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Obviously Rafael wasn’t good with words. However, he made up for it by his presence and actions. She changed into scrubs and comfortable clogs, and pulled her hair into a bun and climbed down the stairs to his place.
“Ready to go?” she said when he opened the door.
“In a minute.” He pulled her straight into his arms and kissed her. Rubbing her neck, he peered at her eyes. “What’s wrong, babe?” This man could read every one of her emotions.
She took a deep breath and shrugged. “Not sure. Annabelle and...other things.” She bit her lip on the rest of her mental sentence,and you.
He caressed her cheek and gave her a knowing smile. “Let’s go see Annabelle. The other things will get resolved eventually.”
Rafael dropped her in front of the hospital. She strode to the elevators and pushed the button. When it stopped, Cody came out with two others.
“Hi, going up to see my patient? I’ll join you in a moment.”
Arianna flashed him a smile. He’d called Annabelle his patient, proof he was interested in bringing his surgical efforts to a happy conclusion. Before entering the unit, she scrubbed and donned a sterile robe, shoved her hair under a cap, adjusted a mask on her face, and rubbed her hands with sanitizer.
Well equipped to see her baby, she stepped into the PICU and approached Annabelle’s bassinet to examine the naked chest covered with patches, and the many tubes protruding from her hands, feet, and nose. Poor sweetheart, sleeping peacefully despite her difficult situation.
The nurse on duty glided in, her eyes fixed on the monitor. “Good, good. Her temperature’s dropped. The higher dose of antibiotics has made a difference.”
The first twenty four hours were critical. Arianna relaxed. “Can I touch her?”
“Yes, as long as you don’t disturb the tubes.” The nurse gave Arianna a onceover. “I’m Joanne. Are you related?”
“No. Just the flight nurse who brought her to the hospital. Arianna Garcia.”
The nurse smiled. “I heard she’s in foster care.”
“How are we doing here?” The male voice had them turn toward the newcomer.
“There’s progress, Dr. Cody.” Apparently the staff used his first name to distinguish him from his father.
Cody studied the numbers on the monitor, then bent over the baby to listen to her heart. “We had a glitch this morning with the fever, but it’s under control. Hopefully, she’ll be able to move from the PICU to the nursery tomorrow.”
A weight lifted off Arianna’s chest. She touched the tip of two fingers to the baby’s cheek and drew gentle circles. “Hear that, baby? You’re on the mend. Oh my God, she smiled.”
“She’s probably awake. Keep doing that. It gives her a sense of connection.” He turned to the nurse. “Joanne, you can take a break for fifteen minutes. I’ll stay with the baby.”
Arianna flinched. Cody wanted privacy.
“I want to apologize for...for my blunders.”
Eyebrows arched, she turned half-way toward him. Oh Lordy, she hoped he wouldn’t slip down a sentimental path. “First about...about the baby, and then the scholarship.”
“Cody, for heaven’s sake stop dwelling on the past. We live in the present. One day at a time.”
“Are you happy, Arianna?”
“Yes, very. I have a great job that pays well and gives me excellent benefits. Recently, I bought my own condo in a high rise with a fantastic view. These are only two of my present assets.”
“What about the pilot? Is it serious?”
“I don’t discuss my personal relationships.”
“We had a great relationship in the past. I could offer you much more, Arianna.”
She spun toward him, arms crossed over her chest. “Why didn’t you? You had your chance.”
“We were too busy, working hard, studying, me for my board exams, you for nursing.”
