“Treat them with kindness.” Nikki nodded in determination.
“And that’s how we can be strong for Mom when she’s weak.”
Nikki rested her head on Vincent’s arm. “Okay.”
“Does that make sense?”
“Yep.” Nikki cuddled closer. “One day, Mommy will understand… and then maybe you can live together and be happy, like Mommy says you used to.”
“I don’t know about that.” Vincent kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes. Melissa was a strong, intelligent woman with firmly held beliefs and convictions. She’d made it clear that after the choices he’d made, she couldn’t continue to be in a relationship with him. Vincent respected her honesty. Both of them deserved to be happy. “But I do know that what you said about being happy is going to happen. It’s already happening.”
Light eyes. Dark curls.
“We’re here in Aurora now, and we’re going to make the most of it. There’s so much possibility here for us—we’re going to make new friends, go on new adventures, and start our new lives the best we can… like Leah.”
“Like Leah.” Nikki grinned. She scrambled back from Vincent, then jumped to her feet and held out her hand, like she wanted to help him stand. “We can do it!”
“Wewilldo it.” Vincent braced one hand on the ground and took Nikki’s hand with the other. Supporting his own weight, he stood. Nikki looked up at him with dinner-plate eyes, overjoyed that she’d just helped him to his feet. “But first, let’s get your bed put together. We can’t go having adventures if we don’t get any sleep.”
“I’m not sleepy,” Nikki argued.
“It’s almost bedtime.”
“It’s not.”
“It is.” Vincent raised an eyebrow. “We’re in a different time zone now. Bedtime is two hours earlier.”
“This adventure sucks,” Nikki grumbled. “Leah never had to go to bed two hours early just because she changed realms.”
“And Leah isn’t a human girl with lots of growing to do.” Vincent picked up the next slat and laid it on the bed. “Go brush your teeth and get ready for bed, okay? By the time you’re done, I’ll be finished getting your room set up.”
Nikki stuck out her tongue in protest, but did as she was told. When she left the room, Vincent placed the final slat down, then hung his head and let out the breath he’d been holding since Nikki had started asking questions.
Thank god forHeaven, Locked.The conversation hadn’t gone nearly as badly as it could have.
One day, Nikki would be ready to hear the truth. At that time, she’d pass judgment of her own. Vincent wasn’t willing to turn her against Melissa, no matter what Melissa said about him. He would not have Nikki choose sides. Melissa still deserved his respect as a parent, even if she’d lost it as a lover.
That was his battle, and he’d fight it even beyond the point of exhaustion. For the sake of his daughter, no matter how tired he became, losing wasn’t an option.
15
Mal
Five days after Mal submitted his application to be a participant in the clinical trial, he received a call from a number he didn’t recognize.
“Mr. Collins?” the young man on the phone asked.
“Speaking.”
“This is Jeremy Lythe, calling from Synecta’s clinical trials division. We recently received communication from you expressing interest in participating in study I-047231—phase one of the clomiphene phylacetate clinical trials.”
“That’s right.” Mal licked his lips. He’d been in the kitchen, searching listlessly through the fridge for something to eat, when the call had come in. He migrated from the fridge to the couch and settled, unsure what news he was about to receive. Good or bad, he needed to be braced for it, and the couch would do just fine for either.
“Upon careful consideration of your application, we’d like to invite you to join the trial.”
Mal squeezed his eyes shut and held back a cry of delight.Thiswas what he needed. This was the chance he was waiting for. “I’d be honored.”
“If you have a moment, I’ll set you up with an initial appointment to sign the paperwork and review what to expect so you’ll be prepared for the start of the trial on the sixteenth.”
