She struggled to stay awake, but his hand stroking over her head lulled her. As her eyes fluttered, she saw Hutch and Sawyer standing a few feet away, watching her. She wanted to say something, to make sure they didn’t feel left out. She anxiously searched their expressions for anger or resentment, but all she found was warmth.
She kept her unfocused stare on the two of them until the edges of her periphery started to fade and blacken. She blinked once more and then surrendered to the dark.
CHAPTER 9
Sawyer opened the front door and ushered Birdie inside. He hugged her and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
“Thanks for coming, Birdie. Reggie is still asleep, and we’re going to go ahead and take off so we can get back as soon as possible.”
Birdie smiled and patted his arm. He grinned at the gesture. It was so reminiscent of when he was much younger, just a boy with an attitude, confused by Birdie’s quiet acceptance.
She had befuddled him from the start. Unlike other foster parents who couldn’t wait to lay down the law and rein him in, Birdie had smiled at him. Not just any smile but one full of love and understanding. She managed to get her way by using that smile, because who could look at her and not feel guilty?
Sawyer wrapped an arm around Birdie and urged her toward the living room. She felt fragile and slight against him. A curl of panic circled his stomach. He didn’t like to think of Birdie getting older. She was too important to all of them.
“Are you getting enough rest, Birdie? Have you seen your doctor lately?”
She smiled as she sat down in the chair and actually rolled her eyes when Sawyer fussed around her, pulling the ottoman over to prop her feet up.
“I’m right as rain, Sawyer. Even Doc Stevens says so.”
Sawyer frowned. “Do you think maybe you should consider seeing a doctor in Houston? Maybe a specialist? I mean Doc Stevens is older than dirt. He was practicing medicine in the stone age. Maybe he’s not up to date on the latest medical developments.”
Her eyes twinkled with merriment. “I’m two years older than Doc Stevens, Sawyer.”
His cheeks tightened, and he ducked his head. “I guess that didn’t come out too well,” he mumbled.
She laughed and put her wrinkled hand on his wrist. “I’m fine. Really. Doc says I’ll live another thirty years.”
“Good,” he said gruffly.
Cam and Hutch walked into the living room, their eyes lighting up when they saw Birdie. Sawyer stepped back as they both enfolded Birdie in hugs. She smiled and preened under their compliments and patted each of them on the cheek as though they were ten years old again. And both of them beamed from ear to ear under her attentions.
Sawyer shook his head. They were all kids when it came to Birdie. She had a way of making them feel important. And loved. They had no defense against her, and none of them had a problem admitting that at all.
“You’ll be okay here with Reggie?” Cam asked in a serious tone.
Birdie waved her hand at him. “You boys get on out of here. Regina and I will be fine. I’ll make sure she takes her pill just like you wanted. She’ll probably sleep until you get back.”
“Okay, well you have our cell numbers. Call us if you have any problem at all.”
She made shooing motions with her hands. They each kissed her again, and she got up to go see them out. She stood at the door waving as they drove away, and Sawyer stared at her image in the side-view mirror until they turned onto the highway.
“Maybe we should offer to move her out to the house,” Sawyer said as he leaned back in the seat.
Cam glanced sideways at him, and Hutch leaned forward from the backseat to rest his arms over the middle divider.
“Who, Birdie?” Hutch asked.
Sawyer nodded. “Yeah. I mean she’s getting older. We should think about taking care of her better. She lives alone in that same old house she’s always lived in.”
“That’s home,” Cam said. “I don’t want her to get rid of the house.”
Hutch nodded.
“She doesn’t have to get rid of it,” Sawyer said patiently. “I just thought we could keep a better eye on her if she was staying with us in the new house.”
“One, she’d never go for it,” Cam said. “She’s too independent, and the fact is, she’s healthy as a horse. She’ll outlive us all. Two, think about what you’re saying.” He eyed Sawyer for a moment before returning his gaze to the road. “You’d be putting her in the middle of an already awkward situation with Reggie. It’s going to be hard enough to convince Reggie to stay with us. Add Birdie to the mix, and it wouldn’t be fair to either of them.”
