“The boy needs his father,” Rosa said.

Abigail glanced at me. “You realize that Gavin’s only obligation will be for child support, and even that can be challenged if you keep the boy in Mexico and do not allow visitation.”

Jesus, they were acting like I wasn’t even there. “I’m not a total asshole,” I said.

“Really?” Abigail shot at me. “Because you were putting on a pretty good imitation of one.”

She was right. God. I had forgotten everything, the promise I made in ICU, the plans in my head just that morning. “I need help,” I said. “I can’t do this by myself.”

Abigail’s free hand reached for mine, creating a bridge between the three of us. “You aren’t by yourself. There’s going to be a lot of people involved. We can get you counseling. We can get you legal aid. But you two are going to need some patience. You have to realize this isn’t going to happen overnight. And you do have to decide what you mean to each other, what you want from this new family that has been formed.”

“I plan to marry Corabelle,” I said. “If she’ll have me after this.”

Abigail nodded. “So you can work on that.” She turned to Rosa. “Do you want to try and immigrate with your son, or return to Mexico?”

“I do not want to be in Gavin’s way,” she said. “I just cannot keep the boy on my own.”

“Are you able to help her financially, Gavin?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what she needs.”

“See, those are the easy answers.” Abigail let go of both of us and returned to her folder. “I’m going to hold on to these papers for now. Rosa, let’s get you and your son safely in Mexico.” She turned to me. “You can plan to visit, help her get settled. I’ll get you appointments with the embassy, some legal aid, and we’ll start the paperwork. In the meantime, get to know your son. I think you’ll find as this settles out, the answers will become simpler.”

“Do you have anywhere to go?” I asked Rosa. “Will your brother kick you out?”

“I don’t know,” Rosa said. “He always helped me before, but the family is angry.”

“Why don’t we call him?” Abigail said. “That sounds like a place to start. You and I can go to my office. Is your boy all right? Do you need to get him?”

“He is with my cousin,” Rosa said. “He is okay.”

Abigail stood up and pulled an envelope from her folder. “Here is your copy of the DNA testing.” She handed it to me. “We’ll be in touch with you. Stay in touch with Rosa.”

I nodded and got up from the chair.

Rosa wiped her eyes and turned to me. “I am sorry I was not careful. But I am not sad about Manuelito. He is the best thing. A joyful boy.”

“I should have known better. I just wished I had known before.”

“This is my fault. I think he live okay with Letty.”

“He was meant to be with you.” I shoved the envelope in the pocket of my jacket. “We’ll figure this out.”

“Ask her, Gavin,” Rosa said. “Do not wait.”

“Ask what?”

“To marry. Ask her today. Very soon. She will not wait. I know a woman’s heart. You must do it now.”

I glanced at Abigail, but her expression was unreadable.

Maybe Rosa was right. I knew exactly what I had to do.

I sulked in the back of Jenny’s car. Tina sat in the passenger’s seat, and the two of them were already talking about restaurants and music like they were old friends.

“I don’t see why anybody would want to go to the beach on a day like this,” I said. Out the window the sky was bright and the wind was actually sort of gentle, but the air was still cold.

“I’m your therapist, and I say you have to face the beast,” Tina said. “Back to where your troubles began.”

We pulled into a parking lot near La Jolla. We weren’t anywhere near the spot I’d gone into the water a week ago, but the ocean was the same, blustery and whitecapped. All my life, I had felt connected to it, as though it was leading me to my future, my happiness. But now, it was the enemy.

“I’m pretty sure no licensed psychiatrist would think this is a good idea,” I said.

Jenny killed the engine and turned around, her pink hair vivid against the backdrop of sand and sea. “I’m full of bad ideas.” She opened her door. “Come on.”

Jenny jerked a picnic basket from the trunk and led the way along a path that angled toward the beach. A few lone gulls circled the shore. Otherwise, the oceanfront was deserted.

“I can’t believe I haven’t been here before,” Tina said. “All work and no play.”

“You find a place yet?” Jenny asked.

“Nah. I’ll wait and see if they bring me on full-time. Besides, I’m kind of digging the room service and daily cleaning ladies at the hotel.”

“That’s got to be killing your earnings,” Jenny said.

“Not as bad as you think. It’s pretty seedy.”

“So did Dr. Hunk convince you to go out?” Jenny asked.

I had forgotten all about the doctor interested in Tina. Too much trouble of my own.

Tina glanced at me, realizing I had talked about her with Jenny. She shrugged. “He didn’t show up. Neither did his patient. Whatever.”

I trudged along behind them, realizing that it wasn’t nearly as cold as I had thought. In fact, after a couple minutes, I stripped my gloves and scarf away and stuffed them in the pocket of my coat.

Two days had passed since the test. Last night I had actually talked to Gavin on the phone a while. He told me Rosa was leaving for Mexico this afternoon to meet her brother, but Manuelito would remain behind for the time being, with her cousin.

Her brother had actually been sort of worried about her disappearance, so she still had a job and a place to live.

I didn’t understand how any of this would work. How much could a three-year-old understand about the changes his life had undergone in so short a time? The man he thought was his father was gone, replaced by this man he had never seen. One mother had let him go and another was now taking care of him.

Children were resilient. But I worried for him, if he would carry long-term insecurities from the upheaval. I didn’t know who I would be to him, if anyone at all. It seemed best if I just let them work things out before Gavin and I made any move toward a future together.

A cluster of people were standing together ahead. The glare on the water and the sand made it hard to see more than a shadow. Tina and Jenny glanced at each other, and I knew something was up.

“What have you planned?” I asked, catching up to them, squinting down the stretch of shore.

They surrounded me on either side.

“Well, as your unlicensed, untrained mental health professional,” Tina said, “I made the call that the place that once tried to take you out of this life is the very spot to bring you back in.”

“What are you talking about?” But I didn’t listen for an answer, as I could make out Gavin in the group of people ahead of us. I halted. “What’s he doing here?” And a woman. And a boy. Rosa and Manuel? And another man, holding a camera. A photographer?

I panicked. Were they getting married, here on the beach? And were they dragging me to it? The girls tried to move me forward, but I was rooted to the ground. “What is this?” My voice was strangled.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Jenny said. “I know that sound. This is not a bad thing. We promise. It’s a good thing. A very very very good thing.”

“Then why is she here? And — and the boy?”

“Well, that wasn’t our call,” Tina said. “But we went with it.”

“You have to tell me what’s going on, or I’m going to take off running.” And I meant it.

“Can you just trust us?” Jenny asked. “Just this once?” She stood in front of me. “Oh, and let’s fix your ’do.” She spread my hair out along my shoulders.

“Stop it.” I pushed her hands away. “Tell Gavin to come here and explain it.”

“Fair enough.” Jenny whirled around and wolf-whistled. “Yo, Gavin! Your woman needs you for a second.”