by Claire Adams
“Oh, my poor little Juniper,” Mama said. “And she wasn’t sick on Sunday?”
“No, Mama. Why?”
Mama grumbled something under her breath. “I just wonder if that no-good ex-husband of yours let her get sick. If he did, I’ll never forgive him.”
“I wouldn’t forgive him, either, if that were the case, but I have to be fair. I doubt he let her. Maybe he didn’t pay a lot of attention, but the more I think about it, it probably wasn’t his fault. Like I said. Have to be fair.”
“Fair? You don’t have to be fair to that man.”
“We’re all sinners, Mama.”
She scoffed. “Well, he’s a sinner and a cheater. I still don’t understand why you didn’t destroy him during your divorce.”
“I wanted it over quickly.”
“Providing that evidence you had of the cheating and the drugs would have made it quick.”
“And I also had to think of Juniper.”
Mama scoffed. “Now look at her.”
I sighed. “Look, Lionel’s many things, and a bastard, but I doubt he’d let Juniper get sick and not mention it. So, I can’t be mad at him for that. She didn’t say anything, and I didn’t notice anything either.”
“Uh-huh. Whatever you say, dear. Sometimes you take Christian charity too far.”
The comment made me laugh. I’d spent a lot of time yelling at Lionel and thinking bad things about him. The last thing I thought anyone would ever say was that I was too charitable toward him.
I had other things to worry about anyway. Lionel being a cheating son of a bitch in the past didn’t mean anything right then and there with my daughter in a hospital bed.
“Mama, I need a favor.”
“Anything I can do, Emily, just let me know.”
I furrowed my brow, trying to remember the last time Mama had actually been to my house instead of the opposite. “You still have my spare house key, right?”
“Yes, dear.”
I let out a sigh of relief. That made things much easier. “Please go to my house and pick up a bucket of LEGOs for Juniper to play with and her favorite blanket. It’s the one that’s on the couch right now.”
“Of course, dear. I’ll head over there right away.”
“Thanks, Mama. I really appreciate this.”
“Oh, Emily. That’s what family is for.”
“I just didn’t know if you would be comfortable in a hospital again.”
“Your father is in Heaven now, and the doctors did everything they could. I miss him, but don’t go thinking this is the same thing.” A few beats of silence passed. “It’ll be all right, Emily. She’s in the hospital, and the doctors will make sure she gets better. She’s a young girl, and she’s strong. You overthink things. You always have.”
“I know, Mama. I know. I… no. You’re right. Thank you, Mama.”
“You’re welcome.” She hung up, and I glanced back over at Juniper. At least she was getting the rest she needed for now. Mama was right, of course. She was in a great children’s hospital, surrounded by trained doctors and nurses. They’d make sure she’d get better.
I was just panicking because I’d never dealt with her being sick like this. It had to happen at some point. I understood that in my head, but my heart didn’t seem to want to agree.
I shivered for a moment. Juniper had gotten sick before but had never ended up in the hospital. As much as I didn’t want to call Lionel, her father needed to know. She’d probably want to see him if she had to stay for more than a day.
I took one last look at the sleeping Juniper before stepping into the hallway and closing the door. I dialed and waited. The phone rang and rang. I prayed it’d go to voicemail. He needed to get the message, but that didn’t mean I looked forward to talking to him. I doubted I could get off the phone without saying something nasty.
I’d thought it was about to go to voicemail when Lionel finally picked up.
“What?” he said, irritation in his voice. I could hear a lot of background noise like he was at a busy restaurant or party or something. I guess I’d interrupted him.
“Well, hello to you too.”
“I’m waiting for my next plane in Houston. I don’t exactly have time to chat, Emily.” His voice was so snotty, I imagined he must have rolled his eyes when he started speaking. “Can’t this wait until tomorrow? Or better yet, until I get back from my trip?”
I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Yes, he was being a bit of ass, but he still deserved to know.
