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  “Let’s see,” Jill stopped at the light at Monaco Boulevard. “Auntie Sandy has to work today so Rachel is at school. Auntie Tanesha is studying. Did you meet her lab partner yesterday?”

  “Uh huh,” Katy said. “He’s looks like one of Aunt Valerie’s friends.”

  “He is very handsome,” Jill chuckled. “I loved the look on Jeraine’s face when he met him.”

  “He was jealous,” Katy said.

  “About time, that’s what I say,” Jill laughed.

  “Did Auntie Tanesha pick him as her partner?” Katy asked.

  “No,” Jill said. “They were randomly assigned. He does look like a model. Pretty yummy, I’d say.”

  Katy thought that talking about a man like he was food was very funny so she laughed. Once she started laughing, she laughed and laughed. All of her sorrow transformed into giggles. Mommy watched her in the rearview mirror. Mommy gave her a broad smile and pulled to a stop at Quebec Boulevard.

  “Oh shoot,” Jill said. “Katy-baby, I just remembered that I was supposed to drop off a check for some plants over by that path Daddy runs on. Do you mind if we stop off? I know we have a lot to do today, but we’re right here.”

  “It’s okay, Mommy,” Katy said. “I’m just sitting here.”

  “Thanks Katy-baby,” Jill turned left on Quebec and started toward the highway.

  “Big girl,” Katy said.

  “You’ll always be my Katy-baby,” Jill said. “Would you like to listen to some of your music?”

  “No,” Katy said. “I want to talk to you.”

  Jill sent her a smile via the rearview mirror.

  “Where’s Uncle Seth?” Katy asked.

  “That’s a big deal. Did you hear about it?” Jill asked.

  “I heard something but I didn’t understand,” Katy said.

  “Uncle Seth is still too sick to go back to the police force,” Jill said. “He was supposed to start that job a few months ago, but he’s still too sick.”

  “Is he going to die?” Katy asked.

  “Not right now,” Jill said. “Eventually, like all of us, but he’s just too sick to be a police officer.”

  “Will that hurt Charlie or Noelle or Wanda or Tink or Ivy or Frankie or . . .?”

  “I don’t think so,” Jill said. “But I know Sandy was really worried. He’s going back to LA with Ava. You remember Ava?”

  “Uh huh,” Katy said.

  “He might take Charlie with him,” Jill said. “Depends.”

  “Why would Charlie go to LA?” Katy asked.

  “Some bad people are mad at him for telling the police what they were hurting people,” Jill said.

  “Noelle too?” Katy asked.

  “Maybe, we don’t really know,” Jill said.

  “That dragon should have eaten them,” Katy said.

  “Remember we don’t talk about the dragon,” Jill said. “No one remembers the dragon.”

  “Because the dragon made them not remember,” Katy giggled.

  “You only know because you read your daddy’s mind.”

  Jill gave Katy a stern look in the rearview mirror and Katy blushed.

  “You’re not supposed to do that,” Jill said.

  “But . . .” Katy started.

  Jill gave her another hard look and took the on ramp onto the I-70. They drove in silence for a few minutes.

  “I didn’t tell anyone,” Katy said.

  “Paddie?”

  “Oh, I told Paddie,” Katy giggled.

  “Mmm,” Jill smiled at Katy.

  “Paddie won’t tell anyone,” Katy said.

  “Then why do I know that Paddie knows?” Jill asked.

  “Because you read his mind?” Katy giggled.

  Jill shook her head and smiled. Katy thought her joke was very funny, so she laughed and laughed. Jill took an off ramp that Katy had never been, and she fell silent.

  “What’s that?” Katy pointed to a large building surrounded by barbed wire.

  “That’s the Denver Jail and the women’s prison,” Jill said. “People who make big mistakes have to spend their life there.”

  Katy nodded. Her eyes went wide and she felt a little scared. Her mind could feel all the rage and despair coming from the building. Mommy stopped the SUV and turned away from the prison. Katy rotated around to watch at the prison and Mommy turned into a small parking lot. It was full of cars, but Katy didn’t look at them. She was too worried about the prison to care.

  “Why don’t you come out with me?” Jill asked.

  “Yes,” Katy unhooked her strap.

