Hauk couldn’t agree more. “Yeah. No kidding.”

Kalea tilted her head at Sumi. “Are you scary, Mommy?”

Smiling sweetly, she brushed the hair back from Kalea’s face. “Only if anyone ever tries to take you from me again. Or if they hurt you or your daddy. Then I will be terrifying. Grrr…” She made a frightening face that caused Kalea to laugh.

Syn moved away to wash his hands. “Don’t pull that out again. I gave you Prinum, but that cut was deep. I can’t believe you fought like that with it.” He came back to the room, drying his hands. “Just rest today. If you leave the bed, have Hauk carry you.”

Kalea frowned at the new bandage on Sumi’s stomach. “How did you get hurt, Mommy?”

Hauk answered for her. “She fought a bad man while trying to find you, Lee-lee.”

Eyes wide, she looked from him to her mother. “Really?”

She pressed her cheek to Kalea’s. “I’ve been looking for you since you were taken from me. You’re all I’ve thought about, night and day.”

Jumping up and down on the bed, she clapped her hands. “Kalea loved!”

She had no idea.

Syn paused to smile at her. “Yes, you are, little girl. You have lots of people who will love you from now on.”

“Yippee!” She jumped even harder.

Hauk caught her against him. “Honey, you’re going to hurt your mom again.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Frowning, Kalea poked her finger against his arm. “You still got suit on, Daddy?”

“No. That’s my arm.”

Her eyes widened as she kept poking him. “Your arm is hard as your suit.”

“I know, sweetie.”

As Syn told Hauk to sit so that he could look at his injured leg, Desideria came in with her daughter. “See, Lil, there she is.” She walked over to them and held Lillya so that she could reach Kalea. The two girls stared at each other for several seconds.

Finally, Lillya smiled. “Um, I’m Lil. We brought you a dolly to have so you can play with her from now on.” She handed it to Kalea. “Mama said you don’t have one and I have a lot so I wanted you to have one. You can have another one if you want, too, or if you don’t like this one.”

Kalea clung to Hauk. “Is it okay, Daddy?” she whispered loudly.

“It’s fine, Lee-lee.”

She was still hesitant as she reached for the doll. “Thank you.” Then she started kicking her legs against him.

Desideria smiled before she wrinkled her nose at Hauk. “That means she wants you to put her down.”

“Oh,” he said. He looked back at Kalea. “You’re short.”

Kalea stared at him in confusion.