AUSTIN, TEXAS
2003.

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'AND IF A DOUBLE DECKER BUS, CRASHES INTO US, TO DIE BY YOUR SIDE, IS SUCH A HEAVENLY WAY TO DIE'

played from the ipod clutched in Marisol's hand as she sauntered down the surprisingly desolate streets. It was nearly nine in the morning, a typically busy time as the shops and businesses that decorated the long blocks opened, welcoming an influx of customers and workers. Congested sidewalks where commuters muttered 'excuse me's as they squeezed past each other, exchanging a shove or two, was a common occurrence. It was one of the reasons Tommy disliked Marisol working downtown as he regularly voiced his worry over her becoming collateral damage in the overcrowded streets, and the possibility of someone pushing her too hard, especially in her current condition. 

Though it appeared the chances of her obtaining minor injuries on her walk to the bakery were slim to none as she passed by the few people with ease. The avenues almost eerily devoid. A sight that would raise concern for some, but Marisol had been so entranced by the music her earbuds emitted, she paid it no mind. 

The Miller woman hummed along to the tune as she reached the bakery. She extended out a hand and tugged on the door handle only to find it locked as the blinds swayed slightly. A vexed sigh along with a few curses left her lips as she rustled through her purse for the keys. Already mapping out in her head the dispute she would inevitably have with Samantha over her inability to show up to work on time and open shop. Though Marisol quickly pushed the argumentative thoughts aside as her fingers grazed over the keys at the bottom of her bag, quickly retrieving them and unlocking the door. The bell above the entrance dinged as she stepped inside. 

Marisol let out a frustrated huff as her eyes scanned the disorganized and cluttered area. A mess Samantha swore she would clean up before leaving the night before. Marisol discarded her purse on a nearby counter as she retrieved the scrunchy she had tied around her wrist, pulling her hair into a updo as she set out to tidy up the bakery herself. 

While a small, petty part of herself thought of leaving the shop as is for Sam to clean like she promised she would. It had only been a month since her sister reentered her life and she had been walking on eggshells around her, afraid the wrong actions or words would scare her off. 

The last time Marisol saw the girl was the day she left home, Sam was only six yet fully understood the weight and reality of their dysfunctional home life. She clung to a then fifteen-year-old Marisol. Blubbering cries left her quivering lips as she begged her older sister to stay. Marisol had looked into her dark, tear lined eyes and promised she would come back for her. It was a promise Marisol intended on keeping, and once she finally reached stability years later, she returned home, but her sister was nowhere to be found. 

That was five years ago. Five years since Sam was labeled a runaway and Marisol thought she'd never see her again. Until a few weeks ago, she received a call from Joel in the middle of the night about a strange girl showing up at his doorstep looking for her. Marisol had never gotten dressed so fast in her life, waking her sleeping husband as she rushed to Joels. While everything had changed about Sam, the dark tear-filled eyes she had seen last stayed the same, Marisols eyes mirrored hers as she pulled the young girl into her arms. But her affection was not reciprocated. 

She had missed a lot and had a great deal of explaining to do, not only to her sister, but her husband and Joel, her family who knew only small, blurred details of her life before them. 

Marisol had found out that Sam left home at fifteen too, when their mother died, the news tugging at none of Marisol's heart strings as she instead felt a sense of relief. She learned that her sister unfortunately wasn't as lucky as her when it came to navigating the world alone and she encountered its brutal and vicious underbelly on more than one occasion and had the scars to prove it.

It was clear Sam held resentment towards her and Marisol didn't blame her, she had gone through the worst of it, and Marisol wasn't there for her. All she could do now was offer her a job and hope she gave her the opportunity to make things right. Hope that eventually she would warm up enough to join her in the family she had built with the Millers. Thankfully, the baby growing in her stomach helped ease the tension between the two estranged siblings. 

A loud clattering noise from the kitchen pulled Marisol from her thoughts as she felt her heart race. With shaky hands she removed her earbuds, setting them aside on the table next to her as she carefully made strides towards the swinging doors. More rattles and clinks sounded off the closer she got. Her eyes anxiously scanned the surrounding area for something to defend herself with. Her line of sight fell on a rolling pin laying on a counter nearby. With a deep inhale she reached for it, clutching it tightly in her grasp as she kicked open the door. 

"Jesus Christ." her sister's voice rang out as Marisol remained standing by the kitchen entrance, rolling pin defensively raised in her hand. 