  Katy didn’t want to be here in this parking lot near the prison. Jill came around to the door and let Katy out. She took Katy’s hand and they walked into what looked like a little farm. There were sheep and goats and cows and . . . lots of animals. Katy kept track of all of the animals on her fingers. There were so many animals that Katy ran out of fingers. Jill pulled on the door to the office and found it locked.

  “Shoot,” Jill said.

  Katy looked up at Mommy.

  “Katy, can you stay right here?” Jill asked. “Don’t move or leave with anyone or anything. Can you do that for me?”

  “Okay, Mommy,” Katy said.

  “And you’ll be safe?” Jill touched her heart with worry.

  “I will be careful Mommy,” Katy nodded to show her sincerity.

  “Ok,” Jill gave Katy a worried look and trotted around the corner.

  Katy waited and watched. A couple of girls about Noelle’s age were dropped off by their moms. They came by Katy on their way to a big pig. Katy giggled when the pig snorted. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at her Mommy.

  “Excuse me,” Jill said. “Have you seen my daughter? I just left her for a moment.”

  Katy wanted to scream with joy.

  “What does she look like?” Katy asked.

  “She’s about your height,” Jill tapped her chin. “She’s four . . .”

  “It’s me, Mommy!” Katy beamed. “Only I’m five!”

  Mommy gasped and took a step back.

  “Katy-baby! It is you,” Jill said. “I bet all these people are waiting for you!”

  “What?” Katy’s eyes welled with tears.

  Jill held out her hand and Katy took it. They walked around the corner to find every person in her family and in Paddie’s family standing around talking.

  “Katy! Katy!” Paddie ran forward. “You’ll never guess what!”

  “What?” Katy jumped up and down with excitement.

  “We got horses!” Paddie said. “For us! You and me!”

  Katy gasped. Paddie grabbed her shoulders and they began to jump up and down. Paddie’s mommy came to get him and Katy looked up at Mommy.

  “You’ve been reading everyone’s minds,” Jill said. “This was the only way to surprise you.”

  Jill crouched down to Katy.

  “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings,” Jill said.

  “I love surprises, Mommy,” Katy said. “But how did you keep a secret, Mommy?”

  “Mr. Colin,” Jill said. “You’ve wanted a horse since before we came to live with Daddy. You and Paddie had so much fun riding the horses in the last couple months that Jacob asked Mr. Colin to find one for us. He did better than that. He found two gentle horses and a couple of younger horses. We’ll share horses with Paddie’s family so you can ride with me or daddy or any of Paddie’s family or our family.”

  “Oh Mommy,” Katy held out her arms and hugged Jill tight.

  “Are we late?” a woman’s voice said.

  Katy looked up to see Valerie ran around the corner. Mike followed her carrying Jackie in her car seat.

  “Auntie Valerie!” Katy screeched.

  “Who are you, child?” Valerie arched a perfect eyebrow. “Why are you speaking to me?”

  “It’s me, Auntie Valerie!” Katy said. “You don’t recognize me because I’m five!”

  “Katy! Happy Birthday!”

 
Valerie picked up Katy and carried her into the party.

  Jill stood back and watched her Katy-baby re-introduce her way through the crowd of people who loved her. Her mother, Anjelika, re-introduced Katy to Katy’s great-grandfather, Otis, the aged Russian Mafioso. Otis played it off with perfection insisting Katy introduce herself in Russian. Katy fumbled the words and beamed with joy when he threw his head back and laughed.

  Most of the adults were drinking coffee and eating pastries made by those Irish bakers. Sam picked Katy up and twirled her around. Like Tanesha did every year, she carried Katy off to a private corner where she gave Katy her special present — this year, a lovely set of single pearl earrings and a promise to take her to get her ears pierced. Jill felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced over to see Jacob. Aden and Blane came in behind him. Honey zipped around them to the crowd.

  “How did it go?” Jacob asked.

  “She cried,” Jill said. “But look.”

