He seemed to relax at that, and protective instincts welled up inside her. He was still so young.
A different nurse came into the room. She was carrying a tray of milk, orange juice and red Jell-O.
“You must be Eli,” she said. “I hear you’re feeling hungry.”
As he looked at the tray, his enthusiasm seemed to fade. “They didn’t bring the ice cream.”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “The ice cream is coming.” She set the tray down on the rolling table beside the bed. “Did you see that the menu is in red, yellow and green sections?” She put her hand out, and TJ gave her the tablet.
She touched the screen and put it in front of Eli. “You have to order at least two things from the green section, one thing from the yellow section, and then you can order one thing from the red section.”
“Let me guess,” Eli said. “I have to eat the green and yellow stuff first?”
“That’s a good guess,” she said. “That’s exactly how it works.”
“Okay.” Eli drew out the word in exaggerated resignation.
TJ took the remote control from its holder. “We were hoping for a baseball game.”
“Sports stations start at three hundred,” the nurse said.
He turned on the TV and browsed while Sage watched Eli eat. Three bites into the Jell-O, and he showed no signs of slowing down. She allowed herself a wave of cautious relief. His immune system was still weak, but they’d made it through the immediate danger.
A baseball game playing, TJ spoke to her in an undertone. “You need breakfast too.”
She was ready to agree. She also needed a shower and some fresh clothes, which presented a problem. Everything she owned was back in Seattle, and she didn’t dare put anything more on her credit card.
“I need to get back to Seattle,” she said to TJ. Then she quickly turned to reassure Eli. “I just need to get a few clothes and explain to the people at work. But I’ll be back.”
“You don’t need to leave right away,” TJ said with a frown.
She wasn’t about to have a debate in front of her son. “You’ll be okay for now?” she asked Eli. “Don’t wear yourself out. Take a nap after breakfast.”
“I’m not a little kid.”
“You’re not. That’s true.” She squeezed his hand goodbye, thinking he looked both grown up and so very young at the same time.
Out in the hallway, TJ repeated, “You don’t need anything from home right away.”
“I need clothes.” She hoped he’d be willing to provide transportation. In a pinch, she’d buy a bus ticket. Hopefully, they weren’t too expensive.
“You can buy clothes in Whiskey Bay. We do have stores here.”
They stepped onto the elevator.
She was embarrassed, annoyed at him for cornering her, and her retort came out more flippant than she’d intended. “I’m afraid I left my platinum card at home.”
He looked confused for a moment. Then he shook his head. “Okay, we’ve got to get this worked out.” He took his wallet from his back pocket and flipped it open to extract a credit card. “Take this for now.”
She held up her palms and stepped backward. “Oh, no, no, no.”
The elevator door opened to a group of four waiting in the lobby.
Even more embarrassed, she slipped out and started for the exit.
TJ quickly caught up. “Take the card, Sage.”
“I’m not taking your credit card.”
“I owe you nine years of child support back payments. I don’t know what kind of a shopping spree you’re planning, but I’m betting you can’t run through it all in one day.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
They came to the front door, and he quickly reached to open it for her. “I owe you everything.”
As she stepped onto the front sidewalk, she realized she had no idea where she was going. She stopped.
Reality came crashing down. She had no car. She had no money. She had to quit her job. And no matter how hard she’d tried to make the best of it, she didn’t want to raise Eli in a basement suite in an area that was heading downhill. He’d be a teenager soon, and the neighborhood influences would get even stronger.
TJ was the answer to all of that. He could solve everything. All she had to give up was her pride.
That was all—such a little thing. She steadied herself. She steeled herself.
For Eli, she’d do it.
“I’ll do it,” she said out loud.
“You’ll take my credit card?”
“I’ll do it all.” She looked up at him as she took the plunge. “I’ll move to Whiskey Bay. I’ll live in your house. But I am paying rent. I’ll get a job of some kind.”