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Chapter Three
His breaths came fast, deep and hard when he realized that his flesh was on fire.
Back in the war.
Back on the battlefield.
Back in France.
The same thing happened now as he walked away from the little room where he put Cat’s daughter, knowing that she had a really bad case.
Hating himself for making more promises he couldn’t keep.
When her daughter ended up crippled forever, she would hate him forever, if she already didn’t.
He took the stretcher bed back to the ambulance drivers who looked really put out at having to wait a prolonged amount of time for it, but it seemed like the one was having a good time talking to the receptionist. And if Sarah could get a date to help her loosen up some, it would all work out, right? Cause she needed a man. Bad.
“Hey, there Mike. Come on back to the washroom a minute.” Mr. O called out to him and he waved at him. Keep it light. Gotta keep it fun for the children. Always.
“Sure thing.” Mike spoke up in a peppy voice, but right now, he wanted to be alone more than anything to calm the assault that his beating heart put on him.
Stepping through the old marble archways in the old part of the building, where it was cold, Mike went back into the washroom, mounded high with bed sheets and pillow cases. They didn’t do the wash on the weekend, so it was empty and quiet.
“Hey. When you came on board, I thought you told me you were single and that’s why you could save us some dough being the night watchman and an orderly.”
Mike put his hands in his pockets and slouched on one of the pillars. “I wouldn’t steer you wrong. I am single. I’m not married to her.”
Right now, getting Cat’s name past the developing lump in his throat was asking for too much.
“Ok, then so what’s with the big reveal here?” His brown-red eyebrows came together.
Mike’s ability to keep it light was fast slipping away from him. How dare this man, a man who wouldn’t even be here on the earth if it weren’t for him, question him about what he would do? He ran a hand over his wavy conk, hating the very words that he was about to say, but knowing that a little girl depended on him.
He laughed and moved a little closer to Mr. O. “We wasn’t all innocent when we got to the big show over there you know. Less you was.”
Mr. O’s smile matched his own. “I know what you are saying, there Mike. No, none of us were.”
“Come back, and this little honey want to know me better, so you know, me being a war hero and all. It wasn’t hard to get a little piece of tail from time to time.”
“Well, can’t say as I blame you Mike. That one there, that mama’s got some of the longest legs I ever seen on a woman.”
“Remember how women was always asking for stockings? Cat didn’t need none of that.”
Mr. O elbowed him and it took everything in Mike to react the same way.
Keep it light.
“You rascal. How many of these kids you think you got out there?”
He smiled and spread out his hand. “Between my breaks from the war and when I got back? Who knows?”
“This one was born when we got back?”
Mike did some fast calculating in his head. “Yeah. That’s what her mama said. You know, she’s none too pleased with me just now. But if I can help her out in some way. Little Hannah’s a smart little girl for her age.”
“Oh, I could tell. And given that she’s yours, we’ll work it out somehow. Maybe one or two of the therapists you’re friends with will be willing to help in her care and we’ll cut the price of her staying here since she’s in your room.”
“I appreciate that. Yes, sometimes, these little slip ups do you right proud. Mighty smart for seven.”
