Chasing Bailey, page 11
part #3 of Lake Harriet Series
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he said.
If she hadn’t been so worried and tired, she would have found their situation amusing. Avery in his running pants and sweatshirt, her in a pair of yoga pants and an old T-shirt, sitting here in this sterile environment. She knew her hair was uncombed, and she didn’t have a stitch of makeup on. Avery looked like he’d been running his hand through his hair as he wrote. They looked a mess, but who didn’t at midnight?
“Were you writing when you saw us? Or watching us out your window again?”
Avery chuckled. “All of the above. I was worried about you and Abby. I couldn’t sleep, so I tried writing. When I saw you come outside, I guessed what you were doing. I figured you weren’t going for a midnight joyride.”
“I’m glad you saw us. I don’t know if I could have driven here, by myself. I was so upset.”
“Hermits can be useful sometimes.” He winked.
The nurse finally came and showed Lisa to Abby’s room. The room was small, but private, with a single crib and a sofa that folded out as a bed. Abby was hooked up to an IV bottle, her little body looking pale under the fluorescent lights.
“She was a little trooper,” the nurse said. “Hardly a peep out of her. Hopefully the fluids will help her feel better and then she’ll be able to keep liquids down on her own. We’ve given her Motrin for the fever and will monitor that all night. For now, let’s hope she gets some sleep.”
“Thank you,” Lisa said, relieved. She reached over the crib and took Abby’s small hand. “You try to sleep, baby. Tomorrow will be better.”
Abby was already having trouble keeping her eyes open. Soon, she fell to sleep, much to Lisa’s relief.
Lisa sat down on the sofa and laid her head back. She was so tired. She couldn’t remember ever feeling this drained.
Avery sat beside her and took her hand. “What can I do for you? Do you want something to eat or drink? Can I bring you anything from home?”
She turned to him, so grateful he was here. “I don’t need anything but thank you. I think I’ll try to sleep while Abby does. You should go home and get some sleep, too. But could you do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Would you bring Bailey to your house for the night? He’s going to go crazy with worry over Abby being away.”
Avery smiled. “I can do that.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without you here.”
“You’re more than welcome.” Avery found a blanket in the closet and placed it over her. She felt herself drifting off, unable to stay awake any longer. He kissed her cheek. “See you in the morning,” he whispered.
The last thing Lisa heard were his footsteps crossing the room before she fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Thirteen
Avery was startled awake by something cold and wet touching his hand. He opened his eyes and there was Bailey, smiling up at him from the side of the bed.
“Hey, boy.” Avery rubbed his hands over his face and looked at the clock. It was only seven in the morning. “You must be an early riser,” he told the dog.
Moving slowly, Avery stood and slipped on his track pants from the night before. He couldn’t believe how hard he’d slept after lying down last night. He’d come home and gone to Lisa’s to get Bailey, then the two of them ate a midnight snack before heading to bed. Avery had thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep because his mind was too wound up with worry for Abby. But he’d been so exhausted, he’d dropped off quickly.
“I’d better let you out,” Avery told Bailey, “and make your breakfast.” He let the dog into his backyard, which, luckily was fenced in, then walked to the kitchen to brew a cup of coffee. Last night he’d remembered to grab Bailey’s bowls and a couple of cans of dog food, so he put some food in a bowl and set it down by the water, then let Bailey in.
“I’d better ask Lisa how much she normally feeds you; otherwise, I may be giving you too much.”
Bailey looked at him like that wouldn’t be a problem, which made Avery laugh.
After showering, Avery texted Lisa, asking how Abby was.
She’s doing better. Fever is down and she has more energy. The doctor said she will release Abby today if she’s still improving by noon. Lisa texted back.
“Your little girl is coming home,” Avery told Bailey. “You’re going to be a happy dog.”
His phone rang then, and he answered it quickly because he saw it was Lisa.
“Hi.”
“Hi. Can I ask another favor of you?” Lisa asked.
