She playfully wags a finger at him. “And slow down with that thing, okay? You’ll suck that straw right into your head if you’re not careful.”
“Okay.” Ben nods and resumes sipping his shake at a slower pace.
“Don’t worry about the check if you need to rush off,” Lina tells Rose. “I’ll leave it on the side for another time.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I tell Lina, pretending not to see Rose’s frown as I pull out my cell phone to call Murph, stepping away from Ben so he won’t hear. Rose moves closer to me but keeps her eyes on Ben as she listens.
Murph answers on the third ring, and I put it on speakerphone for Rose.
“What?” Murph grunts.
My brow lifts at his tone. I’m someone he likes. I don’t want to know how he answers the phone to someone who calls trying to sell him something.
“I’m taking Rose to see the doctor,” I tell Murph, lowering my voice for this next part. “She’s worried about the baby. Can you watch Ben for an hour? Could be longer depending on how soon the doctor can squeeze her in.”
“Sure. Bring him round. He can draw and hang out with the guys. We don’t have any site visits today, so if her appointment takes longer, it takes longer. She there?”
“I’m here,” Rose says, leaning toward the phone I hold toward her.
Despite Murph’s gruff, less-than-welcome greeting, his next words are softer. Warmer. “Sweetheart, I know it’s easier said than done, but try not to let your mind go to dark places until you’ve seen the doctor, okay?”
A small smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. “I’ll try.”
“I’m ready for Ben whenever you want to swing by,” Murph says and hangs up the phone.
Once I check that Ben is still occupied, sipping his milkshake, I move farther away and make another call, this time to the doctor’s office. Wendy, Dr. Hoffman’s receptionist, picks up after two rings, and I confirm he’s available for an emergency appointment for Rose. There might be a wait of twenty or thirty minutes while he finishes with another patient, but it’s fine to bring Rose in so she can start filling out some medical forms.
Rose looks overwhelmed by how quickly this is all unfolding, and I can’t say I blame her. Five minutes ago, she was toying with the straw for her milkshake, and now we’re about to walk out of the diner to drop Ben off with Murph while we head to a doctor’s appointment. And she didn’t arrange any of this.
Rose looks at me. “So, it’s happening?”
I tuck my phone into my pocket. “Just need to get you there and fill out some forms before you go in. Oh, and I need to let Nico know, but he won’t care. Are we going in your car or mine?”
She hesitates.
I could pluck the thoughts out of her head; she’s that easy to read. “You’re not making any of us do anything we don’t already want to do,” I reassure her. “We’re offering.”
“Okay, thanks, Win,” she says softly. “Um, my car. Ben needs his car seat.”
“Let me tell Nico I have to go, and we’ll get out of here.”
I don’t get a quarter of the way through explaining why I need to leave before Nico’s waving me out of the kitchen with an order not to hurry back.
I hold Ben’s hand as I lead him out of the diner, making up a story about a monkey that escaped from the zoo, hoping to keep him distracted so he doesn’t notice Rose’s anxiety.
Once we’re in Rose’s car, it’s a short drive down the road to Murph’s office. He’s waiting outside, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. The deep furrows in his brow smooth when he sees us, and he straightens and walks to the curb as Rose pulls up.
As Rose moves to get out, Murph shakes his head. “I’ve got him.” He opens Ben’s door and helps him out of his car seat, telling him. “Everyone’s excited to see you, little man. How about we do some drawing of all the houses we’re going to be building soon?”
Clutching the remains of his chocolate shake in his takeout cup, Ben beams and nods his head vigorously.
Murph turns to Rose. “He’ll be fine with me. Take as long as you need, okay?”
She smiles at him. “I’ll see you in a little bit, Ben.”
“Bye, Mommy.” Ben pulls at Murph’s hand, eager to get into the office.
Murph hesitates outside Rose’s open window, eyes dropping to Ben, whose hand he’s holding. If Ben weren’t there, he’d have kissed her goodbye, but we’ve been leaving physical displays of affection around Ben for Rose to initiate. None of us wants him—or Rose—to feel like we’re taking his dad’s place.
