Page 75 of Well Aware

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I really wish I could take it all back. Get a do-over.”

“Well, you can’t.”

That hadn’t come from me.

That’d come from Beau who was standing in the doorway, Iris on his hip.

She had a death grip on his t-shirt, and she looked like she’d had that death grip on him for a while.

“I’m having a private conversation—” Eloy started, but I interrupted.

“What happened?”

Beau ignored Eloy and came farther into the room. “She didn’t have it in her to go to school today.”

My stomach sank. “Really?”

Iris shifted toward me, and I pulled her into my good arm, surprised and relieved to get a hug from her. Soaking it up, I closed my eyes and just…breathed.

I didn’t get these very often, and when they came, I cherished every second.

“You okay, Iris?”

She nodded against my chest.

“Maybe we can try again tomorrow,” I suggested.

She nodded but didn’t say anything.

“Is this her?”

I felt a shift and opened my eyes to see that Beau had placed himself in front of Iris and me. “It’s time to leave.”

“I…”

“Aren’t welcome,” Beau interjected before he could give his excuse. “Thanks for stopping by.”

Silence.

I felt my lips stretch up into a grin and couldn’t stop the small laugh that bubbled out of me when Eloy continued to stutter out his excuses.

In the end, Beau helped him find his way out of the room, leaving Iris and me alone to snuggle.

Though not for long.

Beau and Eloy weren’t gone but for a few seconds when the nurse came in and declared, “Time to bounce!”

I liked her a lot.

She was a great nurse and an even easier person to talk to.

I hoped that I got to see her a lot when I officially started working here after the Christmas holidays. She seemed like she would be a great friend.

Especially when she started to whisper all the things that Beau was saying to Eloy in the hallway.

“That man…” She fanned her face. “He is HOT!”

I grinned. “He is.”