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She attempted a sest feeling that there was more to Anika than met the eye And I couldn’t understand how such a beautiful wo

25

Nastasia

Much like grief, there were five stages to losing a child you were

First cauy who should have been sitting beside me to find his chair empty, I stilled in confusion My broered as I rose off my seat and muttered, “The hell?”

I swear, he was here a second ago

Looking around Sasha’s office, like the space aroundfor the little boy to hide away, I stood in the open area and, well, did nothing, because where the heck could he have gone?

“He’s not an to look for hio?”

Almost immediately, my eyes snapped to the open door of the office, and my feet moved effortlessly in the heels I wore I peeked outside the door and called, “Trey?”

No answer

And so, I began to search At first, I ht frown pulling atMy irritation with it

Second stage Anger

“Where are you, you littlethe corner at an alaze flew all over the open floor of the club, but he was nowhere to be seen

And my temples pulsed

Who thought it would be a good idea to leave e of another small human?

I had one that I was entrusted to, my niece, but I’d never looked after another And never a boy

Why didn’t anyone warn me about little boys?

Now, normally, I loved kids But this little hurricane on two feet had , fat line of birth control immediately as a preemptive measure

“Trey,” I called out in a singsong way, leaning far over the front of the bar to see behind the counter “Where are you?”

As suspected, there was no response

I stood there I just stood there as dread settled itself on my shoulders

You lost her kid

My eyes widened in alarm

Birdie was going to be pissed

I glanced at my phone We still had two hours before we opened I had time

Next, bargaining

“Trey,” I called out sweetly “If you coive you a cookie”