Entering a hospital in the middle of the night, or should I say morning, was nothing like entering it during the day. The large rotating glass door spun until Sterling, Patrick, and I were inside. Silence met us as the shiny floors surrounding the middle waiting area reflected the dimmed lighting. Within the center of two-story-tall pillars were large plants and groupings of chairs. Up to the second-floor railing, the hallways were barren. The gift shop was closed, and the white grand piano was without a player. Even the guest services desk, which was most likely manned by volunteers, was empty.

It wasn’t like we needed a volunteer’s guidance. We had the knower of most things leading us. We had Patrick. I didn’t even think to question as to whether or not he knew where he was going. Another thing I’d learned over the last month was not to doubt his knowledge. Sterling and I followed him toward the bank of elevators. With each step, Sterling continued his constant surveillance of our surroundings.

We rode upward in silence, my mind on Louisa, while the two men with me were monitoring our safety. The elevator doors opened to our desired floor without a stop on any other.

Apparently, the lack of visitors at this time was to our advantage.

Following behind Patrick, it was Lindsey, Louisa’s sister, whom I saw first. Beside her was a large handsome man I didn’t recognize; however, as soon as we entered, his eyes widened at the sight of Sterling.

Probably my imagination.

“Kenni!” Lindsey squealed as she jumped up and ran my way, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“Lindsey...” I stepped back and took her in from her long, dark hair and blue eyes to her athletic body. She was a carbon copy of a younger Louisa. “How’s Lou doing?” I looked around the room, waving to Calvin, Louisa’s father, and Winnie. There were also members of Jason’s family present. I’d met them a time or two, but I couldn’t recall their names.

Hell, when it came to names, hearing the one they were calling me now sounded foreign. I was used to being Ms. Hawkins at work, but this was different.

“She’s doing great.” Lindsey’s nose scrunched. “I think. This is all new but I know she’s ready.”

I laughed. Louisa had been telling me she was ready for the last month.

“When did you get in from Boston?” I asked.

“A few hours ago.” She pointed to the good-looking man. “This is Marcel.”

Marcel nodded, his gaze moving between me, Patrick, and Sterling.

“We’ve been dating for a few weeks,” Lindsey said.

“Hello, Marcel. Nice to meet you. I’m...Kennedy Hawkins.” I tried not to hesitate. After I finished introducing Sterling and Patrick to our intimate group, Winnie came forward.

“Kennedy...” She turned to Sterling. “Mr. Sparrow.”

I wasn’t sure of all the details of what had transpired here last weekend in Boulder, what kind of understanding Winnie and Sterling had come to. Whatever it was, the tension seemed to ripple through the air with a palpable bit of unease.

“Ms. Douglas,” Patrick said, redirecting her attention. As he did, Lucy, Louisa’s mother, entered our area, coming toward us through double doors.

“Kennedy,” she said with a smile. “I’m so glad you made it. Would you like to come back and see Louisa?”

Tears filled my eyes as one of the many mothers I’d known embraced me. When we pulled back, I asked, “May I? Is it okay?”

She smiled and nodded at Sterling and Patrick.

As she did, I began another set of introductions. “Lucy Nelson, this is my boyfriend...” Yes, there needed to be a better term. “...Sterling Sparrow and our friend Patrick Kelly.” I hadn’t been told not to introduce them or use their real names; however, there was something out of place with having them here—my new life in my old life.

Then again, Marcel, the man beside Lindsey, gave off the same air.

You’re being paranoid, I told myself.

“Nice to meet you,” Lucy said with a nod. “The hospital only allows two people back in the LDR room at a time, besides Jason. I think we’re getting close to meeting Kennedy Lucille.” She smiled my way. “I know Louisa wants to see you.”

Sterling squeezed my hand drawing my attention back to him. A small part of me hesitated to turn his direction, to see his expression. I knew that no matter his opinion, I was going through those double doors to see Louisa. My experience at the church in Cambridge taught me that while Sterling wouldn’t make a scene here, he’d be certain to bring it up later.

Why bring me here if I wasn’t allowed out of his sight?

With a deep breath I refocused on the man at my side. When I turned, I saw and heard the opposite of what I expected.

“Tell her hello from me, sunshine.”

A smile bloomed over my face.

Sterling and Patrick had probably thought this scenario through and expected as much. Hell, knowing them, there were Sparrows dressed as medical staff beyond the doors. I decided to not let that thought fester.