"Can you put the rolling pin down before you hurt yourself, weirdo." Sam continued; eyebrows furrowed as she steadied her breathing. The sight of her older sister barging into the kitchen with a baking utensil held like a weapon catching her off guard.

"You scared the shit out of me, I thought you were an intruder. How did you even get in?" Marisol released a breath as she discarded the rolling pin on the counter. 

"The employee key to the back door you gave me." Sam explained, eyebrows still knit together as she gazed at her sister. 

"Oh right." Marisol nodded her head as she felt foolish for forgetting. "Wasn't sure if you were gonna come in today." she added. Her words hinting at Sam's absence the past week and inviting a wave of tension into the room as the younger girl  abruptly turned her head to her. "I told I was sick last week. Head was pounding and I spent most of the days in the bathroom puking my guts out. My roommate was not happy."

"Being sick and hungover are two different things Sam." Marisol felt the words slipping off her tongue before she could fully think them through. Realizing she had fucked up as a hurt expression momentarily crossed Sam's face before she turned away. 

"Sorry." Marisol cleared her throat as she now stared at the back of Sam's head as she maneuvered her way through the kitchen, farther away from her. 

"It's fine." the teenager attempted a small reassuring smile, one that did not reach her eyes. 

Marisol hopelessly searched her mind for the right thing to say, parting her lips as she was prepared to vocalize a string of apologies. 

Sam seemed to spot the internal dilemma her sister was having and parted her own lips before any "I didn't mean it like that" comments could leave her mouth. "I uhm, came in early to bake that double chocolate cake you were talking about, for Joel, right?"

Marisol felt her heart swell. The small yet thoughtful act confirming that Sam truly had been listening when she would talk about Joel and the family. And that she cared enough to go out of her way to bake the man's birthday cake. The cake Marisol was about to hastily try and whip up before her appointment at the clinic. 

"Yeah, but I already made the cupcakes instead, last night remember, I took them home to frost them." the older brunette attempted to play off. 

"And where are these cupcakes now?" Sam humorously questioned with a quirked brow. 

A melancholy feeling washed over Marisol as she looked at Sam with a small, embarrassed grin. Her sister truly did know her so well.

Sam returned the smile as her eyes glistened sadly. "Anyways it's in the fridge cooling off." she voiced with a small sniffle as she quickly turned her attention back to the ovens. 

"Thank you, y'know you should come by later tonight. I know Sarah and the boys would like it, and I would too." Marisol carefully spoke, finding herself yet again walking the tightrope as she followed after her younger sister. 

Sam briefly halted her movements, as if she was sincerely pondering her sister's invitation. But just as Marisol felt herself growing optimistic, Sam slammed the oven door and harshly set the tray of cookies down. "Wouldn't wanna intrude on your family." the nineteen-year-old's words dripped with venom. 

"Sam." Marisol sighed as she reached out for her sister, wanting nothing more than console her and reassure her that she was her family too. 

"Don't." Sam shook her head as she took a step back. 

Though her actions proved not to be quick enough as the back of Marisol's hand brushed over her cheek, making enough contact to feel the heat radiating off her. 

"What the hell you're burning up." Marisol spoke, tone distressed as she ran the back of her hand over Sam's forehead, where beads of sweat had begun to form. 

"It's nothing, probably just hungover, right?" Sam sharply replied as she swatted Marisol's hand away. 

The action resulting in the long sleeves that clung to Sam's wrist hiking up, leaving her forearms bare and revealing a dark reddish mark on her skin. 

"What the fuck is this? Who did this to you?" Marisol's eyes widened as she grabbed her sister's wrist, bringing it closer to her eyeline to inspect. 

"It looks a lot worse than it is." Sam defended as Marisol made out the indents in her injury, almost as if someone or something had bit her.  

"Samantha, who hurt you?" Marisol diverted her eyes from her wounded wrist to her face. Her tone serious and maternal, one Sam hadn't heard since she was a kid.

Sam nervously gulped as she pulled her arm out of Marisol's grasp. "Relax, it's not a big deal. The chain on my bike broke on the way here and I was passing this old lady, looked like she was having a seizure or something, and I tried helping her. And the old bat fucking bit me."

Marisol stared widely at her sister as she processed the bizarre story she had just been relayed. She shook her head as the initial shock wore off.  "It looks infected, let me take you to the hospital." 

