Leefe leaned over Devi’s bed the next morning, blinking against the sunlight on the bright colors in the room. Devi slept soundly, knotted in the pink blanket. The flush had left her face, but her eye looked sore.
Leefe gripped the bed railing, thinking about the months ahead. Devi would be in school next fall, and the day care was a regular stop for the school bus. She wondered how far she could go to keep an eye on her. The person to talk to was Beverly. She sat on the cot, beginning to dress.
Something beside her fell, hitting the floor with a sharp noise, and Leefe saw Clary’s phone. She’d probably left it when they discovered Devi’s fever last night. Leefe turned it over in her hands to make sure it wasn’t broken and turned it on. Clary’s little girl was cute, and she glanced at Devi. It would be awful to lose her like that, but it happened, and in far worse ways. Leefe swiped to the next photo. A truly beautiful woman with shining blond hair held a much younger Hannah and smiled at the camera. Leefe studied the photo. She reminded her of Kaye’s cousin on the boat last weekend, the one that had been so possessive of Clary.
At least she knew what had happened to Clary. Her own one little relationship hardly qualified her to understand what happened between two people. She read a lot of fiction but had no idea how close that came to real life.The door opened. Dr. Bergs leaned in and motioned for her to come outside. They talked in the hall.
“The tests showed nothing other than a low-grade bladder infection, and we’re home free on the concussion,” Dr. Bergs said. “I’m on my way home but wanted you to have this liquid antibiotic. Shake it before you give it to her. It’ll last three days. Call me when you’ve finished and I’ll look at her again. Keep her quiet as possible, and give her plenty of fluids. She won’t have much of an appetite, but she’s going to have a black eye.”
“I called Beverly when we came in last night. Did you talk with her?”
“I did and then notified Howard McCardle’s group, to make it official.”
“Will the hospital feed Devi when she wakes, or should I fix her something at the day care?” Leefe tried to think of what she should ask. “Where did this infection come from? She was fine yesterday.”
“I never know with these kids because it’s rare to get more than just a look in ER. These families don’t come back for follow-ups. Come with me.” She handed her a child’s toothbrush, wrapped in plastic with a tiny tube of toothpaste. “I know you want to brush your teeth and wash your face.”
Leefe followed her down the hall to a private bathroom and splashed water on her face, finger-combed her hair, and brushed her teeth. By the time she got back, Devi was sitting up in bed, eating oatmeal, with a blue Cookie Monster doll sitting beside her on the pillow. Her face had been washed and her hair combed.
“Ms. Ellis,” she crowed. “Look. Oatmeal.” Devi slurped another bite. “See the eyes and nose? I ate the mouth.”
Leefe saw the smily face was melting butter with lots of brown sugar. There was a table by the cot with another bowl of oatmeal, toast, coffee, and a carton of milk.
“How do you feel?” Leefe said after several bites of her own food. Like Devi, she was a product of the system and never turned down food.
“It hurts.” Devi touched her sore eye. “I like the doctor lady.”
“It’ll heal, and the doctor will always be here for us.” Leefe took a sip of the coffee.
Devi went to work on the toast. “Is Papa here?”
“No. I’m taking you with me to the day care.” Leefe got up and gave Devi the rest of her own carton of milk. “Will you drink this for me?”
Devi took the carton. “I’m thirsty.”
“Want some water?”
“I don’t like water.” Devi held up the plastic glass on her tray, looking at it intently.
“You drink water with me at the day care. What’s up?”
“We drink brown water at Papa’s. It hurts.” She rubbed her stomach.
Leefe tucked the information away for Dr. Bergs. She knew where Devi’s family had been squatting, at the old theater. “You’re right. You shouldn’t drink brown water.”
“Mine?” Devi pointed at the big stuffed Cookie Monster, her face hopeful.
“No. That belongs here. Some other little boy or girl may need it.”
“Okay.” Devi scanned each part of the walls as if she were memorizing them. Leefe remembered her own confusion when Beverly had her in the hospital. She had learned, and so would Devi. “I like this bed,” Devi said. Her little hands stroked the sheets.
“I liked my bed too. We’re lucky, aren’t we?”
Devi smiled an almost grownup smile. Leefe wondered if she’d ever slept in a real bed, other than the one at day care.
“Dang.” Leefe remembered Devi’s clothes. “I’ll be right back.” She opened the door and almost ran into Clary.
“Morning,” Clary said. “I came in earlier and stopped at the ER. They couldn’t find the clothes but saved the red shoes, so I went shopping and got these. Is that okay with you? I would have called, but I’ve lost my phone. I ripped the car up but couldn’t find it.”
“You left your phone here on the cot,” Leefe said. “It fell on the floor but didn’t break. I looked at that picture you showed me last night and one other one,” she admitted.
“I don’t care that you looked at the pictures. I’m just glad to find the phone.” Clary tucked the phone into her jean’s pocket. “The shopping was fun, and I saw Dr. Bergs as she was leaving. She said I could take you two out to breakfast.” Clary gave her that full-out, warm smile that always made Leefe smile too.
