We accompanied Andy to the nursery. One could look in from three sides of the nursery. And while we were not allowed inside to take a closer glimpse at her, we got as close as we could get. Al and I saw her for the first time. No blood connection tied us with her but those few moments that we looked at her had been enough for Al and I to know that she was family. She wasn’t just some random baby in a nursery. She was our niece…or maybe my grand daughter. I had treated Shane more like a daughter after all.

    We were startled when we heard Shane’s voice just around the far corner. She was talking to the nurse that had called in Andy earlier as the nurse pushed her wheelchair. She wanted to see her daughter. We were lucky that the door to the nursery wasn’t on the side we were on.

    “Hide!” Andy hissed. Looking for the nearest hiding place, Al shoved us down. We waited for a long time and then we heard a sob from inside. And then another and then another one. I stole a peek and saw that Isabelle was holding onto Shane’s pointer finger as tears rolled down her face. I sat back down before she could notice me. But we heard every word she said.

    “I couldn’t even carry you to term.” She said. “I should give you up to someone who can raise you and take care of you the way I can’t. But I can’t. I don’t know how to take care of you or how I’ll take care of you…But I’m going to try and give you all the opportunities you deserve. I’m never going to be the perfect mom but…I’m never going to leave you. “

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    And like this morning when a phone call interrupted our conversation, another phone call interrupts me as I reminisce. It’s Alice.

    "Did she freak out?" Alice boomed over the phone. Leave it to Alice to ignore small talk.

    "No. We’re meeting up later. Maybe get some coffee. She’s finally free, Al. She won’t freak out anymore if she saw us of if we flew everyone in to see her. It’s time. She’s safe, we’re safe, Carmen’s safe."

    "Yeah…Who’d have thought Steve would be shot dead?"