Sam let out a humorless chuckle as she shook her head in protest. "Ha, I don't think so."

Marisol didn't know if her tone was directed at the suggestion of seeking medical attention or if it was the idea of her being the one to take her. Either way, she knew better than to press her luck, Sam had always been stubborn. 

"At least let me clean it up." Marisol exhaled as she moved to retrieve the first aid kit. 

Marisol taking Sam's prolonged silence as approval as she zipped open the bag and rummaged through it for antiseptic and bandages. Her eyes falling back onto the teenager as she pulled out the supplies. Sam let out a huff as she extended out her wounded arm, complying as Marisol began to disinfect the area. She winced as the medicated cotton rubbed over the small gashes. 

"Old lady had all her teeth huh?" Marisol attempted to joke, surprised to hear the genuine laughs from her sister that followed. 

Her gaze shifted up as her sister's chuckles died down, noticing her eyes had veered to her bump. "Still haven't found out if it's a boy or girl?" Sam questioned as her line of sight landed back up. 

"Nope, uhm. Tommy and I want it to be a surprise." Marisol reiterated what she had told Joel earlier that morning. Though she had a feeling Sam wouldn't be as inclined to take her word for it and move past it. 

Sam held a skeptical expression as Marisol glanced at her. One that proved to her that her sister didn't buy her words for one second. 

Though Sam had yet to vocalize anything Marisol found herself parting her lips to speak. "It's probably for the best. It's all kinda felt like a dream. And once I find out for sure what I'm having it'll get too real. And I know I'm gonna get in my head about it. And I'm scared shitless imma end up like mo- her." The older brunette quickly corrected as she realized she had almost referred to the woman with a title she didn't deserve. 

Sam remained silent, leading Marisol to believe she had crossed the line, unloaded too much, that maybe the mere mention of that woman triggered her younger sister just like it did her every time she came to mind. 

But the hand that was placed over hers quickly eased her racing thoughts. "I get it. But I doubt you'll end up anything like her. For one, you're not a crack addict so that's already a plus." Sam tried to conceal the truthful statement with humor. 

Marisol shook her head as she looked down. While she knew her sister meant no ill intent with her words and appreciated the sentiment. She still couldn't shake the guiltiness she felt for leaving her behind to face the trauma that filled their youth alone. 

"And uhh" Sam continued, as if she could visualize the mental turmoil her older sister was putting herself through. "You always did a pretty good job with me."

Sam gave Marisol's hand a squeeze, garnering her attention as a small smile reached the corners of her mouth. "Still remember when the furthest we got to something like this was when we would bake cookies in that rundown kitchen. Fridge and pantry were empty except for an egg, flour, and half a chocolate bar, but we still managed to make them damn cookies." Sam sadly laughed. 

"You really remember all that?" Marisol inquired as she reminisced on the stolen moments of bliss that were scattered throughout their childhood. The moments that led to her joy for baking and drove her to pursue culinary school. Moments that held meaning because of Sam. 

"Of course, you always made it feel special." Sam replied with gleaming eyes. 

Ones Marisol mirrored as they both shifted their gaze. Neither sister quite accustomed to navigating their shared emotions. 

"That should do it. Would look better if you let me take you to a professional." Marisol cleared her throat as she secured the bandage she forgot laid on Sam's wrist. "I'm heading to the clinic later for my appointment, you could come, get it looked at" She further offered. 

"Mari, I'm fine, seriously." Sam reassured as her hand left Marisol's grasp. 

Marisol did her best to disregard the ache in her heart as her sister yet again put distance between the two of them. "At least take the rest of the day off."

"I can't. Rent's due next week and Erin will kill me if I'm late again." Sam shook her head as she distressingly ran her fingers through her hair. 

Sam hadn't divulged much about her personal life to Marisol. But the Miller woman had learned that Sam shared an apartment with a roommate. One she believed she was engaged in some type of complicated romantic relationship with, based on small comments thrown around here and there, but knew it wasn't her place to speak. Her little sister was grown up, and while she still wished to shield her from harm's way, she was aware it was a task she had already failed at. 

"I'll have your check ready tonight." Marisol let out a sigh. Sam beamed as her eyes shot up to her sisters. 

"It'll be at Joel's house around nine." Marisol added. Sam's shoulders instantly fell. 

"Please." Marisol vocalized as her eyes scanned her sisters face. 

Sam released a defeated huff as she tilted her head. "Fine, and I'd like my sick leave included too."

