He nodded and clutched the small band tightly, as if now that he had it, he needed it. Maybe he did. “How are you doing it?” Daniel whispered as he held Aaron close.

“Doing what?”

“This.” He nodded at the baby in his arms. “Moving on with your life.”

Sheila laid a hand on his face. “Oh, Daniel. We don’t move on. There’s no moving on. We just live. We’ll never not miss her. We’ll never be okay with the fact that she was ripped from us—but maybe we don’t have to be. Maybe we just live and love and honor her memory.” She looked at her son and smiled through her tears. “How can you not fall in love with this little guy? Even while you miss Sara.”

Daniel turned his gaze back to Aaron. The little boy slept peacefully, as if there wasn’t a care in the world. He was chubby cheeks and a small pink mouth topped with a sprinkling of blond hair. He was so small and vulnerable... Daniel was filled simultaneously with a need to protect him as well as with anticipation of watching him grow. He kissed Aaron’s chubby cheek.

“You can’t. You have to love him. It’s not even a choice,” Daniel choked out, and he felt himself give in to that warm feeling.

“You do need to heal, Daniel. But you don’t need to do it alone.” She sniffled as she stood. “Want me to take him?”

Daniel shook his head. “Nah, I’m good, if that’s all right with you. I might just sit with him for a bit.”

Sheila nodded and squeezed his shoulder as she left. “She loves you, Daniel. She loves you no matter what.”

“Sara?”

“And Annika.”

Daniel melted into the sound of her name and looked back at Aaron. He put Sara’s ER band into his pocket next to the one Annika had given him. Then he carefully pulled his phone from his pocket and brought up an old number. He held Aaron with one hand as he brought the phone to his ear and listened to the ring.

A familiar voice answered.

“Hey, Gus? Daniel here. It’s been a long time.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

ANNIKA

THE WARM SUN beckoned her class from the window. They were particularly restless today, and Annika was sure the last few weeks of school would be challenging.

“All right. Let’s put everything away and get ready to go home.”