PROLOGUE
Harrison
Somber energy radiatesthrough the room as we face the unbearable task of saying goodbye to our sister, which will no doubt be the worst day of our lives.
“Guys come closer. It’s time to discuss Claudina,” Camila’s voice croaks out in a whisper, another stark reminder that she’s deteriorating right before our eyes.
She has weeks, maybe days, left—she’s dying of cancer, and there is nothing we can do to stop it.
Casting my eyes down to a peacefully sleeping Claudina in my arms, I untwine my other hand from Camila and reach around, gently pulling her toward us, hoping to give her the strength she needs to get through this.
Leo walks to her other side and kisses her forehead softly before taking a seat. Nate is next to me, rubbing her leg in comfort.
“Sebastian, come here, please,” Camila whispers, reaching her hand out for our brother.
He pushes off the far wall and hesitantly walks toward her bed. His face twists with anguish.
He’s trying to be strong for our sister, though he’s failing miserably.
We’ve all seen the slow decline of his mental health, and I’m petrified about what will happen once she’s gone.
Sadness knots my insides thinking about a life without Camila. She is the one who has givenus lifesince we were young kids, always with a smile on her face and a fierce attitude to get through the day.
Why her?
Why is this sweet soul being taken from us so early in life? To suffer and leave her young daughter and family. It’s not fucking fair; she had a whole goddamn life to live.
I clench my jaw to stop any reaction my face may give away, not wanting Camila to be upset or worry about my feelings.
I’m acting calm on the outside, but on the inside, it feels like I’m fucking dying alongside her.
Glancing down at Claud again, who’s stirring quietly in my arms, I’m reminded that I need to man up and grow a pair. There’s still a part of Camila that will live alongside us, and we need to stay strong for this precious angel.
Camila starts to speak, her voice low and slow. “I know the four of you consider yourselves brothers.”
“Wearebrothers,” Leo corrects her.
Nate and I are brothers, while Leo, Seb, and Camila are all siblings. The Morales family raised Nate and me; we are not family by blood but family by choice.
“And you’re our sister. Don’t forget it,” Nate adds.
She musters up a small smile and mouthsI love you, to him.
“Grief can be an ugly thing. I don’t want any resentment toward one another, and I want to make sure you’re still okay with the arrangement regarding Claudina.”
Leo speaks up first. “I back you one hundred and ten percent. Both Nate and I agree that neither of us is ready to be a father. Not that I wouldn’t step up if I needed to, but I promise to be the greatest uncle of all time. Better than this grumpy jerk over here,” Leo answers, pointing to Seb, trying to lighten the mood.
Sarcasm has been his coping mechanism throughout this entire process.
I hold Seb’s eyes, silently asking him to speak up now if he has any reservations about Camila’s decision to make me Claud’s legal guardian.
Camila has struggled with this since discovering she was pregnant: who will be the father?
After she went into remission, she decided to live life to its fullest—traveling the world, partying with her friends, meeting men—everything she missed in her early twenties. But letting loose with a man she didn’t know had us welcoming Claudina into the world nine months later. It’s been the highlight of our lives and a small distraction when Camila’s ovarian cancer came back full force while she was pregnant.
We all knew the outcome when she chose Claudina’s life over chemo in her first trimester. Even with the aggressive treatment she received later, there was nothing we could do other than support her wishes.
She would not sacrifice her daughter’s life for a slight chance of saving hers.
