“All right, young lady. Let’s get you in the house and up to your bed.”

Cali was as relieved as Nick to be bringing Andrea home from the hospital. It had been a long week of recovery since she’d come out of the coma, but they’d finally received the green light from Dr. Adams to bring her home. It would still be another week before she could even think about going back to school. Cali had used her connections with her father-in-law to pressure the firm into giving Nick an extended leave of absence to take care of his daughter.

Andrea had other ideas about her recovery.

“But Dad, can’t I lay down on the couch in the living room so I can watch movies with you and Cali?”

“Maybe tomorrow I’ll carry you down, but today you’re going right to bed.”

“I’ve been in bed for over a week!”

“And you’ll be in bed for another week if that’s what it takes to get you back healthy. You heard Dr. Adams. We need to limit your TV and no video games.”

They were just coming into the house through the garage. Nick scooped Andi up into his arms as she squealed with delight.

“I’m going to start some supper,” Cali called after them as they headed up the stairs

“I want pizza!” Andi called back down to her.

Calista could hear Nick telling her she’d be eating soup and crackers. Her heart contracted with love as she listened to their playful banter. At times like this, she almost couldn’t believe how happy she was with her new life. As horrific as the accidents had been, there was no denying they’d brought Nick and Cali to better places in their lives. She’d send Kevin and Roni thank you notes if she could.

Nick hadn’t come down from Andi’s room yet when the doorbell rang. Cali dried her hands and went to answer it. When she opened the door, she found a man she’d never seen before. Alarm bells started going off. They still hadn’t gotten any more details on Andrea’s paternity testing, and it was the one thing hanging out there that threatened to ruin their new lives together.

“Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for Nicholas Mikos.”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

The visitor hesitated long enough that Nick was halfway down the stairs.

“Did I hear the doorbell?”

Cali stepped back and opened the door wider so Nick could see their visitor as she answered, “Yes, I was just trying to understand how I might help this gentleman.”

“Blackburn. What are you doing here? I was expecting you to call earlier.”

“I decided I needed to see you in person. Can I come in?”

The look on Nick’s face told Cali all she needed to know. This was the private investigator, and he was here with more news. For a minute, she wondered if Nick was going to turn him away.

“Come on in. Cali was just making some soup and sandwiches. Would you like some coffee or a beer?”

The man named Blackburn followed Nick to the back of the house while Cali closed the door. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to follow them or not. Nick sensed her dilemma and turned to hold out his hand.

“Coming, baby?”

Relief flowed through her—he was letting her in on one of the most private conversations he might ever have. A conversation that could determine how much danger he was in of losing his daughter.

When they got to the kitchen, Cali went back to fixing dinner, trying not to hover over the men although it was clear she would hear everything that was discussed.

Blackburn didn’t beat around the bush. He and Nick were only seated at the kitchen island for a few seconds before he asked an uncomfortable question.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to your office or somewhere more private for this conversation?”

Cali couldn’t resist turning around. Nick looked at her with a loving smile before answering.

“I’m sure. Cali knows everything. I trust her.”

“Okay, good enough for me.” Blackburn launched into the reason for the visit. “So how much do you know about Veronica’s work history between college and showing up with the baby?”

“She’d started out in nursing which was a joke considering she hated the sight of blood. She switched her degree over to healthcare administration. I know she had a couple of different jobs working in doctors’ offices when we were dating, then I think she got a position in admissions at some hospital at one point, right before we broke up.”

“Exactly. I’m almost certain that’s where she had access to infants.”

Nick jumped up to his feet. “Jesus Christ. Are you telling me she stole a baby? She was a conniving bitch, but I don’t believe she’d outright steal someone’s baby.”

“Sit down. Let me finish.” Once Nick sat, Blackburn continued. “There were no babies reported stolen or missing from Baltimore Memorial during the time she worked there, but I did some digging into all the births during the three-month period around Andi’s birthday just the same, trying to track down where all of those babies were today and found a couple of interesting things.”