“Thank you,” I mouthed Sterling’s direction before I turned and followed Lucy through the double doors.

Once alone, Lucy turned my way. “Kenni, I have to ask. Are you safe?”

Since I met her, Lucy had been similar to Josey in many ways—one was the way she was always a straight shooter. That was a quality that had endeared her to me. At this moment, her straightforwardness was less endearing and more alarming.

As her question filled my ears, my steps stilled as the mysteries of my life washed over me. Warning bells rang in my head. “Why would you ask that?”

She reached for my hand. “Honey, we love you. We always have. But I can’t help but worry.” She tilted her head toward the waiting room. “That man.”

“Sterling,” I said defensively, almost adding that he was in real estate, “...we’re dating. He helped me get here so fast.”

Lucy let out a long breath as if she were weighing her words. “Kenni, the day after you arrived at St. Mary of the Forest...” She swallowed.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention as the alarm bells grew louder, their ring now a shrill squeal. “Tell me.”

“Mrs. Gore...” The headmistress of St. Mary of the Forest. “...called and asked me to come to her office. She told me about you and your unique situation. She was moved by all you’d endured and wanted to help. However, the board of trustees had strict rules about the interaction of faculty and students. So she asked if Calvin and I would assist with looking after you and welcoming you to St. Mary of the Forest and to Colorado.”

“What?” My mind was having difficulty keeping up. “You’re telling me that none of it was real? Y-you...Lou...?”

Lucy squeezed my hand, the one still in her grasp. “Honey, Mrs. Gore gave me a letter. In it, it said that you might be in danger. A name was mentioned. Not an entire name but a last name.”

“That was ten years ago.” My head was shaking. “Why would you want me around if you thought I could bring danger?”

“That was never a question. We have two daughters and when I looked at you, I saw them. You needed someone and our hearts were open. Kennedy, we grew to love you. I asked Louisa to introduce herself. I never told her about the warning.”

“You didn’t think to tell me?”

“I wanted to believe it wasn’t true. I didn’t want to scare you. And the name, it wasn’t connected to a first name. I didn’t know for sure...”

My head shook.

“I don’t know if you remember,” Lucy went on, “but one time we were all skiing and the lifts stopped. Once we made it back to the condo, it had been broken into. We knew there was a risk in agreeing, but you were worth it.”

“I do remember that.” I blinked as tears prickled the back of my eyes. “But you lied to me. The whole thing, making me feel like I was part of the family, it all was a lie.”

“No. We never lied to you. I asked Louisa to introduce herself; the rest was real. You two were meant to be friends. As I said, Louisa never knew Mrs. Gore asked us to help. She doesn’t know now.”

I worked to swallow the lump in my throat. “Then why are you choosing this time to tell me this?”

“Because I’m concerned about you with him.”

My emotions were all over the place as I stared into Lucy’s eyes.

It took a moment as we stood in the quiet hallway a few yards from the sparsely manned nurses’ station. Finally, standing taller, I found my voice. “I can say with one hundred percent certainty that Sterling Sparrow has been the most honest person in my life. He’s been open with me.” In ways you apparently haven’t. I didn’t say the last part, although my breaking heart told me that it was true.

“Winnie mentioned the other man is always with you,” Lucy said.

“Sterling is overprotective.”

“You know you can tell me if there’s more. I’ll do my best to help you. That’s always been my goal.”

I took a deep breath, fighting the feeling that I’d just lost another parent. Maybe she’s being honest. Perhaps Lucy had been looking out for me, but with her confession, I heard more. I’d come too far in the last month to let emotions bog me down. In her confession, I also heard the opportunity for obtaining more information on my past. “Did you know anything about my parents?”

“Debbie and Phillip Hawkins?”

I didn’t answer.

Finally, Lucy nodded. “In that letter, one that accompanied the information about your trust fund...No one else read it. It was sealed, only to be opened by the person or persons who would commit to watching over you.”

“Was it from my parents?”

Her eyes closed. “I was never supposed to tell you. From what I understood, everything they prepared for you was because they loved you and they wanted you to be safe.”

My mind filled once again with thoughts of Josey and Byron. He was gone. I was there when the police officer informed us. However, I’d never known what happened to Josey. “Lucy, if my mom is still alive, any information you have may help me find her.”

“The letter wasn’t from a woman. The signature was from Neal Curry.”