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Beside him, Lizzie stiffened and turned around to the older woman.
“What do you want?”
Coretta stuck out a finger. “You’re not fit to have charge of that precious angel!”
“He was stung by a bee,” Lizzie said tiredly. “I—”
“And if you’d been taking care of him like a good mother should in his own home rather than leaving him with strangers this would never had happened!”
“That’s not true—if he’s allergic to bee stings it could’ve happened anywhere.” Lizzie turned to Adam. “Let’s keep moving. I don’t want Roman to have to listen to this.”
“You’re a bad mother, and I’m going to make sure everyone knows about it!”
Coretta continued to shout even as Lizzie and Adam crossed the road beside the pizza parlor and headed for Ted’s place. Adam only realized how badly Lizzie was shaking when she couldn’t get the key into the downstairs door lock.
“Pizza?” Roman asked hopefully.
“Let’s just get you settled into bed first, okay, buddy?” Adam murmured.
Lizzie finally managed the lock, and Adam followed her up the stairs and into her apartment. He paused on the threshold and silently appreciated the warm colors and inviting spaces she’d created out of the uninspiring square box. She’d always been good at that.
“Nice place.”
“Thanks.” She rushed ahead of him opening doors. “This is Roman’s bedroom.”
He carefully placed the boy on the bed and unwrapped him from the blanket.
“You’re home, buddy.”
“Say thank you, Roman.” Lizzie closed the drapes and snapped on the light beside the bed. “Mr. Miller’s been very kind to us today.”
“Thank you, Mr. Miller.” Roman smiled up at Adam.
“You can call me Adam. Mr. Miller sounds like my dad.”
“I don’t have a dad,” Roman said and then yawned really hard. “Mom said he’s missing out.”
“She’s right.” Adam got off the bed and walked toward the door. “Nice to meet you, Roman. Stay away from any bees, okay?”
He followed Lizzie out to the kitchen-diner and stood awkwardly as she fluttered about putting on lamps and fixing the window shades. He sunk his fingers into the throw on the back of the couch and appreciated the softness. There was little of that in his life now; only his affection for his sister allowed him to express any warmth for anyone.
“I’d better go,” Adam said, shifting from one foot to the other. The whole scenario was making him anxious.
Lizzie came toward him and offered another exhausted smile. She’d gotten very thin after she’d had the baby, all sharp angles like a baby stork. He’d been worried about her for a while, but she looked much more like her old self now.
“I know I keep saying it, Adam, but thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He hesitated. “Is there something going on between you and Coretta? She sure seemed mad at you.”
“She—” Lizzie sighed and shoved a hand through her hair. “I’ll deal with it. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“I wasn’t worrying.”
“Of course you weren’t. Why would you?” She straightened up, all the softness disappearing from her face, and went over to the door. “Thanks for helping me out today.”
For some reason, he was reluctant to leave. It was the first decent conversation he’d had with her for years, and he’d missed her. They’d been best friends at school before he’d fallen in love with her best friend, Louisa, and everything had changed.
Adam took a step toward her. “Lizzie . . .”
“Mom!”
They both turned to see Roman standing in the hall doorway, his eyes filled with tears.
“What’s wrong?” Lizzie rushed over to pick him up. “Do you feel sick? Do you want me to call Dr. Tio?”
“I’ve lost Doofus!” Roman began to bawl.
“No, you haven’t. You just left him at Gabby’s” Lizzie patted his back. “You can get him tomorrow. It’s okay, it’s okay.”
“But I need him now,” Roman choked out through tears.
