She nodded her head toward the hallway. I inferred I would follow and stayed on her heels as she walked toward a bedroom. Through the open door, I saw a bed with a frilly pink and yellow bedspread. Tiffany’s room. “Yeah, they put literal tubes through their eardrums to drain. Some kids are born with tiny inner ear canals and the fluid won’t drain, then it gets infected. They say it’s really not a big deal.”
Once again, I darted forward and pulled down Tiffany’s bedspread. Beth laid her down and took off her shoes and socks. “I knew as soon as she made that weird whine-burp what was happening. She always pukes when she has ear infections.”
I watched in amazement as Bethany changed the sleeping child. She took off her shirt and walked out of the room. “Be right back,” she whispered.
She returned a minute later with a wet washcloth. Tiffany slept like a rock through the washcloth all over her upper body, but especially her face and neck area. Bethany lovingly cleaned the still-flushed girl.
Her internal temperature has decreased just since she arrived here.
I couldn’t tell Bethany that, of course. She still didn’t know about Artemis and wouldn’t for a long time. “She looks less flushed,” I said instead.
“I think she feels cooler. They gave her oral medicine there to help the fever and ear pain. And the antibiotic shot should work pretty quickly, too.” She pulled a nightgown with a unicorn on it over Tiffany’s head, then I turned my head while she took off her shorts under the nightgown. At the least, it was the polite thing to do.
Bethany stood and backed away from the bed. I turned my gaze back to Tiffany. She looked like a little angel lying there. I couldn’t believe how much affection I felt toward the little girl after we’d only spent a few minutes around each other. Bethany and I had texted back and forth so much I felt like I knew Tiffany better than I did.
“You’re always showing up to help me,” she murmured. Before I could reply, she pushed a button on a little device on the dresser, then walked out of Tiffany’s bedroom.
“What was that?” I asked.
She chuckled. “You don’t have much experience with kids?”
I shrugged. “My aunts and uncles are popping them out left and right but mostly I wait until they’re old enough to play with before I give them much attention.”
“It was a baby monitor.” She walked down the hall and turned right into the living room instead of left into the kitchen. “So, I guess you’re my new knight in shining armor?” She plopped down on the large, plush sofa and sighed.
The doorbell saved me from answering. I hadn’t sat down yet, so I held up a hand when she started to get back up. “I got it.”
It was just the prescription, so I signed for it and gave it to Beth.
She read the label. “She doesn’t get any until morning since she got that shot in the office.”
I looked around awkwardly. This room, besides lots of toys and a TV and entertainment center, had lots more pictures. “I looked at some of your pictures downstairs,” I said.
“Mostly family.” She watched me as I studied the photos in the room. It was more of the same people. Her parents, Tiffany, and Kyle. Oddly, I felt no jealousy or anger about all the photos of Tiffany’s father. Probably because of all Bethany had told me about him, she never mentioned or acted like she’d been in love with him.
When I looked back at her on the couch, she looked lost.
She needs comfort.
I sat beside her and held out my arms. “You look like you need a hug.”
Bethany signed and leaned over so I could wrap my arms around her. This time, I was able to inhale her scent without any gross interruptions. Artemis hummed his pleasure at having her so close.
I kept my arms around her until I felt the tension leave her body, then I gently slipped away. She looked nearly asleep. “Would it be okay if I stopped by tomorrow with lunch?”
“You don’t have to do that.” She rolled her head my way and smiled. “You’re so much sweeter than I expected you to be.”
My heart swelled in my chest and the need to take care of her grew stronger. “Don’t say that. You’ll ruin my reputation.”
I pressed a kiss to her forehead and inhaled her scent one more time, then stood. “I hope your night is calm,” I said and nodded toward the hall and Tiffany’s room. “And that she sleeps like a baby.”
Bethany stretched with her eyes screwed shut. Luckily. Otherwise, she would’ve seen my gaze fly to her chest as she stuck it out when she arched her back during the stretch. I walked toward the kitchen and the door to the downstairs office. “Have a good night,” I called before I tried to do more than kiss her forehead.
Artemis wasn’t helping. If he’d been in front of me, I was sure he would’ve been drooling, the perv. I told him to calm down as I jogged down the stairs, but he ignored me. Of course.
I left Bethany’s and went straight to my parents’ house. I needed my mom’s help. As soon as I pulled in, Dad met me at the door. “You okay?” he asked.
“How’d you know?”
He shrugged. “A father can tell. I heard you pull up. You rarely come over without texting us first.”
“I just need a recipe from Mom.” I jogged up the porch steps. “Tiffany is sick.”
A knowing look crossed his face. “Sure thing. She’s in her office.”
I walked through the house, the one my mother grew up in, and I’d come to think of as home. Was I able to move away from here? From my home? I’d only lived there for five years, but it felt like a lifetime.
“Mom?” I poked my head in her office door.
“Hey, sweetie. What are you
