“I’m going over to see Lauren and tell her.”
“Are you sure you want to do that alone?”
He nods. “I’ll be gone a while. She’s going to?—”
“She’ll need you. We have each other. But just remember, Mark, she has us too.”
His brows knit. “I know. But I just need a little time with my sister.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
He gives us both a kiss and heads out the front door.
Sophie and I sit in silence for a while before she shuffles closer. “It’s not fair. I don’t know who my real dad is, and now I’m going to lose Dad.”
I don’t have any words. I’ve done this to my child. My life was a mess and while she’s never spoken about it like this before, it’s clearly had an impact.
She stiffens as I wrap my arms around her, but it’s not long before she relaxes into me.
“I’m sorry, Mum. I know you must have your reasons. I’m just so upset about Dad.”
“Me too, baby. Let’s just see what’s going to happen, okay? But I’m right here with you, and I always will be.”
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you too, Sophie Jane Warren.”
She raises her head to look at me. “Am I like my bio dad?”
Tears prick my eyes. “Very much so.”
“Will you tell him about me one day?”
“Of course I will.”
She buries her face in my neck, and I close my eyes.
“I don’t want Dad to die.”
I don’t have any more words, but I cradle my baby even as my shirt grows wet from her tears.
This isn’t fair.
I’m curledaround her in her bed when the front door opens and closes.
I press a kiss to my daughter’s head and pull the blanket over her before watching her sleep a moment.
I’d do anything to take this pain away from her.
Mark’s sitting on the couch when I enter the living room.
“Sophie settled?”
I force a small smile and nod. “I stayed until she fell asleep. Haven’t done that since she was little.”
“I’m so sorry to do this to her.” Mark buries his head in his hands.
I cross the room and drop onto the couch beside him. “You’re not doing anything. It’s not like you could help it.”
