The London Paradigm (book 4 of Adopted by the Josephs)

7. Tyler

Samantha didn't call us tonight. She texted us in the morning, but she didn't call before she went to bed.

I called Mark's phone at what would have been Samantha's bedtime here at home, but she's on vacation, and even during summer vacation we're laxer about bedtime.

"Hi, Tyler. How're things?"

"Fine. Is Samantha around?"

"She's asleep, I'm afraid. We spent the day in the city and she is just tuckered out. She went to sleep as soon as we got home," Mark said.

"Can you get her to call us in the morning?"

"It'll be incredibly early your time when we get up in the morning," Mark said. "But I will make sure she calls you tomorrow."

We hung up and I couldn't shake the feeling that Mark was lying to me. Not necessarily about Samantha being asleep, but that he'd make sure she called tomorrow.

"Tyler?" Jenna said as I came out of the kitchen. "Are you okay?"

"Sam didn't call and when I called Mark's phone, he told me Samantha's already asleep. They spent the day in the city and he said he'll make sure she calls tomorrow."

"Okay," Jenna said. "So why do you look so troubled?"

"I can't shake the feeling he's lying to me. To us."

Jenna sighed and shook her head.

"I want to trust him, them," she said. "But I understand how you feel. I would be lying if I didn't feel somewhat the same way as you. But at the same time, we have to trust them. And we have to trust Sam."

"Sam's not the problem. Why did we let her go, Jenna?"

"Because she's 15, because Mark is her mother's brother, and he's the only person who can tell her about the family she didn't know about. We can't keep that from her."

I sighed because I know Jenna is right.

"It's just a few more weeks, Ty," Jenna said. "And I'm sure she'll call tomorrow."

"I hope so. I just miss her so much, you know? I mean, it was one thing when Stanley took her and we didn't know where she was or what was happening. But now we know where she is, and we're supposed to assume she's safe..."

"She is, Tyler," Jenna interjected.

"I know. But, well, she's our daughter, and I'm maybe a little overprotective of her, with everything she's been through. What if she has a seizure. Did we even tell them about her seizures? Will they know how to handle her blood sugar if it goes too high or too low?"

"Tyler, we did discuss those things with them, and they do have hospitals in England, you know. And Sam has her insurance and travel insurance with her, and we talked to her about that, and we talked to Mark and Carol about her insurance. She's fine Tyler. She's going to be fine and she'll be home on the first."

"Dada?" Rosie said, lifting her arms to me from her play mat, where she was sitting and playing. I picked my baby daughter up.

"Is my little Rosie ready for bed?" I asked as she rubbed her eyes. "Bathtime and bedtime?"

Rosie looked at me and put her little hands on my cheeks.

"SaSa?"

"No. Dada. SaSa is in England. Can you say England?"

Rosie stared at me and then said:

"SaSa, Dada."

"I know, pumpkin. I miss Samantha, too."

I carried Rosie upstairs and started running a bath for her, changed her out of her diaper and put her in the bath, in her bath seat, giving her hair a quick wash, and playing with her in the bath for a little while. She loved any toy that spat water out, so I sprayed her tummy a few times and she laughed the most musical laugh.

Jenna was leaning in the doorway of the bathroom watching me with Rosie.

"You're a good dad, Tyler Robert Joseph. Both your girls are very lucky."

"I'm lucky. I have three of the most amazing girls in my life," I smiled back. Rosie took the opportunity to squeeze the toy she was holding and sprayed me in the ear with her bathwater. I turned around and made a funny face at her and pretended to be mad, but in a silly voice.

"Rosie Robert Joseph! Did you just spray your daddy in the ear?" I asked. She giggled.

"Well, for that, missy, you must be punished!"

I lifted her out of the bath and wrapped her in a towel and tickled and raspberried her stomach all the way back to her room. Rosie giggled the entire way back to her room, kicking her little feet as I put her down on her change table, slathered her in lavender baby lotion and put her in a clean diaper and a light sleeper. I cuddled with her as I read her a book in her rocking chair, and then gently placed her in her crib as she was dozing off.

"Good night, peanut," I whispered, as I closed her bedroom door.

I looked across the hall at Samantha's empty room and sighed.