Violet is our priority and we spend time playing with her and reading her stories before her precious little eyes can’t stay open any longer.

Chase carries her off to bed and I follow, watching him tuck her in. It doesn’t get old seeing what a great father he is. I shouldn’t be surprised. Even though he never saw himself as a dad, he had such a great role model in his father.

When he kisses her forehead, my heart breaks. The idea that we could lose her kills me inside.

Chase sweeps a hand down my back and to my waist. There is nothing sexual about the move, though my body gets hot every time he touches me. We pass the bedrooms and end up back in the living room.

“I’m very serious about getting you pregnant.”

Though we’ve had the conversation, with the news from the doctor, this decision takes on a whole new meaning.

I meet his gorgeous gaze. “I wasn’t sure at first. I didn’t want to chance bringing another child into the world with this disease, not that we wouldn’t love him or her.”

He nods. “I get it.”

“But the doctor doesn’t seem to believe that she inherited this from us.”

“Does that mean you’re on board?”

“Yes,” I breathe the word like I’ve held it in for weeks, and maybe I have.

He draws me close and kisses the life out of me. As much as I feel his amorous mood lift, there is more we need to do first. I gingerly step back.

“I do think we shouldn’t delay treatment and start it here. If we go anywhere else, they will want to run their own tests and it will take precious time away from getting her well.”

“I agree. No delay,” he says.

“We should probably call our parents first before the time difference works against us.”

He sighs. “Okay.”

I point to the hall. “I’m going to call in my room.” Then I head for it.

The space feels foreign since I’ve been spending all my time in Chase’s bed. I have to push away thoughts of how little time we’ve spent sleeping as I dial Mom’s number. Dad answers.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hey.” He covers the phone, but I can hear him call out to Mom.

“Jane, Andi’s on the phone.” Then he speaks to me. “I’m glad you called. Your mother and I have something to tell you.”

There is a hint of warning in his voice that suggests bad news.

“Hey, sweetie,” Mom says.

A churning starts in my gut. Mom used her I’m so sorry voice.

“What’s going on?”

I’m not sure how much more of any bad news I can take.

Mom takes over. “Your dad and I felt like you needed to find your birth parents. We decided to hire another private investigator, and we have news.”

Air takes up permanent residence in my lungs. My investigator had come up with nothing. Granted, I hadn’t been able to afford to pay a really good one.

“What did you find out?”

Time stops, as I don’t know what I want to hear. Are they fine? Together or separate? Do they have another family with kids they kept? Will any news be welcome? I’m on the verge of telling Mom I changed my mind and I don’t want to know when she drops the bomb.

“Your father died in a military training accident before you were born. And your mother died last year of a heart attack.”

Tears spill from my eyes for people I’ve never met.

“Do they have other kids or family?”

“No kids on either side. You do have an aunt on your mom’s side. Your father was brought up in the foster care system. The investigator says your father had enlisted around the time you were conceived. He isn’t sure he ever knew about you, though his name is listed on your birth certificate. They were barely eighteen.”

Dad goes on to explain that there is a small amount of money from his job and military benefits sitting in a state unclaimed money account for me to claim. Mom adds they have pictures, but by then I’ve checked out. My vision is cloudy with tears and my heart breaks yet again.

“Andi?” Mom asks.

“I …”

“I know, honey. It’s a lot, and I wish I didn’t have to do this over the phone.”

“I—” But the word gets stuck in my throat.

Using the back of my hand, I wipe at my eyes.

“I need time to think about all of that. But I did have a reason for this call.”

“Okay,” Mom says hesitantly.

I picture my father wrapping an arm around my mother and long for his embrace. I miss my dad. And that’s when it hits me. Though I may never know about my biological parents, I had great parents who loved me more than maybe I deserved at times.

“Thank you,” I say.

“We never meant to keep them from you,” Dad says.

“I know. I love you guys. And I appreciate you doing that. You didn’t have to.”

“We did,” Dad says. “We should have done it a long time ago.”

I shake my head as my tears resume. “No, you didn’t. It was me. You guys have always been enough. I feel awful for making you feel like you had to do this.”

“No, baby, it’s only human to want to know who your parents are.”

“That’s the thing. I know who they are. They are you and Dad. And I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have been given to you.”

Mom chokes. “No, we are lucky to have been blessed with you.”

“We love you,” Dad adds.

I walk to the bathroom for tissues. “I love you guys so much.”

They return the sentiment. When a quiet moment comes, I hate to sour the mood. But there’s no choice.

“Can you put me on speaker while I conference Mark in?”

“What’s going on?” Dad asks.

“I know this isn’t the best of times, but I’d like to say it only once.”

Dad’s easy and agrees without a fuss. I initiate a three-way call and bring Mark on the line.

“Andi,” Mark says.

“Hey, is Riley there?” I ask about his girlfriend.

“No, she’s on the practice green. I’m leaving shortly to meet her.”

“Dad and Mom are on the phone as well. I have something to tell you all.”

They all say hi and then Mark laughs. “Are you going to tell us Chase asked you to marry him?”

I think about all the things that Chase has said, but remember that time isn’t on our side.

“I’ll ask that you keep this to yourself. Chase would like to talk to his family and tell them.”

They agree, though Mark chuckles, sure I’m going to announce our impending nuptials.

“Violet is sick. She has aplastic anemia, which basically means her bone marrow doesn’t have what it takes to produce enough blood.” They gasp. “There are many treatments, but the only cure is a bone marrow treatment.”

“I’ll be tested,” my brother says without prompting. “I’m sure Riley will too.”

“And we will,” Mom and Dad agree.

“Thank you. I’m just so mad that I—”

The words are lost as I lose the battle to sobs.

“Let’s not go there again, little sister. We will do whatever you need.”

I tell them about staying in Italy at least for now. When I finally hang up, I leave the bedroom and hear Chase on the phone in the living room. My mind travels back to their news about my birth parents and I head to check on Violet. I don’t want Chase worrying about me. He’s got so much to think about himself with his career. His season ends in May, with only a little over a month or so to go. If all goes well with Violet’s treatments, he won’t have to choose between his little girl and his career. Though I know without a doubt what he’d choose.