Page 64 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

“A little,” I admitted, sinking onto a bench beneath a flowering tree.

He sat beside me, his knee brushing against mine. For a moment, we sat in silence, the weight of the past few days pressing down on us.

“She’s going to get through this,” he said quietly, his voice steady.

“I want to believe that,” I said, my voice trembling. “But what if…”

“Don’t,” he said, his hand covering mine. “Don’t go there. We’re not giving up on her, Summer. Not now, not ever.”

His words were a lifeline, and I held onto them tightly.

When we returnedto Ava’s room, she was awake, her small face lighting up when she saw us.

“Mommy! Daddy!” she said, her voice weak but excited.

I rushed to her side, brushing a hand over her curls. “Hi, baby. How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” she admitted, her little voice barely above a whisper.

Enzo sat on the other side of her bed, taking her hand gently. “That’s okay, Ava. Your body’s working hard to get better.”

She nodded, her eyes wide as she looked at him. “Am I really sick?”

“You are,” he said softly. “But the doctors are going to help you feel better. And we’re going to be with you every step of the way.”

Her lip trembled slightly. “Promise?”

“I promise,” he said firmly, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

The restof the day passed in a blur of check-ins from doctors, whispered conversations, and quiet moments with Ava. Shedrifted in and out of sleep, her small hand never straying far from Bunny.

That evening, as Ava dozed off, Enzo and I sat together by her bedside, the soft glow of the monitors casting faint shadows across the room.

“She asked me earlier if she was going to die,” I said quietly, my voice breaking.

Enzo’s jaw tightened, his hand finding mine. “What did you say?”

“I told her no,” I said, tears streaming down my face. “But what if I’m wrong?”

“You’re not,” he said firmly, his grip on my hand tightening. “She’s going to get through this, Summer. We’re going to get through this.”

I looked at him, his determination steadying me. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” I whispered.

“You’ll never have to find out,” he said, his voice low but full of conviction.

33

SUMMER

The steady hum of the IV pump had become part of the background noise in our lives, a rhythmic reminder of where we were and why. Days blurred together in the sterile walls of the hospital room, but routines had started to take shape. They were fragile and tentative, but they kept us grounded.

Ava was asleep, her small chest rising and falling steadily, Bunny tucked securely under her arm. I sat beside her bed, running my fingers lightly through her curls. She stirred slightly, letting out a soft sigh before settling again.

“You should eat something,” Enzo said from the doorway, his voice low but insistent.

I glanced back at him, his hands full with two takeout containers from the cafeteria. His tie was slightly loosened, his shirt sleeves rolled up, and there was an edge of exhaustion in his posture.

“I’m fine,” I said, though my stomach growled softly in betrayal.

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