“Mommy.” Ella’s scratchy whisper added to Megan’s unease.
“I’m right here, sweetie.” Megan poured her daughter a glass of water and hoped the raspy voice was only from sleep and not a sore throat, signaling an impending illness was attacking her suppressed immune system.
Megan brushed her daughter’s soft hair from her forehead. “Did you have a good sleep?”
She yawned and reached for the cup. Taking a long sip of the ice water through the straw and looking around, she patted the sheets. “Where’s Boo-Boo?”
“I’m sorry, sweetie. Something came up and I couldn’t get him.” Megan set the cup on the table and braced for the reaction.
As predicted, Ella’s chin started to tremble. “But I need him, Mommy.”
Megan took Ella’s hand. “I know you like to have him with you, but you don’t need him here. I’m with you.”
“I need him.” Ella burst into tears.
Megan sat on the bed and drew her crying daughter into her arms. Why had she fostered Ella’s dependence on a stuffed animal? Sure, Boo-Boo had seemed like a good idea after the first surgery for a brain tumor when Ella was three. Now, three years later, it didn’t seem so wise.
“Shh.” Megan stroked Ella’s back.
“Ca-nn you get him, now-ww?” Sobs nearly tore away her words.
How Megan wished she could, but Fowler was free. Stalking them. She wouldn’t leave Ella alone, and she wouldn’t go to her house alone, either.
Ella’s slight body trembled in Megan’s arms.Oh, gosh.Megan’s heart shredded. Not only at her daughter’s thin frame but for Ella’s sadness that could’ve been prevented if not for Fowler. That creep. Killer. Robber.
Megan couldn’t do anything about Fowler right now. She could distract Ella, but how?
Maybe use one of the many she’d had to employ in situations like this for years. Alone to be both mother and father. Why couldn’t Orrin fulfill his marriage vows and be here to help them? In sickness and health. Orrin obviously didn’t know the meaning of those words. The first sign of a major problem and he’d run. Just as Reid had bailed on her.
Reid. That’s it! Maybe he would bring his cute little dog to see Ella. No, not maybe. Megan would convince him.
She pushed back and locked gazes with Ella. “I have something better for you. There’s a man and his daughter bringing a special surprise to patients today. He’ll be here in a few minutes.” Megan regretted promising something she wasn’t sure she could deliver, but when Ella’s eyes brightened, it was worth the risk of failure and more disappointment.
For the moment at least.
“When?” Her chest jerked as she tried to stop crying.
“Soon.”
“But how long is soon?”
“Not long. We just have to wait patiently.”
“I don’t think I can.” Her mouth started quivering.
Megan couldn’t watch her ill child start crying again. “Tell you what. I’ll call him to see if I can speed him up. Okay?”
“’K.”
Megan gave Ella’s hand a squeeze then crossed the room to get her phone from her purse. Putting herself in debt with Reid was probably a bigger mistake than Boo-Boo had been. But Megan would go to any lengths to help ease her daughter’s suffering.
Even if it meant partnering with a man she never really wanted to see again.
Reid escorted Jessie down the hallway toward the next patient’s room, the happy jingle from bells Jessie had strapped on Bandit’s collar belied the danger facing Megan. As did the hallways and rooms decorated with wreaths, wrapping paper, and cardboard Christmas cutouts. Christmas was less than a week away, but any holiday mood he’d managed to find had disappeared with Megan’s scream and remained buried during the visits to the children with desperate parents trying to cheer them on.
These families with sick children never ceased to amaze Reid. How in the world did they keep their spirits so high? If only he knew he could employ the optimism in his life, but he couldn’t do it. Especially not around a holiday. He could fake it. Or at least try his best. For Jessie.
“Dad?” She stopped near a brightly lit tree with presents stacked high underneath the wide branches and peered up at him. So did Bandit, the circles in a black mask around his eyes in a white face that gave him his name appearing lighter in the bright hospital lighting.
