“Fine.” She reached to pat Kaylee’s hand. “Tell your friend he can come listen.” Her eyes flicked to where Max and Allie stood ten feet away and she chuckled. “And tell them I don’t bite.”
Kaylee motioned them over and moved out of the way so Max could get to Mama C.
“Hi, ma’am,” Max said, squatting beside her. “I’m Max. Can I help you get your coat off so I can listen to your lungs?”
Mama C nodded and pushed the blankets and sleeping bag down onto her lap, then unzipped her coat. Max and Blayne helped her out of it. She clenched her jaw, shivering, but didn’t say anything.
Max put the earpieces of his stethoscope in his ears and held the diaphragm to her back. “Take a deep breath in and out.”
She got halfway through an inhale and broke into another long coughing spell. By the time Max had listened to all the lobes of her lungs, several minutes and several more coughing spells had passed.
Quietly, Max helped Mama C put her coat back on. Blayne pulled her blankets back up to her chin and helped her ease back down against the rolled up sleeping bag she’d been leaning against. They stood and Kaylee and Allie stepped closer to them.
“Well?” Kaylee asked.
Max shook his head. “She definitely has pneumonia in both lungs. I’m sure she isn’t getting enough oxygen. She should really be in a hospital.”
“That’s not gonna’ happen, young man,” Mama C said.
“Why are you so stubborn?” Blayne asked, an angry scowl crossing his face.
“Just born that way.” Her voice softened. “Honey, if the Lord wills it, I’ll get better. And if he doesn’t, well, then…”
Max looked from Blayne to Kaylee and back at Mama C. “Will you at least let me give you some antibiotics?”
“Yes,” Blayne answered for her. “She will.”
“Blayne—”
“Mama,” his voice rose. “If I have to roll you over and bare your butt cheek so he can give you a shot of penicillin, so help me, I will!”
Mama’s eyes widened and Kaylee hid a smile.
“That won’t be necessary,” Max said, holding his hands up placatingly. “I have some pills back at the house, if Kaylee can run us back home, I can get them for you.”
Blayne narrowed his eyes at Mama. “And she will take them.”
“Are you allergic to anything, ma’am?” Max asked.
Mama shook her head and closed her eyes, seemingly resolved to do as Blayne demanded.
“How bad is it?” Blayne asked once they were back in the car.
“Pretty bad,” Max answered. “If she’d started taking antibiotics earlier on in the process, she’d probably be better. But the infection has progressed to the point where she really needs IV antibiotics, fluids, oxygen…”
“Can’t you force her to go to the hospital?” Allie asked.
Max shook his head. “She could just sign herself out AMA—against medical advice—unless she doesn’t have power of attorney for herself.”
“What’s ‘power of attorney’?” Blayne asked.
“It’s when a person either signs over their right to make decisions for themselves to someone else—usually a family member—or a judge decides a person isn’t capable of making their own decisions and assigns power of attorney to someone, again, usually a family member.”
“She doesn’t have any family.” Blayne frowned. “At least not that I know of.”
Max leaned forward, his hand on the back of Kaylee’s seat. “Maybe you’ll find some relatives when you go to New York next week.”
Kaylee winced and quickly glanced at Blayne before returning her gaze to the road. His face froze mid-frown. He turned to her, and after a moment of angry silence, said, “You’re going to New York?”
She glared at Max in the rearview mirror. “I was going to tell you—tonight.” She rushed on, babbling, not wanting to give him a chance to speak just yet. “I didn’t put it on my credit card, my dad let me use his points. It’ll only be for a couple of days and I’ll be really careful. I won’t leave the hotel after dark, I won’t ride the subway, I won’t take my purse with me…”
“Stop,” Blayne spat.
She chanced a look at him and immediately regretted it. His beautiful eyes held anger, hurt, and worry all wrapped up in a scowl she hadn’t seen since their first couple of weeks of knowing each other.
Blayne whipped his head around, facing the passenger side window. “It’s really none of my business, it seems.”
