ˌɪntɚspˈɜːst bᵻtwˌiːn ðə bˈʊks ɑːɹ ɪtˈælɪsˌaɪzd vɪnjˈɛts wɪð sˈiːnz fɹʌm ɹᵻbjˈuːzᵻz mˈæɹɪdʒ: fˈɜːst, ɐn ˈɑːɹɡjuːmənt wɪð hɪz wˈaɪf, ðˈɛn ɐ dˈeɪ wɛn hiː fˈeɪld tə wˈɑːtʃ sˈæmi æt ðə bˈiːtʃ, ðˈɛn sˈæmiz bˈɜːθ, ænd, fˈaɪnəli, lˈɜːnɪŋ ðæt hɪz wˈaɪf wʌz pɹˈɛɡnənt.
Interspersed between the books are italicized vignettes with scenes from Rebus's marriage: first, an argument with his wife, then a day when he failed to watch Sammy at the beach, then Sammy's birth, and, finally, learning that his wife was pregnant.