“Come on, girls! We need to get moving, or I’m gonna miss my flight!”

Nick wasn’t finished with his sentence before Cali and Andi appeared at the top of the winding staircase. His heart lurched at the sight of the two most important people in his life. Not for the first time, he marveled at how quickly his life had changed.

He was aware that to many, he was disrespecting his dead wife by moving on with his life so quickly, but considering the circumstances of her death and how she had chosen to betray him at every turn, he felt zero guilt. In fact, he had ceased being angry with his wife and her lover at all. By his estimation, they had done him and Cali a favor—were it not for their sordid affair, he never would have gotten to know the amazing woman walking down the stairs, deep in conversation with his daughter.

When they reached the bottom step, Andi held out a sheet of paper.

“Don’t forget to sign this Dad. We’re going on that field trip into the city today, and you forgot to sign the paper when you gave me the money to go. Mrs. Fields said I have to stay behind with the first graders if you don’t sign.”

“Oh no!” Nick grabbed a pen from his briefcase and quickly scribbled his signature. “We can’t let you spend the day with those first graders.” He addressed Cali as he handed the paper to his daughter. “I hope you don’t mind, but I added you to Andi’s emergency contact list at the school. That way you can sign permission slips like this if you need to when I’m out of town.”

Pleasure lit up her brown eyes, the golden flecks visible in the sunlight filtering in the front windows.

“Thanks, but what if I sign something you disagree with?”

“You won’t, and since we text ten times a day, anyway, just ask if you’re not sure.”

Cali picked up her own briefcase and purse from the front table. Nick reached to hand her a travel mug of coffee, and they all headed to the garage. They’d already developed a comfortable routine in the three weeks since Cali had been acting as their nanny. A surge of guilt hit him as he remembered canceling an interview with another nanny from the service the day before. He knew he was taking advantage of Calista’s willingness to help him out, but he suspected she didn’t mind.

In fact, she’d practically moved into the guest bedroom. The first week she had just stayed at the house with Andi the few days he was out of town, but each subsequent week, she’d stayed more frequently. He couldn’t resist sleeping in the guest room with her most nights, setting his alarm for extra early to get up and slink back to his own room before Andi awoke. They both knew they were playing with fire, but as each week passed, he worried less about Andi finding out they were dating since his daughter adored Calista as much as he did.

Nick drove the family van as they dropped Andi at her school first, then drove to the airport. They had just enough time to drop him off for his flight and get Cali back to her school.

When they got to the airport, Cali jumped out to jog to the driver’s side. They embraced for a long goodbye kiss before the police officer directing traffic whistled at them to move along.

Nick gazed into her eyes as he said his goodbyes. “I’ll be home tomorrow night.”

“Okay, text me the details. Andi and I will pick you up together, and maybe we could stop to grab a bite on the way home.”

Nick didn’t miss her use of the word ‘home.’ She hadn’t officially moved in, but he’d noticed the house didn’t feel the same when she wasn’t there. They needed to talk about where things were headed soon, but as the car horns around them reminded him, now was not the time nor place.

“That sounds like a plan. I’ll call you later.” With a last kiss, he grabbed his carry-on bag and headed into the terminal.

Nick was led into the boardroom where a half-dozen men and women in suits were waiting for him. He dropped his briefcase on the table before turning to the redheaded assistant ushering him to the meeting.

“Thanks, Jane. You wouldn’t have a place I could plug my phone in, would you?”

Nick’s flight to New York had been delayed, and he was late arriving at his client’s office. He’d drained the battery replying to emails in the terminal.

“Sure thing, Mr. Mikos. Let me plug it in out at my desk.” Nick handed his dead phone to the attractive administrative assistant and turned his attention to the meeting about to begin.

Not fifteen minutes later, a pale Jane stepped back into the meeting. She tried not to interrupt, but since Nick was leading the discussion, it was impossible.

A feeling of dread washed over him when his eyes connected with Jane’s when he saw panic and pity shining back at him. He stopped talking mid-sentence, waiting for her to lean down and whisper into his ear.

“I’m so sorry... your phone is charging... I think you need to step out and make a call.”

“Can it wait? As you can see, I’m a critical participant this morning.”

“No sir, it can’t wait.” Her voice broke as if she were holding back tears. “You need to call Calista right away.”