“Anything you want,” he said, grinning to himself.
“Could you bring Abby’s bag from the closet by the door? It’s bright blue and has some clothes and other stuff in it. I don’t want to bring her home in those sweaty pajamas.”
“I can do that. What about you? Do you need a change of clothes?”
She laughed. “I’m not going to ask you to dig through my closet and pick out an outfit for me. But thanks for asking.” He could imagine her smiling on the other end of the line.
“I’m ready to go. I’ll just grab that bag and be there in a few minutes.”
“Thanks. No rush, though. We’re not leaving for a while.”
They hung up and Avery ran across the street with Bailey following him. The morning was crisp, and the leaves had changed to even brighter reds and golds. It would be October in two days and soon the long, cold winter would come. Avery couldn’t help but wonder what winter would hold for him this year. Last year he’d spent it alone in his house, writing and brooding. He hoped it wouldn’t be the same this year, now that he’d finally come out of his cave.
He found Abby’s bag in the closet and left Bailey at Lisa’s house. As he walked outdoors again, Kristen flagged him down in the driveway.
“How’s Abby? Is she feeling any better?”
“Lisa brought her to the hospital last night. She stayed overnight and they gave her fluids,” Avery told her.
Kristen looked stunned. “I had no idea. Oh, that poor little girl. Is she better?”
“She’s much better this morning. I just spoke to Lisa and she said they were talking of letting her come home today.”
Kristen placed a hand on her chest, looking relieved. “I’m so glad to hear that.” She glanced over and saw Lisa’s car in his driveway. “Did you drive her to the hospital last night?”
“Yeah. I saw her come out to her car and rushed over. She wasn’t in any condition to drive. She was so worried about Abby. I’m going there now to hopefully bring them home.”
“I’m so glad you were there to help her. Please tell her I’m thinking about her and not to hesitate to ask for anything,” Kristen said. She smiled. “You’ve turned out to be a really good guy.”
He laughed. “I try.”
Avery arrived at the hospital around nine and stopped by the gift shop and cafeteria before going up to Abby’s room. When he walked in carrying the bag, two cups of coffee, some rolls, and a gift for Abby under his arm, Lisa smiled warmly.
“Do I smell coffee?”
“Yep.” He set everything down and looked over the side of the crib. Abby was no longer hooked up to an IV and her color looked good. “Hey, sweetie. You’re looking much better than last night.”
Abby grinned. “Baywee?” she asked, hopeful.
“Bailey is waiting patiently at home for you,” Avery said. “He sure has missed you.” He handed Abby the little stuffed dog he’d found in the gift shop. It was black and white like Bailey, with blue eyes.
“Baywee!” she squealed, hugging the puppy.
“I thought you might need a stuffy to hug,” he said.
“That was so sweet of you,” Lisa said. “Thank you.”
He winked. “I’ll do anything for a smile.”
They sat on the sofa and drank coffee and ate rolls. Lisa told Avery all about their night in the hospital. “Abby woke up a couple of times, but other than that, she actually slept well. Her temperature is back to normal, thank goodness.”
“I’m glad to hear that. So, is she going home?”
“The doctor said yes. They’ll be signing her out at noon.”
“And what about you? Did you get any sleep last night?” Avery asked.
“I did. As much as possible. But I think Abby and I will both need a long nap when we get home.” She grinned. “And a shower. I definitely need to clean up. I look like a disaster.”
He reached up and pushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “You look beautiful,” he said tenderly. He watched as her face blushed pink. He’d meant what he’d said. She looked just as beautiful to him today as she had the other night when they’d gone on their date. He liked the spray of freckles that dusted her nose and cheeks and how her lashes framed her blue eyes. She didn’t need a lot of makeup to be lovely. Her sweetness shone through from the inside out.
“You need glasses,” she teased.
He chuckled, then turned serious. “I told Kristen you were here with Abby. She was happy to hear that Abby was doing better.”
