“Then you better get used to having us around.”
She rolls her eyes. “Whatever.” Behind the attitude is a tiny smile.
“Giselle,” I address the nurse who took over from Daphne. “Do you mind going to the kitchen and getting trash bags to put these clothes in, please?” The poor woman looks a little traumatized.
She nods. “Of course.” And scurries from the room.
I sit on the edge of Natasha’s bed. “How did Bruce find you?”
Rising to her feet, Daisy sits next to me; far enough away so our thighs don’t touch.
“I called Remi’s father to tell him he was a dad. You know, in case he changed his mind and wanted to be a part of her life.” I catch sadness in her eyes before she ducks her head. “I gave him the address and code to come into the apartment.” From the little she’s told us about him, he’s nothing but trouble. Fighting, stealing and doing drugs. A lot like me when I was a kid. She’s better off without him. “I don’t know why he thought he should call Bruce to tell him where I was. Maybe Bruce told him if he heard from me to let him know.”
Now that Bruce knows where Natasha lives, I’m tempted to move her to a different building. For now, I’ll have to change the code to her apartment and add cameras to the building. We’ve never had to worry about security before because we’re big and bad enough to take care of ourselves, but now there’s a young woman and a baby to think about.
A few moments later, Lincoln and Asher come back.
“Where is he?” I ask them.
Lincoln grins and leans against the wall. “Put him in a taxi and paid the driver enough to drive him to Virginia.”
“If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay the hell away from Natasha,” Asher adds.
Soon, she’ll be out of the system, and he’ll have no hold over her. If Child Protective Services is already wondering where she is, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll want answers. We have to keep things as trouble-free as possible so that doesn’t happen.
Giselle arrives with garbage bags. “What do you want me to throw out?” she asks. “Everything.”
“But there’s some things that are still clean,” Natasha points out.
I pick up a clean, pink onesie off the floor. “He’s touched it, so it goes.”
Giselle starts putting clothes into the bag, and Daisy helps.
“What will Remi wear if she craps through her clothes? She’s already done it twice today. It went all up her back and leaked through her romper.” She screws her nose up. “It was gross.”
“Someone will go to the store tonight and get you new baby stuff.” I turn to face Lincoln and Asher.
“Don’t look at me.” Lincoln propels from off the wall and darts from the room.
Asher’s eyes widen like he’s been put in a cage with a lion. “There’s some place else I have to be… urgently.” He too scurries out.
“Cowards,” I yell at their retreating backs. I don’t blame them for running. The last thing I want to do is go baby shopping. What do I know about babies?
“Looks like it’s up to you,” Natasha giggles. “Can I go with you? I’d love to see you in a baby store.”
Her comment makes Daisy and Giselle laugh.
“For laughing, you get to come with me,” I aim at Daisy.
Her eyes widen. “Me?” She points to her chest. “Why me? Giselle was laughing too.”
“Giselle needs to stay here and help Tasha with Remi.” I’m supposed to be keeping my distance from Daisy. Not telling her to come shopping with me. Although, I need the help. I have no clue what to buy.
“Can’t you call the store and tell them to send over what Remi needs?” Daisy asks.
Yes, I could and I should, yet I say, “There’s no time for that. Remi needs clothes now.” I shouldn’t be doing this, and yet, I’m walking toward the door. “Let’s go,” I say, not giving her the option of saying no. Not that she’d say no to helping Natasha and the baby. Look what she’s already done for them.
fifteen
