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The next morning, Ingrid opens her front door and waves us inside. We’re each carrying a car seat holding a sleeping infant. Tyler’s mom gazes down at the babies with a beaming smile on her face. “And how are my two littlest angels?”

“Doing well,” I say as I carry both car seats down the hall to the back of the house, where the kitchen and sitting room are located.

Ingrid’s cottage is small, but so cozy. Besides the kitchen and sitting room, she has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a lovely back patio. She lives in the private, gated McIntyre family community—the McIntyre Compound , as Lia affectionately refers to it—across the street from Tyler’s sister, Beth. Lia and her hottie rockstar husband, Jonah Locke, live next door to Ingrid.

“I’ll bring in the diaper bags,” Tyler says as he heads back out the door to our vehicle.

Ingrid and I transfer the sleeping babies into a pair of bassinettes in her sitting room. Once they’re tucked into their little beds, she pulls me into her arms for a mama bear hug.

Since the moment I met her, Ingrid Jamison has been one of my biggest champions. We bonded over baking Tyler’s favorite chocolate chip cookies. She’s like my second mom and a BFF all rolled into one. I swear she loves me like I’m one of her kids.

Ingrid’s tall for a woman—about five-eight—and slender. Her blonde hair is long and straight, her complexion pale like cream, and her eyes a lovely sky blue. Tyler’s much younger sister, Beth, takes after their mom, favoring her Swedish ancestry. Tyler is dark haired with a swarthy complexion, like his father had.

Ingrid knows my painful history with my birth mom, about the abuse and the neglect. She knows all about Rhonda’s drug addiction at the time, about the prostitution and her eventual imprisonment.

She goes up on her toes to kiss my cheek. “Tyler told me about the attack on your birth mother. I hope she’ll recover quickly. Are you okay?”

“I’m all right,” I say. “It’s a lot to process. She said she did it to protect me—from the men. I should be grateful, right?” I’m finding it difficult to speak around the painful lump in my throat. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to talk about my past without feeling the corresponding pain that comes with those memories.

Ingrid tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “A mother will do anything to protect her child from harm, sweetheart. Even lock him away.”

“We’re going back to the hospital to see her again. I want to make sure she’s okay and that she has everything she needs. I can do that much for her at least.” I feel tears pricking the backs of my eyes.

Ingrid lays her slender hand against my chest, right over my heart. “There’s an infinite amount of space for love in here, darling. And you can’t have too many moms. If you find yourself wanting to love Rhonda one day, that’s perfectly fine. Or not. It will always be your choice. And no one will judge you for your decision.”

Tyler walks into the sitting room with a diaper bag slung over each shoulder. He sets them on the sofa. “Everything’s in here, Mom. Diapers, more clothes if you need them, burp cloths, bottles, formula.” He studies his mother. “You sure this is okay?”

Ingrid laughs. “Honey, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of two babies. I raised two of them myself, you know, not to mention I babysit your sister’s kids all the time.”

At the mention Tyler’s sister, the front door opens, as if right on cue.

“Hello!” Beth calls as she comes down the hallway. She’s a much younger carbon copy of their mother, tall, slender, with straight, long blonde hair and blue-green eyes. “I saw the Porsche pull in,” she says, “so I had to come see the babies. By the way, Shane sends his love. He’s at home with our kids.”

Beth greets her big brother, throwing her arms around his neck and going up on her toes to kiss his cheek. Then she does the same with me, and I wrap my arms around her, squeezing her until she laughs.

She pulls free and asks, “Now, where are they?” as she crosses the room and zeroes in on the bassinettes. She bends down to get a good look at first one and then the other.

Lizzie is awake now and mewling like a kitten.

“Come to Aunty Beth, sweetheart,” she says as she scoops her namesake into her arms and kisses her forehead. “Hello, little sweet pea.”

“Babe?” Tyler asks, his gaze locked on me. “Are you ready to go?”

When he holds his hand out to me, I take it. “Yes. Let’s do this.”

Tyler’s phone rings then, and he checks the screen. “It’s your mom.” He accepts the call. “Ruth, you’re on speaker. Ian’s here with me. We’re at Ingrid’s.”

“Hi, honey,” Ruth says.

“Hi, Mom,” I say.

“I’m just calling with an update,” she says. “The police picked up Gary Sharp. He’s being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder. He’s being held in the Cook County jail. His arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday at 9 AM. I just wanted you both to know.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I say. “We’re on our way to the hospital now to see Rhonda.”

There’s a pause on the phone line, and I imagine my mom’s having a bit of difficulty processing the news that Rhonda is suddenly in my life again, at least for the moment. I’m not ready to even think about the future. “Mom?”

