Page 56 of Love Overdose: St. Louis

“No.”

“You didn’t deny him care or ignore something that could have protected him.”

“No.”

“Then your body didn’t betray him. Something happened to both of you that you couldn’t control.”

Her chin trembled once before she steadied it.

“You can tell me that as a doctor?”

“I can tell you that as a man listening to what you’ve lived with.” I covered her hand with mine. “I haven’t reviewed your medical history. I won’t pretend to know every clinical detail surrounding his birth. But nothing you’ve told me sounds like a mother who failed her child.”

She lowered her gaze to our hands.

“What I see is a woman who survived something terrifying and then built her life around making sure her son had everything she could give him.”

A tear escaped and slid down her cheek. I caught it with my thumb.

“I still wish I could fix it.”

“I know.”

“I’d give him anything.”

“I know that, too.”

She leaned into me, and I wrapped both arms around her. Her face pressed against my neck while I held her. I didn’t offer another explanation. Grief that old couldn’t be reasoned out of her over breakfast. After a while, she drew back and wiped beneath her eyes.

“Look at me crying before nine o’clock.”

“You can cry here.”

“I’m a thug. We discussed this.”

“No, you discussed it. I never agreed.”

A wet laugh left her. “You’ve been talking to Naomi.”

“I’ve heard enough to know she would disagree too.”

Frankie looked at me for several quiet seconds.

“Most men hear special needs and start looking for an exit.”

“I’m not most men.”

“I’m beginning to see that.”

I brought her hand to my mouth and kissed her knuckles.

“When the time is right,” she said, “I’d like you to meet him.”

The invitation warmed me. Even though there was no date attached to it, Frankie had opened a door she protected carefully.

“I’d like that.”

“I need to be sure first.”