Page 67 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

“I just…” My voice broke, and I covered my face with my hands. “I hate seeing her like this, Enzo. She’s so small, so?—”

“She’s strong,” he said firmly, cutting me off. “She’s stronger than either of us.”

I laughed bitterly, wiping at my tears. “That doesn’t make it any easier.”

“No, it doesn’t,” he admitted, his voice softening. “But we’re in this together, Summer. We’re going to get through it. For her.”

The next morning,Ava seemed to regain a spark of her usual energy. She asked for her coloring book and giggled as Enzo tried to draw a picture of Bunny, the resulting sketch so lopsided that even she couldn’t tell what it was supposed to be.

“That’s not Bunny!” Ava said, her laughter echoing through the room.

“It is!” Enzo protested, grinning as he held up the page. “It’s just… a creative version.”

“Mommy, tell him it’s not Bunny,” Ava said, turning to me with a mischievous smile.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “It’s definitely not Bunny.”

Enzo pretended to look offended, but the way he looked at Ava—his eyes soft and full of love—made my heart ache.

That evening,after the doctors had completed their rounds and the room had quieted, I found myself staring out the window, the city lights twinkling in the distance.

“I’m scared,” I admitted softly, my voice breaking the silence.

Enzo stepped behind me, his hands resting lightly on my shoulders. “Me too.”

I turned to face him, tears welling in my eyes. “What if something goes wrong, Enzo? What if?—”

“Hey,” he said gently, cupping my face in his hands. “Don’t go there. Ava is strong, and we’re going to make sure she gets through this.”

I leaned into his touch, his steady presence grounding me. “I don’t think I could do this without you,” I whispered.

“You don’t have to,” he said, his voice firm. “You’ll never have to.”

35

SUMMER

The café was quieter than usual, the soft clinking of dishes and low murmur of conversation providing a soothing backdrop as I stirred my tea absently. Across from me, Mia sat with her arms crossed, her sharp gaze fixed on me like a hawk.

“You look like you haven’t slept in days,” she said bluntly.

“Thanks,” I muttered, offering her a tired smile. “Just what I needed to hear.”

She softened, reaching across the table to pat my hand. “I’m serious, Summer. You’ve been carrying this for too long. Let it out.”

I sighed, setting my spoon down and pressing my palms flat against the table. “It’s Ava,” I said, my voice low. “Her condition’s worse than we thought. The surgery has to happen sooner, and I don’t know if I’m ready for it.”

“You don’t have to be ready for it,” Mia said, leaning forward. “You just have to show up. That’s what you’ve always done for her.”

I nodded, my throat tightening. “I’m scared, Mia. What if something goes wrong? What if I lose her?”

“You’re not going to lose her,” she said firmly. “And you’re not doing this alone. You have Enzo now.”

The mentionof Enzo brought a flicker of warmth to my chest, but it was quickly overshadowed by guilt. “He’s been amazing,” I admitted. “But I can’t shake this feeling that I’ve let him down. That I’ve let Ava down.”

Mia frowned. “Why would you think that?”

“Because this isn’t just about Ava’s health,” I said, lowering my voice. “It’s about everything—the lies, the fake relationship, the foundation. It’s all catching up to me.”

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