I quickly got dressed and headed downstairs. Atlas also woke up and looked at me, but I gestured to him, saying, “Go back to sleep.”

I wondered who could be at the door and why they pressed the doorbell so frantically early in the morning. It made me uneasy, and I hoped nothing bad had happened. Unexpectedly, I saw Grace through the peephole and quickly understood what was happening.

After some thought, I opened the door. Grace hurried in and angrily pushed me aside when she saw me. I could do nothing besides shaking my head in resignation.

Once inside, Grace scolded me, “You lied to me! You promised to let me see Ava, but where is she? She’s my granddaughter and has the Murphys’ blood in her veins. Why won’t you let me see her?!”

I gazed at her and realized she had the Murphy family trait of yelling. However, I gave her space to vent because she was the most pitiful member of the family but also cared dearly for Ava.

“Tell your daughter to come down, or I’ll go upstairs. You’re s