She allowed me to push her wheelchair, but she refused to lay down once we were in the ambulance. I sat behind her as we rode in the back, letting her use my body for support.

“Am I her father?” I asked, wrapping my arms around her, leaning my face into the sweet, fresh scent of her hair, willing it to be true. I felt her draw a deep, slow breath.

“I don’t know,” she answered plainly. “I don’t know if it was Jimmy who got me pregnant on my birthday… It was my first time, and we were only together that once… And only because I’d had too much to drink.

“And about a month after that, it was us,” I said. “Just once…” She turned in my arms and I smiled at the way her blue eyes looked even bluer when they were about to spill over with tears.

“Yes,” she said. “I barely even admitted to myself that there was a chance Violet could be ours… Mom only knew about Jimmy… and once she found out I was pregnant, she was so busy making plans for the wedding. And I was so used to letting her take control…” She looked at me with huge, worried eyes. “I left to escape her, Will, to escape everything, so I could learn how to live my own life and make my own choices. When Jimmy took off, it seemed too late to be looking backwards and wondering who the father really was. I was so damned young then, and by the time I’d grown into all my responsibilities… it just seemed way too late…” She looked down at her hands, quiet… almost shy for a moment, and looked back up into my eyes.

“Love makes family,” I said, kissing the fear from her eyes. “And for family, it’s never too late.”

Five minutes later, we were at our daughter’s side. And so were a dozen other busy people. The room wasn’t quiet anymore, like it had been when I left. And Harry was at Violet’s side, his phone in his hand just as my pocket started to ring…

“Damned fine timing,” he said, looking up. “I was just calling you…”

“What the hell’s going on?” I asked as a nurse pushed past me with a syringe in her hands.

“Nothing too alarming,” Harry said calmly. “A little drop in heart rate, but everything else is normal. Tests showed there’s no water in her lungs, Will… That’s better than we hoped for.”

“Then why isn’t she waking up?” Angel asked, her voice tight. I was holding her in my arms, and I put her down on Violet’s bed, knowing how much she wanted to pick up her baby and hold her to her heart. But there were too many tubes… too many wires… Instead, she put her hand on the little girl’s forehead as if she might break.

“Hard to say, exactly,” Harry said gently. “Shock… exposure, perhaps. She’s got a large contusion on the side of her head, but there’s no sign of concussion. Her body temperature was low when she came in, but it’s normal now. We have every reason to believe she’ll wake up. She just needs time…” Angel put her hand on Violet’s chest and Harry looked up at the monitor. “Rate’s back up,” he said with a smile. He put a comforting hand on Angelina’s shoulder. “I think Mom here is just what the doctor ordered…

but it looks like you need some attention, too.” He knelt down to examine Angel’s swollen ankle. “We should get some images of this before much longer.”

“Dr. Kendricks said to give you these.” Violet pulled a crumpled handful of paper from her pocket. “They did some tests… she wanted you to see them…”

“I’ll take a look and get things started,” he said. He nodded at the others in the room. “In the meantime, let’s give them a little privacy, shall we?”

“I don’t want to leave her yet,” Angelina said, once they were gone. “I know it’s foolish, thinking I can reach her… just by being here…”

I curled my body protectively around them both. “You’re wrong.” I put a hand on Violet’s forehead and leaned into the warm curve of Angelina’s neck. “Her heart responded the moment you touched her, sweetheart. She knows you’re here… and she knows you love her… that we both love her.” Angel turned her face to mine. “She’s just below the surface, that’s all…,” I said softly, thinking…

“How does she reach out,” I asked, “to talk to the world around her? What is it that brings her to life… that stirs her…?” I saw understanding flicker behind Angel’s eyes. “Her music, that’s what…,” I finished. I took one of Violet’s hands in mine and gestured with my chin for Angelina to do the same. “Do you know this piece? Does she?” I hummed softly, using my fingers to move Violet’s fingers over the blanket as if she was playing the notes.

“It’s Rachmaninoff, isn’t it?” She began to hum it with me. “I played this one for her a long time ago… but I don’t remember if she ever learned it…”

“Well, she’s going to now,” I said, determined. “Move her fingers… it doesn’t matter if it’s not exactly right. Just let her feel the movements and hear the music. The music is the way to reach her, Angel.

It’s all still inside her, and we just need to help her find it…”

“I’m Patty. Dr. Chapin sent me to take you to radiology.” A freckle-faced volunteer stood ready in the doorway with a wheelchair. “That’s a pretty song… is it her favorite?”

“Hey, Angie… Will.” Mattie pushed her way into the room. “How is she? Is she awake yet?” She gave Angel an enormous hug. “I’m so sorry it took so long to catch up with you. When I got back to the room, you two were already gone…”

“Violet’s tests are good, but she isn’t waking up,” Angel said tensely, her voice breaking.

“Miss Hollister…?” The volunteer pushed the chair a little closer. “They’re waiting for us upstairs…”

“I’ll go with you,” I said, standing up.

“No,” Angel said, gripping my hands in hers. “You stay with her… She needs you more.” Her eyes were that brilliant shade of blue I loved so much. “Mattie’ll come with me, and I won’t be gone long.” She looked down at Violet, who still hadn’t moved. “Stay with her, let her keep listening to you… I don’t know why, I know nothing’s really changed, but I feel like you’re able to reach her somehow…”

I kissed her before they took her away, wanting forever, but only stealing a second. I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling of her mouth on mine, the depth of emotion she created inside me. She’d given me her love and her trust… and more than that, she’d given me a place in her life and in Violet’s. I felt a surge of love and belonging and protectiveness swell in my chest… I watched as Mattie took her away and the door swung silently shut behind them. I took a deep breath and turned around…

Violet’s eyes were still closed, but an alarm had started going off on one of the machines…

And I saw Violet’s fingers moving over her blanket…