"That could be arranged." Marisol softly chuckled.

 The older brunette beyond ecstatic her sister agreed to go, as she remained hopeful it would lead to many more evenings and dinners spent together, and inevitably what she longed for most, her sister becoming part of the Miller family. 

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"And you're sure everything is okay?" Marisol found herself asking for, realistically, was the fifth time in the past half hour. 

Her primary doctor let out a small laugh as she shifted the ultrasound monitor for Marisol to see. Marisol's heart swelled as she gazed at the screen. Her eyes shifted from the moving black and white image to her bump. While she had yet to welcome her child into the world, the love she already felt for them was indescribable.

In a way it was similar to the deep affection she felt for Sam and Sarah, and the overwhelming need she felt to protect them. All she was sure of was that she couldn't wait to have her baby in her arms. She couldn't wait to be their mom. 

"Everything's great, you're looking at one healthy, big baby." Dr. Hernandez spoke as she removed the ultrasound wand from Marisol's abdomen. 

Marisol's eyes widened as she quickly sat up. "Big? That's not bad, right?" she questioned; her voice laced with concern. 

"Nope, for how far along you are it's relatively normal." Dr. Hernandez calmly replied, setting the expecting mother's mind at ease. "Did your mom ever tell you how much you weighted?"

The Miller woman sensed herself momentarily dissociate at the mention of her birth giver. Managing to pull herself out of the black hole of less than joyous memories as she shook her head. "No, I'm not even sure she remembers."

Dr. Hernandez gave her an apologetic smile in response. One Marisol felt inclined to replace as a much happier memory came to mind. "But uhm, apparently Tommy was huge, came out ten pounds. Joel used to joke that he was so heavy he almost dropped him." A string of soft laughs left her lips as she remembered it was the first thing Joel had said when her and Tommy broke the news. 

Dr. Hernandez let out a small chuckle at the information. "Well looks like your baby's taking after their father."

A nervous smile etched at the corner of Marisol's lips at the possibility of a difficult birth. The countless horror stories she read in her pregnancy and parenting books only adding to the uneasiness she felt as the phrase 'cut hole to hole' became engrained in her mind. God damn Tommy. 

"Whatever worries are running through your mind right now, I can assure that you are in good hands. Try not to stress too much, you're almost there."  Dr. Hernandez voiced as she gave Marisol's hand a gentle squeeze. 

Marisol nodded her head, grateful for her doctor's reassuring words. "Dr. Hernandez, I was just wondering. I know Tommy and I said during the first appointment we wanted to wait till birth to find out the gender, let it be a surprise..." she bit the inside of her cheek as she trailed off. 

"The nerves are starting to set in for you both aren't they?" Dr. Hernandez seemed to understand what she was expressing. 

"Yeah." Marisol exhaled. 

"I'll tell you what. How about I write it on a post it note and slide it in the envelope with the sonogram? That way if you two decide you'd like to find out before, you can, and if not, just take the photo out and throw the envelope away."  Dr. Hernadez suggested as she jotted the information down on a post it, before folding it and placing it inside the envelope along with the sonogram. 

"Thank you, Doctor." Marisol replied as she fixed her shirt and rose from the reclined chair. 

"We'll be expecting to see you and Tommy back here soon. And if anything comes up, don't hesitate to call. You're almost there Marisol. You're doing great." Dr. Hernadez further vocalized as she handed Marisol the envelope. 

Marisol voiced her last words of gratitude with a thankful grin before exiting the examination room. She walked through the halls until she reached the waiting room door. Her eyebrows knit together in worry as she stepped out into the check in area to see a concerning increase of patients waiting to be seen, more than she had observed when she first reached the clinic. She clutched her bump as she carefully maneuvered her way through the building crowd of ill people. Noticing the majority of them exhibiting flu like symptoms, similar to Sam. She made a mental note to check up on her sister to see how she was doing. 

But, first she had a very important mission to take care of, rushing to the construction site to open the envelope with Tommy before her curiosity got the best of her. 

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Not even the gentle, easy-going melodies of the smiths seemed to do much to calm Marisols nerves as she spent the entirety of the bus ride with the envelope tightly held at her side. Her fingernails messing at the seam everywhere now and then as the short fifteen minute ride to the construction site felt like eternity. 

The Miller woman pulling down on the white cord at the top of the vehicle with enough force to make it come loose as the bus reached her stop, wasting no time as she jumped from the steps once the bus came to a halt. 

