Morgan reached out and touched Gianna’s hand. “First of all, I don’t think you’d do that. Secondly, I would still support you.” But it would change things. Morgan couldn’t have a drug user in her home with her children.

“People relapse. It happens.” Gianna’s eyes hardened. “I was in pain every single day. It would have been easier to find some dope and not give a shit anymore. To want to live meant I was going to have to work every day at getting healthy. Even harder for me, I was going to have to let people get close. That was hard.” She looked down at Morgan’s hand over hers. “But I was too tired to argue with you, so I let you take charge.”

“I’m sorry if I was too bossy,” Morgan said. She hadn’t meant to steamroll over Gianna’s insecurities.

Gianna gave a short laugh. “Not too bossy. Just bossy enough. Anyway, those first few weeks at your house were pretty overwhelming. The girls accepted me with no hesitation. They didn’t know what I’d been.” Gianna’s cheeks flushed with humiliation. “All the things I’d done.”

Morgan squeezed her hand.

“Your whole family took me in. They didn’t seem to care about my past. I can never repay you all for what you’ve given me. I don’t care if we’re not related. I love every one of you more than my biological family.” She sniffed and wiped a tear from her cheek. Her own mother had done nothing but use her.

“We feel lucky to have you with us,” Morgan said. “And we love you back.”

Gianna nodded. “Anyway, my point is now I want to live. I won’t lie. This setback is discouraging, but I won’t let it get to me.” She gestured to the tube taped to her chest. “As much as I hate this, it’s only temporary. The doctor says it’s common, and I’ll get back to normal in a couple of months. Maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll get a transplant before the next graft goes bad.”

“Let’s hope,” Morgan said.

Gianna looked up, meeting Morgan’s eyes with a fierce gaze. “But you need to go home and take care of yourself and your family and find Olivia. I’m not that weak, super-sick girl you practically adopted last year. I can speak up for myself now. I’m going to get through this.”

Respect filled Morgan. All Gianna had needed was some love and encouragement. How horrible was it that she never received any in the first eighteen years of her life?

“All right.” Morgan stood and collected her tote. “But you have to promise to text if you have any problems. If you can’t find me, Grandpa can coordinate whatever you need.”

Gianna smiled. “He’s good at that.”

“Yes, he is.” Morgan turned toward the door but glanced back. “And for the record, I wouldn’t have made it through my husband’s death without him. There’s no shame in needing people. I was just lucky enough to be born with a built-in support system.”

Morgan left the room. On her way to the elevator, she stopped at the nurse’s station and gave them her grandfather’s cell phone number in case of an emergency. Gianna might be an adult, but she wasn’t alone anymore. She had family now. Someone would always be around to help.

Outside, she opened her rideshare app and requested a car. Her minivan was at the house, and Lance had taken the Jeep. Her ride came within ten minutes. Twenty minutes after she was picked up, Morgan opened the front door of her house and went inside. She toed off her shoes in the foyer. The dogs greeted her with sleepy stretches, yawns, and wags, and she scratched behind their ears. Carrying her shoes, she went into the family room.

Mac rose from the couch, where he’d clearly been sleeping.

“How is Gianna?” He rubbed an eye.

“Out of surgery and resting as comfortably as possible. She might be able to come home in a few days.”

“That’s great.” Mac stretched. “You should catch a few hours of sleep. No offense, but you look like hell.”

“I’m sure I do.”

“Where is Lance?”

“With Sharp.” Morgan set down her tote.

“Have you eaten?” Mac asked.

Morgan shook her head. Her hospital sleep had been fitful. Exhaustion weighed on her like a wet comforter.

“The girls will be up soon. I’ll make breakfast after I take a quick shower.” She went into the kitchen.

Mac followed her. The dogs whined, and he scooped kibble into their bowls.

“Do you teach classes today?” She filled the coffeepot.

“I have one class and office hours this morning.” He set the bowls on the floor. “I can take Sophie to preschool on my way to work, pick her up on my way back, and hang out with the kids this afternoon.” “I’d really appreciate that. I don’t even know what I’m doing today.” Morgan hadn’t talked to Lance, Sharp, or Stella since the night before.

“I’m going to run home and shower. Be back soon. I’ll take the dogs out before I go.” Mac gave her a quick hug before leaving. He and Stella lived just a few minutes away.

“Thank you,” Morgan called after him. She scooped coffee and pressed the “On” button.

Morgan hurried to her room and took a quick shower. When she emerged from the bathroom in her bathrobe, Sophie stood in the doorway. “Mommy!”

She’d slept in her Halloween costume. She raced for Morgan and leaped into her arms.

Morgan caught her, kissed her, and carried her to the kitchen. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“Pancakes, but can you make them like Gianna does?” Sophie asked.

“I think I can manage.” Morgan filled a cup with coffee, then found the box of pancake mix in the cabinet. “Before Gianna came to live with us, I used to make all your pancakes.”

“But Gianna makes them special.” Sophie climbed up onto a kitchen stool, knelt, and leaned her chin in both hands on the island. “Will she be home today?”

“No. Maybe in a few days.”

“I miss her.” Sophie sighed.

Ava, Mia, and Grandpa joined them in the kitchen and gathered around the island. Morgan hugged everyone and poured juice. Then she mixed batter and ladled it onto the buttered griddle. She piled the cooked pancakes on a plate and gave the girls two each before setting the plate on the island and sitting down.

“Gianna made bunny pancakes yesterday.” Sophie inspected her pancakes, then covered them in syrup. Tasting her first bite, she grudgingly admitted, “They’re almost as good as Gianna’s.”

“Thank you.” Amused, Morgan sipped her coffee. Gianna had only been with them for one year, but for a four-year-old, that was a quarter of her life. For Sophie, it was as if Gianna had always been with them.

The girls finished eating, and Morgan sent them to get dressed.

Grandpa pushed the plate of pancakes toward her. “Eat. Coffee isn’t enough.”

“I’m worried about Gianna.”

“She’s tough. She’ll be all right.”

Morgan lowered her voice so the girls wouldn’t hear. “What if she isn’t? What if she doesn’t get a kidney in time?”

Grandpa frowned. “Let’s take one day at a time and not borrow trouble. We have enough of our own.”