They rode in silence to Max’s apartment, Max and Allie signing to each other in the back seat. Blayne waited in the car while Kaylee followed them inside to get the medication.
“I’m sorry, Kaylee,” Max said as they tromped up the stairs. “I thought you’d have told him by now.”
Kaylee shrugged, not ready to forgive him just yet.
Once inside, Max went into his room to get the pills. Allie turned to her friend. “I’m sorry Max did that. Blayne looked furious.”
“Yeah,” Kaylee said. “He doesn’t think I’ll be safe there by myself.” And I still don’t think he likes the idea of me digging into Mama C’s past.
“I’m a little worried about that myself. I looked into flights and I’m afraid they’re out of my price range.” Allie laid a hand on Kaylee’s shoulder and squeezed.
Kaylee smiled slightly. “I’ll be okay. It can’t be that much worse than Denver, can it?”
Rattling a bottle of pills, Max stepped into the living room. “Here,” he handed them to Kaylee, “she’ll need to take one pill twice a day. I hope it’s enough to help her turn the corner.”
“Me, too.” Kaylee put the bottle in her jacket pocket and thanked him. She hugged Allie. “See you at home.”
Blayne continued to stare out the window as Kaylee pulled out into the street. Anxiety and anger fought inside her, making her stomach roll with nausea. It really was none of his business, it wasn’t like she was his girlfriend or anything. Who was he to tell her what she should and shouldn’t do? But on the other hand, she really liked him, and the thought of him being mad at her hurt, physically and emotionally. She pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm the rising pressure there.
They both remained silent until they were almost to the viaduct. Blayne sighed and finally turned to look at her. “You’re crazy, you know, going to New York by yourself.”
She shrugged, relieved that he was speaking to her, but not quite trusting her voice yet.
“I don’t want you to go,” he continued, “but I understand that you feel you need to. I’m just really worried about you. I keep envisioning all the bad things that could happen to you.” He looked out the windshield and ran his hand through his hair, clearing his throat. His voice came out quieter and a little raspy. “I can’t stand it. Those thoughts. They’re making me crazy and you haven’t even left yet.”
Kaylee stopped the car near the viaduct. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat at his words. All anger gone as she realized how much he cared about her despite all the half-truths and secrets she’d kept from him. Despite his feelings of shame for needing her help. Kaylee wanted to deserve his worry, wanted to be good enough and strong enough to be worthy of him. She reached for his hand and his fingers closed around hers in a tight grip. She whispered, “I’ll be okay, Blayne. I promise.”
He squeezed her hand, still staring out the front window. “I hope so.”
Over the next few days, Kaylee stopped to check on Mama C every day. Blayne was distant, only talking to her about Mama’s condition. No sign that their thwarted first kiss was going to happen any time soon.
Mama seemed to be improving. Her fever broke on the second day of antibiotics, though her cough still worried Kaylee. She was eating and drinking better, but her stamina was still next to nothing. Blayne had kept some of the money from his paycheck, but had given the rest to Kaylee to keep safe for him. He’d used that money to buy more groceries for Mama and the kids.
Tuesday evening, Kaylee we
nt to check on Mama one last time before her trip to New York the next day. After making sure she’d taken her medicine and eaten a good portion of her soup, Kaylee rose to leave.
“Kaylee,” Blayne said. “Wait.”
Her heart stuttered as he put his arm around her waist and led her off toward her car, stopping a few paces away. “I’m sorry,” he looked down, “I know I haven’t been fun to be around these last few days.” He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.
The warmth from his hands spread through the fabric of her coat as his eyes burned into hers.
He swallowed. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.” He looked up at the dark sky and exhaled, blowing a wisp of steam into the air. His voice shaking, he continued, “I really like you. And I want to see where this is going with us.”
When he looked back down at her, his eyes glistened with unfallen tears. “I’m terrified that something will happen to you.”
