Page 78 of Halo

The words stop me cold. I slowly pivot around, considering my words. “Where'd you hear that?”

“The doctor.” He shrugs one shoulder beneath the blankets. “She called you Dad.”

I let out a sigh. The moment I've been longing for is suddenly happening way too quickly. I slowly make my way to the bed, careful not to jostle the wires and IV tubing. Lowering myself onto the edge of the mattress, I rest my forearms on my knees. I don't exactly know what to say or how to say it. I thought I'd be better prepared.

So, I settle on the truth.

“Yeah,” I answer softly. “I am.”

Grady is quiet for a few minutes, studying the ceiling. “So ...” His gaze drifts back to mine. “Do I have to stop calling you Nick?”

A laugh catches in my chest before it ever reaches my lips. “No.” I smile. “You get to choose.”

“I do?”

“You do.”

He thinks about that for another few seconds, his nose scrunching the way it always does when he's concentrating.

“Can I still be your partner?”

I rest my hands at his sides, leaning over him. “That will never, ever change."

He holds up his pinky finger.

Smiling through the sting in my eyes, I hook mine around his. “Pinky promise.”

Chapter 19

Nick

The hospital mattress shifts underneath me as Grady springs out of bed, the door slamming shut a split second later. I blink myself awake, wincing as feeling slowly returns to the arm he'd claimed as his pillow overnight.

"Mommy!" Grady throws off his oxygen mask, his arms outstretched.

Tiffany crosses the room in a blur before collapsing over Grady, crushing him into a fierce embrace. She kisses his forehead, his cheeks, his curls. Her hands flutter restlessly over him as if she can't decide where to hold him first

“Baby, I'm so sorry,” she sobs. “Mommy's so, so sorry."

“Mom ...” Grady squirms in her grip, his voice small. “You're squeezing too hard.”

“Tiffany,” I groan. “Calm down. You're crushing him.”

“I just love you so much, baby!” She kisses his face one last time before finally easing her grip.

Cigarette smoke clings to her sweatshirt and hair, which has partially fallen out of a bun. Dark circles shadow her eyes as her lashes stick together from flaking mascara.

Jesus.

She busies herself, fussing over Grady's hospital gown. “Is he okay? Did they say he's okay?”

“Mommy …” Grady giggles, gently catching her hands and forcing it off of him. “I'm fine. See?”

Tiffany leans over, kissing his knuckles. “Mommy was just so worried.” She turns to me. “I got your voicemail this morning, and I just don't understand. He knows not to eat peanuts.”

“He's five!” I rub a hand over my mouth, fighting to keep my temper in check—at least while in front of Grady. “He trusted the adults around him to keep him safe, and instead he ended up fighting for his life because he ate a damn peanut butter cup.”

Her hand flies to her mouth as guilt and tears immediately flood her eyes. She reaches for Grady again, smoothing his hair from his forehead. “I … I was going to get him a new EpiPen—I promise, I was—”