She and Devon had simply taken care of Ava.
Now, Devon pulled into the car park and took a deep breath before getting out. Stacey helped Ava out while Devon retrieved the case.
Ava didn’t say a word as they entered the building, but Stacey held her hand gently. Ava knew exactly where they were going.
Devon opened the door to the side room of the hospital ward, and Stacey was relieved to see that Daniel was sitting up today. He still had little colour and was attached to various machines, but his face lit up at the sight of Ava.
‘Daddy,’ she cried, running towards the bed.
Then she stopped short, remembering that she’d been unable to hug him the day before.
Daniel patted the bed beside him. She climbed up and nestled into the crook of his arm.
Janine stepped forward and hugged them both long and hard. Devon and Stacey had enabled her to focus solely on her brother. She’d barely left the hospital in two days.
Daniel had been stabbed twice. One had ruptured his spleen. It had been touch and go in the helicopter, but surgery had saved his life.
They had debated the merits of allowing Ava to visit the previous day, but once he was considered no longer critical, they had all decided it was better for the child to be able to see him.
Despite the pain he was in, Daniel was beaming from ear to ear as he listened to his daughter jabber on about the film they’d watched the night before.
Janine stood between her and Devon, watching the two of them.
‘They’re hoping to release him tomorrow,’ she said. ‘My husband has turned his study into a downstairs bedroom, and the boys are excited about bunking together. I’ve arranged a nurse to come in twice a day.’
Stacey nodded. She’d liked Janine on sight, and she had no doubt that the woman would take care of them both.
Janine reached out a hand to both of them. ‘I don’t know how we can ever thank you.’
‘We can’t,’ Daniel said from the bed.
‘She is one special little girl,’ Devon said.
Janine moved back to the bed and ruffled Ava’s hair. ‘Hear that, pumpkin?’
‘Pumpkin?’ Ava asked, chuckling.
It occurred to Stacey that neither of these adults was related to Ava by blood, but they could be no more of a family if they were.
Stacey knew the moment they’d been dreading was finally here.
‘Okay, kiddo, we gotta get going,’ she said, trying to keep the emotion out of her throat.
Ava climbed down from the bed and hugged Devon first.
‘Gonna miss you, sweetie,’ Devon said with a catch in her voice.
‘I’ll miss you too,’ Ava said, moving across to hug Stacey.
Stacey held her tight. ‘You still got my number?’
Ava nodded as a tear rolled over her cheek.
‘You promise to use it now and again? Let us know how you’re doing?’
She looked to her dad.
‘Of course. They’re your aunties now,’ he said with a grateful smile. ‘We’d both like you to keep in touch.’
