Page 78 of Alexander's Heart

Anxiety grips my heart as I struggle with the overwhelming uncertainty of what lies ahead. Questions flood my mind; how will my sister react? What will the child be like? Will Caroline accept her into her life? There are too many unknowns. Despite the fear and apprehension where Caroline’s concerned, I feel a longing stir within me to connect with this little girl, my niece, to bridge the gap that has separated her from our family for so long. With each small step Alexander and I take, I find myself teetering on the edge of anticipation, excited to meet this precious little girl with an open heart.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

ALEXANDER

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.

LILY

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.

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