Marisol made her way down the residential streets in a haste. Aware of the peculiar gazes directed at her as she ran down the blocks resembling a crazed woman, a very pregnant one at that as she moved as fast as her legs and bump allowed her to. 

A satisfied smile etching at her lips as she spotted the active site, faintly making out one of the workers saying "Hey Miller, isn't that your girl?" as both brothers whipped their heads around. 

Concerned looks crossed Tommy and Joel's faces as the two promptly rid themselves of their gloves and hard hats. The two Miller men making long strides to reach the brunette as she steered her way through the site. 

Marisol's heedless steps catching up with her as the bottom of her boots collided with the uneven gravel. Her balance fumbling as the only thing that prevented her from falling to her knees were Joel's arms as he caught her in a sturdy grip. 

"Hey, you okay?" he questioned, searching Marisol for any visible signs of injury as he helped her regain her footing. A head nod was all she could muster in response as her lungs felt as if they were on fire. 

"Cariño, what's wrong?" the distressed voice of her husband followed as he arrived on the scene. 

"The... the..baby..." Marisol heaved, winded as she tried to regain her loss of oxygen due to the distance she sprinted. 

"What's wrong with the baby?" Tommy's tone ringing more worried than before as his hands fell to his wife's stomach. 

Joel's eyes widened, his face holding a concerned look similar to his brothers as he stepped forward. 

Marisol hastily shook her head as her free hand rested on top of one of Tommys. "Nothing, I swear. But Dr. Hernandez gave me this." she managed to get out in one breath as she held up her other hand. The white envelope still securely clutched between her fingers. 

"What is it?" Tommy inquired, his voice less strained as Marisol loosened her grip on the envelope, holding it out for both him and Joel to see. 

"The sonogram and uhm, the baby's gender." She cleared her throat as her fingers traced the paper's ridges. "I know we said we wanted to wait and that's what I told her-" She began to explain as her eyes darted to her husbands, trying to gage his mood. 

"Lets open it." Tommy spoke, his voice unwavering. 

Marisol's head veered to the side, taken aback by Tommy's willingness as she had prepared for a bit more hesitation. "Yeah?" she quirked a brow. 

"Hell yeah, let's find out what we're having." Tommy's words making any second thoughts Marisol was harboring disappear as the pair wore matching smiles. 

The Miller woman's eyeline shifted down to the envelope, her fingers now hesitantly hovering over the seam she could barely contain herself from ripping open only moments ago. "I cant." she sighed as she extended the envelope to Tommy. 

The raven haired man reluctantly taking it as he released a shaky breath. His movements mirroring Marisol's as he too couldn't work up the nerve to break the seal. 

"Give me the damn envelope before Marisol goes into labor." Joel chimed in, slight annoyance laced in his voice as he looked between the indecisive pair. 

Tommy didn't miss a beat as he handed the closed envelope to his older brother.  Joel received it with ease as he wasted no time tearing the top open and pulling out a folded post it note. 

Marisol grabbed at Tommy's hands, interweaving their fingers as the two anxiously awaited Joel's words. "Oh shoot, Sarah and my sister. Maybe we should wait until tonight. Don't want them to feel left out." Marisol knitted her brows. Suddenly feeling apprehensive as her mind raced to the two other people whose opinion mattered the most to her. 

"Baby its fine." Tommy softly chuckled as he kissed away the crease between her furrowed eyebrows. 

"Hate to say it, but the little rugrat might be a bit disappointed." Joel spoke up as he turned the post it note around for Marisol and Tommy to see. 

There it was in three, big handwritten letters, boy. 

"A boy. We're having a boy." Tommy spoke in a matter-of-fact manner. 

Marisol nodded her head as she too was still in a state of shock. 

"Oh my god, baby we're having a boy!" A look of realization crossed the younger Miller man's features as he exclaimed.  

"Yeah, we are!" A string of laughs soon escaped Marisol's lips as Tommy wrapped his arms around her, embracing her as she slightly lifted off the ground. 

Joel watched the couple with a sad smile, reminiscing on the time when he was the one in their shoes. The joy he felt and how tightly he held Sarah's mother when he found out they were having a baby girl. 

Just as he had prepared to walk off and leave the pair to have their moment alone together, Marisol broke off from Tommy's grasp and pulled him into a hug. "Looks like I've found myself stuck with another Miller boy." her words nothing but teasing as she etched away from the older Miller man who gave a playful eyeroll. 

