Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
SAVANNAH
Slipping my hoodie on, I run my fingers through my hair before descending the stairs. A hot bath has helped relax my tense muscles, but my feet were still killing me from standing all day long.
Some tea, a book, and my feet lifted on the coffee table, that’s what I need.
After a quick stop in the kitchen, I go to the living room. Taking a long sip of tea, I place my mug on the coffee table before grabbing the book and sitting down. I let out a long sigh of relief as I curl and uncurl my toes, feeling the ache in the soles of my feet.
What I would give for a massage right about now.
The loud buzzing sound snaps me out of my thoughts. Letting the book drop in my lap, I lean forward and grab my phone.
Blake:
You still up?
Blondie:
Yeah, why?
Blake:
Just checking.
What are you doing?
Blondie:
I’ve been reading.
Blake:
Is it one of those smutty books of yours?
Blondie:
Blake…
Blake:
What?
You can pretend all you want, but I’ve seen what you’re reading.
Blondie:
Romance novels. I’m reading romance novels.
And resting my feet. I think my ankles are starting to get swollen. At least I won’t see how ugly they are because soon enough I won’t be able to see my legs at all.
Blake:
Your feet aren’t ugly.
And I can give you a massage when I get back.
I sink my teeth into my lower lip as the image of Blake’s calloused fingers digging into my feet appears in my mind, which brings other things, other memories, to the forefront of my mind. Blake’s hands on other parts of my body, roaming my skin, and making the goosebumps appear on my flesh.
Blake:
Are you the hot teacher?
What the?—
I blink, staring at the message thinking I read it wrong, but nope.
Blake:
Our buddy’s been awfully tight lipped about you, but he’s been grinning like a fool while looking at the phone, so…
What the ? —
I start to type back, when another message pops on my screen.
Blake:
Sorry, the assholes stole my phone.
Blondie:
Assholes?
Blake:
My ex-teammates.
They’re annoying the crap out of me.
I bite the corner of my lip, fighting back a laugh as I try to imagine Blake fighting his former teammates for his phone.
Thump-thump-thump-thump.
The loud banging coming from the front of my house makes my head snap up. My smile falls, brows pulling together.
Who the hell is knocking on my door this late?
My gaze shifts to the time on my screen; it was almost ten in the evening. A new message from Blake appears, but before I get a chance to look at it, there is another, more frantic knock.
Putting the phone on the coffee table, I push to my feet, my back protesting the sudden change. I place my hand against my lower back as I make my way toward the door, just when there is another knock.
“I’m coming!” I yell, hurrying my pace. “Where is the fi?—”
I pull open the door and come to a halt when I see Daniel standing on my front porch. Those eyes that are so much like his father’s are wide, hair disheveled as if he ran his hand through it a dozen times. His breathing is ragged, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tries to catch his breath.
“Daniel?” I glance over his shoulder to find the front door to his house left wide open. No trace of Levi or Mrs. Maxwell anywhere in sight. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“I messed up,” he says, his voice laced with panic and guilt as he spills the words out in a blur. “I didn’t mean to. I really, really didn’t mean to. He was fine… He?—”
He?
“Hey, hey, hey…” I place my hands over his shoulders and give him a little shake to get his attention. “Take a deep breath for me, okay?”
I watch as he sucks in a shaky gulp of air, his eyes filling with tears.
What the hell happened?
But I couldn’t ask him that. Not while he was this upset.
“Now let it out slowly.” I release a breath along with him. “Just like that. Again.”
He does as asked, taking deep breaths until his breathing calms down a little.
“Can you tell me now what’s going on?” I ask softly.
He nods, and his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “I messed up, and I don’t know what to do. Levi… He’s sick.”
Sick? My fingers dig into his shoulders harder as my mind starts coming up with all the different scenarios. What did he mean by sick? I saw Levi this morning in class, and he was fine.
“Where is Mrs. Maxwell? Is she at the house with him?”
Daniel shakes his head. “She’s not here. Her son called that his wife went into labor and asked her to come, so I said I’d take care of Levi. I assured Dad that I could do it. Levi started complaining shortly after Mrs. Maxwell left that he wasn’t feeling well, but I thought he was faking it because a few guys stopped by, and we were playing video games and wouldn’t let him join us.” His cheeks turn red in embarrassment. “Only he wasn’t lying. He has a fever, and he’s throwing up, and I don’t know what to do.” He swallows hard, looking away. “Dad said to call him, but he’s away, so it’s not like he can do anything, and I didn’t know who else to call. And you said…”
He didn’t have to finish because I remembered the promise I made him not that long ago vividly.
If you ever need me, no matter what or when my door will always be open to both of you.
Daniel presses his lips together, his fists flexing and relaxing by his sides. I can see he’s fighting with himself. He wanted to be brave and keep the promise he’d made to his father, but he was in over his head. This couldn’t have been easy for him. To come here and ask me, of all people, for help. Yet he did it. Because he knew it was the right thing to do.
