Chapter 25
Doc is in the corridor just as we step out of the room, “You needing a shot yet?” He asks with a devilish smirk.
“Yeah, Doc, the anesthesia wore off about ten mikes ago,” I grind out.
“Yes, thought it might have, that’ll teach you for being a cocky bastard,” Doc fires back as he depresses the morphine into my cannula.
I feel the rush of warmth flood my body and exhale when the pain starts to back off, “Thanks man.”
“Next time keep your ass in recovery, yeah, the girls can come to you man,” Doc knows he’s barking up the wrong tree but I’ll give it to him.
“Next time?” Lily stands there with her hands on her hips just like Alexa and... oh shit.
“Listen here boys, there will be no next time,” Lily tried to be strong but her tears broke her grilling.
“Figure of speech Lily, sorry sweet girl, want to meet the little girl your man saved?”
Good fucking deflection Doc, well played, I’ll hand it to him, he knows just the right thing to say every fucking time.
“Yes, b-but I n-need to know, has she been abused, Doc?” I really don’t think Lily could handle it if she has, none of us would but I pray to all that’s holy that she’s untouched, but it is something we need to know.
“I just finished with her physical and took bloods to run, there is no evidence of abuse thankfully and I don’t feel any bone breaks that have healed poorly, we need to do a body scan to make certain but everything looks normal. She’s a little small and pale, so our assumption of being kept underground appears correct, the bloods will confirm that with her vitamin D levels.”
The relief that washes over me knowing that the little girl is unharmed is immense and when I see Lily’s body relax and deeply comforted in Doc’s words, I allow my own body to uncoil.
Lily moves to Doc and hugs him hard, “Thank you, Doc.”
We walk into the room and the boys protective presence fills every corner of the room; they whisper yell a ‘Hooyah’ which makes me smile wide.
When I see the little girl still in the protective arms of Tiny, I turn to Lily just as her gaze lands on her and my angels face is a complex array of emotion; surprise, sadness and of course joy, it’s a beautiful site to witness.
Lily’s eyes lock onto the little girls face absorbing every detail, clearly seeing what we all see, her sister is evident in her facial features. The air is heavy with emotion as Lily takes tentative steps forward, her expression softening into an angelic smile, and when Tiny offers a small smile in return my angels tears continue to flow.
The realization hits me like a wave, overwhelming and profound. As I look at this little girl, the resemblance to Caroline is unmistakable, the same curve of her cheekbones, the same shape of her eyes, her wispy blonde hair. It’s as if I’m looking in the mirror when I was four years old seeing Caroline staring back, and the connection instantly tugs at my heartstrings, my emotions flooding my soul, a mix of joy, sadness, and wonder. There’s a sense of loss for the years missed, mingled with the excitement of new beginnings. As I stand here, absorbing the reality of this niece I never knew I had, the desire to know her, to be part of her life, grows stronger. I feel a deep urge to reach out and touch her, hold her, and… love this special little girl. This is such a pivotal moment, marking the start of a beautiful future for this precious little girl, Caroline and our family.
“Doc, there is no question she is definitely Caroline’s child. I’ll bet you a lifetime of black forest cake that the DNA test comes back positive, how soon will we they take?” I manage to say through my emotion clogged throat.
“I’m not making that bet Lily, I don’t think we need to wait to tell Caroline, I will have the samples sent to VA Beach lab and we should know within the week but I’m certain this is her child.” Doc finishes with a warm smile.
“How will we approach this?” I query.
“We wait and see how this little cutie pie reacts upon waking and go from there, but everything going well, I’d like you, myself and Tiny to be there. Maybe you start with visiting and talking about your day as you normally would and we work it into conversation where it feels right. We’ll know when we’re in there with her, and I’ll have sedation on standby if really needed.”
“Okay, Doc.”
My heart, which had been tight with worry, begins to ease, allowing hope and joy to seep through the cracks of my initial fears. This feeling solidifies my resolve to be there for her, to ensure her safety and happiness moving forward, and to be a steadfast presence in her life. It’s a moment of quiet blessing, coupled with a renewed sense of commitment to my newly expanded family.
“Thank you, boys, I’m ever so grateful to you all, we’ll do a homecoming dinner tomorrow, but thank you so, so much.”
“Hooyah.” Booms throughout the room.
With the loud sound the little girl stirs in Tiny’s arms, her eyelids flutter open, revealing glimpses of consciousness. I watch intently, a mix of anticipation and concern as her small hand twitches, her breathing gradually becoming more pronounced and I hold my breath as she takes in her surroundings.
The room goes profoundly silent as we all witness this moment of her return to awareness. Her first confused blinks meet my eyes, searching for something familiar and as her wide blue eyes search mine, I notice her comfort of seeing a friendly face, and a tiny, hesitant smile flickers across her features. Relief blooms within me, warm and reassuring. Despite everything, she’s here, she’s safe, and every small movement she makes we watch her with bated breath, hoping she doesn’t feel frightened and that she realizes we are good people and she’s safe.
I move slowly and take a seat beside, Tiny, “Hi, baby girl, my names Lily, what is your name?”
Her wariness to speak is palpable, her eyes wide as she takes in the faces around her. There’s a noticeable hesitance as she surveys her environment, perhaps intimidated by the unfamiliar setting or the presence of so many men. Her small fingers clutch a piece of the blanket surrounding her, finding comfort in the soft fabric.
I slowly lean a little closer to her, offering a gentle smile, trying to show her warmth and kindness.
“It’s okay,” I whisper, keeping my voice soft and inviting. “You can take your time. We’re all here for you, and there’s no rush to talk.”
My words are patient and encouraging, aiming to ease her discomfort and hopefully build trust. She looks around her eyes wide but curious at all our faces, we all remain calm, offering a reassuring presence, hoping not to frighten her. Her eyes find mine again and she smiles.