“No, it can’t. I wanted to call and let you know Juniper’s sick.”
“That’s what you’re calling me about?” Lionel grunted. “You already told me about this. Kids get sick, and then they get better. You can’t call me every time she sneezes. Don’t be so overprotective, Emily. She’ll grow up with issues if you don’t learn to let go.”
The sad part about having a fancy smartphone was that you didn’t have a receiver you could slam down in a fit of anger. Instead, I imagined what it’d be like to bop Lionel over the head with my phone. It was kind of satisfying, but not enough.
“This isn’t a cold, Lionel,” I said. “She’s in the hospital. She’s got pneumonia. It’s serious.”
“So? What do you want me to do about it? I’m not a doctor.”
I groaned. Did he care about his own daughter? He wasn’t acting like it.
“I think you should consider coming back,” I said. “In case she wants to see you.”
He burst out laughing, which was unbearably loud over the phone. “Come back, seriously? Didn’t you hear me? I already left Tennessee. I’m in Houston.”
“Yes, I heard you, but your daughter is in the hospital.” Despite trying to control my temper, my voice grew louder. “This is the first time she’s been in the hospital since being born, for crying out loud. So, stop acting like I’m overreacting to something that happens all the time.”
“Oh, I see how it is. You get to run off to Japan with Logan Hawkins, but the minute Juniper gets a little sick, I have to cancel my vacation and come running back, disappointing my girlfriend.”
“She wasn’t sick when I left, and I would have never left if she had been. You know that.”
Lionel snorted. “Like you would have come back anyway.”
“How dare you,” I said through gritted teeth. “If Juniper got sick when I was in Japan, I would have come home on the first flight I could. You’re not even outside the country yet. I’m sure you can get a refund, and if your girlfriend cares about you or Juniper at all, I’m sure she’ll understand.”
“That’s not fair, and it’s easy to say when you don’t have to face that choice.” Lionel chuckled. “You know what your problem is, Emily?”
“That I married a good-for-nothing son of a bitch who cheated on me?”
“No. It’s that you’re selfish.”
“What did you say?” My fingers tightened around my phone until they ached.
I could hear the sneering in his voice and only regretted there was no way to slap him over the phone. Someone needed to make an app for that. Maybe I’d ask Logan to fund it.
“I said you’re selfish,” Lionel said. “I’m sure Logan will figure that out soon enough, and then he’ll get smart like I did and go looking for someone else to sleep with who isn’t so selfish.”
“I divorced you, Lionel, not the other way around, and I went out of my way not to destroy you, which I’m regretting with each passing day.”
“Whatever.”
I took several deep breaths. “Besides, I’m…not with Logan. He’s just a friend.”
“A friend you go on overseas trips with. Without your daughter? Give me a break.”
I reconsidered smashing my phone on the ground. “He wanted Juniper to come. The timing didn’t work out.”
“Well now. That’s mighty convenient for you now, isn’t it?”
I ground my teeth. “Will you not be a bastard for one minute?”
Lionel
snickered. “You see, all you ever think about is how things affect you. Even during our marriage, you never understood my needs. It’s why I had to stray.”
“Screw you, Lionel. Besides, this isn’t about you and me. It’s about your daughter.”
He let out a short groan. “I have to show my new girlfriend a good time. I promised her, and a man’s got to keep his promises. Just because Juniper’s a little sick doesn’t mean I need to cancel my trip. Pneumonia? Big deal. It’s not 1918. She’ll survive. It’s not like it makes a difference if I come and visit her. She’ll get better either way.”
“I can’t believe you. I called you to let you know your daughter is in the hospital, but you’re more concerned about screwing some twenty-year-old on a trip. Why do you even care? It’s not like you’ll be together with her in a month.”
“She’s twenty-one, by the way, not twenty.” Lionel clucked his tongue. “And remove that log from your eye, Emily. Like you didn’t sleep with Logan Hawkins on your trip.”
