Page 29 of Never Stop

I smiled tightly, apologizing for Cheyenne. He shook his head in a way that told me it was okay. She was only ten after all.

“She’s in Boston, C.C.”

“Why?”

He washed his hands in the sink as he responded. “She’s with her parents.”

“Why?” Cheyenne continued to ask.

“Peanut, that’s enough,” I warned.

“Why?” she asked again as she looked at me. “I don’t get why I can’t know where my favorite aunt is.”

I felt the room around me tense at her statement of Nicole being her aunt. Even if Nicole and Avery didn’t work things out, she’d still be her aunt since Brooke and Nicole are practically sisters.

All eyes turned to Avery as he took a deep breath. “C.C., Nicole and I broke up.”

“Why?” she asked, looking around the room.

“Come sit down. I have some bad news.” He gestured for her to sit at the breakfast table.

“Av—”

“It’s okay,” he said to me before turning to Cheyenne as she sat next to him. “Remember how we told you that you were getting a cousin?”

“Yeah.” Cheyenne smiled, leaning on the table with her head in her hand.

“Sometimes we can be wrong. I’m not going to be a…”

He stopped. He couldn’t finish the sentence, and I didn’t blame him. I stepped in, moving closer to the two. “Peanut, remember when Mommy died?”

“Nicole died?” Cheyenne whispered.

“No, Peanut, but remember how Mommy’s an angel now?”

Cheyenne turned back to face Avery. “I don’t get it. How can Nicole be an angel if she’s not dead?”

“Not Nicole, C.C. Our baby,” Avery clarified.

She paused, staring at him as though she was processing what we’d told her. “Your baby died?”

“Yeah.” He choked on his words.

“I’m sorry, Uncle A.” She stood and wrapped her arms around his neck. After a few seconds, she pulled back. “But why did you and Nicole break up?”

“It’s been a tough time, C.C. She needed to get away.”

“But she’ll be back?”

“She will,” Brooke chimed in.

I turned when I heard her voice. I had no idea Nicole was coming back. Brooke failed to tell me about her visit with Nicole. Must have been theDiet Coke.

Avery looked up at Brooke, tilting his head slightly. “She will?” he mouthed as if he didn’t believe her.

Brooke nodded.

“Good because I really like her,” Cheyenne said. “What’s for dinner, Grandma?”