Sophie turned, and my world fell apart at that moment. All the accidents I had been called to, the people in shock, dying, the strung-out druggies, none of it compared to the void of nothingness I saw on Sophie’s face and in her eyes. 

I bent and slid one arm behind her knees and one under her arms and swept her up into my arms before bringing her back to the couch.

“Sophie, I’m sorry, so sorry. I was just mad and hurt. I thought that I had lost you again. Please, princess, please. Don’t do this, I need you. I just got you back; I can’t lose you again.” I didn’t care who witnessed me baring my heart to this woman or if I looked like some fool with tears running down my face. She was it for me.

Harlow’s hand patted Sophie’s face. “You’re pretty. You look like my Gia.”

Picking Harlow’s hand up, I kissed it. “Yes, she does look like Gianna.” At the sound of her name, Gianna came toddling over and laid her head against Sophie while I cradled her in my arms.

“Daddy, don’t cry.” At Harlow’s words, Sophie cried harder.

“Sophie, please. I need you. We need you. I need your help. We’re a family. I want you as part of my family, I have for ten years. Please, I’m so sorry.”

“Daddy, why is she crying?” I shook my head because I wasn’t really sure.

“Big Gia, why are you crying?” I couldn’t help but smile at the name that Harlow had bestowed on Sophie.

Sophie turned her head and stared at Harlow for just a beat before pulling away from me, and I wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not. She scooted to the far corner of the couch, leaned over, and picked Harlow and Gianna up to cuddle around her.

“I’m crying because my heart hurts.”

“Why does your heart hurt?”

She looked over at me. “My heart hurts because I miss things.”

“I miss my mommy.” Harlow’s sad eyes turned to me. “Daddy, where’s mommy?”

“Gianna, can I see your doll for a second?” Gianna held it up, and when I nodded, she passed it to me. I knew it was time, and with Sophie being here, maybe she would be able to help since she had been Harlow’s age when she lost her dad.

All three of the girls watched as I shoved it into my shirt then glanced over at Sophie, who sat up taller. “Harlow, can you see Gianna’s doll?”

“No.”

“Is Gianna’s doll still here?”

“Yes, Daddy, that’s silly. Just because I can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t here.”

Sophie pulled Gianna closer to her and hugged her.

“That’s how mommy is, you can’t see her, but she’s always going to be here. She’s going to watch you and make sure that you grow up happy.”

“But I can still talk to her?”

“Yep, all the time.”

“Who’s going to take care of me and Gianna?”

“I am. You’re going to live with me.”

“What about my baby sister? Is she hidden?”

“Nope. Aunt Stella is holding your baby sister in the other room.”

“Can we see her?”

“Yep, in a minute.” I looked to Sophie, wishing I could reach over and wipe away the tears streaming down her face.

“Harlow.” Harlow moved off my lap and over toward Sophie when she said her name. “You are beautiful.”

“Gia is beautiful too.”

“Yes love. Gia is beautiful too.”

Harlow scooted over to Gianna and settled next to her so they could continue watching cartoons.

Sophie smiled brighter and looked up at me. “How did you know?”

“Kayson. I couldn’t figure out what to tell them, so he told me about the two of you and Damon. When Harlow asked, it felt like the right thing to say.”

“Well, it worked for me, so I’m glad they understood, too.”

“I am, too. Would you like to come with us? Gianna and Harlow are going to go meet their sister today.”

“It’s okay, I’ll head home. That’s a family thing.”

Carter slid his hand across the couch and reached for mine, squeezing lightly. “That’s why I want you to come with us.”

Sophie stood and I followed. We walked over to where the girls were watching cartoons and picked them up, Sophie cradled Gianna in her arms and I carried Harlow. I wasn’t sure if they had realized the truth yet or if it would hit them later. I’d have to check with a counselor about this. We moved to the glass windows to find Stella and Avril.

“About time,” Stella said as we came around the corner. “Avril is sound asleep.”

“Let’s let the girls see her, then we can figure out what to do.” I wrapped my free hand around Sophie’s waist and escorted what I prayed would be my family to the giant viewing window. “See that baby?” I pointed to the nurse rolling in the cradle. “That’s your sister. Her name is Avril.” Sophie shivered when I said the name. God, what I wouldn’t give to know what she was thinking right then. Did she remember that night? 