“That would be great.” Leefe was still hungry, but years of disregarding the feeling had taught her to be satisfied with what was available. “We had oatmeal, but I think we could pack away some pancakes.”
*
Clary parked in the restaurant parking lot. Devi’s awe-filled little voice filtered over the seats. “I’ve never rided a car before. We slept in one.”
“Ridden in,” Leefe corrected her. “Not rided.”
“She’s never ridden in a car?” Clary said under her breath.
“Dr. Bergs said Devi should take this medicine with food so this is good.” Leefe stuffed the bottle in her pocket and fumbled with Devi’s seat belt. Watching her, Clary remembered Leefe didn’t drive and had probably never taken a child out of a car.
They found a booth near the window, put the booster chair between them, and pulled the table close. Devi’s eyes were riveted on the people in the restaurant.
“This used to be the old drug store,” Clary said.
“There was candy right there,” Leefe said softly, pointing across the room.
“And books,” Clary added, turning to Leefe. “My favorite—” She stopped. Leefe had the strangest look on her face. She started to ask as the waitress appeared.
Devi drank water as if she’d wandered in from the desert. Clary was sure she’d need a bathroom soon and, right on schedule, Devi began to wiggle. They left, Leefe holding Devi’s hand securely.
Clary noticed Leefe had that small limp going this morning. Maybe she hadn’t slept well. She leaned back with a little ramble of happiness inside her. This was fun, being here with Leefe and Devi. The jeans and long-sleeved, blue T-shirt with embroidered butterflies and bumblebees she’d bought fit Devi perfectly. She might learn a lot about the young Leefe by paying attention to Devi.
The waitress brought warmed syrup, butter, a glass of chocolate milk, and coffee. Clary scanned the table and wondered if Devi had ever been in a restaurant. Hannah had been in a restaurant at least once a week her entire life.
They came out of the bathroom with Devi skipping beside Leefe. Both were gesturing with their hands. She thought of Leefe between her and Jesse last night. They were warriors Clary decided, big and small, and Devi would be tough like Leefe. Once again, fully intrigued, Clary’s heart bumped up.
Devi scrambled up over the booth into the booster seat. “There was hot air in the bathroom,” she said to Clary, eyes shining with wonder.
“What does she mean?” Clary looked at Leefe.
“The hand drier in the bathroom fascinated her.”
They both laughed. Two people from the table next to them left, one of them holding an unlit cigarette, and Clary turned to Leefe.
“You really don’t smoke, do you?”
“Of course I do, when I feel like it. I just don’t feel like it very often,” Leefe said with a shrug. “It’s my little rebellion or relaxation. Don’t you have something like that?”
“Sure. I do something crazy with my hair.”
Leefe narrowed her eyes, scanning Clary’s hair. “Is that your real color?”
“I haven’t seen my real color since eighth grade.” Clary laughed at herself.
“You girls look happy,” Howie McCardle said, suddenly in front of them.
Clary smiled up at him. “Have a seat. We’re waiting for breakfast.”
“Hi, Howard,” Leefe said. “This is Devi.”
“So this is Devi. I talked with Jesse today,” he said with a big smile for the little girl, and pulled a chair up to the table. “We haven’t found the missing people,” he said, and pushed back as the waitress brought the food.
“Look, a bear.” Devi’s voice rose as she pointed at the teddy bear pancake.
“Bet it tastes better than a real bear.” Leefe grinned.
“It does.” Howie made a face. “My wife shot a bear two years ago, but none of us liked the meat. We gave it to the Food Plant. They made a great stew out of it and fed lots of people.”
“Your wife shoots bears? I heard you were married,” Clary said. “Do you have kids?”
“I have three, including one boy, the youngest, and two girls that have me wrapped around their little fingers.” He picked up the syrup container and held it out to Devi. “Tell me when you’re ready.”
Devi bent close. “What is it?”
“Syrup,” Leefe said. “Remember the bumblebee jar at the day care?”
Devi nodded and pointed at her shirt. “See? I have bees. Butterflies too.”
Clary grinned. Had she ever seen three adults so focused on a pancake and syrup? Howie was good with kids and made Devi giggle as he poured the syrup. Clary caught Leefe’s warm look directed at her from under those long, black eyelashes and took a deep breath. It was a good moment, and she leaned back, relaxed and happy.
Howie told them stories about camping with his family and called his wife “Annie Oakley.” Devi ate everything and took the medicine without a complaint. The chocolate milk was exciting as well. Clary noticed and had the waitress bring Devi another glass, which brought on more grins. Devi sipped the milk and watched Howie carefully.
As they left, Howie held Leefe back and talked to her by the restaurant door. Devi yawned so Clary picked her up, carrying her toward the car, and Devi snuggled into her with a sigh. She weighed hardly anything. She heard running footsteps behind her, and she began to turn as Devi yelled, “Papa.”