Page 4 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

Ava blinked at me, her little face filled with confusion. “What does that mean?”

I glanced at Summer, silently asking her permission to continue. She nodded tightly, her lips pressed into a thin line.

“It means your body isn’t making something called platelets the way it should,” I explained gently. “Platelets are like tiny helpers in your blood that stop cuts from bleeding and help bruises go away faster.”

Ava nodded slowly, not fully understanding but trusting me anyway.

Summer’s voice was sharp. “And what does that mean, Enzo? What’s wrong with her?”

I turned my attention to her. “Ava has a condition called thrombocytopenia. It’s when your body doesn’t have enough platelets. It can happen for a lot of reasons, but the important thing is that we caught it early.”

Her face went pale. “Early? How serious is this?”

“It’s manageable,” I said quickly, trying to ease her panic. “But Ava is going to need surgery to address the damage in herknee. The wound is deeper than I initially thought, and with her platelet levels being low, we need to be very careful about how we handle this.”

Summer’s eyes widened. “Surgery? Are you serious?”

I nodded. “I know it sounds overwhelming, but it’s the best way to make sure her knee heals properly and to prevent any further complications. We’ll also need to monitor her platelet levels closely.”

Summer looked at Ava, who was sitting quietly, clutching her stuffed animal. Then she turned back to me, her voice shaking. “And you’re the one who would do the surgery?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “I’m a specialist in pediatric cases like this. Ava will be in the best hands.”

She stared at me, her expression unreadable. “Enzo, this is—this is a lot. I need time to think.”

I nodded, understanding the weight of her decision. “Of course. But, Summer, time is a factor here. We need to schedule this soon to avoid any further risks.”

She rubbed her temples, her shoulders sagging. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“I know,” I said gently. “But we’ll get through this. Ava’s strong, and she has you. And… she has me.”

Her eyes flicked up to mine at those last words, something unreadable passing through them.

“I need a moment,” she said, standing abruptly and stepping outside.

I stayed with Ava,chatting with her about her favorite cartoons and her stuffed animal. She was a bright, curious kid, and every second I spent with her only made the pit in my stomach grow.

When Summer came back, her face was calmer, but her eyes were red.

“Okay,” she said quietly. “We’ll do it. But only if you promise me you’ll tell me everything. No surprises.”

“You have my word,” I said, meeting her gaze.

She nodded, then walked over to Ava, scooping her up in her arms. “You hear that, baby? Dr. Pearson is going to make you all better.”

Ava smiled sleepily, resting her head on Summer’s shoulder. “Okay, Mommy.”

As I watched them, a wave of emotion hit me. This wasn’t just another patient. This was Ava. And, whether Summer wanted to admit it or not, this was personal.

3

ENZO

The next morning, I sat in my office, staring at Ava’s medical chart, though my focus wasn’t entirely on the numbers in front of me. Her platelet levels were stable for now, but the surgery couldn’t wait long. I had already scheduled it for the following week, giving Summer a few days to prepare herself—and Ava—for what was to come.

But it wasn’t just the medical details weighing on my mind. It was Ava herself.

Her wide, curious blue eyes had been haunting me since the moment I met her. Something about her felt… familiar. Too familiar.

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