“Do you see her, Gianna?” Sophie asked, and Gianna nodded. “Oh, crud. What time is it?”

I looked at my watch. “Almost five, why?”

“I have to be at a family dinner at six, no ifs, ands, or buts.”

I cringed at the thought, I knew why she had to be there. I didn’t want to let her out of my grasp, but I knew that she had to go.

“I have an idea,” Stella cut in. “Why don’t I take the girls home and get them fed and ready for bed? I can take your Jeep since the car seats are in there. You can take my car, follow Sophie and go to family dinner with her. That way you two can talk afterward.” God, I loved my sister. I gave her a smile that said I owe you big time.

“Umm . . .” Sophie pulled in her bottom lip.

“If you don’t want to, Soph, I understand, just tell me, but I do think we need to talk.”

“No. I agree that we need to talk. I was just worried about the girls. Are you sure they’re okay?” She turned from me to Stella. “You can take them to my house, and they can rest on the couch. That way, if anything happens, we—I mean Carter can get there faster.”

“Soph, I’m a nurse. All of their stuff is at Carter’s. It will be fine.”

“Wait, where are they sleeping?”

“They had beds, we set them up in my spare room. Soph, it will be fine. Let Stella take the girls. We need to talk.”

Stella reached to take Gianna from Sophie, and for a child that had been so quiet, it was shocking to hear her scream as if she had just had all of her fingers slammed in a door.

“Gianna, shhh. Baby, don’t cry. Why are you crying? Shhh, zoi mou.”

“Gianna, stop, sweetie, Aunt Stella loves you. Harlow will be with you.” I looked at Harlow. “Can you get her to stop?”

“Gia, come on, let’s go with Stella.” Harlow reached for Gianna’s hand, and the screams got louder.

“Okay, I’ll take them home. I’m sorry, Soph. After dinner, would you consider coming to my place so we could talk, please?”

I let out a sigh of relief when she nodded.

“Okay, Gianna, stop crying. You aren’t going with Aunt Stella.” Gianna’s gut-wrenching sobs slowly ended and were replaced with hiccups. We got into the elevators and headed downstairs. Walking outside, I couldn’t help but have a bit of hope at the thought that this could be my family, not just my girls but my sister and Sophie as well. 

“I’m on level three,” Sophie said as we reached the parking garage.

“So am I.”

“I’m over in the next garage in the faculty area,” Stella announced, giving each of the girls a kiss goodbye and heading in the opposite direction we were headed. 

We headed to the third-floor parking area, “Where’s your car?” Sophie pointed straight ahead. “Mine is a few rows over. So, I’ll see you tonight. No matter the time?” I asked, needing to hear her assurance again.

“I promise.”

“Soph.” Our eyes locked. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Hearing her say those words somehow seemed to right everything that had been going wrong in my world for the last day and a half.

“Okay, Gianna, tell Sophie goodbye. Let’s go get some dinner.” I set Harlow down and wrapped my hands around Gianna’s waist to pull her toward me, which had the blood-curdling cries starting all over again. “What is up, kid?”

“Carter, stop. Her world has turned upside down.”

“Gianna, can you look at me?” Sophie tilted her head back. “Would you like to come with me?” Gianna nodded and Sophie glanced to me. “Why not just bring the girls and let’s all go to family dinner.”

“What about your car?”

“I can follow behind you.”

“And leave her screaming the entire ride?”

“Unless you want to put her car seat in my car, then yes.”

“I’ll put the car seat in your car. Harlow, stay right here with Sophie. Daddy will be right back.”

I ran to my Jeep and pulled it up behind her car. If someone had told me a week ago that I would have to mess with car seats, I would have laughed. Yet, there I was, moving a car seat from my car to Sophie’s. It was surreal. 

“Okay, ready.”

I watched as Sophie acted like a seasoned veteran parent and secured Gianna into the car seat, talking to her the entire time. “This is my car. I’m going to be driving so you will be able to see me the whole time, and we can talk and sing songs. Harlow, would you like to ride with me or your daddy?”

Harlow scooted closer to me. She was definitely going to be my girl. I helped Harlow into her booster seat and then got into my Jeep. I started it up and pulled a few spots forward to wait for Sophie to back out of her spot. I knew that she was headed to her Aunt and Uncle’s and she had Gianna with her, but for some reason I still wanted to keep an eye on her to ensure that she’d be following me.