Page 63 of Eleven of a Kind

“It’s what we do.” I smiled.

I glanced over at Riley sitting in the chair, holding up her phone and taking a video of all of us.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Posting on TikTok,” she said.

After Georgia walked into the waiting room and told us we could see Julia, we all headed to her room.

“Everyone, I’d like you to meet our son, Elijah Samuel Kind.” Sam smiled as he held his son in his arms.

* * *

One Week Later

Piper

I was having dinner with Gabriel at Four Kinds when his phone rang. After answering it, he handed it to me.

“It’s my brother, Grayson. He needs to speak to you.”

“Hello?”

“Piper, your mother was just brought into the ER.”

“For what?” I asked.

“She’s inebriated and fell in the bathroom. She’s pretty banged up.”

“I’m on my way, Grayson. Thank you for calling.”

“What’s wrong?” Gabriel’s brows furrowed.

“My inebriated mother fell and is in the ER.” I grabbed my purse.

“Let’s go.” Gabriel stood up and held out his hand.

When we climbed into the car, I stared out the window and didn’t say a word.

“Are you okay?” Gabriel asked as he grabbed hold of my hand.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“I don’t think you are. Talk to me, Piper.”

“What do you want me to say, Gabriel?” I looked at him. “I’ve been dealing with her and her alcohol issue since I was ten years old. Do you know what she said to me that Sunday I went over there?”

“What did she say?”

“She told me that she raised me as a single parent, and I owed her for doing so. Can you believe that? Who says something like that to their child?”

“She’s sick, Piper, and she needs help. You need to try and get her into a rehab center. A patient of mine is the director at Ocean Ridge Treatment and Recovery. I can give him a call and see if he can get your mother in.”

“She won’t go. I’ve tried before. One of these days, I’m going to get a call that she’s dead.”

“Don’t say that. You’re a tough and strong woman. Use your strength to convince her to get the help she needs.”

“You can’t help someone who doesn’t want it, Gabriel.”

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