Page 64 of Fighting Chance

Carlton and Allie suddenly stop speaking, the lightness in the room evaporating as a heavy weight blankets us.

Emmy just looks up at me, blinking slowly.

I wipe the devastation from my eyes, instead giving her a smile. She doesn’t need to know how sad it makes me that shewon’t talk; she doesn’t need the pressure of my emotions. “I think she looks like a Sophie.”

Her nose scrunches up into a wrinkle, the adorable move pulling anawwfrom Allie.

“Lucy?”

Another wrinkle of her nose.

Carlton pipes up, “How about Mr. Snuggles?”

Emmy shakes her head, a coy smile dancing along her lips.

“Mrs. Bunny?” Allie offers.

Emmy looks down, pondering, before shaking her head. She points to the white tail, making my brows rise. She’s conversing, just not speaking.

I try and guess, “Mrs. Tails?”

Her head nod is so emphatic, so bubbly, I reach a hand out to stop her from toppling off the couch, making us all laugh at how excited she is.

It’s small moments like these that make me wonder if, when she’s out of her shell, she’ll be vivacious. Her head nods are always over the top and full of so much energy I wish I could see her like that all the time.

Slowly but surely, I’ll pull her out from whatever hole her mother buried her in.

My head cocks to the side. “Are you sure it goes that way?”

Carlton and I have been trying to figure out where this slab of wood fits for over twenty minutes and once again, it doesn’t.

He hangs his head once he sees what I’m seeing. With a huff, he drops the piece, letting it join the other scattered parts. “Did this seriously not come with a manual?” he asks for the hundredth time.

At my look, he lifts his hands in surrender. “Fine, there was no manual. It’s just very unusual.”

Shrugging, I pick up another slab. “I’m certainly never ordering a playhouse from them again.”

He squeezes my shoulder. “No stress, we’ll figure it out together.” He turns to the absolute carnage of pieces littered everywhere, muttering, “Eventually.”

The sound of the patio door opening has us turning to find Allie, Emmy firmly attached to her hip, and my god, I can’t remember the last time I saw such a spark in her eyes. When Drew passed, it was like she died a little inside, but now, a small part looks like it’s been reignited.

I know how she came into my life wasn’t ideal, but Emmy is a blessing. For not only me, it seems.

“You have a visitor,” Allie calls out.

Grayson steps through the door, wearing activewear and a tool belt around his waist. “Heard you needed an extra hand.” He steps aside with a smirk. “Or maybe a few.”

Irving bursts through the door. “Hello, hello, fuckers!”

With a frown, Grayson clips him across the back of his head. “Watch your language, there’s a kid here!”

Irving winces, rubbing the tender spot. “Shit, Cap—” He smacks his lips, hanging his head. “There’s no hope for me.”

Grayson shakes his head, moving Irving out of the way. Johnson, O’Connor, Mitchel, Lewis, Ellington, and Valenti barrel through the door.

My heart soars, absolutely skyrockets at the sight of my guys—my family—here to help me, all of them carrying various tools as if they are my own building crew.

“Oh, thank the heavens,” Carlton says.