Page 56 of Ruthless Serenade

"Well, sweetie, the angels live in a special place called heaven," I tell her. It seems like the only reasonable answer.

"What’s it like there?" she presses, her eyes full of curiosity.

I pause, realizing I’m out of my depth. "It’s… peaceful," I manage, feeling like I’m fumbling in the dark. "It’s where people go when they leave this world."

Sharon’s not done yet. She drops another bombshell: "So, what’s Daddy doing there?"

Oh God. I knew I had this coming, but one can never be prepared for it. My heart sinks as I fumble for the right words. "Well, honey," I say, forcing a smile, "he went to live with the angels so that he can watch over us from there."

What a lame answer. Even as I say it, the words taste bitter in my mouth. Besides, what if it’s all a big fat lie? What if daddy’s alive and he’s out there somewhere? What if it was him I saw just over a week ago, when Sharon and I were having ice cream?

Sharon’s lower lip trembles and I can see she’s getting teary. "But why did he go there, Mommy? Did he not want to stay with us?"

Shit.

I blink back my own tears, trying to stay strong for my little girl. "Sometimes, things happen out of our control, baby," I choke out. "Daddy… he didn’t want to leave us, but he had to. He still loves us very much.

I watch the confusion and sadness in Sharon’s eyes and it breaks my heart. Desperate to change the subject, I decide to ask her about something that’s been eating me. "So why don’t you talk to your classmates, baby?"

She frowns, her little nose scrunching up. "Because they laugh at me. I don’t like them," she states matter-of-factly.

"Oh, honey," I say, pulling her close and embracing her in a hug again. "I know it’s hard when others don’t understand you. But you know what? You are so brave and so strong, and I am so proud of you. And one day, you’ll find friends who love you just the way you are."

She smiles at me and a little spark appears in her eyes. "You think so, Mommy?"

I nod, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Of course, baby. You’re amazing and anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend. Now, let’s get to the zoo, alright?"

"Okay!"

Sharon takes my hand and follows me out of the building and into the parking lot. But even as I feel her tiny fingers grip mine, a thought keeps gnawing at me. What if Maron is alive? What if he’s out there somewhere? And if he is, shouldn’t he know that he has a daughter? How would he react? Would he want to be part of Sharon’s life, or would he turn away?

But more importantly, what would it mean to Sharon to meet her father?

Chapter Twenty-Two

Mindy

A week later

"Hey… sis," Alexis says.

My sister stands at the door with a hesitant smile on her face, shifting from one foot to the other. I can tell she’s nervous. So am I. We spoke on the phone a few times over the last week and I decided to give her a chance. She’s been trying so hard and I felt like she deserves a shot.

"Hey, Lex." I give her a warm smile, stepping aside to let her enter. As I look her over, I almost can’t believe how good she looks. Her hair is shorter than before, her skin is glowing, and her eyes are clear. She almost seems like her old self, the one I remember from before the accident that took Emily from us.

She moves in, and without warning, she pulls me into a hug. "Thanks for letting me come here, Mindy," she whispers against my ear. "You don’t know how much this means to me."

I return the hug, feeling slightly awkward. "This is a big step, Lex," I reply, biting my lip. "For both of us."

Alexis breaks the hug and looks me over. "You look Amazing, Mindy. And to think that you’re a mother now is crazy."

"You too, sis." I smile at her. "And yeah, time flies. Sharon is six now."

"Speaking of Sharon, I hope she has a sweet tooth." She winks at me and pulls out a big box of gourmet chocolate from her bag.

I hold up a finger. "Not before lunch.

Alexis smiles and follows me into our little apartment, looking around curiously. She hangs her jacket on the coat hook, and I step away to take a peek into Sharon’s room. Sure enough, there’s a small lump under the cover on her bed.

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