Cali had just turned to start dinner when she heard Baltimore Memorial. Her pulse picked up at just the mention of a place that had brought her so much pain in her youth. Unwanted memories invaded of a year that had changed her life forever. She had fought so hard to forgive and forget, but in the end, her family had fallen apart forever in that damn hospital.

She hadn’t been paying attention for a while, so when she started listening again, she had trouble following the conversation. Blackburn seemed to be going through a list of names.

“Not only was the guy I talked to at the address on the admissions record acting funny, but that was the only name on the list that was definitely of Greek heritage. You sent me Andrea’s picture, and it’s clear to me that was how Veronica was so successful in her ruse. Andrea looks so much like you, and I’m guessing her parents were Greek as well. As you know, there’s a large Greektown in Baltimore. I’m heading back down there tomorrow to take another crack at the guy in person, this time to see if I can find out more.”

Cali’s heart was pounding so hard, her ears were ringing. The room had started to spin, and she vaguely heard Nick cautioning Blackburn to be careful, the last thing they needed was to get someone suspicious of why they were asking questions.

“When is Andi’s birthday?” Cali blurted the question, interrupting the men. “I know it was recently.”

Nick looked confused as to why she was interrupting with a stray question, yet he answered. “February.”

Her breaths were becoming shorter. It couldn’t be? They wouldn’t have done that to her?

“When in February?”

“Why?”

“Nick, just tell me! What day is her birthday?” She hadn’t meant to shout at him.

“Valentine’s Day. She was born on Valentine’s Day in 2007.”

“Holy fuck.” Cali almost collapsed. Nick jumped up to rush to her, catching her in time, helping her to sit on an open stool at the island.

“Calista, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong, baby?”

“It’s not possible. Every single year... they knew how brokenhearted I was. They wouldn’t have...”

“You’re not making sense.”

Cali knew the next question she needed to ask, it came out as a whisper.

“Who are you going to see tomorrow in Baltimore?”

Blackburn looked down at the open file on the counter before looking up with his answer. “George Petros.”

She heard the howl of pain. It took her a few seconds to realize it was coming from her. She sensed Nick holding her up, keeping her from falling and could see the worry etched on his face. It was the last thing she saw before she fainted into his arms.

Something was terribly wrong, Nick just couldn’t figure out what it was. After Cali fainted, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the living room couch to lay her down.

“Blackburn, will you wet a couple paper towels with some cold water and bring them over?” The PI didn’t answer, but Nick could see him moving into action in the kitchen.

He looked down on Calista’s pale face, not understanding what had happened that upset her. He replayed the conversation they’d been having over in his head and came up without an answer.

He placed a pillow under her head and propped up her feet. When the cold compresses arrived, he started wiping her face until she started coming around. She awoke in the same panic as when she had fainted. Her eyes looked frantic, and it cut him.

“Shhh. Calista, you’re safe. Take a few deep breaths, baby.” Blackburn pushed a glass of cold water into his hand, and Nick lifted it to her lips and helped her to take a few sips.

“You have to believe me, Nick. I swear to you. I’m not like Veronica. They lied to me too. I didn’t know.” Her panic wasn’t receding.

“Slow down, Cali. I know you are nothing like Veronica. Now, who lied to you?”

Her answer was in the form of an anguished cry. “My parents.”

She hadn’t wanted to talk about her family with him. All Nick knew was her mom had died when she was in college, and she was estranged from her dad. She was an only child.

“What did they lie about?” Nick was confused. She shook her head as if she was afraid to answer. Blackburn stepped up closer to peer down on them from above as he pushed her for answers.

“What did they lie about, Calista?”

“Why did they do this to me?” She looked between the men frantically. “Year after year, they watched me go to her grave and put flowers there. The whole time they knew where she was. They let it tear us apart and didn’t stop it.”

“Cali, you’re not making sense.” Nick was more confused than ever, but Blackburn seemed to be catching on.

“What was your maiden name, Ms. Bennett?”

Cali didn’t answer. She was falling apart before their eyes.

