13: Ariana.

I stand outside Apollo’s bedroom door like a creeper. I can’t help myself. Celeste isn’t my little girl anymore so I can sneak into her room and sit on the end of her bed. She’s a woman now, and I’m going to have to get used to it.

When I hear my daughter’s giggle from the other side of the door, I close my eyes for a long moment and smile. I should be all bent out of shape that my daughter is shacked up in her boyfriend’s room, but the last few weeks have put everything in perspective.

Life can be short.

I’d never been more terrified than when Gavin got the call about Apollo being in an accident. A car slammed into the passenger side where Celeste was sitting. They had to pry her from the car, but thankfully she’s okay. Apollo was banged up too, but it was Celeste that suffered a major head injury. We’d all been lucky.

That night put everything in perspective. For the first time I let go, and Gavin was there to catch me. Everyone’s walls came tumbling down, and Gavin has been at my s