Liam didn't tell me shit about any of this. He couldn't. He explained about confidentiality and friendship.
I had to piece it together myself based on what Tad told me and that sadness that's always there in Ellie's eyes. I spent the weekend uncovering every detail I could about the day that Ellie's sister died. I read the newspaper clippings about the shooting and then I called in a favor from the anchor at one of the local news stations and he found the archived footage of the news report from that day. I viewed it two hours ago. I watched it six times. I still can't believe my eyes.
"Look who I found," Jersey calls to May and I as we approach. "I found a beautiful girl that I met in Las Vegas standing on this corner waiting to cross on the light."
"You should never cross unless it's safe," May says as she breaks free of my grasp to run toward Jersey and Ellie.
She loves that old man as if he was her great-grandfather. I pray that doesn't change when his family expands. I doubt that their bond will break. He loves May as much as my grandfather would have.
May breezes right past him and jumps at Ellie, the top hat she's wearing flies off in the light wind. She wraps her arms around Ellie's legs, nestling her face against her stomach. "I missed you, Ellie. I thought you'd come back for more pancakes."
'I'm sorry that I haven't, May." She bites her bottom lip. "I'm sorry."
Any apologies need to leave my mouth, not hers. I'm the one who has to grovel and beg this beautiful woman to give me another chance. "It's good to see you, Ellie."
"You too, Nolan," she responds quietly.
Jersey clears his throat as he scoops up May's hat. "It's a small world, isn't it, Rigs?"
Startled, I feel panic washing through me. I look at Ellie. I wait for any recognition, anything.
"I've never been here before." May turns in a complete circle, her eyes cast above, soaking in the buildings, the sounds, and all the people milling about around us. "Daddy, why don't we come here? Look at everything."
Ellie kneels down. She takes May's little hands in her own. "May B, today I learned something very special about this spot."
"May B?" May giggles. "Oh, Ellie. I like that. Call me May B again."
"May B," Ellie begins again, her voice giving way to emotion. "Many years ago, before you were born, my sister, Kip, met a very special boy on this corner."
No. Fuck no. Ellie's sister is Kip? She was Kip?
I start to cry. I don't fucking know how not to.
"Daddy?" May reaches for my hand. "Why are you crying?"
"This spot is magical." Ellie taps her toes on the pavement, drawing May's attention back to her. "Your daddy can feel it. I can too."
May closes her eyes tight, her brow furrowing. "I think I feel it too."
"It's in here." Ellie taps the middle of her own chest. "If you stand very still you can feel the magic, can't you?"
"I feel it." May smiles as her fingers trail over Ellie's cheek. "You're crying too, Ellie. You feel the same thing that my daddy does?"
Ellie shifts her focus to me. Her eyes lock with mine. "I feel everything your daddy does. Everything he feels for me, I feel right back."
I crouch too, wrapping my arms around May and grabbing hold of Ellie's forearms. "There's more to the story, May. Daddy just learned more about the story this afternoon."
She turns abruptly to face me, her small hands darting to my shoulders. "Tell me. I love this story. I love magic."
"Kip's sister is the bravest person in the world." I try to keep my voice calm, even though everything inside of me is spinning. "She saved a life. She saved the life of a little princess."
"Like a real princess, Daddy?"
Ellie looks into my eyes. I take a deep breath, but it does little good. My pulse is racing, my mind is on full-throttle and my world is complete. This is what love is. All of this. The three of us. Me and Ellie and May.
"What was the name of the princess, Daddy?" May turns back to look at Ellie before she cups my cheeks in her palms.
I tilt my head slightly so I can see my beautiful Ellie. My warrior. My hero and the love of my life.
"Princess May. She saved Princess May on the day she was born."
Ellie sobs. She leans forward but I hold her steady. May turns and throws her arms around Ellie's neck. "Don't cry, Ellie. She saved the princess. The magical girl saved a princess in the story. I think the princess is me."
I nod as I cling to them both. I rest my forehead against Ellie's, whispering to her, "She is the princess. You saved May, Ellie. The baby you saved is our May."
Chapter 53
Ellie
He pushes his fingers into my hair, holding me still as he kisses me. He kisses me like his life depends on it. I pull back. I have to.
"How is this happening?" I cling to the front of his T-shirt. "You have to let me think for a second."