  While Katy beamed, Heather pulled a red T-shirt over Katy’s head that said: “Keep calm and ride horses.” The T-shirt was just on when Charlie came up behind Katy and lifted her onto his shoulders. They sang a rousing “Happy Birthday to Katy” while Charlie carried her around. As if to punctuate the song, Paddie’s brother Conner howled at the end of the song and all the adults laughed. Sandy helped Katy cut her special chocolate-chocolate-chocolate cake that Sandy had made for Katy every birthday since she was six months old.

  “It’s a good party,” Jacob said.

  “She won’t be my baby for much longer,” Jill said.

  “Just the rest of our lives,” Jacob said.

  “Are we ever going to ride our horses?” Paddie asked.

  “What do you think, Jake?” Colin asked. “Are you too battered to ride today?”

  “Never,” Jacob moved into the crowd.

  “Happy Birthday, Katy-baby,” Jill said under her breath.

  “Mommy! Come see me!” Katy yelled.

  Jill ran to catch up.

  Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty

  Need to make decisions

  Sunday morning — 10:22 a.m.

  “What’s wrong?” Megan, Jill’s eldest sister, whispered to Jill as they walked into the waiting area of the medical offices near Valerie and Mike’s apartment. Jill glanced at her and followed the doctor to the other treatment room. All of the friends and family involved made for a large gathering.

  Camilla, the midwife, and Jill’s obstetrician argued over Jill’s birthing plan almost the entire time. MJ, an Army trained medic, was able to keep Camilla calm while encouraging the doctor to follow the plan. Jacob and Blane kept everything moving and organized. While Steve, Jill’s brother and Honey’s nurse, seemed to be silently-absorbing what was said.

  Megan grabbed Jill’s arm and kept her from following the rest of them into the next room.

  “What’s going on?” Megan asked again.

  Jill shrugged. Megan raised her eyebrows with expectation. Jill felt the-biggest-sister-eyebrow-pressure like a weight on her heart. She looked at Megan.

  “Don’t you think it was easier the last time?” Jill whispered.

  “When you went into labor at work and kept working until the last moment?” Megan whispered. “Is this a question?”

  As if she was twelve, Jill rolled her eyes and moved to leave. Megan held her in place. Jill didn’t look at her sister for fear of the biggest-sister-eyebrow treatment.

  “What?” Megan’s fierce whisper made Jill look at her.

  “All of this is really amazing,” Jill said. “Wonderful, fabulous, even. I get to have my babies at home with my daughter and husband and family around me. I’m healthy. The boys are healthy. If anything goes wrong, MJ will be there to monitor for problems and the doctor is on call. Worst case, we’re rushed off to St. Joe’s and I have the babies in one of the best maternity hospitals in the country.”

  “Exactly,” Megan nodded. “So what’s the problem?”

  Jill shrugged.

  “You don’t know?” Megan asked.

  Jill gave a slight nod.

  “Do you think it’s a . . . you know?” Megan whispered.

  “Premonition?” Jill shook her head. “I think it’s a sense that all of this preparation will go for nothing. Something else is coming.”

  “Any ideas what?” Megan’s hand went instinctively to her heart.

  “Nothing more than what I said,” Jill shook her head. “Just that all of this won’t happen. When the time comes, it will be me and the boys — our journey.”

  “I will come,” Megan hugged her. “No matter what or when. I have my pager on all the time.”

  “So does Jacob. So does almost the entire city and county of Denver,” Jill smiled. “Blane is going to have a bone marrow transplant with the boys’ cord blood when we’re all done. It may save his life once and for all.”

  “You seem so sure,” Megan said. “I can hear it in your voice.”

  “I guess I am,” Jill nodded.

  “What can I do?” Megan asked.

  “I don’t know, sis,” Jill shrugged. “I wish I did.”

  Megan hugged her again.

  “Jill? We need you to make some decisions,” the doctor called her into the treatment room. Jill gave Megan another squeeze and joined the others.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Sunday mid-day — 12:22 a.m.

  Wanda’s mother opened the door and Wanda hobbled on her crutches into the small conference room at the downtown Denver Police station. Charlie and Tink looked up and smiled at her when she came in. Tink waved her over to their side of the table. Charlie got up to help her into a seat and brought a chair for her to prop her leg up. She sat next to Ivy and looked around the room.

