She and Neetie would be staying at Court’s. He’d shot down the idea of them finding a hotel in no uncertain terms when she’d suggested that they might be in his way. Maggie hadn’t really wanted to go elsewhere. Soon she and Neetie would have to leave. Knowing that day was coming, she wanted to spend as much time with Court as possible.
Every night she spent down the hall in her own bed away from Court was anguish. She couldn’t count the number of times she’d thought about going to him, had relived those precious hours she’d been in his arms. Did Court want her as much as she did him?
Maggie unlocked the door to Court’s brownstone while he carried Neetie up the steps. “Wow,” she said, as Neetie pierced the quiet room with a yelp of delight. There was a tub of toys sitting in the middle of the room.
“Down.” Neetie wiggled to get out of Court’s arms.
“Where did you get these?” Maggie asked.
“I asked one my sisters.”
Maggie grinned at his sheepish look.
“I guess she was so surprised to hear from me she called the others. Neetie seems to be happy.”
With a wide-eyed look of wonder the boy pulled toys out of the tub and placed them on the floor.
She gave Court a hug. “To my knowledge, he’s never owned a real toy.” She blinked, trying to stop the moisture from forming in her eyes. “I don’t want him to get too used to this. It isn’t real life for him.”
Court hugged her close. “Ah, honey, let him enjoy. You worry too much. He can take one or two back with him. Surely that won’t hurt.”
“Your heart isn’t all that small either.” She looked at him. “I which I could do more for all the kids like Neetie.”
He stepped back and frowned. “Like getting support from the foundation?”
“Yes. I haven’t forgotten about needing the foundation’s help.”
“I really didn’t think for a minute you had.” For some reason he sounded displeased with her. It saddened Maggie to know that he still didn’t readily agree about the grant issue. He’d more than seen first hand the need.
“Look, Mister Doctor,” Neetie held up an action figure up with a proud look on his face.
Court sat down on the floor beside the boy.
“You’re spoiling him. It’ll be hard for him to go home,” Maggie complained. “He’s already on a culture shock high.”
Court presented his sexy grin that always made her give in as he pulled a toy out of the box.
Neither Court nor Neetie paid her any attention as they put their heads together and made fighting sounds. This was the kind of moment she’d always hoped to share with her own little family. So perfect was the bubble it had to burst, and this time it would hurt so deeply she’d never be able to run away from it. Nothing would ever feel right again.
* * *
Neetie had been home a few days and felt so much better he’d become stir crazy. Court came home early and told Maggie he wanted to take Neetie somewhere, just the two of them, to give her some time to herself. Maggie took him up on the offer.
“How about dropping me off at the nearest mall? I promised myself that the next time I got to the States I’d have a pedicure and manicure. I thought I’d do a little shopping also. I’ll get a taxi back.”
At the mall entrance, Court gave her a quick kiss. Something he did any time she gave him an opening to do so. He missed having her in his arms, above all in his bed. He took what little he could when he got a chance and was always left wanting more.
“We’ll go out to dinner so don’t worry about fixing anything if you beat us home.”
“Sounds nice. Court…” she grabbed his arm “…don’t let Neetie overdo it.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him. You have a good time.”
Thirty minutes later when he pulled his car into a parking spot in the large asphalt lot he wondered if he’d actually known what he’d been saying when he’d given Maggie that last reassurance. What did he know about caring for a child? Not the medical side, but about making an emotional investment. He’d never even babysat his nieces or nephews. “We’re here.”
Neetie looked at him with unsure eyes. “Where is here?” he asked in Mamprusi.
“The zoo.”
“Zoo. I not know zoo.”
“Come on, buddy, I’ll show you. I think you’ll like it.”
As they strolled toward the gate, Neetie slipped his hand into Court’s. At first the trust the gesture implied made Court nervous but he discovered he liked it that the boy had faith in him.
Inside the zoo, the first animals they visited were the elephants. Neetie laughed as the large animals threw water on their backs. Impatient, Neetie soon pulled on Court’s hand. He was ready to see more. They made their way to the snake house, where Neetie stood behind Court’s legs the moment he saw the first large snake.
“Look.” Court touched the glass of the cage. “They can’t hurt you.” After that Neetie slipped out from behind Court’s legs but even then he stood close enough that he touched Court. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.” Those words Court had never thought he’d say to another person, let alone to a child. For the first time Court understood how Roger must’ve felt when he’d found out about Jimmy having brain damage.
“Not like. Hurt,” Neetie said, bringing Court out of his dismal thoughts.
“How about we go see the bears?” Neetie agreed but by the perplexed look on his face Court could tell he had no idea what Court was talking about. He took it for granted the boy would know what a bear was when in reality he’d never been given an opportunity to see one. Court wanted more for Neetie and with Maggie he would have that chance. But what about the other children in Ghana? Could he do more? Would the foundation?
Neetie loved the polar bears. Only by enticing Neetie away with talk of a hot dog did he get Neetie to leave.
Court laughed when Neetie screwed up his face at the taste of mustard.
“I want more,” Neetie said, after finishing the hot dog.
“I don’t think Missy Maggie would like it if I brought you home sick. How about we go see the monkeys instead?”
Neetie was just as fascinated with the monkeys. Court had been to the zoo a number of times as a very young child but he couldn’t remember having as much fun seeing the animals as he was seeing them through Neetie’s eyes. Court was having fun. He wished Maggie had come with them. They would have to bring her next time.
But she and Neetie were leaving soon. He didn’t want to examine why that thought bothered him so much.
Neetie tugged at his shirt. “Restroom.”
“Okay, let’s find one.” Minutes later, Court stood outside a stall, waiting. He’d seen fathers doing the same thing but Court would’ve argued that he’d never be caught doing it. His life had certainly made a major turn.
“I done,” Neetie said, coming out of the stall.
“Be sure to wash your hands,” Court said. He didn’t recognize himself any more. He’d even started sounding like a parent.
They spent the next couple of hours seeing the rest of the animals. As they were making their way back to the car, Neetie began to lag behind. “How about a piggy-back ride?”
“I not want pig on back.”
Court laughed. “I’ll show you.” He bent down. “Get on my back. Put your arms tight around my neck. That’s it.” Court put his arms under the boy’s legs and shifted him upward.
“How’s that?”
“I like being pig on back”
Court chuckled. He liked Neetie being pig on back also. What Court didn’t like was that this might be the last time the two of them took a piggy-back ride. “Hold on tight.”
Neetie was strapped in and Court was closing the car door when Neetie looked at Court with sleepy eyes and said, “I like you, Mister Doctor.”
Court’s heart contracted. Now he knew what it was like to have a child look at you with complete devotion. Court rubbed his head. “I like
you too.”
* * *
Maggie had spent the better part of the afternoon being pampered. She’d almost forgotten how nice it was to do something for herself. When she arrived home, Court and Neetie were not there.
When the doorbell rang she thought it must be Neetie playing with it again. He had discovered the bell the day before and found it fascinating. She opened the door to find a statuesque woman in her sixties. Maggie had no doubt this older female version of Court was his mother.
“Hello, I’m Grace Armstrong. And you must be Maggie.”