Page 99

Clearly, it didn’t, because here she is. I can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness for this woman. How messed up must she have been to drop off the baby she gave birth to with a stranger. Then, seeing the child and realizing how much you missed of her early years, would be heartbreaking.
"I understand this cannot be easy for you—" I begin.
"It’s not. But you wouldn’t know that. You think you’ve taken over my place, haven’t you? You’re trying to be her mother. But you’re not. You never will be.”
A thickness squeezes my throat. My chest tightens. Her words are my worst nightmare come true. A fear I’ve never articulated, even to myself. Subconsciously though, I realize, I’ve wondered what I would do if Serene’s birth mother turned up one day and asked for her daughter back. My stomach drops to my feet.Not her mother. I’m not her biological mother. I never will be.So what, if Serene took to me right away? So what, if I fell for her the moment I saw her. We don’t have a blood relationship. That can never be replaced. It’s not my blood running in Serene’s veins.
The pressure in my chest spreads to my head and presses down behind my eyes. I blink away the tears. Tyler must sense my distress, for he flicks his gaze in my direction. Whatever he sees there has his face turning to stone. "You’re causing a lot of pain to both my daughter and my wife."
She fixes her attention on me, sharp and unflinching. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. But that doesn’t change the truth.”
Then she turns to my daughter, her tone shifting, gentling. “Do you know how you got your name, Serene?”
Serene looks up at her, wide-eyed. There’s confusion on her face. She shrinks into the chair and closer to Tyler, who squats down next to her. "It’ll be okay, princess. I promise."
The woman goes on as if she hasn’t heard him. "I called you Serene because, though your birth was traumatic, when you came out, you didn’t cry for long. You fell asleep as soon as they placed you on my chest. And you looked so much at peace. For a few seconds, it felt like it had all been worth it. That’s why I named you Serene."
"You’re not her mother; Mrs. Davenport is." Matty looks at her steadily with his piercing blue eyes.
"I gave birth to her. She didn’t." The woman twists her fingers, growing agitated. Summer places her hand on Matty’s shoulder. The boy scowls but falls silent.
"I’m your mother, Serene. I promise you?—"
"Enough." Tyler rises to his full height. "You should leave."
The woman’s face falls. "I need to talk to you. I need to tell you about?—"
"We can talk about it later. You should leave now. You’re upsetting Serene and my wife.” Tyler stabs his finger in the direction of the doorway leading away from the pool.
She wrings her hands. "But you need to listen to what I have to say, I?—"
Serene darts forward.
"Serene!" I jump to my feet in such a hurry, my chair falls back.
She runs past the woman and toward the pool.
My heart is a wild thing, battering my ribs like it’s trying to escape. "Serene, stop!" I race after her.
She looks at me over her shoulder, tears in her eyes. "I’m scared, Mama, I—" Her feet slip from under her. She screams as her head hits the cement with a resounding crack. Then, she rolls into the pool.
48
Tyler
"Serene!" I race past her mother, then overtake my wife and reach the pool. A part of me notes the red that stains the water and panics. My breath seizes. Then my training as a Marine takes over. I push back my thoughts and dive in. She’s already underwater so I grab her and swim to the surface. By the time I reach the edge of the water, Cilla’s there. I hand Serene over to her, then haul myself over the edge.
"Serene!" Cilla is on her knees next to my daughter.
"Serene!" I crawl next to her. "Serene, can you hear me?"
There’s no response. Her eyes are closed. Why is she not breathing? Surely, she wasn’t in the water long enough to swallow too much?
My heart gallops so hard, it feels like it’s going to sprout hooves and break through my rib cage. My throat closes. My arms and legs feel numb.Calm down. What would you do if you were on a mission and one of your team was hurt? You need to find that core of calmness inside. You need to draw on all your reserves of strength. Serene needs you. Your daughter needs you.I cannot… I will not fail her.
But before I can reach for her, Cilla takes over.
She turns Serene on her side and pounds her back. Water oozes out from my daughter’s mouth.