Under Heaven:

Simone’s Notes:

In psychology, an affectional bond is a type of attachment behavior one individual has for another individual, typically a caregiver for her or his child, in which the two partners tend to remain in proximity to one another. The term was coined and subsequently developed over the course of four decades, from the early 1940s to the late 1970s, by psychologist John Bowlby in his work on attachment theory. The core of the term affectional bond, according to Bowlby, is the attraction one individual has for another individual. The central features of the concept of affectional bonding can be traced to Bowlby's 1958 paper, "the Nature of the Child's Tie to his Mother."

Yasmine and Steven spent a quiet night in together as well.

“Can’t sleep?” Steven asked. His wife shook her head.

“No,” she replied. “Could you?”

“Nope.”

“Okay then…” She pressed her lips together. “What do we do now?”

“Nothing.”

Yasmine looked up at him. “Nothing?”

“That’s what I said.”

She back into his lap. Steven pushed aside hair from her eye. “Peaceful night, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

He raised an eyebrow at her tone. “Why do you say it like that?”

“I don’t like when it’s too peaceful like this.”                         

“Why is that?”

“I feel that something is coming for all of us.” Yasmine stopped herself from talking any further. He doesn’t understand what’s really going to happen to them all, she thought. I can’t tell him, not just yet, anyway.

“What do you mean?” Steven asked. Yasmine paused in her thoughts.

“I can’t tell you right now,” she reasoned with him. “Just trust me on this one.”

“Yas…”

“Just trust me on this!”

Steven dropped his shoulders. “Alright, I will trust you.”

His wife breathed out. “Thank you.” He placed his hand on her pregnant belly. Yasmine’s eyes darted upwards.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Four more months!” he announced. His wife smiled when she realized what he was implying.

“Yes,” she said.

“How is Malachi taking this?”

“Rather well, actually.”

“Think we’ll have a girl?”

“I have no idea.” A little smile came onto her face. “It would be nice, though.” However, she knew it her heart that this peace between them wouldn’t last long. Manami’s son was born and he would need to feed soon. Given her current condition, Yasmine couldn’t do much to stop him. In fact, Ella had forbidden her to act.

“You fighting in this war will not help your baby,” she warned six months earlier. “Just stay home where you are until we need you as back-up.”

“But...” Yasmine tried to argue back.

“No!” Ella snapped. “Stand down until we call you!” Back in present time, Yasmine moved her hand to her belly.

“What’s the matter?” Steven asked. Yasmine looked up to see the concerned look on his face. She took hold of his hand.

“Nothing,” she said in a soft voice. “Just something on my mind.” He kissed her on the hand.

“You know something,” his wife said. “I wish these peaceful nights would go on forever.” He rested his head on her shoulder.

“Me too,” Steven said back.

“I love you, Steven.”

“I love you too, Yasmine.”