The next couple of hours were spent getting the girls settled down and to bed. Rosa took the guest room upstairs to be close to the girls. She had a way of calming them down. It was clear that she loved them and they loved her.

She had a special knack with Alex. She knew not to get too close, not to crowd her or force an issue. She approached her like one approaches a scared animal. She coaxed in a soothing voice and waited patiently for her to make the first move.

Jessie was the archetypical middle child. She needed comfort and reassurance from her older sister and wanted to give comfort and reassurance to her younger sister.

Rosa put Jessie and Charlie to bed in Jessie's room and within a few minutes they were asleep. Alex was a different story. She was unable to give or receive any comfort except from Reggie who at present was lying on the floor by her bed. She stared up at the ceiling. Once in a while a stray tear would leak out from the corner of her eyes. Rosa knew that she needed to be alone with her wounds. Standing in the doorway she told Alex that everything was going to work out. "Michael will call your aunt and she will come to take care of you. It will be alright, I promise."

With that said she closed the door leaving it open a crack. The hall light offered a dim glow across the room just catching Reggie's side as he lay sprawled out protectively between Alex and the door. It broke Rosa's heart not to be able to hug and comfort her but she knew that Alex needed some time alone.

~~~~~

"Well they're down for the night," she sighed as she lowered her weight into a chair next to Michael at the kitchen table.

"Thanks, Mom. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been able to come back for the night."

"You would have managed Mijo, that's all any of us can do." She reached out and patted his hand.

~~~~~

Rosa at 48 was an attractive woman although slightly overweight. She wore her thick black hair just below her jaw line in soft waves. A streak of gray about an inch wide ran through the front of her hair. It had appeared after the birth of her first child.

Her marriage to Michael's father Joe was very happy but too brief. One afternoon after returning home from his gardening business he kissed his wife and collapsed. He died instantly the victim of a stroke. He was 32 years old. Rosa was widowed at 29 with three young children to raise.

She met and married Alfredo four years later. He owned a bait shop on the pier as well as several homes which he used as rentals. He was well situated, financially comfortable and eleven years older than her. He offered her stability. The marriage wasn't as happy as hers to Joe had been, but he was a decent man, although at times too demanding of his wife's attention.

~~~~~

"I'll see you in the morning, Mijo. Are you sure you want to stay here tonight?"

"I still have to call the girls' aunt. I'll be fine down here. You look tired Ma, get some sleep."

"You too."

After his mom went to bed he rummaged through the desk in the hall looking for an address book. He had found out from Alex that her aunt's name was Grace Ponsford and she lived in Sausalito.

Locating the book, he found a listing for her. He made himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the desk to phone her. It was almost 9:00 pm. Reggie had come from upstairs and settled himself at his feet. Michael let out a heavy sigh as he reached down and patted his head. He didn't want to wait until morning to call Grace knowing that she'd have to drop everything and come here. Maybe having a few extra hours would help with arrangements.

He stared at the phone for a long time. The enormity of consequence hit him once more. This call was going to impact this woman's life forever. From what Alex had told him, Grace Ponsford, Laura's younger sister was the only living relative these three little girls had. Reluctantly, he picked up the phone and dialed.