“Is there anything we can do? We can pay the debt.”
“I told her as much, but she said no, that it was better this way. She said she was going to look for an apartment closer to Daybreak, so she didn’t have to drive so far. And since it’s summer, her sister will have an easy school transition.”
What a mess. I can’t imagine losing my mother and then being responsible for my kid sister. Not a moment too soon, an idea pops into my head. “They can stay in my apartment. We’ll be fully moved out in a few weeks.”
My mom nods in thought. “That’s actually a really good idea, honey. I’ll tell her.”
“Don’t take no for an answer. I’ll keep paying the rent too.”
“But you and Declan will have a mortgage.”
My mom still doesn’t know about Declan’s money, and I think he wants to keep it that way, at least for a while.
“I know,” I tell her, “But I deposited the check the Elias’s originally gave me for Autumn, and I put half of it away for a rainy day. And I think this is that rainy day. She needs help, mom.”
My mom lets out a proud sigh. “If that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do.”
~ ~~
Declan holds a sleeping Autumn as we climb the steps to our apartments. When we get to my door, there’s an official-looking envelope taped to it.
“What is that?” Declan asks.
I pull it down and unlock the door.
My brows furrow. “I’m not sure,” I say, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
We religiously lock the entrance door at the bottom of the steps and the only other people who have access are my parents.
“I’ll put Autumn to bed, and we can look at it.”
I nod my head and follow Declan to Autumn's room, where he gently places her in the bed and tucks her in, placing a kiss on her temple and whispering in her ear.
He starts to walk away when Autumn’s sleepy voice says, “I love you too, daddy.”
“Does your heart feel like it’s exploding when she calls you mommy?” he asks once we reach the living room.
He pulls me down on the couch, and I curl my feet to the side while leaning my head on his shoulder.
“Pretty much,” I tell him honestly.
“I never thought hearing her call me daddy would affect me this much. My heart feels so full right now.”
I smile and look up at him. His love for me and my daughter is something I’ve only dreamed of. Before I met Declan, I wasn’t sure I was ever going to find ‘the one,’ but fate had other ideas. It’s weird to think that even if Declan and Ihad never found each other on that dating app, we would have met anyway. I’m not sure if it would have ended up this way between us, but I can’t deny that our relationship is completely serendipitous. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, and I know in my heart that Declan and I were meant to be.
“Let’s open the letter,” I tell him and grab the white envelope from the coffee table.
When I pull out the single sheet of paper, a check falls into my hands.
“What the hell,” Declan says as he grabs it and takes a look.
My eyes widen at the number on the check, and I immediately start to read the handwritten letter aloud.
“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Young, I apologize for everything my son put you through. I won’t be contacting you again, but know that if you ever need anything, anything at all, please contact me. No matter how big or small it is. I owe you. And congratulations on your new baby. Please use the money to spoil my granddaughter and her sibling.”
Declan takes the letter from me, and I take the check from him. It’s a twenty-thousand-dollar check, signed by the senator herself.
“Well, that was… thoughtful,” Declan says as he places the letter on the coffee table.
