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interacting well using basic social and communication skills. But it was the counselor working with Bria that made Carlos do a double take. He looked closer. The woman   had long, ebony silky hair flowing down her back as it was pinned up in a ponytail. Her curvaceous figure and tiny waist was recognizable. Could it be? She told him on Thursday that she volunteered with children but they never did get into details. She tended to be shy about adding specifics about herself.  His heart beat hard in his chest and he was somewhat aroused by her presence. His spirit moved up a notch. It was she. No mistaking it. When the woman turned her head around, he confirmed it. He moved closer to the window thankful it was one-way. He watched in awe Sophie’s genuine enthusiasm and Bria’s reaction to her. Bria even played with Sophie’s hair running her finger through it in awe. He had only agreed for Bria to be enrolled for the weekends by the therapist’s suggestion and now he was glad. Still he couldn’t pull his eyes off Sophie with his sister. They blended so well together.
     
    This would change everything, he decided.
     
    “Your sister is doing really well here, Carlos. She’s so advanced.” The program director came into the room and noticed Carlos’s gaze.
     
    “Yes. Yes she is,” Carlos answered, almost distractedly. “She’s got a good therapist, I see.”
     
    “Oh, yes. Sophie is wonderful with children. I’m not just saying that. She’s so dedicated and hard working. She goes the extra mile. We hope to hire her full time as staff once she gets her Master’s degree. She’s really added a lot to the centre with her special approach to the children and her research and advocacy in providing the best care for children with autism.”
     
    “I see,” Carlos whispered, mesmerized by Sophie’s interaction with Bria . He could not believe how perfect the situation would be. Sophie would be excellent for his contract wife and he would have a good case in point at the mediation. She was perfect with autistic children.  He felt not a shred of guilt over forming this farce to gain custody of Bria . If his stepmother, Bria’s mom cared a shred about Bria it would all be different. But she was having a challenge in life as it was, being diagnosed with autism. He was stunned by her progress with the right care and attention. Any form of abuse including neglect could send her backwards and undo everything he’d worked for. He’d heard of   kids with autism being bullied and later regressing and cutting off all communication. This was not going to happen to his sister. Not on his watch. As a child, he could relate to not having any attention from his own father.
     
    His mother worked hard trying to be there for him. She was his only support and showed him love and care. But she’d passed away early when he was only ten. It was a knife in his heart to think about the loss. Of course, his father who enjoyed having kids but not looking after them, left him in the care of many nannies. Some were not good others were okay.
     
    He’d been tossed around and hardly saw his own father. He almost became socially inadequate himself. Mourning the loss of   his mother and not having anyone close to share the burden with him. His father just kept marrying gold-digging women who couldn’t care less about his children. His older sister Katy had died in a freak pool accident. She was swimming with one of his stepmothers when it happened. Carlos never forgave her.
     
    Luckily his father divorced her soon after. The only wise thing his father did was to have an iron-clad prenup signed every time he married. He would lavish his women and lure them with his wealth then hide it from them. He seemed to skimp where his children were concerned. Still, he was glad that when he passed away he left it all to Bria . At least he did something smart on the way out.
     
    “Are you going to be attending the staff annual barbecue and pool