"And I can get you all the books you want," I promised.
But she made a face at that. "Books are more Ayla's thing."
"Crochet?" Omden offered.
And Meri's eyes went wide. "I could do that?"
I lifted a finger, begging him to wait. "Is that a happy question or a dreading one?"
"I like to crochet," she assured me. "I'm not as good at knitting, but needlepoint..." And the smile? That proved she liked it.
"I'll pick up some thread tomorrow," Omden told me. "You get some fabric from Lessa."
"I need to head over there anyway," I admitted. "Give Meri one of my shirts, some of your shorts, and get her hair washed while I'm gone?"
But that made Meri tense up. "I don't think - "
"Over a sink," Omden hurried to assure her. "Meri, you can't have a bath until the cut heals a little more."
"Cut?" Then she sucked in a breath. "Oh, the incision?"
"It'll mess it up," Omden said. "I've been sewn up enough to know that. So that means washing will be with a basin and cloth. Hair is harder, but I can do it in the sink, and we can put it up to dry while you wash the rest of you, okay?"
"Okay," she agreed.
I stood, making sure I did it slowly. "I'll leave you both to do that, and when I come back, we'll have something better for you to wear, okay?"
She pressed her lips together before answering, looking between us one more time. "Thank you," she finally said. "I don't mean to be a bother."
"Be a bother," I told her. "My closest friends are the ones who bother me the most." And with a smile to prove that was meant to be funny, I left.
Omden immediately took over. I could hear his silky voice explaining things to her. I couldn't make out the words, but his tone was clear. He was trying to help. I also knew he hated himself for slapping Ayla when we'd found her. Knowing now what we did about the way these women had been treated downthere? They all deserved to have someone finally treat them with a little bit of kindness.
He and I had talked about it a few too many times. The little we'd heard was the stuff of nightmares. I couldn't even imagine being that small, weak, and helpless, and I wanted to make sure it was something these women forgot. My boyfriend? He was even worse. Hecouldimagine it, since he'd been bullied as a boy for being too delicate. He'd made himself a fighter because of it, giving up his childhood dreams for far too long.
I thought about him as I headed over to Lessa's place next door. My partner was the best man I could imagine. I was sure he had faults somewhere, but I was blind to them. From the time we'd met nearly a decade ago until now, he'd become the person I judged everyone else against, and Meri? She was more like him than I'd expected.
Lessa wasn't. She was the polar opposite. I knocked on her door, bracing myself for the tirade I knew was about to come. So, when she opened the door, I decided to just tackle this head on.
"Meri wanted to leave the hospital, I caught her as she reached the stairs and - "
"Where is she?" Lessa demanded, pushing past me as if ready to rush to her.
So I pointed to my house. "I picked her up and carried her back. Less, she doesn't have a place anymore. With Jeera and Brielle taking the baby, she's homeless. Well, was."
Her golden eyes narrowed on me. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," I said, bending down to look her right in the face, "that Meri doesn't want to live with the baby. No, they didn't kick her out. She was running, I think. Add in some stupid Mole horsecrap, and it makes the most sense for her to crash in our guest room. Well, one of them."
"I can clear a room for her!"
"I know you can," I promised, keeping my voice calm so she wouldn't bite my head off. "I planned on that."
"And?" she pressed.
"And," I went on, "she's fine. Omden's explaining to her how to clean up. Shit, he's probably washing her hair right now." Then I stepped closer, palming her cheek. "Relax, beautiful. We've got your girlfriend."
Lessa grunted at that. "She's not my girlfriend."