“H-Hi,” her little voice quiet.
“Hi, do you want to tell me your name, sweetheart?”
She gently nods, “E-Eve.”
“Hello, it’s nice to meet you Eve, would you like to meet everyone?” I ask with a smile.
Eve nods and Tiny speaks gently, “Hi, Eve, my names Tiny, it’s really nice to see your pretty blue eyes,” He gives her a warm inviting smile and Eve giggles softly.
Eve seems to gather a bit more courage as she looks to Alexander, indicating her readiness to meet everyone around her.
Alexander steps in, lowering himself to her eye level, smiling gently. “Hi Eve, I’m Alexander, and I’m really happy to meet you,” he says in a soft voice, aiming to make her feel secure.
Cuddy goes next, his voice cheerful. “And I’m Cuddy! It’s great to meet you.”
Reid, with a friendly nod, introduces himself too. “Hello, I’m Reid,” he says, offering a smile that’s kind.
Blake chimes in with enthusiasm, “Hey there, I’m Blake!” ensuring his tone carries friendliness and warmth.
Jackson, standing slightly behind the others, adds a gentle wave, “Hi Eve, I’m Jackson,” his tone soothing.
Doc, always calm and reassuring, speaks last. “And I’m Doc. We’re all very happy to meet you and have you’re here with us,” he concludes, his voice filled with kindness.
As each name is said, Eve looks at each face, her eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and shyness. Tiny’s supportive arms giving her a sense of safety, helping her absorb each new face and name. Her small nods and the hint of a smile as each person introduces themselves show her beginning to feel more at ease amongst us.
As Eve is getting acquainted with everyone, the sudden sound of fast footsteps signals another arrival. The pace and urgency of the steps draw everyone’s attention toward the doorway just as Alexa bursts into the room. Her entrance is swift, reflecting her eagerness or perhaps anxiety to find Alexander and me as she quickly scans the room, her eyes land on Eve and she stops dead in her tracks.
“Uncle Tiny, who awe you holding?” Alexa asks breathily.
“Alexa, this little girl is Eve, this is who Daddy and team saved last night.” Tiny says proudly.
Alexa gasps and rushes in and wraps her arms firmly around Eve, “You okay, Evie?”
Eve is nodding but Alexa is too busy giving her cuddles to know.
“Princess, you can’t see Eve nodding because you’re cuddling her, give her a little space sweet girl.” Tiny says softly.
Alexa steps back and her little hands go to her hips and we all know what’s coming, Tiny’s about to get a beat down.
“Uncle Tiny, I’s giving Evie a cuddle because she’s my fwiend, how abouts you shawe, big guy.”
Eve starts giggling at Alexa and we all breathe a sigh of relief and fall into laughter.
“Sorry, Princess I was jus–”
Alexa holds her little hand up stopping his apology, “Awe you gonna shawe Evie, Uncle Tiny? Because I’ll tell you wight now, if you say the wong answer, no more sweet tweats faw you!”
“I’ll share, just take it slow, okay?” Tiny tries to guide.
The room erupts again, “Hooyah.”
“Hooyah,” Alexa replies and then smiles at Eve.
“Evie, would you like to dwaw with me? I have lots of colows and papaw and I have so many books, I can wead you a story if you like?” My little love says getting straight down to business.
Eve wriggles wanting to get down and Tiny’s face is proud but also wary, and I can see he doesn’t want to let Eve go but he does hesitantly. Eve turns to face Tiny and when she looks up at him and smiles wide and Tiny’s face radiates... love.
“Thank you, big guy.”
We all chuckle because she’s parroting Alexa, it’s so stinking cute and they’re not wrong, Tiny is a big guy being 6’7 and built.
“Weady, Evie?” Alexa asks grabbing Eve’s hand.
“Ready, Lexi,” Eve giggles.
Alexa gasps in surprise, “You just gave me a nickname, like my Mommy has a nickname, I loves it, thank you, let’s go.”
Alexa’s presence adds a new layer of comfort and familiarity to the atmosphere, further easing Eve into the new environment surrounding her and the room fills with an air of anticipation as Alexa guides Eve toward the hospital bed. There’s a gentle familiarity in the way they interact, as if a strong bond is already forming between them. Once they reach the bed, Alexa helps Eve up onto it, ensuring she’s comfortable and safe which warms my heart at my beautiful little lovebug.
Alexa maneuvers the hospital table into place, transforming it into a makeshift drawing station, knowing what she’s doing because she’s had a lot of practice over the last couple of months. Alexa carefully spreads out pencils and sheets of paper on the table, setting up a colorful array of choices for Eve. Eve’s initial shyness seems to melt away with the distraction of art supplies, her eyes lighting up at the array of colors in front of her.
Dad steps over and quietly introduces himself, “Hi Eve, my name is Davies, but if you like you can call me Pa, just like Alexa does,” With the warmest smile spreading across his face when Eve nods shyly.
Eve’s smile widens and I see Caroline shining brightly, “Hi, Pa, I’d like that.”
Together, Alexa and Eve start drawing, leaning over their artwork, exchanging soft words we can’t hear and occasionally giggling over a silly drawing. The scene is heartwarming and serene, portraying them not just as newfound friends but as best friends sharing a quiet, joyful moment. The simple act of drawing together helps bridge any gap between them, allowing Eve to feel even more at home and secure in this new and unexpected environment.
I have tears running down my face because my little girl is such a kindhearted welcoming soul and I couldn’t be prouder, I can see these girls being very close and growing up together, sharing adventures and it so beautiful and heartwarming. I can’t wait to speak with Caroline, I’m nervous with anticipation and just hope that she will see what we see and welcome her baby girl with open arms.