“I should have called her, but time just slipped by. And Andrew never called me back. It’s so frustrating that he isn’t available when Abby needs him.”
“Maybe he’ll call today,” Avery offered, although he doubted the guy would. He seemed like a selfish jerk, but he kept that thought to himself.
Lisa shrugged. “I tried to keep him informed. I don’t owe him anything more than that.”
They sat there a while longer before the doctor came and checked on Abby. Then the nurse brought in instructions and the release papers. “If her fever spikes again, bring her back. Or if she becomes dehydrated again. But it looks like she’s on the mend, so hopefully we won’t see her in here again.”
Lisa thanked her then took out some fresh clothes from the bag Avery had brought and changed Abby.
“Ready to go home?” Avery asked.
“Most definitely yes,” Lisa told him.
***
Lisa was happy to be home. Abby had perked up a little and even squealed with delight and hugged Bailey when she saw him.
Avery hovered near the door. “Well, I guess it’s time I get back to writing. Let me know if I can do anything for you.”
Lisa walked over close to him. “You’ve done so much already. Thank you for being there when we needed you most.”
“I was happy to help.” He moved even closer to her and slipped his arms around her waist. “We never had a chance to finish our date. Maybe we can do that sometime soon, when Abby is better.”
She gazed at him, her face only inches from his. He’d shaved this morning and it made him look younger than when he’d been a scruffy hermit. She liked how kind his face looked. “I’d like that.”
Avery bent his head as if he were going to kiss her, but she pulled back and laughed. “I haven’t brushed my teeth in two days.”
“I don’t care,” he murmured. Frankly, neither did she. Just as their lips touched, there was a knock coming from the kitchen door. Avery groaned.
“I’ll bet that’s Kristen checking up on Abby,” Lisa said.
He pulled away but was smiling. “I’ll take a raincheck on that kiss. Someday, it’s going to happen.”
The anticipation of that kiss gave Lisa delightful goosebumps.
She waved as he left then headed to the kitchen. Kristen was on the stoop, carrying a basket and a jar of soup.
“I was so worried,” Kristen said as she came inside. “I’m glad you’re home. I brought you some muffins and soup, so you don’t have to worry about making dinner tonight.”
Lisa’s heart swelled. She loved how kind and caring her neighbors were. She adored her sweet little neighborhood. And she was beginning to fall for a certain handsome hermit from across the street.
Monday morning, Lisa called in to work to take a personal day and kept Abby home, just to make sure she was feeling okay. The fever hadn’t returned the night before, and the little girl was already eating well and regaining her energy. Lisa couldn’t believe how easily she’d bounced back from her illness. She wished she had half of Abby’s energy.
Andrew finally called around eleven o’clock. “How is Abby? Are you home or still at the hospital?” To his credit, he sounded worried, but as far as Lisa was concerned, it was too little, too late.
“She’s home and feeling better. I kept her home today,” she told him.
Andrew sighed heavily. “So, was this a false alarm? Were all those messages you left me for nothing?”
Anger swelled up inside Lisa. “No, it wasn’t a false alarm. I called because I thought you’d want to know your daughter was in the hospital with a fever of a hundred and four and getting IV fluids.”
“But she’s better now, right? She’s no longer sick.”
“She’s getting better,” Lisa said. “But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t sick. Why didn’t you answer your phone all weekend? This was an emergency and you should have been there for her.”
“I had my phone turned off. It wasn’t my idea, believe me. Kat wanted time away from everything and I agreed. We went up to the North Shore for a couple of days.”
Lisa’s anger grew. “Well, as long as it was important,” she said snidely. “I wouldn’t have wanted to ruin your weekend trip with something as trivial as your daughter being in the hospital.”
“That’s not fair and you know it,” he said angrily. “I won’t be made to feel guilty when it’s not my weekend to have Abby. She was your responsibility.”
“She’s always my responsibility!” Her voice rose. “And if you want to have shared custody, you should be available to her all the time too.”