My pulse thundered in my ears. “Shut your damn mouth. I’ve hated you for a while, but I always at least thought you gave a damn about your daughter. Go on your trip, and if your daughter asks for you, I’m going to make it clear where you are, you damned piece of garbage bastard. I hope they lose your luggage, and your new girlfriend gives you a disease right before your house burns down.”
“Now, you listen to me—”
I ended the call and dropped the phone into my purse. Leaning against the wall, I tried to calm down. My heart thundered, and my breathing remained ragged.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I willed my tears not to fall.
Someone cleared their throat, and I jumped to the side, startled.
“Sorry to scare you,” said a familiar voice.
Logan stood before me, a colorful bouquet of flowers in a glass vase in hand. “Also, remind me to never make you mad.”
I shook my head and then looked away. “I-I was calling Lionel, and I was surprised by some of his rude attitude.”
Logan shrugged and shot me a smile. “I’m not exactly his biggest fan.” He spread his arms out for a hug.
I rushed into his arms, and he wrapped them around me. The familiar warmth of his chest calmed me, reminding me that not all men were like Lionel. He rubbed my back. I only barely held back my tears.
“Am I stupid for being scared?” I whispered into his chest.
“You’re her mother. It’d be strange if you weren’t scared.”
“She’s never been in the hospital before, and she’s so young.” I exhaled onto his chest as he continued to rub my back. “She’s everything to me. I’d give my life for her.”
“I know, Emily. I know. I’ll talk with the doctors. If there’s anything they need, equipment, medicine, specialists, I’ll make sure they get it, but this hospital does have a good reputation.”
“I know, I know.” I sighed. “And thank you, both for your offer and for being here. Mama’s coming soon, but it’s hard to be alone when my little sweet pea is so sick.”
Logan nodded. “I’m here now. We’ll go in together and wait for your mother.”
He pulled out of the hug and then turned and took my hand. “I’m here for you and Juniper. Always remember that.”
I managed a smile as he opened the door, and we stepped inside.
Chapter Twenty-six
LOGAN
Stepping inside, the sight of pale Juniper sitting with her eyes closed and tubes running into her made my stomach clench. She looked so small, so vulnerable there, and at that moment, I wanted to do everything I could to make her better.
I forced a smile on my face. The last thing Emily needed was me looking worried. I couldn’t make her daughter’s illness go away, but I could provide her strength as a man who cared about her and Juniper.
Juniper remained asleep, which I hoped was a good thing. After all, a little good rest always helped me when I was sick. I took the flowers and put them on the windowsill.
I’m sure she would have preferred some toys to flowers, but they would have to do.
Emily collapsed into the only chair, and I walked to her side, content to support her with my presence. She didn’t say anything, and so I put my hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. She reached up to pat my hand before dropping her own.
I couldn’t pretend to know what she was going through, even if the sight of the sick little girl in front of us upset me. I’d never had children, and even my dogs had never had any serious health issues. The problem with illness was it wasn’t a situation you could throw effort at to resolve. It really was out of her hands.
I might not have understood what it meant to be a parent with a sick child, but I did understand, all too well, what it felt like to have a situation out of your hands. A lifetime of business dealings had made me all too familiar with that feeling.
We stayed like that for a good twenty minutes. No talking, nothing but just watching Juniper. She occasionally stirred in her sleep but didn’t wake up, but I wondered if she would soon, as she was moving more and more.
“Do you think I’m selfish?” Emily said, breaking the long silence.
“What?” I didn’t bother to hide the surprise in my voice. It was an odd question, for sure, especially considering the situation.
“Do you think I’m selfish?” she repeated.
I shook my head. “No, why would you even think that? Think about everything you do for your daughter.”
“Lionel said I was. I only wanted him to come to be here for Juniper. That’s what we were arguing about.” Emily rubbed her eyes. “I’ve never wanted things to be difficult with him.”
“Don’t worry about Lionel,” I said. “He’s an ass. And we both know who the selfish one is.”