Kaylee had never seen his tough-guy exterior crack so drastically. Her heart ached. She threw herself against him and hugged him hard enough to crack a rib or two. “I’m going to be fine,” she mumbled against his chest. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”
His arms enveloped her and he laid his cheek against the top of her head. They stood that way for several minutes, wrapped in each other’s warmth as the cold wind swirled around them.
With a deep sigh, Blayne loosened his hold and leaned back to look into Kaylee’s eyes. “I know I can’t talk you out of going. Because you’re as stubborn as a mule—or a drug addict.” He smiled ruefully. “Kelly, my boss, gave me a cell phone yesterday. She said she needs to be able to get ahold of me, and the company will pay for it.”
“That’s great,” Kaylee said. For her and for me.
“It is,” Blayne agreed. “They’ve been really great to me.” He cleared his throat and continued, “Kaylee, will you please text or call me when you get to your hotel? And when you leave your hotel. And when you get back to your hotel, and anytime day or night just so I know you’re safe?”
Kaylee snort-laughed. Embarrassing. At least the embarrassment kept the threatening tears at bay. “How about this, I’ll text you whenever I leave somewhere and get somewhere. And I’ll call you when I’m in for the night.”
Blayne released a held breath. “Deal.”
She took his phone and entered her number into his contacts. “Text me so I have your number. You know I’m only going to be gone for a couple of days. I fly out tomorrow morning and I’ll be back here early Friday evening.”
“What time does your flight come in on Friday?”
“Four o’clock.” She shivered as the breeze picked up and swept her hair into her face.
Moving the hair out of her face with a gentle touch, Blayne said, “I’ll see you then. You’d better get going before you freeze.” His gaze lingered on her lips for a second then he gave her a quick hug, walked her the rest of the way to her car, and opened the door for her.
As the plane landed, Kaylee swallowed down a huge lump of anxiety that had taken up residence in her throat. She switched her phone off airplane mode and tapped a ride-share app as they taxied to the gate. Transportation taken care of from the airport to her hotel, Kaylee leaned back and closed her eyes, going over her plan again. Her thoughts quickly drifted to Blayne. She opened her eyes and sent a text to him.
Just landed.
Her phone buzzed as she exited the plane with her carry-on. She stepped to the side, out of the way of the other passengers as soon as she entered the terminal.
Blayne: Good glad you made it there let me know when you get to the hotel
Ugh, no punctuation, she thought with a smile.
Blayne: Make sure the ride-share driver is really a ride-share driver check the license plate number
Kaylee rolled her eyes. Now he sounded like her dad. She texted back, Will do.
She exited the airport and went to the pick-up spot, looking down at her phone. Blue Prius. License plate # DWS 4376.
A blue Prius pulled up to the sidewalk several cars down. Kaylee wandered in that direction, looking for the ride-share sticker in the window. The license plate number matched. She smiled and waved at the driver. He rolled the window down. “Kaylee?”
“Yes.”
“Here,” he opened his door, “let me get your stuff. Go ahead and get in.”
The hour drive was pleasant, the driver had asked if this was her first visit to New York, and after she said yes, he was great to point out interesting landmarks to her. He frowned as they entered the neighborhood of her hotel. “This isn’t the best area. Are you sure you don’t want to find other lodgings? I’ll take you somewhere else for no extra charge.”
Kaylee stared out the window at the dirty streets, the bars on the windows of businesses and dwellings alike, and the groups of rough looking people standing around—smoking, arguing, staring back at her. This had been the only hotel she could afford that was close to Mama C’s old school. She bit her lip. “I…I’ll be okay. I don’t plan on being out after dark.” The confidence she’d exhibited when telling Blayne that same thing, now felt like melting slush on the side of a dirt road.
“Okay, if you’re sure.” He turned right and pulled up to a drop off area in front of a seedy looking hotel—only half of the lights on the sign out front lit up. “At least let me carry your bag inside for you.” He didn’t wait for her to answer. He turned off the engine, got her bag out of the back, and walked with her into the hotel lobby.