“You did well in coming here,” I reassure him, loosening my grip on him and rubbing over his arms. “Where is Levi now?”
“Home.”
“Okay.” I nod, letting my hand drop. “C’mon, let’s go check in on your brother.”
The relief that flashes on his face is almost palpable. “You’ll come?”
“Yeah.” Closing the door behind me, I start toward the house across the street. “Does he have a fever? Or just throwing up? Maybe he ate something bad?”
“He was hot when I checked, and I didn’t see him eat anything.” We enter the house and slowly start climbing up the stairs. “He suddenly started to throw up. I tried to give him some Tylenol, but he couldn’t keep it down.”
Just then, as if he were waiting for us, a loud retching sound comes from one of the rooms.
“Shit!”
I don’t bother reprimanding Daniel as I hurry my pace.
The first thing that hits me when I step into the bathroom is the smell of puke. My stomach rolls uncomfortably, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from gagging.
Levi’s small body is lying on the floor, his back pressed against the edge of the bathtub. His clothes are rumpled, and there is a puke stain on his shirt, like he couldn’t make it in time to the toilet.
Daniel is already sitting on the floor next to his brother, shaking his shoulders. “Levi? Wake up.”
Levi murmurs something groggily, turning his head. His cheeks are bright red, lips slightly parted. Moving closer, I crouch down and press my hand against his forehead. Shit , he didn’t just have a fever, he was burning up.
“Do you have a thermometer? I want to check his temp before we try to give him any medicine.”
“Yeah, it should be here somewhere.” Daniel looks at his brother for a moment longer before he finally gets up and disappears out of the room.
I gently brush Levi’s hair out of his face. His locks are sweaty, curling at the ends. “You’ll be okay,” I whisper softly.
“S-Sav?” Levi blinks his eyes open. His gaze is blurry as he watches me, a frown appearing between his brows.
“Hey, buddy.” I shoot him an encouraging smile. “I’m here. How are you feeling?”
Levi’s tongue darts out, sliding over his chipped lips. “My t-tummy is hurting.”
“I know, baby, but we’ll have you feeling better in no time. You’ll see.”
“I w-want D-Daddy,” he hiccups, his eyes filling with tears.
I wanted Blake here too. He’d know what to do. How to make his son feel better. But he wasn’t here.
I slide my thumb over his cheek, brushing away the tears. “I know, but Daddy is away for work. I’ll be here with you until he comes back. How does that sound?”
Before he can say anything, Daniel comes back into the bathroom. “I found it.”
“Thank you.” I take the thermometer from him and turn back to Levi. “Let’s check that temp for a second, okay? And then we’ll get you out of these dirty clothes and into some fresh PJs.”
Levi nods weakly, and I slide the thermometer under his arm. His eyelids start to flutter close almost immediately, and I can see him fighting sleep. It doesn’t take long before the thermometer starts to beep. I pull it out, checking the screen. 102.4°F.
“Okay, here is what we’ll do…”
Daniel helps Levi onto his feet, and between the two of us, we manage to get him out of his dirty clothes and give him a lukewarm shower. The poor kid throws up two more times—some of it landing on my shirt.
“I’m s-sorry,” Levi says immediately, his lip wobbling. “I didn’t mean t-to.”
“Hey, it’s fine. It’s just a shirt. Don’t you worry about it. C’mon, time to get out.”
I gently dry him with a towel, before we help him into a clean pair of PJs. “Let’s put you to bed.”
Levi wraps his arms around my legs and buries his head into my side. “When will Daddy be home?”
“Sometime tomorrow, I think.” I wrap my arm around his shoulders, rubbing at his arm. “But in the meantime, we get to have a slumber party. How does that sound? I can read you a story or we can watch cartoons?”
Levi peeks up at me. “Can we go to Daddy’s bed?”
“Umm…” Seriously? What was I supposed to do now? It didn’t feel right going into Blake’s room—his private space—especially since he wasn’t here. Not that I wanted to be in his bed when he was here. Not at all.
Levi’s lip wobbles slightly. “He lets me sleep in his bed when I’m sick.”
“Go.” Daniel tilts his head to the dirty bathroom and puke on the floor. “I’ll clean this up.”
Sighing, I tighten my hold on him. “Okay, then let’s go to his bed. Can you walk?”
Levi nods silently, so I grab the syrup from the counter, and together we make our way to Blake’s room. The last—and only, really—time I was in his room, I didn’t get a chance to really look at the space.
I don’t know what I was expecting to find, but the room is pretty neat. A big, king-size bed dominates the space. An emerald green blanket is covering the pristine white sheets. There is a shirt tossed at the bottom of the mattress, like Blake took it off in a hurry and couldn’t bother throwing it into the laundry basket. A big TV is hanging on the wall across from the bed, with a chest of drawers underneath it and a few trinkets scattered on the surface.