“Thank you, Logan.”
A light knock on the door interrupted our conversation, and Sally stepped inside a few seconds later, a blanket in one hand and a bucket full of LEGOs in the other. She shot a concerned look over at Juniper.
“Thanks for picking up the LEGOs and blanket, Mama,” I said.
“I’m glad I could be of some help.” Sally glanced my way, a curious glint in her eye that made my neck and shoulders tense. I really hoped she didn’t decide to use this opportunity to grill us about the state of our relationship.
Juniper murmured a bit and then blinked open her eyes, taking all of our attention. She glanced at Sally, Emily, and then me, managing a weak smile.
“Hey, Mama,” Juniper said weakly. “Grandma. Mr. Hawkins.”
“Hey, sweet pea,” Emily said. Despite her best attempt to keep a smile plastered on her face, the pain was obvious in her eyes. I only barely resisted pulling her into a hug.
“Hello, dear,” Sally said. With a smile, Sally placed the bucket on a small rolling overbed table and tucked the blanket over Juniper.
There was another knock, and a doctor entered. He looked at the three adults and then over at the girl. “I’d like to discuss Juniper’s condition.”
Emily nodded and rose. “Can we talk out in the hallway? Mama, you should come hear what he has to say.”
The doctor nodded. “That’s fine.” He stepped into the hallway. Emily and Sally followed.
After the door closed, I turned back and saw that Juniper was already trying to build things with her newly delivered LEGOs. Despite being awake, her eyes drooped, and her coordination and concentration didn’t seem the best, so I grabbed a few pieces and started putting them together to help her.
Juniper frowned as she dropped a few LEGOs. “It’s hard to see.”
“I’m sure it is. You’re very sick.”
“It’s hard to breathe sometimes.”
I nodded slowly, trying to keep the concern off my face. The last thing the sick little girl needed was to see scared adults. “You’re in the hospital, and all the doctors and nurses will get you fixed up. That’s their job after all.”
Juniper managed to smile and picked up some LEGOs.
<
br /> “How about I help set a few of these up for you?” I said. “You’re the foreman, and I’m the worker.”
“What’s a foreman?”
“He’s like the boss of guys who build things.”
“I wanna be the foreman and the worker,” she said, a cute little pout on her face.
I chuckled. “I’ll just do a few then. Just to help you get started.”
Another minute or so passed as I continued putting together a few pieces in the pattern I saw her doing before, not quite sure what she wanted, but she didn’t correct me, so it must have been good enough. I didn’t play with LEGOs as a kid, but I was quickly seeing the appeal in terms of creativity.
“Why didn’t you bring the doggies?” Juniper suddenly said. Her voice was ragged, and she wheezed as she spoke. The sound broke my heart.
I looked into her eyes and shrugged. “I would have loved to do just that, Juniper, but they don’t allow dogs in the hospital except in special situations. It’s a rule.”
“It’s a stupid rule. And if you’re sick, isn’t it always a special situation?”
I grinned. “Well, not disagreeing with you, but I don’t make the rules here since I don’t own the hospital.”
“But I want to play with the doggies.” She coughed a few times.
I resisted a frown. Juniper needed to calm down, so she didn’t spend the next ten minutes hacking up her lungs. Scratching my chin, I thought over how to best handle the situation.
Normally, I might have tried to appeal a bit more to reason, even if she was a young child. But she wasn’t just a cranky young girl; she was a scared and sick little girl in the hospital. Sometimes you need to give people what they want. If not at that moment, then in the future.
That was another thing my life in business had taught me. If it could work for multimillionaire deals, I didn’t see why it couldn’t work on a five-year-old girl.
“How about a compromise?” I said. “Do you know what a compromise is, Juniper?”
She bobbed her head. “It’s where both people give something, so they can get something rather than nothing.”
The explanation brought a big grin to my face. “That’s right, Juniper. That’s exactly right. A lot of adults don’t even get that. You’re a very smart girl.”