His heart lurched at the unexpected sound of Cali’s name in this setting. It only took a few seconds to know something was really wrong. Cali should be in class teaching. There was no way she’d call unless there was an emergency. Memories of receiving other bad news when the police had shown up on his doorstep a few months before came next, but they were quickly overshadowed by the realization the only thing Cali could be calling about was Andi.

Nick stumbled to his feet, barely getting out a short, “Excuse me” as he followed Jane out of the boardroom. Each step he took felt like it was his last.

He unlocked his phone to find several missed calls, voicemail messages, and text messages. They had started while he was in the air on his flight. He’d expected to see Cali’s number there, but the fact the first messages had come from Andi’s school had him collapsing into the chair near Jane’s desk.

He tried to rationalize there could be many reasons for them to call. Perhaps Andi had a headache or stomach ache. But he’d hugged her, and she hadn’t felt like she had a temperature this morning.

The first message was vague.

“Mr. Mikos, this is Andrea’s school calling. Please call into the office as soon as possible.”

The second message from the school was more ominous.

“Mr. Mikos, this is Mrs. Peterson calling from Andi’s school. We really need you to contact us as soon as possible.”

Fuck. The principal herself called.

Cali’s messages were worse.

“Nick, I need you to call me right away. I just got a call from Andi’ school. Nick... there’s been an accident on the field trip. I don’t have any details yet, but I’m heading to the hospital now to be there with her. Call me as soon as you get this... please.”

An accident. Another fucking accident. The first one robbed him of his wife. Not Andrea. Not his Andi.

He said a short prayer that Andi was fine before he pressed play on Cali’s next message.

“Nick. Oh God, I need to talk to you. I don’t want to leave this in a message. I’m at the hospital, and they won’t tell me anything about Andi, but there are lots of other parents coming in here too. I’m trying to find out more. Call me. Please.”

The fear in her voice told him how serious things were. He felt numb. He knew he should call her right away, but he took a long minute, praying it wasn’t the last minute where he knew his daughter was still with him on this earth. Losing Roni had hurt, but losing Andrea would kill him. He was sure of it.

He felt the tears silently trekking down his cheeks as he pressed Cali’s number in his contact list. He reached to accept the tissue Jane was holding out to him as he heard Cali’s panicked voice answer the call.

“Oh thank God you called. I’ve been frantic I couldn’t reach you.”

The lump in his throat kept him from responding.

“Nick?”

He finally forced the words out. “God, Cali. Please tell me she’s okay. Tell me the truth. Is my baby okay?”

“I had trouble at first getting updates from the hospital, but the administrator from the school showed up and confirmed I was on Andi’s emergency contact list, so the nurse has started giving me updates. Andi’s alive Nick, but she was unconscious when they brought her in and... well... they had to take her into surgery.”

“Surgery? What for? Where are her injuries?”

“It’s chaos here with a busload of kids and their families, so I’m afraid I don’t know too many details about why they’re doing surgery. They promised me they’d send someone out with an update as soon as they can, but she went in over thirty minutes ago.”

His heart was pounding. He forced himself to focus. Covering the phone, he asked Jane to go into the boardroom and collect up all of his belongings and bring them out after letting the group know he had to leave for a family emergency. He then returned his attention to Cali. He could hear her crying at the other end of the phone and knew she needed him to be strong for her. He was so grateful she was there for his and Andi’s sake.

“I’m on my way back. I’ll get the first flight I can and be there as soon as possible. Text me the details of the hospital, and I’ll take a cab there when I land. Cali?”

“Yes.” Her answer was a whisper.

“I’m so glad you’re there, honey. I’m sorry you have to go through this again so soon after...”

“Don’t you dare compare this to Kevin and Roni’s accident.” Her angry reply surprised Nick. “They got what they deserved. Andi is an innocent. A perfect, beautiful baby who deserves to have a full life ahead of her.”

“And she will, Cali. We have to think positive. She’s in the right place, and the doctors are going to take care of her. I need you to stay calm for Andrea’s sake. Call me with updates. I’m on my way, baby.”

He heard her sob at the other end. “Nick. Please. Be careful. I can’t take any more people I love getting hurt.”

It seemed like an odd time to tell him she loved him. He knew for a fact he’d fallen in love with her and had held off telling her, only so he didn’t rush her. That suddenly felt like a dumb reason.

“I love you, Calista. I promise. I’ll be there soon, baby.” He pressed end before rushing out the door to head back to the airport. He needed to get home to his girls.