Adam hung up the call with Missy.
The thought of Sheldon over there, scared out of his wits and trembling, made Adam burst into a grin. 😂
There's that saying: "Don't build your happiness on someone else's pain."
It's true.
But when it comes to Sheldon, no one can resist.
Pretty much everyone treats Sheldon's embarrassing moments like prime entertainment. It's practically a superpower of his—absolute chaos fuel. If this wasn't the same old Sheldon Adam knew, he'd seriously suspect the guy was some memory-wiped employee from a shady wish-granting company.
Maybe it's the side effects of overusing goofy skills for too long—even with his memory and abilities erased, he'd still subconsciously mimic those corporate tricks, accidentally mastering a whole set of half-baked talents. Stuff like ticking people off, melting their hearts, or cracking them up—super effective every time!
Thank goodness this "Lee" isn't that Li. Otherwise, Adam's forehead would've had a giant "DANGER" sign stamped on it! 😅
Two days later.
Medical Center.
Emergency Room.
"Carol!"
Adam waved at Nurse Carol.
"Is she here?"
Nurse Carol dashed over, practically buzzing with excitement.
"Yep, she just called. She should be here any sec. Wanna head out with me to check?" Adam said with a smile.
"Absolutely!"
Nurse Carol's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
The two of them strolled out of the ER and stepped outside the medical building. A totally ordinary black SUV rolled up and parked.
Out stepped Heather—looking stunning as ever—from the back seat, reaching down to hold the hand of a gorgeous little princess.
"Tatiana!"
Nurse Carol rushed over and crouched down, beaming.
"Auntie Carol!"
Tatiana threw her arms around her, full of joy. This time, she wasn't speaking Russian—she was using English!
"You're so beautiful!"
Nurse Carol gave her a quick hug, then pulled back to take a good look, showering her with praise.
Hmm… Living her best life, a smile straight from the heart, all dolled up, and with her natural beauty? Yep, total princess vibes! 👑
"You're beautiful too!" Tatiana giggled.
Even with her new mom Heather doting on her, Tatiana would never forget Nurse Carol—the one who'd shown her the most kindness back in the day.
The two started catching up right there. Mostly, it was Carol asking about Tatiana's life. Sure, she trusted Adam, and Tatiana's genuine smile and obvious happiness spoke volumes. But Carol had seen too much of the world's dark side. This little angel she'd once thought about adopting? She couldn't help but worry a tiny bit, wanting every detail to make sure this once-abandoned girl was truly doing okay.
Over on the other side…
Adam and Heather shared a quick hug and a kiss before he turned to greet Juno and Keno, who'd hopped out of the driver and passenger seats.
This time, Heather and Tatiana had flown into Boston first, then driven over with Juno and Karen.
"Never thought Lily would ask you to be a bridesmaid!" Adam teased Juno with a grin. "Since when are you and Lily so tight?"
"What, I can't be?" Juno laughed. "I've always been pretty close with them—Lily, Monica, we chat on the phone all the time. Even if Robin wasn't abroad, or Ted's bride Anna hadn't just had surgery, I'd still show up!"
"Of course you can!"
Adam gave her a look.
A little over a week ago, when the Hell Town incident blew up, Adam had been a nervous wreck, digging into every scrap of info about Elliot Deacon. He wanted to know everything to stay one step ahead. Juno got wind of it and drove over with Karen overnight.
At the time, Adam was at Kate's apartment, poring over details with her. When Juno and Karen knocked on the door at the crack of dawn, Kate's face was… well, let's just say awkward. 😳 She wasn't exactly comfy.
But Juno, Karen, and Adam? Totally chill. They didn't even notice her vibe and jumped straight into work mode.
Kate was floored. She'd thought Adam was already giving off major "super detective, crime-buster" energy. But Juno? Next level. After skimming the info Adam and Kate had painstakingly sorted, she casually pointed out a bunch of overlooked details—stuff that seemed minor but was huge once you thought about it.
"Juno's a Harvard Med School star, aiming for neurosurgery. She's a pro at psychology and psychiatry too," Adam quickly explained, sensing Kate might overthink it.
No way he could spill the real tea: Juno's got a knack for seeing through people, a hobby of diving into criminal minds, and a solid track record of fighting fire with fire.
Kate glanced at Adam—the weirdo—and relaxed. Genius weirdos hang with genius weirdos. Makes sense.
The next week, Juno took time off and stuck around. She tagged along with Kate, playing assistant and carrying bags while they met Elliot Deacon and everyone he'd crossed paths with.
Nights were for group case breakdowns. After Kate left, Juno and Adam kept digging. That's when she'd loosen up a bit, tossing out ideas she couldn't say in front of Kate—like how to really stay ahead of the game and some practical (but subtle) plans.
Karen, meanwhile, kept the coffee and snacks coming, totally unfazed.
That's why, after a hectic week, Adam could finally breathe easy. The old him—shaking in his boots under the shadow of two Little Red Riding Hoods, scrambling to churn out words—was long gone.
Now? He smirked to himself. Back then, I was way too green.
A pot of wine among the flowers, drinking alone with no one near.
I raise my cup to the moon so bright, with my shadow, we make three tonight.
This vibe? Pure bliss. No more trembling! 😎
"Uncle Adam!"
Tatiana finally finished chatting with Nurse Carol and launched herself at him.
"Who's this little angel belong to?" Adam scooped her up, teasing her with a grin.
"Your family's!"
Tatiana shot a cheeky glance at Heather.
"Nice, nice!"
Adam glanced at Heather, mumbling under Juno's sly smile and Karen's side-eye. "Looks like Tatiana's been hitting the English lessons hard—she's getting so good! What reward does Uncle Adam owe you?"
"Tonight's the wedding!" Tatiana chirped. "Look how Mommy dressed me up—don't I look like a little bride?"
"Totally, you nailed it!"
Adam nodded, eyeing her white tulle dress.
"Then after you dance with Mommy, I want you to dance with me too!" Tatiana laid out her request.
"Oh, I'm dancing with you first," Adam said, catching Heather's warm smile. "Once you're tired out, I'll dance with Mommy. Deal?"
"Deal!"
Tatiana clapped her hands.
"Let's roll—time's ticking!" Juno glanced at her watch. "Except for Tatiana, we've all gotta change, and we should check if Lily needs a hand."
"Yep, let's go!"
Adam nodded, carrying Tatiana to the back seat with Heather.
"Bye, Auntie Carol!"
Tatiana waved at Nurse Carol.
"Bye-bye!"
Nurse Carol waved back, her smile wide.
As the car pulled away, Carol's tears finally spilled over. Happy tears for Tatiana's joyful life, mixed with a touch of sadness for not being able to adopt this angel herself back then.
But the happiness? Way bigger than the sadness. 😊💖
(End of Chapter)