Going to the bed, I pull the blanket back so Levi can slide inside before tucking him in.
“Do you want me to put on some cartoons?” I turn around to look for the remote, but he grabs my hand. For a kid who spent the afternoon throwing up, he sure had some strength left in him. “Don’t leave me.”
9 years old
“Where did Mom go?” I whisper, my fingers gripping the edge of the comforter.
Grams brushes my hair back, a distant expression on her face.
It wasn’t the first time I’d seen that look on her face. It was always there when she was talking to Mom.
She shakes her head slightly. “I don’t know, bug.”
My throat becomes tight at her words.
Mom said she’d be back, but it’s been over a week now. It’s the longest she’s been away.
She left.
For good this time.
I could see it on her face the day she left—she wasn’t coming back.
“Try to get some rest now, okay?”
The loud creaking of the bed echoes in the room as she pushes to her feet. I extend my hand, my sweaty fingers wrapping around Grams’ wrist. My ears are buzzing, my heart beating wildly against my rib cage as I tighten my hold on her, those crystal blue eyes crinkled at the corners shifting to me.
“Don’t leave me.”
Although his words are barely a whisper, there is no missing the fear and desperation in his voice. I know all too well how it feels to be left behind and cling to every last bit of the familiarity, and a little bit of my heart breaks for the boy in front of me.
Pushing the memory back, I gently brush his hair out of his face. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Levi’s forehead still feels warm, but not as much as it was when I just got here. Maybe he did manage to get down some of the medicine after all.
“Promise?”
“I promise. I’m not going anywhere.” I sit on the bed, and he slides closer to me almost instantly. “Can you try to drink a little bit more of that medicine for me?” Levi nods, so I grab the syrup and pour it for him. “Sleep.”
Levi nuzzles his face into my side. He looks so young when he sleeps, so vulnerable, that it breaks my heart.
So much has happened in his short life, so many changes, it’s not even strange he’s so scared of being left alone.
“I wish you were my mom.”
I suck in a sharp breath, stunned by his words.
They’re said so softly that, at first, I think I’ve imagined them. I knew Levi liked me. He was an affectionate kid who wasn’t afraid to show his emotions, but this? I didn’t know what to do with this. How to feel about it.
“He fell asleep?”
I jump a little bit in surprise at the sound of Daniel’s voice. Looking up, I find him standing in the doorway.
Did he hear what Levi said?
I watch him carefully but can’t find an answer on his face.
You’re not our mother!
Daniel’s words were still echoing in my head, even now. I didn’t blame him for saying it. Not one bit. He was right. I wasn’t their mother. I would never be their mother. I didn’t want that. But was it so wrong of me to want them in Munchkin’s life? For wanting my baby to have a family, siblings, I so desperately wanted but never had?
“Yeah, I think he’s wiped out.” My gaze falls to the little boy sleeping soundly in bed, still holding onto me. I brush one curl out of his face. “Let’s just hope he keeps down the medicine and doesn’t throw up again.”
Daniel moves closer, his attention on his brother. “Dad’s going to kill me.”
There is no fear on his face anymore, just resignation. And tiredness.
“He’s not going to kill you.”
“I promised him that I would take care of Levi. He’s been gone for less than twenty-four hours, and Levi is sick. I messed it all up.”
“You didn’t mess it all up, Daniel.” He looks at me, biting at his lip. “Things don’t always go how we expect or plan them. What matters is what you do with that. You saw you were over your head, and you came to ask for help. Levi is clean, he had his medicine and is resting. You did everything you were supposed to.”
“But if I watched over him like I said I would…”
I shake my head. “He would still have gotten sick. There was no avoiding that.”
Munchkin’s foot connects with my ribs, kicking the air out of my lungs. I press my hand against the spot, rubbing at it.
Daniel notices it too, his eyes narrowing. “Are you okay?”
“Fine. Baby is kicking. I think I have a future football player on my hands.” The corner of my mouth lifts up, but Daniel stays silent, his attention still on my stomach. I wonder what’s going through his head, but I fear that if I ask, this temporary truce might be over, and I don’t want to risk it.
“You should go and get some rest. I’ll stay here with him.”
Daniel shakes his head. “No, it’s… I want to stay here. Do you mind if I turn on the TV?”
I look down at sleeping Levi. He’s out, and I don’t think he’ll be waking up anytime soon. “It’s fine.”
Daniel grabs the remote and turns on the TV, lowering the volume. “You watching Criminal Minds?”
“You know it?” Daniel asks as he sits down on the other side of the bed, propping the pillow against the headboard.
“Know it?” I scoff. Curling my hand under the pillow, I turn my attention to the screen. “I grew up watching it.”
From the corner of my eye, I can see Daniel roll his eyes. “You know you’re not that much older than me, right?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m still older.”
A companionable silence settles over us as we watch the show. One episode turns into two, and before long, sleep claims me too.