"Sure, baby, what is it?" Justin smiled at his daughter as she climbed into his lap.

"Daddy, where did I get my name?," Hope asked this simple yet painful question of Justin. Immediately the harsh memories of Hope’s birth came rushing back to him.

Justin was on tour in Georgia when he got the call that his wife Bria was in labor with their first child. He took the red-eye flight to Orlando, but little did he know what should have been a day of happiness would so soon turn tragic. When he arrived at the hospital he was met outside Bria’s door by the doctor.

"Mr. Timberlake, I’m glad you’re here. As you know, there have been some complications in your wife’s pregnancy. It looks like we’ll lose either Bria or the baby. Bria has said she wouldn’t make her decision without you here," the doctor said. Justin was dumbstruck, the thought of losing his wife to him was . Finally he was able to regain his composure.

"What would you suggest?" Justin asked, hoping for an answer that could save both his wife and child.

"We usually encourage the mother to sacrifice the baby, but it is strictly up to the mother," the doctor advised.

"Can, can I see her?," Justin asked, needing to be with his wife. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes as the doctor showed him into the room. Bria was laying in the bed, her eyes closed. A heart monitor beeped steadily next to the bedside stand as Justin pulled a chair up to the side of Bria’s bed.

"Bria?" he whispered softly as his wife opened her green eyes.

"Justin," she breathed, hugging his broad frame, and saw the worried look in his eyes. "I suppose they told you already."

Justin nodded. "They told me everything. I think we should give up the baby, Bri. We can always have other kids, or adopt them. I can’t stand to lose you," Justin said quietly, a single tear sliding down his cheek.

"No Justin. I want you to listen. You are the love of my life. I have been on this earth for 23 good years. This baby hasn’t even begun to live yet. I’ve decided to let the baby live," Bria stated as Justin laid his head in her lap and sobbed. "This baby is you and me Justin. It’s us. You’ll be able to watch it grow and learn new things. You can teach it to sing beautifully like you, or write poetry like me. And I’ll watch, in my own way. You have to be strong, Justin. Not just for me, but for the baby and yourself. This is our child Justin. You’ll always have the memories of the good times we’ve spent together. Now you have it’s life too. I want to know that you support my decision," Bria requested, her breath now getting shallower.

Justin lifted his head, showing his tear streaked face. "I support you Bria. But I don’t know how I can make it without you. I’ll miss you. I love you more than words can say," Justin whispered, kissing Bria on the forehead.

"Here, Justin. Keep this and give it to our child when it is old enough to understand. Make sure they know that their mother loved them enough to give her life so they could live," Bria took off her wedding band, in which Justin had inscribed, More than words can say, describing their love for each other.

"Ok, Bri, I will. Is there anything else I can do?," Justin asked, knowing Bria’s time was almost up.

"Yes. Please, will you sing for me, one last time?" Bria faintly whispered. Justin smiled, knowing Bria loved the sound of his voice. "I want your song to be the last thing I remember."

"Of course," Justin took Bria’s hand and started to sing ‘God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You’ softly. The doctors came in and soon began to deliver the baby as Justin kept singing without ever stopping. Bria’s heart rate continued to drop. Finally Justin saw her look up and she mouthed ‘I love you’ to him, the closed her eyes and took her final breath. Justin heard the alarming buzz off the stopped heart monitor at the same time a baby began to cry. Justin stood in a daze, still singing and holding his wife’s hand, hoping in vain that she was only sleeping. A nurse came beside him, holding a bundle wrapped in a blanket. Justin knew he had to be strong, both for Bria and his new baby. He looked at the little person the nurse had just handed him.

"What is it?," he asked, looking at his baby.

"It’s a girl," the nurse said sadly, knowing it must be hard for Justin to cope right now. "What were you planning to name her so I can fill out the birth certificate? Or would you like to think it over?" the nurse asked.

Justin looked at his new daughter, then at his wife. "Hope. Her name will be Hope Timberlake," Justin decided. The doctor and nurses left the room so Justin could be alone.

"Hello Hope. Happy birthday. I’m your daddy. Aren’t you so pretty, just like your mother?" Justin started crying again, but then he remembered Bria’s final words. ’This baby is you and me Justin. It’s us. You have to be strong.’ With those words echoing in his head, he knew now what Bria had meant. And then he decided to be the best parent possible to his daughter.

"You know what Hope? Your mommy loved you very much. She died so that you could live. She loved you more than words can say. And know what? So do I. More than words can say," Justin whispered as he rocked his sleeping daughter.

"So that’s how you got your name. Your mom gave me hope for you and your future, and you bring me all the joy I had with your mother," Justin explained to his daughter. He walked to his room and pulled out a box. "Here, your mother wanted you to have this," Justin gave Hope the box containing Bria’s wedding band. "Your mother told me before she died to give it to you when you were old enough to understand what she did," Justin put the ring on Hope’s finger.

"Thanks Daddy. I love you," Hope gave her father a hug before going to her room.

That night, Justin was looking through the box of Bria’s things that the hospital had sent home. He stumbled across a letter he was fairly certain wasn’t there before. It was addressed, in Bria’s perfect hand, My dearest Justin. It read:

Justin,

If you are reading this now, I must already be dead. I’m sorry. The doctors have give me medicine, it doesn’t hurt anymore. The thought of you raising our child helps to numb the pain as well. They told me we’ll have a baby girl. I know you’ll be a good father and raise our daughter as well and I ever could. I have all the confidence in the world in you. Just me cause I’m not alive, doesn’t mean I’m not there right beside you. I know you’ll never let me or our daughter down. I’m proud of you.

I love you more than words can say. Your wife,
Bria Shay Timberlake

Justin cried silently, missing Bria and re-opening the wound of her loss that would never heal. He gazed out his bedroom window through his tears at the stars.

"Bria. It’s me. I miss you so much. Hope is so beautiful, and reminds me of you everyday. I know that you made the right choice. I love you."

Bria smiled down at Justin. "I know, Justin, I know. I love you too. More than words can say."