“Yes, I’m here, honey.”

“Are you okay with this? With me seeing Rhonda?”

“Of course I am, sweetheart,” she says, sounding far chipper than she did a moment ago. “You know I support whatever you want to do.”

* * *

When we arrive at the hospital, we stop at the information desk to check on Rhonda’s status. She’s been moved out of the emergency room and admitted to the hospital. That’s encouraging. It means her condition is stable now. The woman at the reception desk gives us her room number. She’s on the fifth floor.

After stopping twice to ask for directions, we eventually find our way to her room. Her door is partially open, and we can hear voices coming from within.

A nurse steps out. “You can go in. She’s awake.”

I step into her room, Tyler right behind me. Rhonda’s lying in bed, her head propped up. The room is quiet and the lights are off, but the blinds on the windows are up, letting in some natural light.

She turns to us and smiles. “Ian!” She sounds almost surprised to see me. “And Tyler. I’m so glad you came.”

I sit in the chair beside her bed, and Tyler goes to stand by the window.

“How are you feeling?” I ask.

“I’ve been better,” she says. “But it’s not too bad. They operated on my arm last night and put pins in my elbow.” She lifts her arm, which is now encased in a bright green fiberglass cast. “Maybe you can sign it before you leave.”

“Sure.” I glance over at Tyler, who’s pretending to look at the view outside the window. He’s giving us space. “I wanted to make sure you’re all right.”

Rhonda blinks back tears. “I’m doing okay. I honestly didn’t know if I’d see you again. I mean—after everything that’s happened—I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want anything to do with me. I made a lot of mistakes with you. Some mom I am, right?”

My throat tightens as I think about everything I want to say. I want to be open and honest with her, and I don’t want her to get the wrong idea and think everything is fine between us. But I also don’t want to hurt her. “You should know that Ruth Alexander will always be my mom.”

Rhonda nods. “I understand, and I don’t blame you, Ian, honestly.”

I nod, too, glad to see we’re on the same page. “She saved me, you know. My dad, too.”

Rhonda continues to nod. “They sound like wonderful people.”

“We can be friends, though,” I add, hating the look of resignation on her face. Her eyes—so much like my own—radiate sadness.

She smiles. “I’d like that.”

“And you won’t have to worry about anything—medical bills, rent, groceries. I’ll help you out. I’m… kind of wealthy.”

“I know you are. I’ve followed you in the news over the years. I remember when you made a huge endowment to that Chicago arts organization. And when you donated a new recreation building to the children’s club. I was so proud of you. I knew then that you had a good heart, that you’d grown into a fine young man.”

“I can’t take credit for the money. I inherited it from my grandfather.”

“Still,” she says, “you’ve done so much good with it.”

I shrug, uncomfortable with the praise when I feel I don’t deserve it. “I just wanted you to know you don’t have to worry about money.”

Rhonda swallows hard. “Thank you.” Her tears overflow, streaming down her cheeks. “I always loved you, Ian. I want you to know that. And I’m so sorry for what you went through as a little kid. I swear, I did what I thought was best. I just wanted to protect you.”

I hand her a tissue, and she gingerly dabs her wet cheeks. I don’t even realize I’ve got tears on my own cheeks until I feel Tyler’s comforting hands on my shoulders.

Rhonda smiles up at Tyler. “Ian’s lucky to have you in his life.”

“Actually, I’m the lucky one,” Tyler says.

When he moves in closer and cups the back of my neck, I instantly relax.

Rhonda smiles as she notices the exchange between us. “Tell me about your babies.”

I pull out my phone and show her some photos. “These were taken in the hospital, right before we took them home.”

“I’m curious,” she says. “Can I ask about the mother?”

“We used a surrogate,” Tyler says. “A wonderful woman here in Chicago who helped us become fathers.”

“They’re beautiful.” Rhonda glances up at Tyler. “They look like you —their hair and coloring.”

“Tyler is their biological father,” I say proudly as I reach up to squeeze his hand resting on my shoulder.

“Ian insisted,” Tyler says. “I wouldn’t have cared either way.”

Rhonda’s fighting a huge grin. “I can’t believe I’m a grandma. I hope I can meet them one day. I mean, if you’re both okay with that. No pressure.” When she shifts her position in bed, she winces.

We talk for a while, just chatting in general. I ask her about her job at the diner. She asks about my adopted family.

A hospital staff member brings a lunch tray into her room and sets it on the bedside table.

Tyler pats my back. “We should go, babe, and let Rhonda eat and get some rest.”

As I stand, Rhonda reaches for my hand. I grasp hers, and she squeezes mine. “Thanks for coming, honey.”

I squeeze back. “It was my pleasure.”