“You as well, Trouble.”
When Trouble drops his eyes to Maisy, she smiles shyly up at him, her hands clasped in front of her. “Hi.”
“Hey there, pretty girl,” he says gently, getting down to a knee and holding out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. It looked like you were having fun outside on the swings.”
She gingerly puts her small palm in his big one and he puts his other hand on top. I don’t miss the way two of his fingers settle on her wrist, subtly checking her pulse.
Maisy nods, the curls around her face swaying. “I was.”
“I’m sure you don’t get to play on a playground as much as you used to, huh?”
Her lips pucker into a pout. “No, but Mom still takes me sometimes.”
He smiles and pats the back of her hand. “I’m sure you’ll be up and running around before you know it.”
He stands and holds out his hand to Declan. “I’m Trouble. The local doctor here.”
“Interesting name,” Declan remarks.
Trouble laughs. “A result of all the times I got into trouble as a kid.”
He pulls a card from his pocket and hands it to Ellie. “If you need anything while you’re here, give me a call,” he says pointedly, referring to Maisy.
“Thank you, but we have a flight out of San Antonio tomorrow evening.”
I narrow my eyes at her. This is news to me. I knew they wouldn’t be able to stay long due to Maisy’s treatments, but I thought it would be longer than a couple of days.
Ellie ignores my glare as she explains to Trouble. “She has dialysis and an appointment on Monday with her nephrologist.”
It would have been fucking nice to know that. My fingers dig into my palms in my slacks pockets.
“Do me a favor?” Trouble requests. “That card I gave you…. Keep me updated on her progress, will you?”
Trouble’s always liked Ellie. Actually, all of my brothers did, save for Emo. Or rather, Emo did, he just never showed it. It’s no surprise that Trouble still has the same soft spot he used to have for her. Especially now that Maisy’s in the picture. It kind of pisses me off that Trouble seems so forgiving of her when it takes everything in me to not snarl in her face every time my eyes land on her.
“I can do that,” Ellie answers Trouble’s request. “We should be going. It’ll be lunchtime soon.”
“Can we stop and get some sherbet?” Maisy asks, looking up at Ellie imploringly.
The sad but hopeful look does me in, and before I can stop myself, I ask, “What’s your favorite flavor?”
Her lips poke out and she squints toward the ceiling. “Strawberry mango.”
I lift my gaze to Ellie. “We have an ice cream shop here that sells sherbet,” I suggest.
She looks down at Maisy. “One scoop. I don’t want you to ruin your appetite.”
Maisy beams so big at her mother that I feel it in my chest. It’s like a warm caress that kickstarts my heart into overdrive.
I glance back at Trouble as Maisy, Ellie, and Declan head down the hallway. He tips his chin at me, silently telling me his doubts about Maisy being mine have been set to rest.
Just as I turn to follow them, my eyes catch on Susan. She’s avidly watching the three move down the hallway. Or more accurately, she’s watching Declan. When they’re out of sight, her gaze slides to me. Her cheeks pinken again, but she shrugs, uncaring that she was caught staring.
Trouble chuckles as I leave the two of them. Maisy’s already in the car, and Declan is getting in the back seat after insisting Ellie sits up front, when I approach. Walking around to the driver side, I climb behind the wheel.
Keeping my voice low in deference to the little ears in the back, I ask Ellie, “When were you going to tell me you were leaving tomorrow?”
I see her fooling with the outside seam of her jeans out the corner of my eye as I pull out of the parking lot.