There was a long pause as Lisa waited for Andrew to make more excuses. To her surprise, he conceded.
“You’re right,” he said, his voice calmer. “I shouldn’t have turned off my phone. It won’t happen again. It’s just that things have been a little tense between Kat and me and she wanted my full attention. But she’ll have to accept the fact that Abby comes first. I’m sorry.”
Lisa thought she was going to fall over when she heard him apologize. Andrew never took the blame for anything. It had been one of the many things about him that had driven her crazy while they were married.
“Okay,” she said, also calming down. “I’ll admit I went overboard with the messages, but I was so scared. Abby has never been that sick before. Even though I’m a nurse, it’s different when it’s your own child.”
“I’m sorry you had to do this alone. That’s not fair, and I get it. I should have been there for you.”
“I wasn’t alone. In fact, I was lucky that Avery saw me putting Abby in the car and he rushed over and drove me there. I was in no frame of mind to drive, especially in the middle of the night. He stayed with me, too, until the hospital settled Abby in a room.”
Lisa didn’t know why she’d told Andrew about Avery driving her. Some part of her wanted to let him know that she also had someone who cared about her. Maybe she wanted to rub it in a little, even though she knew she shouldn’t.
“Avery?” Andrew asked, sounding confused. “Who’s that?”
“You’ve met him. He fixed the back fence so Bailey wouldn’t dig under it.”
“The gardener?” he asked with disdain.
“He’s not a gardener. He’s a writer. And he’s been very helpful this past couple of weeks. You should be thanking him instead of being so snide.”
“What in the world was this guy doing up at midnight, watching your house? He sounds like a creep.”
Once again, Andrew made her blood boil. “He’s not a creep. He’s a nice guy. At least he was there for me and Abby, and you weren’t.”
After another minute or two of sparring, Andrew said goodbye. But not before reminding Lisa that he had Abby this upcoming weekend. Lisa sighed when she hit the off button. She watched her daughter as the little girl played with a pile of toys and dolls on the floor with Bailey lying beside her. Every so often, Abby would pat the dog on the back before returning to playing. This made Lisa smile. Some children had a favorite stuffed toy, others had a blanket, but Abby had Bailey. He was her security blanket, her favorite lovey. The thought of Abby being so sick made her stomach churn. What would she have done if she lost Abby? Lisa didn’t know if she could recover from that, ever.
She went over and sat down beside Abby on the floor and the two began playing with a simple puzzle. Moments like this were few and far between now that Lisa worked full-time. She had to enjoy every moment she could before the years piled up unexpectedly and Abby was grown and gone. Then what? Lisa had thought she’d spend her life with Andrew: they’d grow old together, retire, and travel. That dream was gone. Maybe it was time to think of a new dream.
Unexpectedly, Avery’s face came to mind. She smiled. She thought back to yesterday morning when he’d tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and told her she looked beautiful. Her heart had melted as a blush had crept up her face. He couldn’t have said anything sweeter at that moment, after the long night she’d had. He truly was a romantic, and that was something she needed in her life right now. Someone who cared enough about her to see her amongst all the chaos going on around her.
And despite the rocky start between the two of them, he did see her.
She ran her hand through her daughter’s silky hair. “We really are very lucky. You know that, sweetie?”
Abby smiled that precious toddler smile up at her and Bailey did the same. Lisa’s life was full.
Chapter Fourteen
The week sped by for Lisa. Avery came over a couple of nights for dinner, one night with pizza for them and spaghetti for Abby. Otherwise, Lisa hadn’t seen much of him because their lives were so busy. He said he’d been writing non-stop since bringing them home from the hospital and didn’t want to break his rhythm. Lisa had no understanding of the creative process of writing a book, and she was impressed by his self-motivation to be able to sit down for hours, typing. She knew she’d be distracted by a hundred different things; although she had a child and dog while Avery was home alone. That made a big difference.
