Isaac turns all business, and so does Dr. Main. “Claire has a supracondylar fracture. We’re going to put two pins in her arm.” Isaac focuses on me and my dad as he talks, and, using two fingers to represent the pins, shows us on his arm where they will enter Claire’s. “We’ll put on a temporary cast. I want to see her in ten days in my office for more x-rays and a hardcast.”
“Mommy?”
I inhale sharply and turn to Claire. “Baby, you’re awake. What do youneed?”
“Have I had surgery yet?” Her voice is still sleepy. I run my hands over her hair and down her cheeks. “Not yet,love.”
“Claire?” Isaac’s voice is right behind me. It’s smooth and strong and sends shivers down myback.
My hands shake so badly, I have to slip them into the back pockets of myjeans.
“Yes?” Claire turns her eyes onhim.
“I’m Dr. Cordova. I’m going to fix your arm today. How does that sound?” His voice is soft, but not babyish.It’s justright.
“Good. I tripped and fell playin’ soccer.” She smiles at him, and I see him in her face. He looks at me, his eyes questioning, and fear twists my stomach. Is he seeing himself in hertoo?
“Soccer?” He looks back to Claire. “I bet you’re a great soccerplayer.”
“I am,” she saysproudly.
He smiles at her. “Are you ready to get that armfixed?”
“Yes.” Her voice is unsteady now. Her lower lip trembles. “Can Mommy come withme?”
“You know what? This is an extra special room that only doctors and their brave patients can goto.”
“I am pretty brave.” Claire nods and purses her lips, like she’s thinking. “OK, yeah, I can go. But not unless Mommy says OK. I’m not allowed to go places with people I don’tknow.”
Isaac looks at me and smirks. “Safetyfirst.”
I allow a small smile, knowing he’s thinking about the night we met and my open-drinkpolicy.
Claire’s head smells like last night’s shampoo as I kiss it. “You can go, and I’ll be there when you wakeup.”
Two nurses show up, and Dr. Main steps to the side of Claire’s bed. He releases the bed’s brake, and suddenly, it’s all veryreal.
My baby is going under anesthesia, and the person who helped me create her is also the person who’s going to fix her. It’s too much for me tobear.
Tears roll down my cheeks as soon as the wheels on her bed start moving. “I love you, Claire.” I’m trying to keep my voice under control, but it breaksanyway.
In three seconds she’s past me, past the curtain, and heading down the hall. I feel sick watching hergo.
“Everything’s going to be OK, Aubs.” My dad’s tone is soothing, but it doesn’t actuallysoothe.
“Aubrey, she’s going to be OK. This surgery is a piece of cake. Honestly.” Isaac still has that air about him, the one of total competence. It’s a good thing for a doctor tohave.
I swallow the lump in my throat, trusting him even though I hardly know him. Our eyeslock.
“I trust you.” My voice is low. I don’t know what it is about Isaac that made me trust him that night five years ago, and I don’t know what it is that makes me trust him implicitly now. All I know is that Ido.
Isaac and Dr. Main leave the bay. I hurry to the curtained exit and watch their backs, my hands steepled against mylips.
My dad steps in front of me. I didn’t hear him walk up, but he’s here now, his cheekbones pulled taut from hisglare.
“You said his name wasMike.”
“I just don’t understand why you lied.” My dad rearranges himself in the hard-back chair for the tenth time in as manyminutes.
