By evening, reality had finally sunk in. Axiel wasn't just some sweet boy Clara had grown to love, he was Cade. Her Cade.
She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at him as he napped, his small hand clutching the corner of his blanket. In the last eight years, she could only imagine his face and guess what he might look like. But now, he was right there, breathing softly in front of her.
Her emotions had quieted a little since the storm earlier, but her heart still felt raw. She glanced at her phone lying on the nightstand. There were dozens of missed calls and unread messages, most from Riley and Sofia.
Instead of calling each of them separately, she hit the group call button, and they both picked up almost instantly.
Riley's voice came first, quick and anxious.
"Clara! Oh my God, we've been trying to reach you all day. Did you see the news? About you..and about Cade?"