“Thank you,” she smiled at him. “I really appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. Please be careful.”
She laughed nervously. “Now you sound like my boy…my friend. I’ll be careful.”
When she got to her room, she latched the door with all the locks provided. She wrinkled her nose as she inspected the small space. “I hope I don’t get bedbugs.” The place had a musty, moldy odor about it. The tiny bathroom proved where that smell came from. Mold climbed up the shower tile and onto the ceiling. “Or some sort of fungal disease.”
She’d planned on going for a walk to find somewhere to eat dinner, but her heart raced at the thought of stepping outside alone. Maybe Blayne had been right to be worried. She ended up calling a delivery service and eating a cold burger and fries on the bed while she watched the news on the twenty-four-inch TV.
Kaylee stared out the window at the brick wall of the building next door. She shivered as she realized the frost on the window was on the inside as well as the outside. The old radiator rattled to life when she turned the heat up.
She took a deep breath to settle her nerves before dialing Blayne’s number.
“Hello,” he answered on the first ring.
“Hi.” Kaylee tried to infuse a fake “everything’s fine” tone into her voice. It didn’t work.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just feeling a little out of my element.”
“Are you sure that’s all it is? How’s the hotel?” Blayne asked, his voice rising a notch in suspicion.
The concern in his voice almost broke her. She pulled the phone away from her face and took a few breaths, holding back tears. When she put the phone back to her ear, Blayne said, “Are you still there? Is everything okay?”
“I’m here.” Dammit! Her voice broke. She cleared her throat—maybe he’d think it was just because she had mucus in her throat. “The, uh, hotel is okay. A little run down, but that’s all I could afford.”
“Kaylee, are you sure you’re alright?”
She didn’t want him to worry or to be able to tell her “I told you so,” so she dug deep and pulled off a good semblance of confidence in her voice. “I’m fine. I’ll only be here for two nights. It’s just been a long day.”
“Okay. If you say so.”
“I say so,” she said. “I think I’m just going to go to bed now. I’ll text you in the morning when I head over to the school.”
“Alright. Don�
�t forget,” he said. “And, Kaylee?”
“Yeah?”
“Be careful. I…” He cleared his throat. “I really care about you.”
Her throat closed up with emotion so she could only utter a whispered, “I care about you, too.”
She lay down fully clothed on top of the sheets, hoping to stave off any bed bugs that might want to feast on her.
Kaylee slept fitfully and woke early. Her goal with showering was to get done as quickly as possible without touching the tile or shower curtain with any part of her body. The quick part proved to be easy, since there was no hot water.
Deciding to skip breakfast, she ordered a ride-share car to come pick her up and take her to the school where Mama C had taught. The car delivered her to an old brick building lined up on the street with businesses and hotels/residences made from the same brick. The front wall and front door were right up against the sidewalk. So different from the high schools Kaylee was used to back in Colorado.
She steeled herself and stepped through the front door to be met by a resource officer. “Young lady,” he said, looking down at her, “you’re late for class.”
“Oh, umm,” she stammered. “I’m not a student.”
“No?” he questioned. “Then what’s your business here?”
She probably should have thought this through better, maybe called ahead. “I am a college student, from Colorado, and I just need to talk to one of the secretaries and a couple of the teachers about my thesis project.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Can I see your I.D.?”
She fumbled for her phone and slipped her Driver’s License out of the phone case and handed it to him.
“And,” he took the license from her, staring down at it. “What kind of ‘thesis’ brings you to this generic high school in New York, Miss Burke?”
A thought struck her. “How long have you been at this school,”—she glanced at his name tag—“Officer Weyland?”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Almost twenty years. Why?”
Excited words came bubbling out of her. “My thesis project, it’s about…well based on…a homeless woman and the family-like group she’s formed with young adults in the streets of…well, the streets. This woman, Mama C, she used to work here. Maybe you knew her. Her name is Claire—”
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