  Wanda’s mom, Edith, was saying hello to Tink’s new mom, Heather. Ivy’s aunts, Delphie and Gracie were talking to each other near a corner of the room. Sitting next to Charlie, Sandy leaned back to talk to Heather, who was sitting next to Tink.

  Wanda leaned forward to talk to Tink, but Tink was gazing at Charlie.

  “You can’t talk to her,” Ivy said in a low conspiratorial voice. “She’s all into Pan.”

  “I guess so,” Wanda said.

  Ivy nodded.

  “You know why we’re here?” Wanda asked.

  “No, but no one tells me anything ‘cuz I’m just a kid,” Ivy shrugged. “How are you feeling?”

  “My leg hurts,” Wanda said. “They’re going to have to do surgery on my knee when my bone heals.”

  “Sucks,” Ivy nodded.

  “I just hope I can still run,” Wanda said.

  Ivy’s eyes scanned Wanda’s face and flicked to her body. Sure Ivy was judging her, Wanda looked away. Ivy touched her arm.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” Ivy said.

  “Why?” Wanda asked.

  “It’s nice to not be the only weirdo here,” Ivy said.

  Wanda laughed. She knew she should be offended, but Ivy was right. In this room, she and Ivy were the weirdos.

  “They told my dad not to come,” Wanda said. “Even though he was there. Charlie’s new dad and Tink’s new dad aren’t here either. Why do you think that is?”

  Ivy shook her head and lifted a shoulder in a shrug.

  “Wanda!” Delphie said.

  She came over and made a fuss. Wanda didn’t know what was more embarrassing — having Ivy acknowledge her weirdness or having Delphie’s fuss over her. She was glad when her mom came over to talk to Delphie.

  “I saw you with that guy when we came in,” Ivy whispered.

  “Frankie?” Wanda asked.

  “I don’t know his name,” Ivy said. “He was there, that night that . . . you know, with me.”

  Wanda felt ashamed and sad all at once. She didn’t know what to say.

  “Oh no,” Ivy shook her head. “He was just there. When they left, he gave me money for a cab. He called and waited with me.”

  Ivy scanned Wanda’s face again.

  “I mean, he co
uld have called the cops or whatever,” Ivy said. “But I remember how scared he looked and . . .”

  She shrugged.

  “Anyway, I won’t say anything if you want,” Ivy nodded. “He’s pretty cute and he’s obviously into you.”

  “You should say whatever happened,” Wanda said. “He made big mistakes. He has to take the consequences.”

  Ivy nodded. For a moment, their eyes held.

  “I remember him,” Ivy said. “I was lying there hoping I would die and he kind of appeared. I don’t know if I’d have made it if he hadn’t just been nice. I feel stupid because it was so bad, and he really didn’t do anything much — just money for the cab, you know.”

  Wanda nodded.

  “Kinda made me think that everything was gonna be all right,” Ivy said. “And you know what?”

  The door opened and a woman in a bad suit came in the room. She was standing in the doorway when the Homeland Security Agents and the FBI Agent Angie came in behind her.

  “Everything’s pretty all right now,” Ivy whispered.

  Wanda squeezed Ivy’s hand. Ivy squinted at the woman. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Charlie sit up and lean forward to assess the situation. Tink leaned back and caught Ivy’s eye. They sat back to let Charlie deal with whatever was going to happen. Wanda thought that was a good idea so she sat back too.

  The Homeland Security Agent Art Rasmussen sat down across from Wanda and Ivy. He gave them a nice smile. The other Homeland Security Agent Colin Hargreaves sat on the other end of the table across from Heather and Tink. Wanda’s mom sat down between Ivy and Wanda and Ivy’s aunts took the end of the table. Agent Angie had some stern words for the woman in a bad suit before taking a seat next to the Homeland Security agent nearest Wanda.

  Ivy squirmed next to Wanda.

  “What’s going on?” Charlie sneered.

  “Charlie,” Sandy said in a terse whisper.

  “They come marching in here and . . .”

  “No, he’s right,” Agent Angie said. “We’ve stuffed you in this room and not told you a thing. Art?”

  “The problem is that we have a number of problems,” Agent Art said. He gestured to their side of the table. “We’ve been arguing over what to do. We finally agreed to bring the issue to you and let you help us decide.”