“All this time. I lost so much time.” She looked like she was going into shock. Nick played Blackburn’s last question over in his mind. Why would he be asking for her maiden name?

“Daddy, what’s wrong with Cali?” Nick looked over the back of the couch to see Andi in her pajamas. She couldn’t be here.

“You aren’t supposed to be out of bed, Andi. Go on. Up to bed. I’ll bring your dinner to you soon.”

She wasn’t listening to him, she was too worried about Cali. Cali was pushing to sit up all of a sudden as Andi came around to stand near them.

The frantic look in her eyes as she looked at Andi scared him, yet as each second passed, Calista seemed to calm more until her breathing had normalized. When she reached for his hand, he could feel her trembling.

“I never told you why I didn’t want to go back to Greece.”

“Is that really important right now?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, it is.” She gave a sad smile. “I spent several summers in Greece with my dad’s family. My mom and dad usually went with me, but when I was fifteen, my parents let me go by myself. I felt so grown up to be traveling alone. It was different being there without them though. I didn’t speak enough Greek, so I just hung out with my cousin.” The panic was returning to her beautiful face. “I swear to you, Nick, I didn’t know.”

“Didn’t know what?”

Cali tore her gaze away from his to look down at their joined hands. It was as if she couldn’t look him in the eye and it made him uncomfortable. He almost missed her answer.

“Angelo.”

“Who’s Angelo?”

“My cousin. He was two years older than me... and... he liked me.”

Nick’s mind was racing with what she was trying to tell him. It couldn’t be.

“He liked me a lot, but he... hurt me... bad.” Her eyes met his again, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. “My grandfather disowned him and shipped me home right away, but it was too late. My parents were furious I’d been hurt in Greece, and it caused major family problems. By the time I found out I was...” She stopped to look at Andi with a look of love that melted his heart before returning her gaze to Nick. “...that I was pregnant, it was already too late for... well you know. I wouldn’t have done it, anyway. Never. I knew I was too young to be a mother, but it didn’t matter to me. My parents fought about it constantly, but I told them it was my decision.”

It was Nick’s turn to look at his daughter. When he turned back to Cali, all he could say was, “Impossible.”

Calista looked up at Blackburn. “February 14, 2007?”

“Yes.”

“Baltimore Memorial?”

“Yes.”

“Mother’s name Olympia Petros?”

He looked at the file in his hands before answering, “Yes.”

“But who is Olympia Petros?” Nick injected,

“Olympia was my great-grandma’s name. My parents named me after her.” She reached across to her purse on the nearby end table. She pulled out her passport and handed it to Nick. His hands were shaking as he opened it to see Olympia Calista Petros. “I had to use this as ID recently when filling out paperwork at the bank. I haven’t updated my passport yet with Bennett, and now I never will.”

They all sat in silence for a long minute before Andi asked, confused.

“Daddy, what does this mean?”

He saw the hope in Cali’s eyes. For the first time, he looked back and forth between the two most important women in his life, really seeing each of them and their resemblance—the black hair, amber-brown eyes. At that moment, Nick accepted that surely, God had a hand in bringing them together. There could be no other explanation for the miracle of them finding each other.

“Daddy?”

Nick pulled Andi into his arms, so they were facing Cali on the couch.

“Andi, it means that Calista is your new mommy. Calista Petros Bennett, will you marry me?”

Cali’s eye’s opened wide with surprise. “Nick, you don’t have to do this.”

“Yes, Cali, I do.”

“But you don’t. You know I would never in a million years take her from you. You love her with all your heart.”

“Yes, I do. But, I love her mother with all my heart too. Don’t you see, Cali? We were meant to be a family. You just weren’t ready back then, so I got an early start, but you’re ready now. Think about it. There’s no other explanation for us finding each other like this.”

They all sat in stunned silence before Cali finally spoke.

“You’re right. Just think, we never would have known if Kevin and Roni hadn’t...” She thankfully cut off before she gave away too much in front of Andrea.

Nick knew exactly what she had been about to say.

“I know. God had to bless their betrayal.”