“Meaning the club?What did you tell him?”
“The truth.That nothing matters more to me than making sure Brynn has what she needs to be healthy again.”I paused, swallowing hard.“And that I plan to be in her life, in both your lives, for as long as you’ll let me.”
Lavender’s fingers curled into the fabric of my shirt.“And if that’s forever?”
The question hung between us, heavy with implication.This wasn’t just about co-parenting anymore.This was about something deeper taking root between us, something neither of us had expected to find again.
“Then I’m the luckiest son of a bitch alive,” I whispered.
We stayed like that, tangled together on the cold hospital floor, until the sound of approaching footsteps in the hall signaled Brynn’s return.Lavender reluctantly pulled away, wiping at her eyes.
“They can’t see me like this,” she said.“Brynn will worry.”
I nodded, helping her to her feet, steadying her with hands that lingered perhaps longer than necessary.As she straightened her clothes and tried to compose herself, I retrieved her phone from the floor, caught once more by the image of Brynn’s smiling face frozen on the screen.
“We’ll make sure she has many more birthdays to celebrate,” I promised.
Lavender’s eyes met mine, and I knew I was supposed to be here with my girls.Something dangerously close to hope blossomed in my chest and I clung to that feeling for dear life.We heard Brynn before we actually saw her, her voice carrying down the hospital corridor with surprising strength for someone who’d spent the day getting prodded by doctors.Lavender and I exchanged glances as we approached her room, the familiar sound of my daughter’s “debate mode” bringing an unexpected smile to my face despite the emotional wreckage of the past hour.
“-- which is why the package insert clearly states administration should occur two hours after the immunosuppressant, not simultaneously,” Brynn was saying as we reached the doorway.“The binding affinity of the molecules means they compete for the same receptors.It’s basic pharmacology.”
I leaned against the doorframe, taking in the scene.Brynn sat up in bed, her blue hair sticking out in spiky tufts from her ultrasound, IV line trailing from her thin arm.She held her tablet like a shield, screen displaying what looked like a medical journal article.The nurse, a middle-aged woman with steel-gray hair framing her amused face, pushed her through the door in a wheelchair.
“While I appreciate your extensive research, Miss Leahy,” the nurse replied, tapping a gloved finger against the chart, “Dr.Wilson adjusted your protocol specifically.The timing is intentional.”
Brynn’s eyes narrowed, not intimidated in the slightest.“Did Dr.Wilson account for the peak plasma concentration overlap?Because according to this study from Johns Hopkins…” She flipped to another screen on her tablet and spouted shit I had no fucking hope of understanding.
Jesus Christ.My eleven-year-old daughter was debating pharmacokinetics with a medical professional like it was a discussion about her favorite video game.Pride swelled in my chest so suddenly it physically hurt and I had to duck my head and put my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
“Well,” the nurse said, setting down the medication tray with deliberate care, “perhaps I should consult with Dr.Wilson again.”She glanced up, noticing Lavender and me in the doorway.She grinned, clearly not taken aback or insulted in any way.“Mrs.Calloway, Mr.Leahy.We’re back.Everything went smoothly.I’ll be back with her meds in a bit.”She scowled back at Brynn over her shoulder before turning back to us and grinning again.
Brynn’s head snapped up, her expression shifting instantly from righteous academic fury to something more guarded.Her eyes locked onto Lavender’s face, missing nothing as usual.Including the slight puffiness around her eyes, the faint tear tracks not completely erased by her hasty cleanup in the hallway.
“Mom?”The single syllable carried a world of concern.
The nurse used the distraction to retreat, stopping beside us with an even bigger smile.“Your daughter,” she said to Lavender, voice low enough that Brynn couldn’t hear, “has memorized half the Physicians’ Desk Reference since breakfast.”She winked.“At least she’s not scared and trying to be brave anymore.Gave her something else to think about.”With a knowing nod, she slipped past us into the hallway.
I moved into the room, keeping a respectful distance from Brynn’s bed.Despite our gaming sessions and the tentative connection we’d started to build, I knew better than to assume too much too fast.
Brynn ignored me completely, her focus laser-sharp on her mother.“What happened?”she demanded, tablet abandoned on the blanket.“You’ve been crying.”
Lavender moved to Brynn’s bedside, smoothing back her daughter’s wild hair.“It’s nothing, baby.Just a rough day.”
“Bullshit,” Brynn stated flatly, her gaze shifting to me, hardening into accusation.“What did you do?”
The question hit like a sucker punch.I kept my face neutral despite the sting.“Brynn --”
“Did he say something?Is he backing out?”Her voice rose, the monitor beside her bed registering a spike in her heart rate.“Because if he thinks he can just walk away again --”
“Brynn Elizabeth Leahy,” Lavender cut in, her tone sharper than I’d heard her use with our daughter but still gentle.“That’s enough.Knight didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Then why were you crying?”Brynn challenged, but uncertainty crept into her voice.
I took a careful step forward.“Your mom’s been carrying one hell of a weight, kid.Sometimes even the strongest people need a minute to break down.”
Brynn’s eyes narrowed as she assessed my words for lies.Finding none, she turned back to Lavender.“Is that true?”
Lavender sank onto the edge of the bed, taking Brynn’s hand between both of hers.“Yes.I was looking at old photos while you were getting your ultrasound.Just… remembering easier times.”She squeezed Brynn’s fingers gently.“Knight found me upset, that’s all.He actually helped me feel better.”
