his lip. He kissed my forehead and pulled me into his chest.

"Don't worry about that right now," he said. "Let's focus on keeping you safe and healthy."

My chest tightened as I thought that I may die. I had given birth twice before in this house, but it was a risk every time. There could be complications and either the baby or I may die. I grabbed Gabe and squeezed his arm.

"You don't think something will happen, do you?" I asked.

"Let's go to my parents," he said. "Mom knows what to do."

I nodded and Gabe scrambled to get off of the bed. He hurried and changed. I stayed in my pajamas as I went into Jared's room. He was sleeping and had his thumb in his mouth. I sat on the edge of the bed and ran my fingers through his hair. His eyes fluttered open and he groaned.

"We have to go to Grandpa's," I said. "Your baby brother is coming."

There was a knock on the door and I looked over my shoulder to see Gabe standing in the doorway. I rubbed my belly as I watched him smile.

"Let's go," he said.

I nodded and Jared grabbed my hand. We walked out of the room. Gabe picked up Jared and put him on the hip. I was walking down the stairs as my next contraction hit. I held onto the banister as I hissed out in pain. Gabe stopped and turned to see me try to catch my breath.

"We'll get to Dad's as soon as possible," he said.

I kept walking and followed Gabe to the truck. He put Jared in the back and helped me into the front seat. He sped as fast he could to Noah and Jenny's. He carried Jared out of the truck and held my hand as we walked into the farmhouse. He pulled me up to our old bedroom, which was empty.

"I'm going to get Mom," he said.

He walked out of the room and came back with Jenny. Her greying hair was tied on top of her head and she had on what looked like Noah's clothes. She had a wide smile and she sat down on the edge of the bed. She rested her hand against my knee. Jared was crawling around the bed.

"This is so exciting," Jenny said. "Another grandson."

I swallowed past the lump forming in my throat. I was afraid to speak because I thought that I may start crying. Jenny looked over her shoulder at Gabe.

"Get Emme," she said. "This will be good for her to see. Emme will have her baby in a few months."

Gabe nodded and left the room. I let go of the breath that I was holding onto. I wiped a stray tear off of my cheek.

"What if it is a girl?" I asked in a harsh whisper.

Jenny gave me a soft smile. She shook her head and rubbed my knee.

"It will be a boy," she said. "I can tell."

"How?" I asked.

"You have not been nearly as sick with morning sickness. Plus, you're carrying low, just like you were with Jared."

Gabe came back into the room with Emme. She was cradling her own belly and her curls were a mess. Jenny patted the side of the bed and she sat down next to her. Jenny looked over at Gabe, who was lingering by the door.

"Honey, go downstairs and sleep on the couch. Your father won't mind if Jared sleeps with him," Jenny said. "The baby won't be here for a while."

"Wake me up if you need anything," he said.

"We will."

Gabe picked Jared up and left the room and I squeezed my eyes shut trying to fight off the tears. Jenny stacked the pillows behind me and pushed my shoulders back so that I was resting.

"It's going to be all right, sweetie," Jenny said, "You have done this before."

"That's not what I'm worried about."

No one had yet to tell Emme what happens to the baby girls. She had talked to me about baby names and I struggled not to tell her the truth. Jenny sighed and curled her fingers tighter into my knee. We exchanged a silent glance before Jenny looked over at Emme.

"There's a tradition the boys have not told you about yet," Jenny said.

"You can't tell her," I said.

My heart was pounding. I did not want her to get punished for telling her before Taylor wanted to. I needed Jenny here with me while I am in labour. I can't have her being punished.

"She needs to know," Jenny said. "Taylor will understand. It is better than her finding out if this goes wrong."

"What are you talking about?" Emme asked.

Jenny put her hand on Emme's thighs. Her hands on both of us. Emme's nose did its usual wiggle as she waited in anticipation.

"Our family only has boys," Jenny said.

"What do you mean?" Emme asked.

"Jenny," I said. I knew she was going to freak out.

"We have to tell her, Lindsey," Jenny said. "Taylor should have told her months ago."

"What are you talking about?" Emme asked, panic creeping into her voice.

"We only allow the baby boys to survive," Jenny said.

Emme's eyes went wide as her face went pale.

"Survive?" she said. "What do you mean?"

I sucked in my bottom lip as I watched Emme's jaw drop.

"Baby girls are too weak to survive," Jenny said. "They are killed at birth to stop us from getting attached. They do it to protect us."

"What?!" Emme shouted.

Jenny placed her finger up to her lips.

"You'll wake everyone," she said.

"You are not killing my baby," Emme said. She grabbed fistfuls of her curls. "You're not taking my baby."

"Only if it's a girl."

Emme pushed Jenny's hand off of her thigh and stood. She was furiously shaking her head as she pulled her hair. I gritted my teeth and groaned as another contraction hit. Despite this being my third pregnancy, I could never get prepared for the pain.

"Emme, calm down," Jenny said. "We need to be here for Lindsey."

"Why?" Emme asked, raising her voice. "So you can kill her baby too?"

"Emme, lower your voice."

"No! You're going to kill an innocent baby."

Jenny raised her hand and waved it to motion for Emme to be quiet. Emme cradled her stomach and started to sob.

"Emme-" Jenny started.

"No!" she cut her off. "You're monsters!"

I looked past Emme when I heard the floor creak. Taylor walked into the room, furrowing his brows together. He saw Emme sobbing and reached out for her, but she punched him in the chest. His eyes went wide. She went to punch him again and he grabbed her wrist before she could hit him.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"You bastards!" Emme screamed.

Taylor raised his hand and slapped Emme across the face. I gasped as the sound echoed in my ears. I cried out as another contraction hit me.

"I had to tell her about the baby girls," Jenny said.

Taylor let out a deep breath and pushed Emme down so that she was sitting on the bed. He put his hands on her belly as he kneeled in front of her. She stared up at the ceiling and let out another sob.

"You can't kill our baby," Emme said.

"I don't want to," he said. "But I have to if it's a boy. It's to help you."

"If Lindsey has a girl you're going to kill it?"

"Gabe will."

I shivered at his words. I could still hear the sound of Gabe snapping Bonnie's neck. I needed this to be a boy. I could not go through that again. My heart would absolutely break if I had a girl again. I don't think I would survive it.