Get a grip, Maddox.
He curled his fingers. She still had a very sick child, and he couldn’t go anywhere near that kind of issue.
She sighed, much like he wanted to but didn’t. He may not be able to talk about what was happening between them, but he could reassure her about Fowler.
“Relax. We’ve taken every precaution, and Ella will be fine.”
She warily eyed him. “I wish Icouldrelax. Fowler might not show up, but Ella isn’t out of the woods in the health department.”
“How long has she been sick?” He focused on the room, watching Ella, who stood next to Jessie and Bandit, waiting for Ella’s turn on Santa’s lap.
“Since she was three.”
“And she’s how old now?”
“Just turned six,” Megan said softly.
The pain in her voice drew his attention. Her focus remained on her daughter. Though clearly upset, the same strength she’d displayed yesterday was in her posture. She could handle whatever happened in the future. She may need him to protect her physically while Fowler was on the prowl, but she could handle herself emotionally.
“They discovered the first tumor just after her third birthday,” she continued. He wanted to shut her down before she got too personal, but he’d been in her shoes with Diane and knew it helped to talk about it, so he nodded.
“Surgery and chemo took care of it. She was really sick for a while, but then she was in remission for a few years. Now this.” She rubbed a hand over her eyes. “It was the hardest day of my life when the doctor told me the tumor had returned.”
Memories of Diane’s last few months rose, nearly choking off his air. He wanted to shut down this conversation, but when he talked with Megan, she seemed to fill that huge void Diane had left behind. Despite her fears of Fowler and Ella’s health, she hadn’t changed from a warm, caring woman, and he wanted to move closer to that. But he couldn’t even bring himself to ask about Ella’s prognosis.
He searched for something to say, something positive to lift Megan’s spirits. In his therapy visits, he’d heard the nurses talking about the various doctors, and they all respected Dr. Browne.
“The good news is that you have the best pediatric oncologist in the area,” he said.
“We were so blessed to get in with her this time around.”
He nodded but didn’t really agree that there was any blessing in having to see your child go through such an ordeal one time, let alone two. “Any idea when Ella will be released?”
“Dr. Browne said if her white blood cell count is high enough this afternoon, she can go home then.”
“You’re speaking figuratively about home, right?”
She pivoted to face him. “You mean because of Fowler?”
“Yeah. So what are your plans?” He glanced at her and then put his full attention back on Ella.
“Normally, I’d say we’d head to my parents’ beach house, but Fowler knows about that too, so I don’t know what we’ll do. But I’ll figure it out. I always do.”
Ella crossed the room, her face jubilant, and yet lines of tiredness etched her eyes, and it hurt to look at her. Jessie walked alongside, pushing Ella’s IV pole and holding Bandit’s leash. This wasn’t the kind of conversation to have around either of them. He and Megan had plenty of time to discuss this later.
“I wish the party could last forever.” Ella slipped her hand into Megan’s.
Megan stroked Ella’s cheek with her other hand. “You look tired. We should get to your room so you can rest.” She turned to go, but Reid held out his hand, stopping her.
He didn’t want to be on the move when so many other children and parents were milling around. “Let’s wait until this room empties before leaving.” He urged Ella and Megan to move out of the path of traffic, and Jessie followed.
“So you had a good time?” Megan knelt down in front of Ella.
“It was so fun. Did you see Bandit and Santa?” Ella’s face lit up, and Reid could finally see the resemblance between her and Megan.
“I think Bandit likes Santa, don’t you?” Megan asked.
“That’s silly, Mommy, everybody likes Santa.”
