EMMA

“Give me my niece!”

Ethan sets the swaddled little love in my arms while his wife, Charlie looks on, exhausted but eyes shining. I’m not alone with them—that wouldn’t be possible today. This hospital has been taken over by the Cockers, chaos and all. After what happened to Gabriel, the paparazzi, Uncle Jaxson going to jail so Dad could stay here, Kaya is finally born and surrounded by the loving faces of our immediate family, while cousins, aunts & uncles, Grandpas and Grandmas, and of course dear old Grams, wait for their turns.

Eric tries to take Kaya from me. “Give her here.”

“No way,” I whisper, stepping back in between our parents. Mom and I smile at the baby while I tell my father, “I see why you called me your baby love, Dad. I just want to love on her little fingers and toes forever. And look at those long eyelashes. I guess you guys are grandparents now!” I bump my hip to Mom.

As she pulls the soft blanket back a bit, so we can see Kaya better, Mom says in her sweet southern drawl, “I thought it would be you who’d give me my first. Eric maybe. Never my naughty Ethan.”

Both brothers crack up as Charlie smiles from the bed, straight red hair damp around her face. Dad chuckles, too, his deep voice rumbling beside me. “Just because Emma’s the oldest doesn’t mean she has to pop out puppies first.”

“Jake!” Mom grins, “I swear, you can be so crass. You do it just to shock me.”

“You love it.”

Stroking Kaya’s forehead with the pad of her index finger, Mom whispers, “I do.”

Ethan reaches for his daughter, telling me, “I have to hold her some more.”

“You’re going to have her every day, all day!”

He grins, “I know. I can’t wait,” as I relinquish her to him with my lower lip stuck out. “C’mon Emm, everyone’s going to be swarming around in here all day…”

Mom lifts Kaya into her arms, interrupting him. “Since you put it that way, I’d better get my time in now.”

“You already held her!”

“I need to hold her again, Ethan. Go to your wife and be quiet.”

Ethan’s grin flashes. He locks eyes with Eric. Can you believe this shit? I’m a grown man! But he does as he’s told. His eyes warm as he picks up a towel and mops the sides of Charlie’s glowing face. “How you feelin’ Highness?”

“Tired but good. Sorry I called you a bastard in there.”

Under his breath he laughs and kisses her forehead. “I was expecting worse. You were very contained. Impressed the hell out of me and made me love you even more.” Glancing to Dad they share a quiet moment. An understanding has happened that I’m not a part of, nor Eric. Ethan’s become a father and our dad is telling him, Welcome to the club. It’s nice here. Stay a while.”

An ache slams into my chest, and I have to force myself to focus back on Kaya, stepping closer to Mom and trying to breathe normally. It’s been two weeks since Tanner disappeared. Every time the phone rings or a text comes through I lunge for it. The days have passed with no contact from him or his assistant. It’s occurred to me I could use the properties as an excuse to contact Dan, but it would be construed as obvious since there was no need. Nobody had bought the ones he liked most, I’ve been keeping watch.

Even standing next to Dad makes me think of Tanner. Maybe some day I’ll ask him why they fought. Right now I’m hoping I still have to hide my feelings. That there might be a day soon when I’ll see Tanner again. Even if we have to sneak around for a while, I’m fine with that. I miss him.

I’ve looked him up online, of course. Can’t find any philanthropy work so I don’t understand what’s inspired him to do such a noble thing as that orphanage. And why Atlanta when he lives all the way in California? I couldn’t find any ties to it at all.

Mom walks Kaya to her mommy and tears wet Charlie’s smiling cheeks. “Hi, sweet Kaya baby, I’m here.”

“I’m going to check on Gabriel,” I whisper, slipping quickly out of the room, and wiping my eyes.

In the hospital corridor I’m bombarded with questions about the baby, and I repeat time and again that they’re doing well. Grandma Nance says, to herself but really to everyone, “I still can’t believe they got married so late in the pregnancy.”

Grandpa Michael wraps an arm around her. “Better than not getting married at all.”

Max, who is Jason’s oldest son, announces, “You guys are old fashioned.”

His brother Caden, cool as can be, mutters, “They did it to shock you.”

Their mother, my aunt Sarah, smacks the back of Caden’s head. “They did not,” she laughs while he grins and fixes his hair.

Feeling suffocated by family for maybe the first time in my life I tell the whole corridor, voice shaky even through my smile, “You’ll see them in a minute. I’m going to check on Gabriel. I haven’t had a chance like you all have. Excuse me.”

Keeping my head down I cut through the crowd as they return to their separate conversations.

Turning a corner, finally alone in another hallway I inhale sharply and pause, touching a wall for support. My heart is beating so hard. Pain throbbing in my chest. Maybe this was the first heartbreak after all, the one Hannah said I’d have. The one I welcomed. God, it sucks. Wouldn’t wish this feeling on Cora, or anyone else I don’t like.

“You okay, Emma?”

My head jerks up to find my Uncle Justin, the retired Senator, gazing at me with concern. “No…yes…I’m just tired. And I want to check on Gabriel.”

“You’re going the wrong way. He’s not in his room.”

My spine tightens. “He’s not in another surgery is he?”

Justin frowns, “Nothing like that. He’s with his girlfriend in her room, number 307.”

“Gabriel has a girlfriend? Since when? I know I missed his concert, but am I really that out of touch with his life?”

Clearly conflicted about it, he sucks on his cheek and stares off. “I think we’re all out of touch with my son’s life.”

“Uncle Justin, do you know what happened between my father and a man named Tanner Hamilton?”

Pale green eyes search for a memory. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“Never mind. It’s not important.”

He watches me as I head away.

Hospitals inspire caution and quiet, so I slowly open the door and listen. A nurse walks out and pauses upon sight of me, blocking my path. I dig out my I.D. and show her, “I’m his cousin, Emma Cocker.”

Her protective stance relaxes. She nods and exits. After the paparazzi incident, there are guards at all the exits.

I’m the last of the cousins to visit. When Gabriel was brought in, I was in the delivery room with Charlie, Ethan and Mom. I had to be there when Kaya was born, even though Eric told me I was crazy.

Since I don’t hear a greeting, I assume Gabriel must be sleeping, so I tiptoe around the curtain, and freeze. My normally self-centered cousin is under the white hospital blankets, spooning a pretty brunette, both with their eyes closed. Something tells me they’re in their own little world, and not asleep at all. Mesmerized I tilt my head and watch them breathing. They’re battered and bruised and in love.

Tears of happiness for him, and for Ethan, and my Hannah, mingle as a desire to talk to Tanner burns in my heart. I back out of the room and see a nurse walking up. Wiping my eyes I tell her, “Take good care of them. They’re my family.”