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Chapter 45
Trey
Parker and Mia said their goodbyes after having their driver drop Chloe and myself off in front of McDonald’s. I invited them to walk with us, but Parker explained he had an early-morning surgery, and Chloe had insisted Mia go home and get some rest. Chloe made a quick call to Mom to check on Sophie.
“Put it on speaker,” I said. “Step over here so people don’t run you down.”
“Victoria, you’re on speaker with me and Trey. How is she doing?” Chloe asked, concern sketched on her face.
“She is doing just fine. We are very busy coloring and the nurses brought her some chocolate pudding,” Mom answered. “Sophie, say hi to your mommy.”
“Hi Mummy, I’m having fun and I don’t feel sick,” Sophie answered. “I love you a million French fries.”
“Okay, you have fun, see you soon,” Chloe responded. “I love you a million chicken nuggets.”
“Take your time, dear. She’s had her medicine and isn’t due for a breathing treatment for another hour,” Mom said. “Sit and have a real meal or take a walk to the park with Trey, then bring her McDonald’s.”
“Oh, Victoria, I’d love to, but I don’t want to be away too long,” Chloe smiled, “although there is nothing more I’d like to do than go to the park with Trey.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I called out to the phone, “bye.”
“Now what?” Chloe looked around. “There’s so many people on this street.”
“Let’s walk a little bit.” I turned her onto the sidewalk. “Do you ever get time just for you?”
“Well, when Mia lived back home I did, but she came here. So I haven’t been away from Sophie since she got ill a year ago.”
I stopped walking when we reached the street vendors on the corner.
“I thought we were going to McDonald’s,” Chloe asked, stepping closer to the vendor.
“Oh, we will, but first you have to let me treat you to your first New York pretzel.” I grabbed the mustard from the vendor cart. “There’s nothing like it. Try a bite and tell me it isn’t heaven.”
She finished a first bite then took a second. “It’s good.”
I reached for a paper napkin. “Would you like to try it with mustard now?” I held it out to her.
“Sure, I’d love to try it. She pulled off a piece of pretzel and swiped it through my mustard, then took a bite. “I like it better with the mustard.”
I smiled and took a piece of her pretzel since mine was gone already.
She licked mustard off her lip. “No food sharing shyness, I see.”
“Now you can check off ‘hot pretzel from New York.’ Next, we’ll try our famous hot dogs.” I took her by the hand and pulled her across the street past blowing horns of taxicabs.
“I’ll try a hot dog with you, but then I would like to get back to my baby girl, with her Macca’s of course,” Chloe said, out of breath. “I’ve enjoyed hanging out with you though.”
“Let’s do it again, then. Sophie will be going home tomorrow or the next day, so maybe then we can all go out and do something together,” I said, watching her facial expressions change with every other word I said. “I’m sorry, did I upset you or is something bothering you?”
“Definitely not. Why?” Chloe pushed her bangs out of her face. “I was thinking about how good the pretzel was at the same time as worrying about Sophie and thinking about all these people.”
“That might explain the facial expressions,” I laughed. “We can go back right now or we can go for a short walk.”
“I told your mom that we wouldn’t be gone long,” Chloe hesitated.
“How about if I call the nurse’s station and see how things are going?” I pulled my cell from my pocket. “If she’s doing alright, then we take a few more minutes. Deal?”
‘Deal,” Chloe finally answered.