"Little guys even got a big head just like his daddy." Joel furthered the teasing as he pulled out the sonogram from the envelope. 

His comment earning a smack upside the head from Tommy as Marisol retrieved the image from his grasp. 

The ghost of a smile lingered at Marisol's lips as she tuned out the bickering words of the two siblings. Her fingers delicately ran over the photo, scared if her movements weren't careful enough the image of her baby would tear and become damaged. A part of her was still terrified she would somehow screw it all up, end up just like her mot-

"You okay?" the gentle tone of Tommy's voice pulled her from her depressing inner monologue. 

"Couldn't be happier." She was quick to ease his worries, as she allowed the smile to fully form on her lips, pushing aside the thoughts of insecurity that clouded her mind, as she handed him the sonogram. 

The dark haired man beamed as his eyes scanned over the image, carefully threading it between his fingers. He's going to make an amazing dad. Marisol just hoped she could at least be a fraction of the good parent she knew Tommy would be. 

Tommy's line of sight fixated back on Marisol. The grin she wore moments ago to lay his worrying thoughts to rest, still present on her lips. 

The brunette convinced she had managed to successfully conceal the disheartening thoughts that ate at her as he yet again took her hands in his, softly running his thumb over the band that adorned her ring finger. 

"I know, I'm scared too." Tommy acknowledged the sentiment Marisol was reluctant to. 

A small, alleviated sigh slipped past Marisol's lips. It was no use trying to hide how she felt from her husband. He knew how to decode her emotions, despite how difficult she made it for him at times. 

She used to rack her mind for an explanation on how he always managed to see through the barriers she put in place. She recalled a time where he said it was her eyes that gave it away. The gleam in them that betrayed whatever front or mask she attempted to put forward.  

Regardless of what her tell was, in the end she was grateful Tommy saw the real, true her. 

"I was thinking, maybe Sam could come stay with us." Marisol cleared her throat. "I know she's been having trouble with where she's at right now and I thought it would be nice to have her around, and she could y'know help with the baby." She set out to give a valid reason for wanting to share her home with her sister. 

A wish that didn't have to be justified in her husband's eyes as he nodded his head. "Sounds like a good idea. I can fix up the extra room for her."

Marisol gazed at Tommy with an affectionate look, one that communicated her thankfulness without needing to vocalize it. She loved him so much. 

"And I invited her over tonight for cake, I hope that's okay." She stepped back and turned to face Joel for confirmation. 

"More than okay. She's welcome anytime." Joel smiled softly. He knew how important family was and how much incorporating Sam into theirs mattered to Marisol. 

"I should probably call her. Not sure I can wait until tonight to give her the good news." Marisol returned the bright expression as her gaze shifted between Joel and Tommy. 

Both Miller men nodded their heads in understanding as Marisol retreated to a less noisy section of the site to dial her sister's number.  The smile on her lips only grew brighter as the phone began to ring, anticipating Sam's voice on the other line and her reaction to the news. Though, her grin soon faltered as the ringing stopped and she was greeted by the electronic tone of the voicemail.  

Marisol started to grow worried as she hung up the phone. She hadn't been in contact with Sam since they parted ways at the bakery in the morning. When she instructed her to take the rest of the day off after patching up her feverish skin. 

She tried the number again, convinced that perhaps the forgetful teen didn't hear it ring the first few times. Yet it proved to be to no avail as she heard the familiar tone of the answering machine..... she just hoped her sister was okay... 

── GABRI SPEAKS!

the way this chapter was supposed to be 4k words MAX and get as far as THAT scene, but i got carried away and ended up writing 5k + words of the millers being happy and excited for the future...... i hate myself
👁👄👁

the way i wasnt even initially going to write in sam or much about marisols past until the time skip where i was gonna drop some hints here and there, but then i thought... y'know what would be more painful..

if she lost her sister (that she was just getting to reconnect with) due to a situation she had no control of (like mamas already being infected) and making it worse by having marisol not realize it till the very end and her living with the guilt that she failed to protect her sister again 🤭

anyways, cant wait to finish writing the absolute pain that will be chapter three 🥰

thank you to everyone who has shown support and interacted with this fic so far! pls continue to vote and comment! i love reading what y'all have to say and i apologize in advance for whats to come in the upcoming chapters

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