The group trooped up the red-carpeted stairs to the residence.

Eli and Candace were in the hallway and came to hug them.

“We’re so sorry,” Eli said.

“Thank you.”

“Unless you need us to stay, we have to go back to Princeton.” Eli seemed pained to be inflicting logistics into the situation. “I have a class I can’t miss in the morning. We’ll be back for the service.”

“Go ahead,” Sam said. “Thank you for stepping up with Scotty and the kids today.”

“Of course.”

Sam hugged them both again. “Be safe.”

While Nick walked them out, Sam turned to Angela.

“I’d like to see the kids,” she said.

“Let’s go up to Celia’s room. They’re with her.” Sam led the way to the third floor and knocked softly on her stepmother’s door.

Celia came to the door looking as ravaged as the rest of them. She hugged Angela. “I’m so, so sorry, sweetheart.”

“Thank you. Could I see the kids?”

“Of course. Ella is asleep, but Jack is still up. He knows something is terribly wrong, but I didn’t say too much.”

“Thank you for taking care of them today.”

“I wish I could’ve done more.”

Angela squeezed Celia’s arm. “There was nothing any of us could’ve done.”

Angela, Tracy and Sam followed Celia into her suite.

Jack was curled up on the sofa, under a blanket.

Angela sat next to him and held out her arms.

He clung to her, as if he already knew what she was going to tell him. He’d always been too smart for his own good.

“Where’s Daddy?” Jack asked in a tremulous voice.

“He got very sick this morning, and the doctors tried so hard to help him, but there was nothing they could do.”

“Did he have to go to heaven like Grandpa did?”

“Yes, baby, he did, and I’m sure Grandpa was there to welcome him.”

“When can he come back?”

“He can’t come back. Remember how we talked about that when Grandpa died?”

Jack’s little chin trembled. “Why did Daddy have to leave us?”

“I don’t know. But he’d want you to remember how much he loved you and how much fun you guys had together. He wouldn’t want you to be sad.”

“Can’t Uncle Nick fix this? He’s the president of the whole country.”

Sam dropped to her knees in front of her precious nephew. “Uncle Nick would fix this for you and your mommy and Ella in a second if he could, buddy.”

Jack reached for her, and Sam hugged him. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Will we still have the new baby?” Jack asked.

“Yes, we will, and I’m going to need you to be such a great big brother to Ella and our new baby.” A steady stream of tears fell down Angela’s face as she tended to her son. “They’ll need us to be strong for them.”

“I’ll be strong.”

Sam’s heart shattered for the little boy who’d adored his father. This was all so unfair and so fucking unnecessary.